Friday, September 15, 2023

QOD:  Every life is a novel for those who are curious enough to look into it.  ~  Anne Berest (b. Sept. 15, 1979), French writer and actress

Thursday, September 14, 2023

QOD:  One has to have experience of really believing before one can have the thrill of liberation.  ~  Allan Bloom (né Allan David Bloom; . Sept. 14, 1930 ~ Oct. 7, 1992), American philosopher

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

QOD:  Human beings can get used to virtually anything, given plenty of time and no choice in the matter whatsoever.  ~  Tom Holt (né Thomas Charles Louis Holt; b. Sept. 13, 1961), British novelist

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

QOD:  If you take risks and face your fate with dignity, there is nothing you can do that makes you small; if you don’t take risks, there is nothing you can do that makes you grand, nothing.  ~  Nassim Nicholas Taleb (b. Sept. 12, 1960), Lebanese-American essayist

Nickel-and-Dimed:  Those Hidden Fees will kill you.  Each theme answer contains a HIDDEN FEE.

18-Across. *  Food stalls offering filled tortillas: TACO STANDS.  COST.

23-Across. *  Kits that include pots for melting cheese or chocolate: FONDUE SETS.  DUES.  Fondue Sets were common wedding gifts in the '70s, or so I'm told.

38-Across. *  1933 comedy starring Marie Dressler and John Barrymore: DINNER AT EIGHT.  RATE.  This movie came out a little before my time.  Although I had heard of John Barrymore (né John Sidney Blyth; Feb. 1882 ~ May 29, 1942), who was the grandfather of actress Drew Barrymore (née Drew Blythe Barrymore; b. Feb. 22, 1975), but Marie Dressler (née Leslie Marie Koerber; b. Nov. 9,1868 ~ July 28 1965) is a new name for me.  The movie is a comedic drama about an ambitious New York socialite and her husband.  She planned an extravagant dinner party while her husband was having financial issues.  As in any marriage, this caused a lot of tension between the couple.  

50-Across. *  Ingredient amount in a recipe for paella or risotto: ONE CUP RICE.  PRICE.

And the unifier:

57-Across. Unexpected charges, and a feature of the answers to the starred clues: HIDDEN FEES.

Across:

1. Skyline obscurer: SMOG.

Name that City

5. Slight fabrications: FIBS.

9. Lengthy exam answer: ESSAY.

14. Afghanistan's __ Bora region: TORA.  Tora Bora is a cave complex in eastern Afghanistan near the border of Pakistan.

15. Wrinkle remover: IRON.

16. Teatime treat: SCONE.  Yummers!

17. Condo division: UNIT.

20. Liberated: FREED.

22. Meaner than mean: CRUEL.

Cruella De Ville

26. Verdi opera about an African princess: AIDA.  Aida is a popular tragic opera by Giuseppe Verdi (né Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi; Oct. 9, 1813 ~ Jan. 27, 1901) that is set on the old Kingdom of Egypt.  It premiered in Cairo in December 1871.  The 1998 musical Aida by Elton John (né Reginald Kenneth Dwight; b. Mar. 25, 1947) and Tim Rice (né Timothy Miles Bindon Rice; b. Nov. 10, 1944) is based on Verdi's opera.

30. As of now: YET.

31. Rodent that followed the Pied Piper: RAT.

32. Finalized, as a deal: SEWN UP.

34. Relishes: SAVORS.

37. Indiana NBA player: PACER.  Why the name Pacer, you ask.

41. Treasury secretary Yellen: JANET.  Janet Louise Yellen (b. Aug. 13, 1946) is the 78th United States Secretary of the Treasury.  She has held that Office since January 26, 2021.  Prior to that she was the Chair of the Federal Reserve.

42. __ Berry Farm: Southern California amusement park: KNOTTS.

43. High regard: ESTEEM.

45. "Let's call __ day": IT A.

46. Heat in the microwave: ZAP.

49. Norse god of thunder: THOR.  Everything you ever wanted to know about this Norse god but didn't know to ask.

54. Barnett of CBS News: ERROL.  Errol Barnett (b. Apr. 3, 1983), is a British-born news anchor and correspondent for CBS News.

56. Therefore: HENCE.

62. Over again: ANEW.  A crossword staple.

63. Relating to birds: AVIAN.

64. Rights org. since 1920: ACLU.  As in the American Civil Liberties Union.  The organization was founded to protect the constitutional rights of Americans.  One of its earliest cases was the so-called Monkey Trial, which challenged Tennessee's law banning the teaching of evolution.

