QOD: Wendy L Brandes

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Tuesday, 28 January 2025

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

QOD: I know a lot about a few thing ~ mostly useless things. ~ Mo Rocca (né Maurice Alberto Rocca; b. Jan. 28, 1969, American comedian and television journalist

The Art of Being Graceful. In today's puzzle, an ODE gracefully slides down and across the grid.

20-Across. Wide receiver who was the 2014 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: ODELL BECKHAM, JR. Odell Cornelious Beckham, Jr (b. Nov. 5, 1992) was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and played football at Louisiana State University. His plays were Poetry in Motion.

33-Across. Literary movement for Vonnegut and Pynchon: POST-MODERNISM. Postmodernism is a movement that challenged modernism in the arts, culture, and philosophy. Postmodernism is known for its skepticism, irony, and critiques of objective reality and universal truths. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (Nov. 11, 1922 ~ Apr. 11, 2007) was known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. The only Vonnegut novel I read was Slaughter House-Five. Thomas Pynchon, Jr. (b. May 8, 1937) is known for his dense and complex novels. I have never read any of his works.

40-Across. Pushes one's game to the next level: GOES BEAST MODE.

53-Across. Epitome of grace, and an apt title for this puzzle: POETRY IN MOTION. See how the Ode (Poem) gracefully moves (Motion) down and across the grid.

See how the ODE gracefully moves down the Grid.

Across:

1. Long, long time: AGES.

5. Important ingredient in Toll House cookies: CHIPS. Yummers! The history of the Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie. My mother had a chocolate chip cookie that was ever so much better than the Toll House version.

10. Touch: ABUT.

14. U2 lead singer: BONO. Bono (né Paul David Hewson; b. May 10, 1960) is also a founding member of the band. He took his name, Bono, from an Irish hearing aid company.

15. "__ and Juliet": ROMEO. What if Shakespeare wrote a different ending to Romeo and Juliet? That's the premise of & Juliet. We just saw the show and it was so much fun and very high energy.

16. Friction fighter: LUBE.

17. Indian flatbread: ROTI. Not the expected Naan! What's the difference?

18. No longer together: APART.

19. Neighborhood: AREA.

23. Show on television: AIR.

24. Photo __: OPS.

25. Punk subgenre: EMO.

26. Loved by: DEAR TO.

28. Protagonist: HERO.

30. __ Moines, Iowa: DES. A brief history of Des Moines.

36. Bombard (with): PELT.

38. MSNBC host Melber: ARI. Ari Naftali Melber (b. Mar. 31, 1980) is an attorney and a journalist. He hosts The Beat with Ari Melber.

39. Roadie's gear: AMPS. A crossword staple.

45. Actress de Armas: ANA. Ana de Armas (née Ana Celia de Armas Caso; b. Apr. 30, 1988) is a Cuban and Spanish actress. I first saw her in the 2019 film, Knives Out.

46. "General Hospital" actress Rylan: EMME. Apparently, Emme Rylan (née Marcy Faith Behrens; b. Nov. 4, 1980) has appeared in a number of soap operas, including General Hospital and The Young and the Restless.

47. Long-armed shaggy apes, familiarly: ORANGS. As in an Orangutan.

50. Hon: BAE. This is becoming a crossword staple. It appeared in last Wednesday's puzzle.

51. E-file org.: IRS. As in the Internal Revenue Service.

52. Sign of a hot ticket on Broadway: SRO. Standing Room Only.

58. Slangy coffee: JAVA.

59. Irritated: GOT TO.

60. Oblong tomato: ROMA. The Roma tomato is a plum tomato that is commonly used for tomato paste because of its slender and firm nature. They grow well in the United States, Mexico, Australia, and Great Britain.

61. Receiving customers: OPEN.

62. Burstyn of "The First Lady": ELLEN. Ellen Burstyn (née Edna Rae Gillooly; b. Dec. 7, 1932) has been in numerous films during her long career. She earned an Oscar for her portrayal of Alice Hyatt in the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Any More.

63. Condo, e.g.: UNIT.

64. Places to find fuzzy navels: BARS. Nice misdirection. A Fuzzy Navel is a mixed drink made with peach schnapps and orange juice.

65. American Girls, e.g.: DOLLS. American Girls is a line of dolls, many of which are based on historical characters or figures.

66. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTA. Today's Spanish lesson.

Down:

1. Overseas: ABROAD.

2. Unexpected treat: GOODIE.

3. Respond to court charges: ENTER A PLEA.

4. Bed component?: SOIL.

5. Underwater trap: CRAB POT.

6. Aspirations: HOPES.

7. Apple desktop: iMAC.

8. Free lunch on Fridays, e.g.: PERK. Why Friday?

9. "Told ya!": SO THERE!

10. Budget competitor: ALAMO. Both are car rental companies.

11. __ Khalifa: world's tallest building: BURJ. The Burj Khalifa stands at 2,717 feet. The Burj Khalifa is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The building is named after Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Sept. 7, 1948 ~ May 13, 2022), the second president of the UAE. The tallest building that I have ever been in is the third largest building, the Shanghai Tower, which stands at a mere 2,073 feet.

