Tuesday, July 21, 2026

QOD:  Many a good argument is ruined by some fool who knows what he is talking about.  ~  Marshall McLuhan (né Herbert Marshall McLuhan; July 21, 1911 ~ Dec. 31, 1980), Canadian philosopher

Sounds Like ...   Today we will study Homophones.  Homophones are words that sound exactly the same when pronounced but have different meanings and spellings. The word comes from the Greek homos (meaning same) and phone (meaning sound).

17-Across. Shampoo for horses as well as humans: MANE N TAIL.  This horse shampoo was originally developed in the 1970s for show horses.  It became a cross-over product for humans and is purported to  promote stronger, fuller, and longer-looking hair without stripping natural oils.

24-Across. Meatless Chinese noodle dish: VEGETABLE LO MEIN.  Yummers!

36-Across. "The Theory of Everything" Best Actor Oscar winner: EDDIE REDMAYNE.  Eddie Redmayne (né Edward John David Redmayne; b. Jan. 6, 1982) went to Eton and was a classmate of Prince William (b. June 21, 1982).  The Theory of Everything was a bio-pic about Stephen Hawking (Jan. 8, 1942 ~ Mar. 14, 2018).

52-Across. Tender salad greens: HEARTS OF ROMAINE.

Too soon?

61-Across. Principal draw on fight night, or an apt title for this puzzle: MAIN EVENT.  Also the title of a terrible1979 Barbra Streisand movie.

Here's the Grid:

And now for the true Main Event ~ the rest of the puzzle ...

Across:

1. Prattles on: YAPS.

5. Bay Area sch.: UCSF.  As in the University of California, San Francisco. 

9. Uninspiring: VAPID.

14. Mapa of "Ugly Betty": ALEC.  I never watched Ugly Betty, so was unfamiliar with Alec (né Alejandro Mapa; b. July 10, 1965).

15. "New Rules" and "New Love" singer Dua: LIPA.  Dua Lipa (b. Aug. 22, 1995) is a British-Albanian singer and songwriter.  She makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.

16. Twisted humor: IRONY.

19. Honeycomb units: CELLS.

20. Neither partner: NOR.  Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night ...

21. Future atty.'s exam: LSAT.  As in the Law School Admission Test.

23. Southeast Asian language: LAO.  Lao is the official language of Laos, however, it is also spoken in some parts of northeastern Thailand.

29. Hullabaloo: ADO.

30. Light __ feather: AS A.

31. Product labels: BRANDS.

32. Private aid gp.: NGO.  As in a Non-Governmental Organization.

33. Sure winner: SHOO IN.

42. Not asea: ON LAND.

43. Poem of praise: ODE.  A crossword staple.

45. Former House Speaker Nancy: PELOSI.  Nancy Pelosi (née Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro; b. Mar. 26, 1940) served as the 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

48. Due-in hr.: ETA.  As in Estimated Time of Arrival.

51. Crank (up): REV.

56. "The Lord of the Rings" beast: ORC.

57. Move for one's co., say: RE-LO.  As in Relocate.

58. Olive extract: OIL.  Everything you ever wanted to know about Olive Oil, but didn't know to ask.

59. Capone cohort Frank: NITTI.  I learned about Frank Nitti (né Francesco Raffaele Nitto; Jan. 27, 1886 ~ Mar. 19, 1943) from doing the crossword puzzles.  He makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.  

66. "OK, that was dishonest": I LIED.

67. Ritz-Carlton competitor: OMNI.  I am not sure I could consider these hotel chains to be competitors.  I view the Ritz-Carlton as a very high-end luxury hotel, whereas Omni is more family-oriented.

68. Tops with frosting: ICES.

69. Ride a bike: CYCLE.

70. "Auld Lang __": SYNE.

71. Every __ and cranny: NOOK.

Down:

1. Thanksgiving tuber: YAM.

2. __ carte menu: À LA.  Today's French lesson.

3. Writing tool: PEN.

4. All-too-public argument: SCENE.

5. Marathons longer than 26.2 miles, familiarly: ULTRAS.  An ultra marathon is a footrace that exceeds the traditional marathon distance of 26.2 miles.  Ultra marathon distances vary greatly but typically range from 31 miles (50 km) to 100 miles (160 km).

6. U.S. intel org.: CIA.

7. Tell all, as gossip: SPILL.

8. Untrue: FALSE.

9. Beckham also known as Posh Spice: VICTORIA.  Victoria, Lady Beckham (née Victoria Caroline Adams; b. Apr. 17, 1974) is probably the best known Spice Girl.  The band was big in the 1990s.

10. "__ we there yet?": ARE.

11. Wind-borne allergen: POLLEN.

12. Embedded, as tiles: INLAID.

13. High-end vacuum cleaners: DYSONS.  Everything you ever wanted to know about the Dyson Vacuum Cleaner.

18. The "N" of N.B.: NOTA.  Today's Latin Lesson.  N.B. is the abbreviation for the Latin phrase nota bene, which which means "note well" or "pay attention." 