65. Checkout queue: LINE.

66. Marriott rival: HYATT.  Both are hotels found in major cities.  Hyatt and Marriott compared.

67. Car roof with removable panels: T-TOP.

68. Life partner: MATE.  15 animals that mate for life.

Down:

1. In need of some fresh air: STUFFY.

2. "Some Like It Hot" star Marilyn: MONROE.  Marilyn Monroe (née Norma Jean Mortenson; June 1, 1926 ~ Aug. 4, 1962) portrayed Sugar Kowalczyk, a singer, who befriended Tony Curtis (né Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925 ~ Sept. 29, 2010) and Jack Lemmon (né John Uhler Lemmon, III; Feb. 8, 1925 ~ June 27, 2001), who were disguised as women to escape from mafia gangsters.

3. Get situated: ORIENT.

4. Like some private communities: GATED.

5. In shape: FIT.

6. Nest egg letters: IRA.  As in Individual Retirement Account.

7. Italian bowling game: BOCCE.

8. Pig sound: SNORT.

9. East, in Spanish: ESTE.  Today's Spanish lesson. 

10. Rascals: SCALAWAGS.  Fun word.  After the Civil War, however, the word became pejorative term for a white Southerner who supported the federal plan of Reconstruction or who joined with black freedmen and the so-called carpetbaggers in support of Republican Party policies.

11. Prodigal __: SON.  A Biblical reference.

12. "Wait, there's more": AND.

13. "You bet!": YES.

19. Figure (out): SUSS.

21. Vaudeville legend Jimmy: DURANTE.  Jimmy Durante (né James Francis Durante; Feb. 10, 1893 ~ Jan. 29, 1980) was known for his gravelly voice and his big nose, which he lovingly referred to as his Schnozzola.

24. Roof edge: EAVE.

25. Bird on birth announcements: STORK.

27. Snowfall accumulation unit: INCH.

28. Song for two: DUET.

29. Tax-paying mo.: APR.

33. Words set in stone?: EPITAPH.

34. Looked down on: SNEERED AT.

35. Competed in a sprint, say: RAN.  //  Ane 38-Down: Sprinter's race: DASH.

36. Unflappable: STOIC.

39. Enamored of: INTO.

40. Caesar's rebuke: ET TU.  Today's Latin lesson.  A phrase that literally means "and you".  Most famously seen as "Et tu, Brute?" supposedly the last words of Julius Caesar after he had been stabbed by his friend Brutus.

41. Airport arrival: JET.

44. Eve's opposite: MORN.  Nice misdirection.  Eve isn't a person, but the evening.

46. Colorful annual: ZINNIA.  Beautiful and colorful flowers.

47. Regional manner of speech: ACCENT.  Here's the Downeast Accent.

48. Baseball Hall of Famer Reese: PEE WEE.  Pee Wee Reese (né Harold Peter Henry; July 23, 1918 ~ Aug. 14, 1999) played shortstop for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers.  He is also known for befriending and supporting his teammate, Jackie Robinson (né Jack Roosevelt Robinson; Jan. 31, 1919 ~ Oct. 24, 1972) when Robinson broke the color barrier into baseball's major leagues.  He got his nickname from playing in marble competitions as a child.  A Pee-Wee is a small marble.  Not to be confused with Pee Wee Herman the alter ego of Paul Reubens (Aug. 28, 1952 ~ July 30, 2023), who recently died of cancer.

51. Like some lean dairy products: NO-FAT.

52. Put into office: ELECT.

53. Domain: REALM.

55. Landlord's income: RENT.

57. "A likely story!": HAH!

58. Climbing vine: IVY.

59. Day in Durango: DIA.  Today's Spanish lesson.

60. "Xanadu" rock gp.: ELO.  The band's full name is Electric Light Orchestra.

61. "How's it goin'?": 'SUP.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday, September 11, 2023

QOD:  Having a million opinions about everything comes cheap and easy, whereas actually doing something can cost you quite a lot.  ~  Gary Indiana (né Gary Hoisington; b. 1950), American writer and artist

Sunday, September 10, 2023

QOD:  The particular charm of marriage is the dialogue, the permanent conversation between two people who talk over everything and everyone till death breaks the record.  ~  Cyril Connolly (né Cyril Vernon Connolly; Sept. 10, 1903 ~ Nov. 16, 1974), British literary critic