12. Big name in food delivery: UBER.

13. Spills the __: gossips: TEA. // And 50-Down. Spills the __: blabs: BEANS. While both idioms have similar meanings, “spill the tea” typically refers to gossip, while “spill the beans” typically refers to an unintentional disclosure of private or secret information.

21. Quite a few: LOTS.

22. Cupid's domain: AMOR.

27. Becomes compost: ROTS.

28. Seabiscuit, for one: HORSE. Seabiscuit (1993 ~ 1947) was a famous American Thoroughbred. He was born in 1933 and raced from 1935–1940.

29. Work periodically?: EDIT. Cute clue.

30. Part of a design spec: DIMENSIONS.

31. Seer's gift: ESP.

32. Texting format: SMS. As in Short Message Service.

34. Polite term of address: MA'AM.

35. Zippo: NADA.

36. Links org.: PGA. As in the Professional Golfers' Association.

37. Long, long time: EON.

41. Edged out: BEAT.

42. Came out of hiding: EMERGED.

43. Church members who are encouraged to do missionary work: MORMONS.

44. Roughly: OR SO.

48. Wallace's claymation pal: GROMIT. Wallace & Gromit is a British claymation comedy franchise. The stories all come have a hidden meaning: they tell the story of a class struggle. Wallace, the human, represents the privileged upper class, while Gromit, his faithful dog, represents the lower class that supports his master.

49. Hyundai sedan: SONATA.

51. Dirt dug up by moles: INTEL. Good misdirection! As intelligence gathered by a spy.

53. Grandad's nickname: PAPA. This is just one of many of nicknames for Grandfather.

54. Finished: OVER.

55. "I'll never have this chance again, so why not!" letters: YOLO. You Only Live Once.

56. "__ all work out": IT'LL.

57. Immodest response to "You're the best!": TRUE.

58. Occupation: JOB.

חתולה

Uluru, also known as Ayres Rock.

Tuesday, 23 April 2024

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

QOD: I feel a physical happiness when spring is coming. ~ Halldór Kiljan Laxness (né Halldór Guõjónsson; Apr. 23, 1902 ~ Feb. 8, 1998), Icelandic writer and recipient of the 1955 Nobel Prize in Literature

Home is where the heart is. The last word of each theme clue describes a type of living space.

16-Across. Digs for a member of a string quartet?: CELLO SUITE. Suite: a set of rooms designated for one person's or family's use or for a particular purpose.

26-Across. Digs for a gym rat?: MUSCLE BUILDING. Building: a structure with a roof and walls, such as a house, school, store, or factory.

42-Across. Digs for a Greek mythology buff?: OEDIPUS COMPLEX. Complex: A building complex consists of a large building or series of interconnected buildings that fulfill a specific purpose.

56-Across. Digs for a dancer?: BALLET FLAT. Flat: A term predominantly used in the United Kingdom to describe a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building. The etymology of flat originates from the Old English word “flett,” dating back to the 1300s. The term means level and in one plane. Hence, the term flat is used to describe a one-level apartment.

Across:

1. Dynamism: PEP.

4. Eatery with a chalkboard menu: BISTRO. Bistro: a small, casual restaurant with a relatively inexpensive, simple menu. Though often a French restaurant, it doesn't have to be, and not every bistro serves French food. I was just reading something about the defeat of Napoleon and learned about the word Bistro came into the French language. It was first used in the early 1800s following the 1814 occupation of Paris by Russian soldiers. It seems that it was a mispronunciation of a Russian word that meant hurry. Russian soldiers would shout Hurry at restaurant owners while waiting for their food. Small restaurants began to pop-up that could quickly serve food ~ the original fast food restaurants!

10. Free TV spot: PSA. As in Public Service Announcement.

13. "Origin" writer/director DuVernay: AVA. Ava Marie DuVernay (b. Aug. 24, 1972) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. She has been involved in many movies, including Selma, and A Wrinkle in Time. Origin is based on Isabel Wilkerson's book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. [Name # 1.]

14. Off-the-cuff performance: IMPROV. Short for Improvisation.

15. Final push?: CRAM. Cram: Study intensively over a short period of time just before an examination.

18. Roll-call call: HERE.

19. "At Wit's End" writer Bombeck: ERMA. Erma Bombeck (née Erma Louise Bombeck; Feb. 21, 1927 ~ Apr. 22, 1996) was an American humorist. She wrote over 4,000 newspaper columns which gave a humorous view on family life. She also published 15 books. At Wit's End, her first publish book, came out in 1967. [Name # 2.]

20. Spherical body: ORB.

21. "Ant" on a celery "log": RAISIN.

23. Scand. land: NOR. Norway is a Scandinavian country.

25. Flakes on plans: BAILS. This clue appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle as Flake (on): Bail. [See 68-Across in last week's puzzle.]

