QOD: A man with a briefcase can steel millions more than any man with a gun. ~ Don Henley (né Donald Hugh Henley; b. July 22, 1947), American musician and founding member of The Eagles
Let Them Eat Cake! Although this phrase is attributed to Marie Antoinette, there is no historical evidence that she actually said this. Today's puzzle was Easy as Pie.
20-Across. Indonesian archipelago now known as the Moluccas: SPICE ISLANDS. Spice Islands is also name of a company that sells spices and herbs. The Spice Islands are also known as Malaku or the Moluccas.
27-Across. Thorny garden flowers: TEA ROSES. Tea roses are named for the fragrance of their flowers. They are said to smell like a cup of freshly brewed tea.
35-Across. Shake, rattle, and roll at a concert: ROCK OUT.
45-Across. Absorb, as spilled milk: SPONGE UP.
And the unifier:
51-Across. "Nothing to it!," and what each circled letter literally is?: A PIECE OF CAKE. Each circle is a Piece of the word CAKE.
Here's the Grid so you can see all the Pieces of Cake scattered about the puzzle.
There were a lot of names in today's puzzle, but they were all pretty easy to suss out.
Across:
1. Marx brother known for silent gags: HARPO. The comedic Marx brothers make occasional appearances in the puzzles. There were five brothers known for their vaudeville acts and movies. Harpo Marx (né Adolph Marx; Nov. 23, 1988 ~ Sept. 28, 1964) was the second-oldest brother and rarely spoke but was known for blowing a horn. He also was known for playing the harp, hence, his name. [Name # 1.]
6. Laborious process: SLOG.
10. In style: CHIC.
14. "Rush Rush" singer Paula: ABDUL. Paula Julie Abdul (b. June 19, 1962) got her start as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers. [Name # 2.]
15. Uncontaminated: PURE.
16. Walesa of Poland's Solidarity movement: LECH. In the late 1970s, Lech Wałęsa (b. Sept. 29, 1943) co-founded the Solidarity trade-union in Poland. He later served as the President of Poland from December 1990 to December 1995. He was award the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983. [Name # 3.]
17. Burn with steam: SCALD.
18. Recedes slowly: EBBS.
19. __ Day vitamins: ONE-A-.
23. "Fiddlesticks!": OH, DARN!
26. Targeted, with "at": TOOK AIM.
30. Mardi Gras, for one: FEST. Mardi Gras is early next year. It falls on February 17, 2026.
31. Alpo rival: IAMS. It is pet food for dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.
32. Tire inflation abbr.: PSI. As in Pounds per Square Inch.
33. Currency of Montreal and Toronto: Abbr.: CAD. As in the Canadian Dollar. As of this writing, the Canadian Dollar is worth $0.73 US Dollars. It is very colorful money. Hi, Canadian, Eh!
34. Fuel additive brand: STP.
37. Six-pack in a gym: ABs. Abdominal Muscles are a crossword staple.
40. Vietnamese New Year: TET. In 2026, the Vietnamese New Year falls on February 17. It just happens to coincide with Mardi Gras. It, too, would be considered a FEST.
41. Move like a kangaroo: HOP.
42. "Enchanted" girl in a fantasy comedy: ELLA. [Name # 4, Fictional.]
43. Lab container: VIAL.
47. Blown sign of affection: AIR KISS.
50. Hybrid big cats: LIGERS. A Liger is the offspring of a male lion and a female tiger. Did you know that if the mother is a lion and the father is a tiger, the offspring is known as a Tigon?
54. Egg container: NEST.
55. Soon, to Shakespeare: ANON.
56. Most suitable: IDEAL.
60. Teen sleuth Nancy: DREW. Nancy Drew has been around since 1930. I read a lot of Nancy Drew mysteries when I was a kid. [Name # 5, fictional.]
61. Diet-friendly, on labels: LITE. // And 22-Down. Diet-friendly, on labels: LO-FAT.
62. Sculpture trunk: TORSO.
63. Canadian gas brand: ESSO. Everything you wanted to know about Esso, but didn't know to ask. Another shout out to Canadian, Eh!
64. Glaswegian, e.g.: SCOT. Someone from Glasgow, Scotland is called a Glaswegian.
65. Feeling of dread: ANGST.
Down:
1. "Everything __ Changed": Taylor Swift song: HAS.
2. Alphabet starter: ABC.
3. Food stat: RDA. As in Recommended Dietary Allowance.
4. Some neutron stars and analog watches: PULSARS. What exactly are Pulsars?
5. Seasoned vet: OLD PRO.
6. Architectural detail, for short: SPEC.
7. Jiffy __: chain that specializes in oil changes: LUBE.
8. Once around the world: ORBIT.
9. Artist's primer: GESSO. Not a Tuesday word. Gesso prepares the surface for painting, making the surface slightly textured and ready to accept acrylic paint. Without gesso, the paint would soak into the weave of the canvas.
10. Concealed: CLOAKED.
11. Reddish brown dyes used in body art: HENNAS.
12. Clinched the win: ICED IT.
13. Deep divide: CHASM.
21. Trendy place: IN SPOT.
23. R&B legend Redding: OTIS. Otis Ray Redding, Jr. (Sept. 9, 1941 ~ Dec. 10, 1967) tragically died at age 26 in a plane crash. [Name # 6.]
24. Frozen food directive: HEAT.
25. Like clothes put out to dry: DAMP.
28. Key near F1: ESC.
29. Many Punjabis: SIKHS. A religion primarily practiced in the Punjab region of Southeast Asia.
33. Rounded roof: CUPOLA.
35. Artifact: RELIC.
36. Alley-__ pass: OOP.
37. Not aweather: ALEE.
38. Hazy shape: BLUR.
39. Drains: SAPS.
40. Second try on a movie set: TAKE TWO.
42. Encouraged: EGGED ON.
43. Venomous snakes: VIPERS.
44. Spring blooms with beards: IRISES.
 |
| Vincent Van Gogh was famous for his paintings of Irises. |
46. Soviet premier Khrushchev: NIKITA. Nikita Khrushchev (Apr. 15, 1894 ~ Sept. 11, 19971) was the first Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He served from 1953 to 1964. Did he really bang a shoe on a desk at the United Nations? [Name # 7.]
47. "Hoarders" airer: A AND E.
48. Aquatic barkers: SEALS.
49. Hedgehog mascot of Sega: SONIC.
52. Picture, informally: FOTO.
53. Gadget review site: C-NET.
57. Unit of energy: ERG.
58. Biblical beast: ASS. You can read about of Balaam and his talking donkey in the Book of Numbers (Chapters 22-24).
59. Valet's milieu: LOT.
חתולה
