QOD: August 11

Showing posts with label August 11. Show all posts

Tuesday, 11 August 2026

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

QOD: There’s one place where the people with the greatest potential are gathered. And that’s the graveyard. ~ Viola Davis (b. Aug. 11, 1965), African-American actress

Shape-Shifters:

4-Down. Aspiring actor's asset: STAR QUALITY.

8-Down. Trustworthy sort: SQUARE SHOOTER.

17-Down. Intensely shocking events: HEART STOPPERS.

27-Down. Peak physical condition, or a feature of 4-, 8-, and 17-Down: TIP-TOP SHAPE. Each of the the theme clues is in the down position, making the Shape at the Tip-Top of the answer.

Here's the Grid:

Which personality shape helps you complete this puzzle?

Across:

1. Colorful violet kin: PANSY. I love these flowers.

6. Suga and Jung Kook's band: BTS. BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. The band makes frequent appearances in the puzzles.

9. "__ the Cat": children's book series: PETE. Pete the Cat was not around when I was a child.

13. Give a speech: ORATE.

14. Atty.'s title: ESQ.

15. And others, in a bibliography: ET AL. We had a discussion about this Latin phrase just two weeks ago.

16. Highly sensitive person: EMPATH.

18. Kitchen deputy: SOUS CHEF. The Sous Chef was in last Tuesday's puzzle and is visiting us again today.

20. Old Russian ruler: TSAR.

21. Bothers greatly: EATS AT.

23. __-Wan Kenobi: OBI. Obi-Wan Kenobi wearing an Obi. // And 56-Down. Offspring of Leia and Han: KYLO. References to the Star Wars franchise.

24. Thigh muscles, familiarly: QUADS.

26. Exposes, in a way: RATS ON.

28. Treat that may be dipped in dulce de leche: CHURRO. Yummers! A churro is a type of fried dough from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, made with choux pastry dough piped into hot oil with a piping bag and large closed star tip or similar shape.

30. Indiana University basketball coach Moren: TERI. Teri Marie Moren (b. Apr. 14, 1969) is the current head coach of the Indiana University women's basketball team. Unknown to me.

31. Flexible: PLIANT.

32. Amusement park time-saver: FAST PASS.

36. Former first lady Biden: JILL. Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (b. June 3, 1951) was First Lady from 2009 to 2017.

37. Winter migration direction: SOUTH.

39. Tried's partner: TRUE. Tried and True ...

40. "Hear me out ... ": SO, LISTEN. I initially tried Listen Up.

42. Woodwind section player: OBOIST.

44. Norse god of thunder: THOR.

45. Two-door cars: COUPES.

46. Neaten: TIDY UP.

49. Many shelter dogs: MUTTS.

50. Astonishment: AWE.

51. Soft drink brand with a "lymon" logo: SPRITE.

53. Creative solution: HACK.

57. Spinning toy: PINWHEEL.

59. "Are you serious?": REALLY.

61. "Let It Go" singer: ELSA. A reference to the Disney film Frozen. Elsa is the fictional character in the film. The actual performer is Idina Menzel (b. May 31, 1971).

62. Genetic transcription molecule: RNA. Another last Tuesday repeat.

63. Thread holder: SPOOL.

64. Snow day ride: SLED.

65. Daughter's brother: SON.

66. Canine command akin to "drop it": LET GO!

Down:

1. Expert concerned with feet?: POET. Everything you ever wanted to know about poetic feet.

2. Octopus octet: ARMS. Octopuses are Remarkably Bright Creatures.

3. Auto parts giant that shares a name with a California wine valley: NAPA. The National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA) was founded in Detroit in 1925 by 28 independent auto parts suppliers to fix an unorganized parts market.

5. So far: YET.

6. One-ups: BESTS.

7. General __ chicken: TSO'S. General Tso's chicken is a sweet and spicy deep-fried chicken dish. It supposedly was first created in the 1950s in Taiwan.