22. "Tuesdays With Morrie" writer Mitch: ALBOM.  Mitch Albom (né Mitchell David Albom; b. May 23, 1958) has written many books, but is probably best known for Tuesdays With Morrie.  That book is memoir about a series of interviews and visits Albom made with his former Brandeis University sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz, as Schwartz was dying from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.  I have never read this book.

24. Vehicle for movers: VAN.

25. Microsoft web browser: EDGE.

26. Yummy: GOOD.

27. Iraq port city: BASRA.

28. Plenty of: MANY.

34. __ of the woods mushrooms: HEN.  Hen of the woods is a mushroom that grows at the base of trees, particularly old growth oaks or maples.  It is native to China, Europe, and North America.

35. More quirky: ODDER.

37. Entryway: DOOR.

38. Without losing one's cool: IN STRIDE.

39. Renée __ Goldsberry of "Girls5eva": ELISE.  Renée Elise Goldsberry (b. Jan. 2, 1971) is probably best known for her portrayal of Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway musical Hamilton.  She has also starred in a number of Broadway plays.

40. Sushi seaweed: NORI.

41. Biblical garden: EDEN.  //  And 44-Down:  41-Down woman: EVE.

45. Relating to sound: PHONIC.

46. In a creepy way: EERILY.

47. Acid type built up during high-intensity exercise: LACTIC.

49. Nickname for Canada's $2 coin: TOONIE.  The Canadian $1 coin is called a Loonie.

50. French friend: AMIE.  More of today's French lesson.  This is the female friend.

53. "Battlestar Galactica" actor Edward James __: OLMOS.  Edward James Olmos (b. Feb. 24, 1947) is an American actor who has starred in dozens of films and television shows.

54. Like hand soap: FOAMY.

55. Singing brother of Simon and Theodore: ALVIN.  A reference to The Chipmunks.

60. No. on a resume: TEL.  As in Telephone Number.

62. Airbnb alternative: INN.

63. __-friendly: ECO.

64. Opposite of paleo-: NEO.

65. Sound of disapproval: TSK.

Many thanks to Tony who filled in for me for the past three months.

חתולה

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

 

QOD:  Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forward.  ~  Søren Kierkegaard (né Søren Aabye Kierkegaard; May 5, 1813 ~ Nov. 11, 1855), Danish philosopher and theologian  

An Apple A Day ...

17-Across. Total hunk: STUD MUFFIN.  Apple Muffins.  My favorite muffins were the white chocolate apricot muffins that Central Market used to make.  The store no longer makes them.  What are your favorite muffins?

23-Across. Overdo and then some in the oven: BURN TO A CRISP.  Apple Crisp.  Yummers!

37-Across. Advantages for dealmakers: BARGAINING CHIPS.  Apple Chips.  Apple chips billed as a healthy snack.  They are thinly sliced, dehydrated apples generally seasoned with cinnamon.   Not what I typically reach for when I want a snack.

And the unifier:

48-Across. With 59-Across, rhetorical taunt, or a question answered by the ends of 17-, 23-, and 37-Across: HOW DO YOU LIKE.  //  And 59-Across: See 48-Across: THEM APPLES.  When combined, we get the phrase:  How Do You Like Them Apples?  This is a a rhetorical, sarcastic phrase used to mock or taunt someone after outperforming them, delivering an unexpected surprise, or turning the tables on a situation.  Did you know this phrase became popular after the 1997 movie Good Will Hunting?

You can find the apple treats in the grid.

Across:

1. Hip-hop trio that covered Aerosmith's "Walk This Way": RUN-DMC.  Run-DMC is / was an American hip-hop group formed 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell.  Run-DMC was one of the most famous Hip-Hop acts of the 1980s.

14. Plenty: ENOUGH.

15. Fall Out Boy genre: EMO.  A crossword staple.

16. Foot part: ARCH.

19. Greek cheese: FETA.  Feta is a brined curd cheese from Greece.  It has a salty, tangy flavor and crumbly texture.  It is traditionally made from sheep's milk or a sheep/goat milk blend.  It's a staple in Greek cuisine.  Authentic Greek feta is aged in brine for weeks. 

20. Weigh station unit: TON.

21. Destroy: RUIN.

22. Storm-tracking aid: RADAR.

26. "The Irishman" star Robert: DE NIRO.  The Irishman is a 2019 movie set in the 1950s and portrays a Frank Sheeran, played by Robert De Niro (né Robert Anthony De Niro; b. Aug. 17, 1943), who becomes a hitman and goes to work for Jimmy Hoffa (Feb. 14, 1913 ~ disappeared July 30, 1975).

29. Walking pace: GAIT.

30. Chris of "Knives Out": EVANS.  Knives Out was also a 2019 film, but was a comedy-mystery.  Chris Evans (né Christopher Robert Evans; b. June 13, 1981) was one of many actors in the film.

