QOD: The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder. ~ Alfred Hitchcock (Aug. 13, 1899 ~ Apr. 29, 1980), British film director
Cooking Lessons: In cooking, Stock (also known as Fond), is a savory cooking liquid that forms the basis of many dishes, such as soups, stews and sauces. There are four basic kinds of stock: White Stock (Chicken), Brown Stock (Beef or other meat/bone source), Vegetable, and Fish Stock. The classifications refer to the contents and method used to prepare the stock, not the color.
20-Across. Be too afraid to: CHICKEN OUT OF.
28-Across. Add extra protection: BEEF UP SECURITY.
43-Across. Ask leading questions: FISH FOR ANSWERS.
And the unifier:
48-Across. Noncash corporate benefits, or what a cook would call the starts of 20-, 28-, and 43-Across?: STOCK OPTIONS.
Across:
1. Desert hill shaped by wind: DUNE. Also the title of a 1965 Sci-Fi novel by Frank Herbert (Oct. 8, 1920 ~ Feb. 11, 1986).
5. __ bene: NOTA. Today's Latin lesson. Nota bene, abbreviated as N.B., is a Latin phrase meaning "note well" or "take special notice." In legal documents, the phrase is used to highlight important details or draw attention to key pieces of information in a document.
9. Tax deadline month: APRIL.
14. Breakfast chain that serves stacks: IHOP. International House of Pancakes
15. Gem with milky iridescence: OPAL. Australia is known for its beautiful opals. Hi, Kazie!
16. Ecological community: BIOME. According to National Geographic, a Biome is "an area classified according to the species that live in that location. Temperature range, soil type, and the amount of light and water are unique to a particular place and form the niches for specific species allowing scientists to define the biome."
17. Daughter of Katie Holmes: SURI. Suri Holmes (b. Apr. 18, 2006) is the daughter of Katie Holmes (b. Dec. 18, 1978) and Tom Cruise (b. July 3, 1962). [Name # 1.]
18. Fictional sleuth Wolfe: NERO. Nero Wolfe came on to the scene in 1934 when the detective novel Fer-de-Lance, by Rex Stout (Dec. 1, 1886 ~ Oct. 27, 1975) was first published. Nero Wolfe later became a television series in the 1982, which starred William Cannon (Sept. 27, 1920 ~ Feb. 11, 1994). [Name # 2, fictional.]
19. Conked out: SLEPT.
23. Restaurateur Matsuhisa: NOBU. [Name # 3.] // And 3-Down. Wrap for a tobiko maki roll: NORI. // 11-Down. Filling in a tobiko maki roll: ROE. Funny story. I recently ate at NoBu in Vegas. It was incredible expensive. There were five us and we ate on the cheap. We each ordered only one sushi roll each, so the total bill for all of us was probably the standard bill for most of the restaurant's diners.
24. Red Sox div.: AL EAST. As in the American League East in Baseball.
32. Walks quickly: LEGS IT.
33. Arterial blockage: CLOT.
34. House mem.: REP. As in a member of the House of Representatives in Congress.
35. Doesn't stick the landing, say: ERRS. I was not familiar with the expressing "stick the landing." Apparently, it means to succeed and do something well. Hand up if you knew this expression.
36. Tennis great Shriver: PAM. Pam Shriver (b. July 4, 1962) was active in the 1980s and 1990s. She also played in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. [Name # 4.]
37. Pirelli product: TIRE. This company has been in business since 1972.
38. Responded to a growling stomach: ATE.
39. Superstar: IDOL. Idol appeared in last week's puzzle, too.
41. Plato's hometown: ATHENS. Athens, Greece, that is. [Name # 5.]
46. "That's true about me": YES, I AM.
47. Wee bit: WHIT.
54. "__ luck!": LOTSA.
57. Verdi tragedy: AIDA. This opera, which makes frequent appearances in the puzzles, is a tragic opera set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt. The opera was written by Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813 ~ Jan. 27, 1901), with the libretto written by Antonio Ghislanzoni (Nov. 25, 1824 ~ July 16, 1893). It was later made into a musical by Elton John (b. Mar. 25, 1947) and Tim Rice (b. Nov. 10, 1944). [Name # 6.]