9. Delt neighbor: PEC. Deltoid and Pectoral muscle groups.

10. Shared ideology: ETHOS.

11. Martial arts-based fitness regimen: TAE-BO. Everything you wanted to know about Tae-Bo.

12. Like Santa's helpers: ELFIN.

19. One end of a maze: START.

22. Ruckus: ADO.

25. Spot where there's no trouble brewing?: URN.

28. Advertising award: CLIO. The Clio Awards were first awarded in 1959 for advertising. The name is derived from the Greek mythological muse, known as the recorder and glorifier of great deeds and accomplishments.

29. Biker's challenge: HILL.

30. Skin art, for short: TAT.

31. Sleepover attire, familiarly: PJs. The origin of the word Pajama. Do people really wear pajamas when they fly?

32. Enjoyable: FUN.

33. Grammy winner India.__: ARIE. India Arie Simpson (b. Oct. 3, 1975) is an American singer and songwriter.

34. Puzzle (out): SUSS. I'm sure we all sussed out the correct answers to today's puzzle.

35. Group of reps at the gym: SET.

38. Above, in classic odes: O'ER.

41. "Be quiet!": SHUSH.

43. "Having said that ... ": BUT.

45. Minor injury: CUT.

46. Cassettes: TAPES.

47. "Count on me": I WILL.

48. Quite thick: DENSE.

49. 2026 Winter Olympics host city: MILAN. The 2026 winter olympics were held in February.

52. "The Biggest Little City in the World": RENO. Reno is also the home of the National Judicial College.

54. Tons: ALOT.

55. Drain blockage: CLOG.

58. Crumple (up): WAD.

60. Course for some intl. students: ESL. English as a Second Language.

Until next week ...

חתולה

Friday, 11 August 2023

Friday, August 11, 2023

QOD: Shyness has a strange element of narcissism, a belief that how we look howe we perform, is truly important to other people. ~ Andre Dubus (né Andre Jules Dubus, II; Aug. 11, 1936 ~ Feb. 24, 1999), American short story writer and essayist

Thursday, 11 August 2022

Thursday, August 11, 2022

QOD: Your ability to adapt to failure, and navigate your way out of it, absolutely 100 percent makes you who you are. ~ Viola Davis (b. Aug. 11, 1965), African-American actress

Wednesday, 11 August 2021

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

QOD: At first we want life to be romantic; later to be bearable; finally, to be understandable. ~ Louise Bogan (Aug. 11, 1897 ~ Feb. 4, 1970), American poet and Poet Laureate

Tuesday, 11 August 2020

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

QOD: Fear of failure must never be a reason not to try something. ~ Frederick W. Smith (né Frederick Wallace Smith; Aug. 11, 1944), Founder of FedEx

You Get What You Pay For. The last word of each theme answer is a Public Utility.

17. One who doesn't fit in: A FISH OUT OF WATER.

26. Measure of what you can buy: PURCHASING POWER.

46. Drove faster: STEPPED ON THE GAS.

And the Unifier:
60. Providers of the necessities that end 17-, 26- and 46-Across: PUBLIC UTILITIES.

Lots of names in today's puzzle, which will probably bother some of our solvers. But let's look at that as a learning experience.

Across:

1. Really dig: ADORE.

6. Prohibition incursion: RAID.

10. Baking device: OVEN.

14. Coming-out: DEBUT.

15. Grabbing-the-tab words: ON ME. My treat.

16. "Scream" star Campbell: NEVE. Neve Adrianne Campbell (b. Oct. 3, 1973) is a Canadian-born actress best known for her roles in horror films.

20. Library sect. for Christie books: MYST. Dame Agatha Christie (née Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller; Sept. 15, 1890 ~ Jan. 12, 1976) wrote over 65 mystery stories.

21. Maiden name lead-in: NÉE. This word has become a crossword staple. It is quite appropriate today with all the names.

22. The Governator, as he might pronounce it: AHNOLD. Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (b. July 30, 1947) got his start as a bodybuilder. He served as the 38th Governor of California. He was formerly married to Maria Shriver of the Kennedy clan.

