QOD: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 // Mardi Gras

Tuesday, 13 February 2024

Tuesday, February 13, 2024 // Mardi Gras

QOD: An American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi Gras in New Orleans. ~ Mark Twain (né Samuel Langhorne Clemens; Nov. 30, 1835 ~ Apr. 21, 1910), American writer and humorist

Happy Mardi Gras, All Y'All!

Mind your budget to stretch your Cash. Times are tough, you need to Stretch your Cash or find someone who will Spread the Wealth.

17-Across. Garment made from goat's wool: CASHMERE SWEATER.

27-Across. Picture that may feature students in height order: CLASS PHOTOGRAPH.

47-Across. Completely spotless: CLEAN AS AWHISTLE.

59-Across. Be generous with one's good fortune, as depicted by the movement of this puzzle's circled letters: SPREAD THE WEALTH.

I'll start with the grid so you can see how clever the Wealth is spread out. We start with the Cash all together. Then there is one letter in between Cash, and finally 2 letters are spread between the Cash.

Across:

1. South African language: ZULU.

5. "Uh ... feels wrong": UM ... NO.

9. Inky smudges: BLOTS.

The caption reads:
It's just a simple Rorschach ink-blot test, Mr. Bromwell, so just calm down and tell me what each one suggest to you.

14. Iowa State's town: AMES.

15. Folk artist Joan: BAEZ. Joan Chandos Baez (b. Jan. 9, 1941) began her recording career over 60 years ago. [Name # 1.]

16. Gracefully limber: LITHE.

20. Roebuck partner: SEARS. The department store of Sears and Roebuck was founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears (Dec. 7, 1863 ~ Sept. 28, 1914) and Alvah Curtis Roebuck (Jan. 9, 1864 ~ June 18, 1948). [Names # 2 and 3.]

21. __ borealis: colorful sky display: AURORA. I would love to see the Aurora Borealis someday, but not sure I want to go so far north to see the display.

22. Put back in the pan: REFRY.

24. Big name in SUVs: GMC.

26. GPS display: MAP.

32. Astern: AFT.

33. "Klutzy me": OOPS!

34. Some Blu-ray players: SONYs.

35. Urgent request: PLEA.

37. Point value of "eight" in Scrabble: NINE. // And 52-Across. Point value of "five" or "six" in Scrabble: TEN.

39. Be in harmony: AGREE.

42. Kia hatchbacks: RIOs.

44. Destiny's Child's "__ My Name": SAY.

51. Apple CEO Cook: TIM. Timothy Donald Cook (b. Nov. 1, 1960) became the chief executive officer of Apple Inc. in 2011, following the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs (1955 ~ 2011). Prior to becoming the CEO, he was the company's chief operating officer. [Name # 4.]

53. Arranges logically: SORTS.

54. End of an era?: SMALL A. I am not keen on clues and answers like this.

57. Large member of the violin family: CELLO.

64. Lopsided: ASKEW.

65. Elton John musical based on a Verdi opera: AIDA. [Name # 5.]

66. Raptor's weapon: CLAW. Because Talon was too many letters.

67. Workspaces: DESKS.

68. "Dark Phoenix" mutants: X-MEN. I've never seen any of these movies, so can't comment of their names or superpower mutations. [Name # 6, fictional.]

69. Catch sight of: ESPY. // And 40-Down. Quick look: GLIMPSE.

Down:

1. Actor Efron: ZAC. Zac Efron (né Zachary David Alexander Efron; b. Oct. 18, 1987) got is start in the mid-2000s starred in the High School Musical movies. [Name # 7.]

2. Thurman of "Red, White & Royal Blue": UMA. When her name comes up, I usually think of her dancing with John Travolta in Kill Bill. That was 30 years ago! [Name # 8.]

3. Heart-healthy phrase: LESS FAT.

4. Helpful theater employees: USHERS.

5. Car service app: UBER.

6. "24K Magic" singer Bruno: MARS. Bruno Mars isn't his real name. His given name is Peter Gene Hernandez (b. Oct. 8, 1985). [Name # 9.]

7. Previously named: NÉE. Today's French lesson. The word comes from the French and means Born. Né is masculine and Née is feminine.

8. Fluid meas. units: OZs. As in Ounces.

9. Couleur of the sky: BLEU. More of today's French lesson.

10. Pants-on-fire person: LIAR. Cute clue.

11. Padded footstool: OTTOMAN.

12. Curative treatment: THERAPY.

13. High-ranking angels: SERAPHS.

18. Baseball Hall of Famer Willie: MAYS. Willie Mays (né Willie Howard Mays, jr.; b. May 6, 1931) is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all times. He played center field. [Name # 10.]

19. City halfway between Dallas and Austin: WACO. How the city got its name.

22. Early TV brand: RCA. RCA and its Dogs.

23. Tiny toymaker: ELF.

24. RNC group: GOP. As in the Republican National Committee and the Grand Old Party. No politics, please.

25. VT ski resort with an apt name: MT SNOW. Everything you wanted to know about Mt Snow but didn't know to ask. And a shout out to JFromVT.

28. Poet Edgar Allan __: POE. Edgar Allan Poe (Jan. 19, 1809 ~ Oct. 7, 1849) is considered the father of the modern detective mystery. [Name # 11.]

29. All shouted out, maybe: HOARSE.

30. "Tug of Words" channel: GSN. As in the Game Show Network.

31. Caviar: ROE. Yummers!

35. Podded plant: PEA.

36. Former "Inside the NFL" host Dawson: LEN. Len Dawson (né Leonard Ray Dawson; June 20, 1935 ~ Aug. 24. 2022) played for the Kansas City Chiefs for over 10 years in the 1960s and 1970s. [Name # 12.]

38. "Or so": -ISH.

39. Puts on a frown: ACTS SAD. I initially tried Acts Mad.

41. Casual observations: REMARKS.

43. Actor McKellen: IAN. That's Sir Ian McKellen (né Ian Murray McKellen; b. May 25, 1939) to you. He is a very versatile actor. [Name # 13.]

44. Ambles: STROLLS.

45. Key sometimes used with Ctrl: ALT.

46. "You rang?": YES.

48. Slightly: A TAD.

49. Hebrides landmass: ISLE. The Hebrides is an archipelago comprising hundreds of islands off the northwest coast of Scotland.

50. Comfort during trying times: SOLACE.

55. Long onion kin: LEEK. Wha't the difference?

56. Rules for society: LAWS. The oldest known written legal code was found in what is now Iraq.

57. Relinquish: CEDE.

58. Obi-Wan player: EWAN. Obi-Wan Kenobi was the Jedi master in the Star Wars movies. In some of the later films in the series Ewan McGregor (né Ewan Gordon McGregor; b. Mar. 31, 1971). [Names # 14 and 15, one fictional, one real.]