QOD: I long for a day of judgment when the plotlines of our lives will be neatly tied, and all puzzles explained, and the meaning of events made clear. We take to fiction, I suppose, because no such thing is going to happen. ~ Fay Weldon (née Franklin Birkinshaw; Sept. 22, 1931 ~ Jan. 4, 2023), British novelist
Old MacDonald Had a Farm ... Today provides us with common phrases that contain farm animals.
20-Across. Exhibit A: That awful handwriting: CHICKEN SCRAWL.
26-Across. Exhibit B: That loud guffaw: HORSE LAUGH.
35.-Across Exhibit C: That unruly hair: COWLICK. A cowlick is a section of hair that grows in a different direction from the rest of the hair. The hair often stands straight up or sticks out in a stubborn swirl.
44-Across. Exhibit D: That goofy stare: SHEEP'S EYES. Did you know that sheep have horizontal, rectangular pupils? The sharpen horizontal contours and give them an incredible field of peripheral vision.
53-Across. Lacking all refinement, facetiously, or like the person described in 20-, 26-, 35-, and 44-Across?: RAISED IN A BARN.
Here's the Grid so you can see all the farm animals:
Across:
1. Percussion instruments with taut tops: DRUMS.
6. Highest mountain in Japan: FUJI. Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano. At 12,389 feet, it is the highest mountain in Japan. At the top of the mountain there is a vending machine, so hikers can get a cold or hod drink when they reach the top. The prices of drinks reflect the high altitude, too. Mt. Fuji was in the news recently when a father left his 7-year-old son part-way up the mountain. Apparently, the young boy got tired, but the father wanted to continue up the mountain.
10. Use a needle and thread: SEW.
13. Superficial layer: VENEER.
15. Guy known for his first-person perspective?: ADAM. A Biblical reference.
16. Abu Dhabi's fed.: UAE. As in the United Arab Emirates.
17. Composer Shostakovich: DMITRI. Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (Sept. 25, 1906 ~ Aug. 9, 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist. He became internationally known after the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926.
18. Harlem Renaissance writer __ Neale Hurston: ZORA. Zora Neale Hurston (Jan. 7, 1891 ~ Jan. 28, 1960) was an African-American writer and folklorist. Although she was born in the South, by 1925, she was living in New York City when the Harlem Renaissance was in full swing. She only lived in NYC for a short time, but quickly became associated with the movement. She is best known for her 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Watching God.
19. Bikini top: BRA.
23. "Little Bunny __": FOO FOO. Apparently, Little Bunny Foo Foo is a children's book about a rabbit who bullies field mice. It is supposed to teach children about consequences and the importance of being nice to others.
24. Lit __: English major's course: CRIT. As in Literary Criticism. It is the reasoned analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of literary works.
25. Arduous: HARD.
31. Belarus capital: MINSK. Minsk is one of the oldest cities in Europe.
33. Cars: AUTOS.
34. "__ Doubtfire": MRS. Mrs. Doubtfire was a 1993 comedy that starred Robin Williams.
38. Position: JOB.
41. Student: PUPIL.
42. "With any luck": I HOPE.
49. Gave approval to: OK'ED.
50. Out-of-pocket amount: COST.
51. Area of influence: DOMAIN.
58. Omelet ingredient: EGG.
59. Dental exam image: X-RAY.
60. Mystery: ENIGMA.
63. Come out on top: WIN. // As opposed to 62-Down. "It's __-win situation": A NO.
64. Snub-nosed dogs: PUGS.
65. Catch, as a fish: REEL IN.
66. Triumphant cry: YES!
67. High-pitched wind instrument: OBOE. This wind instrument is becoming a crossword staple.
68. "Give it a go": TRY TO.
Down:
1. Netflix format, originally: DVD. As in Digital Versatile Disc. They can still be checked out at our public library.
3. Horned equines of mythology: UNICORNS. These mythical creatures were probably never raised in a barn.
4. Procedures: METHODS.
5. Typeface line: SERIF.
6. Unnerve: FAZE.
7. Japanese noodle: UDON. Yummers! These noodles often find themselves in the crossword puzzles.
8. Jam holders: JARS.
9. Apple all-in-one computer: iMAC.
 |
| The Mac Mini. Monitor is sold separately. |
10. Forester carmaker: SUBARU.
11. Pincered insect: EARWIG.
12. Riches: WEALTH.
14. Canon competitor: RICOH.
21. "Kitchy-kitchy-__": KOO.
22. Some old radios: RCAs.
23. County event with lots of fried food: FAIR.
25. "I wonder ... ": HMM ...
27. Tennis sequence after a serve: RALLY.
28. __ generis: unique: SUI. Today's Latin lesson. Sui generis is a Latin phrase that means in a class by itself, in others words: something unique.
29. And so on: Abbr.: ETC. More of today's Latin lesson. Etc. is short for the Latin phrase et cetera, which means: and so forth.
30. Norse god of mischief: LOKI. Loki makes frequent appearances in the puzzle. Loki is a shape-shifting god who likes to cause trouble.
32. Disposable coffee pod: K-CUP. The K-Cup, or K-Pod, is the trademarked term, originally designed for the Keurig single-serving coffee maker.
36. Word after photo or special: OPS.
37. Golfer Michelle __ West: WIE. Michelle Sung Wie West (b. October. 11, 1989) is an American professional golfer. When she was only 10-years-old, she became the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship.
38. In a playful manner: JOKINGLY.
39. Like an unlocked door: OPEN. When is a door not a door ...
40. Place to sleep: BED.
41. Furry companions: PETS.
43. Whiter with age: HOARIER.
44. Off-the-wall: SCREWY.
45. Sandwich also known as a grinder: HOAGIE. How did this sandwich get its name? We ate Hoagies in a puzzle last week.
46. Endorses digitally: E-SIGNS.
47. Childcare expert LeShan: EDA. I learned about Eda LaShan (June 6, 1922 ~ Mar. 3, 2002) from doing the puzzles. She was an American writer, television host, counselor, educator, and playwright. She hosted How Do Your Children Grow? on PBS in the 1970s
48. Clearheaded: SOBER.
52. Impressionist painter …douard: MANET. Édouard Manet (Jan. 23, 1832 ~ Apr. 30, 1883) was a French modernist painter. He was one of the first 19th-century artists to paint modern life, as well as a pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism. Not to be confused with Oscar-Claude Monet (Nov. 114, 1840 ~ Dec. 5, 1926), who was a French painter and founder of Impressionism. Both were French painters with similar sounding names.
54. Trade show: EXPO.
55. Defeat soundly: DRUB.
56. "Othello" villain: IAGO. A reverence to the play by Willie the Shakes.
57. Nasdaq rival: NYSE. As in the New York Stock Exchange.
61. Cambridge sch.: MIT. As in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
חתולה