Before and After

23. Rocks in bars: ICE. Sorry, Tin!!!

25. Oklahoma city: ENID. I learned of this Oklahoma city from doing the crosswords.

34. Mayo is fifth in it: AÑO. Today's Spanish lesson. May is the 5th month in the calendar year.

35. Makes right: AMENDS.

36. Herr's honey: FRAU. Today's German lesson.

37. Hoof sound: CLOP.

39. Fig. with a radius: CIR. A circle has a radius.

40. Bother: FUSS.

41. Utensil sticker: TINE.

Anatomy of a Fork

42. Smooth transitions: SEGUES.

45. WSJ competitor: NYT. As in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.

49. Brazilian soccer legend: PELÉ. Pelé (né Edson Arantes do Nascimento; Oct. 23, 1940) is arguably the greatest soccer player of all time.

50. Tailor's alteration: HEM.

51. Lampoon: SATIRE.

54. Piece of poetic praise: ODE.

56. Diamond Head locale: O'AHU. The Hawai'ian name is Le'ahi, which means "brow of the tuna" due to its shape. The name Diamond Head came about after 19th century British sailors though they had discovered diamonds on the slope and near by beaches. Turns out, the "diamonds" were nothing more than shiny calcite crystals.

It does rather resemble the fin of a tuna.

63. Face-to-face exam: ORAL.

64. Bad thing to blow on the road: TIRE.

65. Horror or humor: GENRE.

66. Blackens: TARS.

67. It may be reserved: SEAT.

68. Mary of "The Maltese Falcon" (1941): ASTOR. Mary Astor (née Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 ~ Sept. 25, 1987) portrayed Brigid O'Shaughnessy in The Maltese Falcon. She began her movie career in the silent films.

Down:

1. Eaton of the Washington Nats: ADAM. Adam Cory Eaton (b. Dec. 6, 1988) is an outfielder for the Washington Nationals.

2. Buck: DEFY. Nice misdirection. I was thinking of the deer.

3. Eastern sashes: OBIs.

4. Backwoodsy: RUSTIC.

5. Horn of Africa country: Abbr.: ETH. As in Ethiopia. The Horn of Africa is the peninsula in Africa that is home to Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti.

6. Scoundrel: ROUÉ.

7. Required Hold 'em bet: ANTE.

8. Texter's two-cents intro: IMO. Textspeak for I My Opinion.

9. Renders harmless: DEFANGS. Marc Defang is a shoe designer.

10. Intermittent: ON AND OFF.

11. Quash, as a bill: VETO.

12. Daredevil Knievel: EVEL. Evel Knievel's given name was Robert Craig Knievel (Oct. 17, 1938 ~ Nov. 30, 2007). He boasted that he could jump the Grand Canyon on his motorcycle. Shockingly, the Federal Government would not give him permission to attempt this stunt. He did, however, perform numerous other stunts. He also was involved in numerous crashes and suffered numerous broken bones.

13. Dorky sort: NERD.

18. An hr. past midnight: ONE A.M. Also the name of a Charlie Chaplin film.

19. Beat into a froth: WHIP.

24. When doubled, a dance: CHA.

25. Evasive maneuver: END RUN.

26. Agreements: PACTS.

27. Lacking illumination: UNLIT.

28. TV sports pioneer Arledge: ROONE. Roone Pickney Arledge, Jr. (July 8, 1931 ~ Dec. 5, 2002) was the creator of Monday Night Football and 20/20.

29. Formally break away: SECEDE.

30. Architect Jones: INIGO. Inigo Jones (July 15, 1573 ~ June 21, 1652) is the first significant architects of "modern" times, despite the fact that he lived over 400 years ago. He was also very instrumental in the theater and stage design. I always think his first name is Indigo, but of course, that is a shade of blue.

31. Twisted dry: WRUNG. My grandmother had a wringer washer. I always thought it was fun to help her on laundry day because I just loved the wringer. I was still quite young when she got a more modern washer that had a spin cycle instead of a wringer.

32. Course that helps your GPA: EASY A.

33. Corrodes: RUSTS.

38. Uppers, drug-wise: PEP PILLS. Saturday Night Live once had a skit with Gilda Radner and Lorraine Newman about Puppy Uppers and Doggie Downers. This clue reminded me of that skit.

42. Culls: SELECTS.

43. Merman on Broadway: ETHEL. Ethel Merman (née Ethel Agnes Zimmermann; Jan. 16, 1908 ~ Feb. 15, 1984) had a distinctive voice and was in a lot of Broadway musicals.