58. Water repellent?: MOAT. Cute clue.
59. Easy-to-read font: ARIAL. This is Arial Font. This is Times Font. This is Courier Font.
60. Word with bed or engine: TWIN. As in a twin bed or a twin engine.
61. Podcaster Klein: EZRA. I am not familiar with Ezra Klein (b. May 9, 1984). Apparently, he is an American journalist and political analyst. He his the host of his own podcast called The Ezra Klein Show. [Name # 7.]
62. 1983 Streisand title role: YENTL. Barbra Streisand (b. Apr. 24, 1942) portrayed Yentl in the musical drama of the same name. [Names # 8 and 9, one real, one fictional.]
63. Some video game inhabitants: SIMS.
64. Quakers, e.g.: SECT. As in a religious sect.
Down:
1. Ultimate equipment that weighs 175 grams: DISC.
2. "Not happening": UH, UH.
4. Magnificence: EPICNESS. Yup, that's a real word that means The quality or state of being epic.
5. Only: NONE BUT.
6. Bare one's soul: OPEN UP.
7. Root in Hawaiian cuisine: TARO. We see both Taro and Ube in the puzzles.
8. Baseball family name: ALOU. There were several brothers and their sons who played in major league baseball. Felipe Alou (né Felipe Rojas Alou; b. May 12, 1935) is the oldest of three brothers. he was the first Dominican to play regularly in the Major Leagues. He played for the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Oakland A's, the New York Yankees and, after he retired from playing, he managed the Montreal Expos. Matty Alou (né Mateo Rojas Alou; December 22, 1938 ~ November 3, 2011) played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants. Jesús Alou (né Jesús María Rojas Alou; March 24, 1942 ~ March 10, 2023) was the youngest Alou brother. He played for the San Francisco Giants, the Houston Astros, the Oakland Athletics, and the New York Mets. [Names # 10, 11, and 12.]
Felipe's sons, Moisés (né Moisés Rojas-Alou Beltré (b. July 3, 1966) and Luis E. Rojas (b, September 1, 1981), also played baseball. [Names # 13, and 14.]
9. Big name in vodka: ABSOLUT. Absolut Vodka is a brand of vodka, produced near Åhus, in southern Sweden. It comes in many flavors. [Name adjacent.]
10. Steal: PILFER. Fun word.
12. Little scamp: IMP.
13. "__ that sink in": LET.
21. Nobel Peace Prize winner Annan: KOFI. Kofi Atta Annan (Apr. 8, 1938 ~ Aug. 18, 2018) was was a Ghanaian diplomat who was the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations. He served in that position from 1997 to 2006. In 2001, he and the United Nations were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. [Name # 15.]
22. Filled tortilla: TACO.
25. Better ventilated: AIRIER.
26. Rears, at sea: STERNS.
27. Hunts and pecks on a keyboard: TYPES.
28. Wodehouse character Wooster: BERTIE. Sir P D Wodehouse (né Pelham Grenville Wodehouse; Oct. 15, 1881 ~ Feb. 14, 1975) was a British writer and creator of Jeeves, the butler to feather-brained Bertie Wooster. [Names # 16 and 17, one real, one fictional.]
29. Door to the street: EGRESS. Most of us would just say Exit door.
30. Teatro alla __: Milan opera house: SCALA.
31. Horror movie street: ELM. The trees on this street are 32-Down.
32. Like shade trees: LEAFY.
36. "__ favor": "please," in Spanish: POR. Today's Spanish lesson.
37. What are a-changin', in a Dylan song: THE TIMES. [Name # 18.]
39. "Possibly not even that": IF AT ALL.
40. "__ arigato": Japanese "thank you very much": DOMO. Today's Japanese lesson.
41. Fireplace accessories: ASH PANS. Makes for easy clean-up.
42. Foolish one: TWIT.
44. Show derision to: HISS AT.
45. Ego of "SNL": NWODIM. Egobunma Kelechi Nwodim (b. March 10, 1988) is an American actress and comedian. I haven't watched Saturday Night Live in years, so didn't recognize this name. [Name # 19.]
49. Movie musical starring Judi Dench and Idris Elba: CATS. I never saw the movie Cats, but I did see the musical. That was enough. [Names # 20 and 21.]
50. Fuzzy fruit: KIWI. Also a small flightless bird from New Zealand.
51. Seep: OOZE.
52. Rat (on): NARC.
53. Win shares in basketball, e.g.: STAT.
54. Put down, as sod: LAY.
55. Mine deposit: ORE. A crossword staple.
56. Tuna container: TIN.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
