QOD: Tuesday March 25, 2025

Tuesday, 25 March 2025

Tuesday March 25, 2025

QOD: There’s many a best-seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher. ~ Flannery O’Connor (née Mary Flannery O’Connor; Mar. 25, 1925 ~ Aug. 3, 1964), Southern writer

Double Double, Boil and Trouble ... Does food with a double name taste better?

17-Across. * Japanese hot-pot meal: SHABU SHABU. Shabu-shabu is a Japanese hot pot dish featuring thinly sliced meat and vegetables boiled in water, served with dipping sauces, and cooked tableside, similar to fondue. The name "shabu-shabu" means "swish-swish" in Japanese, referring to the sound of the ingredients being stirred in the pot. Although I have never heard of Shabu Shabu, it sounds very similar to Chinese Hot Pot, which I have enjoyed.

26-Across. * French chocolate confection: BONBON. Bonbon is a French chocolate candy which is round on top, flat at the bottom. The outside shell is harder and made of chocolate, with few decorations. Inside is a softer filling. I am familiar with Bonbons.

28-Across. * North African dish made with semolina: COUSCOUS. Couscous is a traditional North African dish made small steamed granules of semolina that's typically steamed and served with stews or as a side dish. It's a staple food in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and countries in the Middle East. I am familiar with, and eaten, couscous.

48-Across. * Portuguese hot pepper sauce: PERI PERI. The term "Peri Peri" refers to a type of chili pepper used in these sauces, originating from Portuguese-African culinary traditions, especially in Mozambique and Angola. The primary ingredient in these sauces is the Peri Peri chili, also known as the African bird's eye chili. This is not a food I am familiar with.

50-Across. * Sichuan noodles: DAN DAN. "Dan Dan" refers to Dan Dan Noodles, a spicy Sichuan noodle dish that translates to "carrying-pole noodles" because of the street vendors who once sold it from poles balanced on their shoulders. I am not familiar with this dish.

And the unifier:

64. Event with two headliners, or a description of a restaurant check that includes any of the answers to the starred clues?: DOUBLE BILL.

I found today's puzzle had some extra crunch for a Tuesday.

Across:

1. Seven Sisters attendees, historically: WOMEN. The Seven Sisters are a consortium of seven prestigious, historically women's colleges in the northeastern United States: Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Smith, Vassar, Radcliffe, and Wellesley. The Seven Sisters were formed in 1926 to address the difficulties in women's colleges faced in raising endowment money and to served as female counterparts to the male Ivy League colleges. the name, Seven Sisters, refers to the Pleiades, a constellation of seven sisters from Greek mythology. Barnard College is affiliated with Columbia University. Vassar College became co-ed in 1969. Radcliffe College merged with Harvard University in 1999.

6. A third of the UAE?: ARAB. As in the United Arab Emirates.

10. Rock blasters: AMPS.

14. Fast Amtrak train: ACELA. This train (or 49-Down) appears with some frequency in the puzzles. // 68.-Across Philadelphia commuter org.: SEPTA. The latter stands for SouthEastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. // And 49-Down. 14-Across line: RAIL.

15. Song for a single voice: SOLO.

She should sing SOLO that no one can hear her.

16. Bruise: HURT.

19. Gobi Desert locale: ASIA. The Gobi Desert is in northern China and southern Mongolia. It's known for its dunes, mountains and rare animals such as snow leopards and Bactrian camels. The sand dunes are said to sing when the wind blows. Many dinosaur fossils have been found in the Gobi.

20. Hash brown base: POTATO.

21. Planet simulated by NASA on Mauna Loa: MARS. Everything you wanted to know about Life on Mars while still on earth.

23. Brief "Spare me the details": TMI. Textspeak for Too Much Information.

24. "Sorta": -ISH. This i also becoming a crossword staple.

33. Bassoon cousin: OBOE.

34. Sleep lab study: APNEA. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. These pauses, called apneas, can last for several seconds to minutes.

35. Subj. for a business major: ECON. As in Economics. This is becoming a crossword staple.

37. Like a swaddled baby: SNUG.

40. Window sticker: DECAL.

41. Pledge: VOW.

42. Grace under pressure: POISE.

43. Minor issue: SNAG.

44. Bit of good fortune: BOON.

45. One who is often on track?: RACER.

46. Nabe in L.A. and NYC: NOHO. If you are in Las Angeles, the Neighborhood is North of Hollywood. If you are in New York City, the neighborhood is North of Houston (Street).

52. Entered an election: RAN.

53. Medical pen prefix: EPI-. Another crossword staple.

54. Antarctic floater: BERG.

57. Son of Daedalus: ICARUS. He's Greek to me. Icarus famous for his tragic death after flying too close to the sun on wax-and-feather wings, ignoring his father's warnings.

62. Baloney: LIES. I think of the term Baloney as meaning more of foolishness than of lies.

66. Duty: TASK.

67. Crowd sound: ROAR.

69. Opposed to: ANTI.

70. JCC alternative: YMCA. The Jewish Community Center might an alternative to the Young Men's Christian Association.

71. Kettle emanation: STEAM.

Down:

1. Ant-Man partner: WASP. Comic super-heroes.

2. Diez menos dos: OCHO. Spanish math. 10 - 2 = 8.

3. Charcuterie staple: MEAT. Charcuterie is a branch of French cuisine devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, ballotines, pâtés, and confit, primarily from pork. It's really just a fancy word for cold cuts.

4. Idris of "The Wire": ELBA. Idris Elba (né Idrissa Akuna Elba; b. Sept. 6, 1972) is a British actor who portrayed Stringer Bell in The Wire.

5. Like sextants and tide charts: NAUTICAL.

6. Bonfire residue: ASH.

7. Wander freely: ROAM.

8. Actress Jessica who co-founded The Honest Company: ALBA. The Honest Company is known for its safe, eco-friendly products, particularly for babies. The company was founded in 2012. Jessica Alba (née Jessica Marie Alba; b. Apr. 28, 1981) was one of the co-founders.

9. Mint julep liquor: BOURBON. Yummers!

10. "That's the answer!": AHA!

11. "How lovely for you": MUST BE NICE. Said sarcastically.

12. Of the utmost quality: PRIMO. This makes me think of Primo Levy (July 31, 1919 ~ Apr. 11, 1987), a Jewish-Italian chemist and Holocaust survivor. He also wrote The Periodic Table, a collection of short stories based on elements in the periodic table.

13. Darken, as wood: STAIN.

18. Meh-worthy: SO-SO. Another Double, but not a food.

22. Bawl: SOB.

25. Egg, in Ecuador: HUEVO. More of today's Spanish lesson, but this time in the kitchen, not the math lab.

27. "Out of the question": NO SOAP. I think of this as being an old-timey expression, although its origin is not clear.

28. Scoundrels: CADS.

29. Kick off: OPEN.

30. Most mysterious: UNCANNIEST.

31. Poseidon, for one: SEAGOD.

32. Rocky road serving: SCOOP.

36. Pet's human: OWNER. It's actually the other way around. The Pet is the human owner.

38. Library patron, e.g.: USER. I couldn't live without my fabulous public library.

39. Mel B and Mel C bandmate: GERI. Members of The Spice Girls.

42. Leia Organa title: PRINCESS. Hand up if you knew Princess Leia's surname.

44. More than parched: BONE DRY.

47. Montreal NHLer, to fans: HAB. The Montreal Canadiens, a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League, are also known as the "Habs", which is short for "Habitants".