31. Nothing to write home about: SO-SO.

34. Sch. whose colors are purple and gold: LSU.  Geaux Tigers!

41. Camera letters: SLR.  SLR stands for Single-Lens Reflex.  It is a type of camera design that uses a mirror system to allow photographers to view the exact image through the lens that will be captured on film or a digital sensor.

42. FasTrak payment: TOLL.

43. Pound fraction: OUNCE.

44. Sculler's pair: OARS.  //  And 46. Use 44-Across: ROW.

47. Simple bookmark: DOG EAR.

53. Statutes that protect inventions and works of art, for short: IP LAW.  As in Intellectual Property Law.

54. Iridescent gem: OPAL.  These gems from Australia make frequent appearances in the puzzles.

55. Oral health org.: ADA.  As in the American Dental Association.

58. "__ the change": KEEP.

62. QED center: ERAT.  Today's Latin lesson.  QED is an abbreviation the phrase quod erat demonstrandum, which translates to that which was to be demonstrated.

63. London's Big __: BEN.  Did you know that Big Ben is actually the 13.7-ton Great Bell and not the tower?  The bell is named after Sir Benjamin Hall (Nov. 8, 1802 ~ 1867), the politician who oversaw its installation in 1859.  The tower is the Elizabeth Tower.

64. "Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity" org.: THE FBI.

65. Fathers: DADS.

66. Do some sums: ADD.

67. U.S. citizens living abroad: EXPATS.  Short for expatriate.

Down:

1. Take a breather: REST.

2. "And I say __ you ... ": UNTO.

3. Subject of a sentence, typically: NOUN.

4. Total bust: DUD.

5. __ Grand Las Vegas: MGM.

6. Fried cinnamon-sugar pastry: CHURRO.  Yummers!

7. Are appropriate for: BEFIT.

8. __ acids: AMINO.  Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins.  They are needed for repairing tissues, breaking down food, producing energy, and supporting immune function. There are 20 common amino acids, classified into essential (must be eaten) and non-essential (made by the body).

9. Mattingly who was the Yankees starting first baseman for 12 seasons: DON.  Don Mattingly (né Donald Arthur Mattingly; b. Apr. 20, 1961) played his entire baseball career with the Yankees.  He played from 1982 until 1995.  I thought he was much older than he actually is.

10. Excursion in the Serengeti: SAFARI.  The Serengeti is a vast, 12,000 square-mile ecosystem in East Africa, spanning northern Tanzania and southwestern Kenya.  It is home  the world’s largest, most spectacular wildlife migration of over 1.5 million wildebeest and zebras, along with one of the highest concentrations of large predators,

11. Borrower's limit: CREDIT LINE.

12. Stand in for: ACT AS.

13. "Movin' Out" choreographer Twyla: THARP.  Twyla Tharp (b. July 1, 1941) is an American dancer and choreographer.  In 1965 she formed the company Twyla Tharp Dance, which merged with American Ballet Theatre in 1988.  Her work often uses classical, jazz, and contemporary pop music.  The music for Moving' Out was by Billy Joel (né William Martin Joel; b. May 9, 1949).

18. Lots of laughs: FUN.

22. Color TV pioneer: RCA.

23. Microsoft search engine: BING.

24. Latin for "bear": URSA.  You can see the Ursae (that the plural of ursa) in the sky at night if you use your imagination.

25. Eagerly excited: AGOG.

26. New socialites, familiarly: DEBS.  Short for Debutants.

27. Test: Abbr.: EVAL.  As in Evaluate.

28. One-point advantage, say: NARROW LEAD.

31. __-cone: icy treat: SNO.  Yummers!

32. Vinaigrette ingredient: OIL.

33. Weekly sketch show, briefly: SNL.  Saturday Night Live is a crossword staple.

35. "Adopt, don't shop" org.: SPCA.  The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals began in England in 1824.  It was the world's first animal welfare organization, founded to prevent the abuse of carriage horses.  The first American SPCA was began in 1866 in New York City.

36. __-friendly: USER.

38. "The __-bitsy spider ... ": ITSY.

39. Diner employee: COOK.

40. Massive: HUGE.

45. Learns to fit in: ADAPTS.

47. Enlarge, as a pupil: DILATE.

48. Walked in the woods, say: HIKED.

49. Puccini work: OPERA.  Giacomo Puccini (néAntonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini; Dec. 22, 1858 ~ Nov. 29, 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas.  He is regarded as one of the the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera.  Some of his operas include Madame Butterfly and La Bohème.

 

50. __ and aahed: OOHED.

51. Flip over: UPEND.

52. On the __: fleeing: LAM.

55. Letter before Bravo: ALFA.  Letters of the NATO phonetic alphabet.

56. Financial liability: DEBT.

57. Yard sale tag warning: AS IS.

59. "More details soon" letters: TBA.  To Be Determined.

60. The Suns, on scoreboards: PHX.  The Phoenix Suns, the professional basket ball team.

61. Get-up-and-go: PEP.

חתולה

I will be taking a hiatus for the next couple of months.  I know you will be in good hands during my absence.