32. Lauder in the cosmetics aisle: ESTÉE. Estée Lauder (née Josephine Esther Mentzer; July 1, 1908 ~ Apr. 24, 2004) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles. She was an American businesswoman. She and her husband, Joseph Lauter co-founded her eponymous cosmetics company. [Name # 3.]

33. Measurement given in degrees: ANGLE.

34. __ Lanka: SRI. Sri Lanka is the tear-drop island off the south-east coast of India.

36. OPS or RBI: STAT. Both OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) and RBI (Runs Batted In) are baseball Statistics.

37. Prunes: TRIMS.

38. Sparks or Fire: TEAM. The Los Angeles Sparks are a WNBA Team and the Chicago Fire is a soccer Team. This clue is immediately followed by 39-Across. Like sparks and fire: HOT.

40. __ Monica Pier: SANTA.

41. Mazda roadster: MIATA.

45. Entrepreneur __ C.J. Walker: MADAM. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Madam C J Walker (née Sarah Breedlove; b. Dec. 23, 1867 ~ May 25, 1919) was the first female self-made millionaire in America. That's a pretty amazing feat considering she was an African-American woman who born in Louisiana a year before the State was readmitted into the Union. Her older sibling were all born enslaved. She made her fortune by developing and marketing a line of cosmetics and hair care products for black women. [Name # 4.]

46. Language in which to order larb: LAO. Larb is certainly not a Tuesday word. Larb is a spicy and sour meat salad and is the national dish of Laos.

47. Puts one's feelings on display: EMOTES.

49. Woebegone: SAD. // And 52-down. Woebegone word: ALAS.

51. Hand-held coolers: FANS.

55. Checkout lane purchase: TOTE.

59. Starchy snack bites, for short: TOTS. Think of Tater Tots. Yummers! // And 40-Down: 59-Across, perhaps: SIDE.

60. Tennis star Andre: AGASSI. Andre Kirk Agassi (b. Apr. 29, 1970) was briefly married to actress Brooke Shields (b. May 31, 1965) in the 1990s. [Name # 5.]

61. Periodontists' gp.: ADA. As in the American Dental Association.

62. "Without further __ ... ": ADO.

63. Like some work from home: REMOTE.

64. "__ your piece": SAY.

Down:

1. Four-minute mile, for one: PACE.

2. CCR's "Have You __ Seen the Rain": EVER. This song was first released in 1971 by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Can it really be over half a century ago?

3. Acai tree, e.g.: PALM.

4. Info on a profile page: BIO. As in a Biography

5. Post-triathlon lament: I'M SORE.

6. Barrel racer's accessory: SPUR.

7. Chi-Town paper: TRIB. As in the Chicago Tribune. Film critic and journalist Gene Siskel (1946 ~ 1999) wrote for the Tribune.

8. Turn brown, maybe: ROT.

9. Clothes with bibs and braces: OVERALLS.

10. Film similar to cling wrap: PRESS'N SEAL. A bit unfair, since cling wrap is a generic term and the answer is the name of a product.

11. Garment that may be nine yards long: SARI.

12. Grace ender: AMEN.

15. Cook-off entry: CHILI.

17. Small surgical knife: LANCET. Another déjà vu from last Tuesday. Also the name of a medical journal. The Lancet, which was founded in England in 1823, is one of the oldest medical journals. [See 30-Down from last week.]

22. Congressional staffer: AIDE.

24. "Rah," in fútbol: OLÉ. Today's Spanish lesson.

25. Signature Golden Arches offering: BIG MAC. I understand it has a special sauce.

26. Sports bib material: MESH.

27. "We totally agree": US, TOO.

28. "Liberty and Prosperity," for New Jersey, e.g.: STATE MOTTO. Louisiana's state motto is Union, Justice and Confidence. What's yours?

29. Bailey's circus partner: BARNUM. As in P.T. Barnum (né Phineas Taylor Barnum; July 5, 1810 ~ Apr. 7, 1891) and James Anthony Bailey (né James Anthony McGinnis; July 4, 1847 ~ Apr. 11, 1906). [Names # 6 and 7.]

30. Curriculum parts: UNITS.

31. Shred, as cheese: GRATE.

35. Big big-screen format: IMAX.

37. Eatery with small plates: TAPAS BAR. A tapa is an appetiser or snack in Spanish cuisine. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal, and can be cold or hot. In some bars and restaurants in Spain and across the globe, tapas have evolved into a very sophisticated cuisine. Yummers!

38. WNBA game start: TIP OFF.

41. UFC sport: MMA. As in Mixed Martial Arts and Ultimate Fighting Championship.

43. eHarmony matches: DATES.

44. Like Yellowstone, among National Parks: OLDEST. Yellowstone National Park was established by and Act of Congress and President Ulysses S Grant () signed it into law on March 1, 1872. Not only is Yellowstone National park the first National Park in the United States, but it is also believed to be the first national park in the world.

47. "At Last" singer James: ETTA. Etta James (née Jamesetta Hawkins; Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan. 20, 2012) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles. [Name # 8.]