Tuesday, October 31, 2023 // Halloween

QOD:  Americans will put up with anything as long as it doesn’t block traffic.  ~  Dan Rather (né Dan Irvin Rather, Jr.; b. Oct. 31, 1931), American journalist and news anchor

Happy Halloween!

19-Across. Restaurant that operates within another restaurant: GHOST KITCHEN.  Hand up if you knew of Ghost Kitchens.

27-Across. With 32-Across, embarrassing secret: SKELETON.  //  And 32. See 27-Across: IN THE CLOSET.  Together, this gives us a SKELETON IN THE CLOSET.

42-Across. Emmy-nominated TV series based on a Hilary Mantel novel: WOLF HALL.  That's Dame Hilary Mantel (July 6, 1952 ~ Sept. 22, 2022) to you.  She was best known for her historical fiction.  She wrote a trilogy about Thomas Cromwell's rise to power in the court of Henry VIII, King of England.  Wolf Hall was the first book in the series, followed by Bring Up the Bodies and The Mirror and the Light.   [Name # 1.]

And the unifier:

48-Across. Halloween attraction, or what 19-, 27-/32-, and 42-Across all might be a part of?: HAUNTED HOUSE.

And, what you might hear in a Haunted House:

36-Down. Evil laugh: MWA HA HA!

Across:

1. Hip-hop duo __ & Rakim: ERIC B.  I am not familiar with this duo of Eric B. (né Eric Barrier; b. Nov. 8, 1963) and Rakim (né William Michael Griffin, Jr.; b. Jan. 28, 1968).  The group was big in the late 1980s and early 1990s.   [Names # 2 and 3.]

6. Landlocked West African nation: MALI.  The United States Department of State currently lists Mali on its Do Not Travel list due to crime, kidnapping and terrorism.

10. Product prefix that evokes winter: SNO.

13. Gambling hub near Hong Kong: MACAU.  Everything you wanted to know about Macau but didn't know to ask.

14. Opinion piece: OP-ED.  Opposite the Editorial Page.

15. Cloverleaf feature: LOOP.

16. Eggs (on): SPURS.

17. Gem from Australia or Ethiopia: OPAL.  Hi, Kazie!  Is it bad luck to wear an Opal if it's not your birth stone?

18. Eclectic online digest: UTNE.  Its full name is the Utne Reader.  It was first published in 1984 and is named after its founder, Eric Utne.

22. Large cupboard: ARMOIRE.

25. Black belt discipline: KARATE.

26. Tosses: HEAVES.

29. Circle dances: HORAs.

30. "Finish the job!": DO IT.

31. Grass in a roll: SOD.

36. GI grub: MRE.  We had the Meals Ready to Eat last Tuesday.

38. Flair: ELAN.

39. Campfire residue: ASHES.

45. Texas border city: EL PASO.  The city and county of El Paso, Texas is in the Mountain Time Zone, where as most of the rest of Texas is in the Central Time Zone.

46. Glass raiser's opening: A TOAST.

47. Brother of Ophelia: LAERTES.  A reference to Willie the Shakes' play Hamlet.  I'll let our Shakespeare scholar expound on these characters.  [Names # 4 and 5.]

51. Fighting: AT IT.

52. Christian of fashion: DIOR.  Christian Ernest Dior (Jan. 21, 1905 ~ Oct. 24, 1957) was a French fashion designer.  He is best known for A-Line collection which made its debut in 1955.  [Name # 6.]

53. TV channel with election night coverage: MSNBC.  It's short for Microsoft and the National Broadcasting Corporation.

57. "For __ jolly ... ": HE'S A.

58. Not new: USED.

59. Like more than 4 billion people: ASIAN.

60. Fruit juice suffix: -ADE.  We miss you LemonADE!

61. Degs. for many profs: Ph.Ds.  Today's Latin lesson.  The abbreviation for Doctor of Philosophy, or in the original Latin: Philosophiae Doctor.

62. "Oppenheimer" director Christopher: NOLAN.  J. Robert Oppenheimer (né Julius Robert Oppenheimer; Apr. 22, 1904 ~ Feb. 18, 1967) was an American theoretical physicist and director of the Manhattan Project's Los Angeles lab.  He is sometime called the Father of the Atomic bomb.  Christopher Nolan (né Christopher Edward Nolan; b. July 30, 1970) is a British-born filmmaker who directed this past summer's blockbuster film about Oppenheimer and the atomic bomb.   [Names # 7 and 8.]

Down:

1. Ambulance gp.: EMs.  Emergency Medicine.  //  And 3-Down: Hosp. recovery area: ICU.  Intensive Care Unit.  //  And 20-Down. Surgery ctrs.: ORs.  Operating Rooms.

2. Knock sharply: RAP.

4. Moving day rental: CARGO VAN.

5. Most overgrown, say: BUSHIEST.

6. __ Tracks ice cream: MOOSE.  Vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups and chocolate fudge.  Apparently the name was inspired by a mini golf course.

7. Spot on a sked: APPT.  An appointment is a spot on a schedule.

8. Plumbing problem: LEAK.

9. "That sounds tempting": I'D LIKE TO.

10. Phrase of finality: SO THAT'S THAT.

11. Far from: NONE TOO.  Meh!

12. Allowing for modification, as a mortgage: OPEN END.

15. Loot: LUCRE.

21. "She's So High" singer Bachman: TAL.  Tal Bachman (né Talmage Charles Robert Backman; b. Aug. 13, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is best known for She's So High.  [Name # 9.]

22. Sound at a spa: AHH!

23. __ Speedwagon: REO.  The band, which was formed in the late 1960s, was named after the REO Speed Wagon truck that first produced in 1915 by Ransom Eli Olds (June 3, 1864 ~ 1950) of Oldsmobile fame.  [Name # 9]

24. Duchess of Parma who was Napoleon's second wife: MARIE LOUISE.  Archduchess Marie Louise (Dec. 12, 1791 ~ Dec. 17, 1847) was the Duchess of Parma in her own right.  She reigned as the Duchess of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla from April 1814 until her death 33 years later.  In 1810, she married Napoleon (Aug. 15mm 1769 ~ May 5, 1821).  He was her first husband.  After his death, she married twice more.  [Names # 10 and 11.]

27. L.A.'s region: SO-CAL.  Southern California.

28. Pottery oven: KILN.

30. Big name in crossword puzzle magazines: DELL.  [Name adjacent.]

33. Warmed, as leftovers: HEATED UP.

34. Arthur Miller's "Death of a __": SALESMAN.  Arthur Asher Miller (Oct. 17, 1915 ~ Feb. 10, 2005) wrote many, many plays, but is probably best known for his short marriage to Marilyn Monroe (June 1, 1926 ~ Aug. 4, 1962).  She was the second of his three wives.  [Name # 12.]

35. Strong coffee in a tiny cup: ESPRESSO.  Yummers!

37. Went round and round: ROTATED.

40. WNW's opposite: ESE.

41. Emergency letters: SOS.  This is becoming a crossword staple.

43. Fruit soda brand: FANTA.  [Name Adjacent.]

44. Pres. after FDR: HST.  Harry S Truman (May 8, 1884 ~ Dec. 26, 1972) was Vice-President until the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Jan. 30, 1882 ~ Apr. 12, 1945).  Roosevelt president to be elected for a 4th term.  Truman was his 3rd Vice-President.  His first Vice-President was John Nance (Nov. 22, 1868 ~ Nov. 7, 1967).  Nance served from 1933 until 1941, Roosevelt's first two terms.  Henry A Wallace (Oct. 7, 1888 ~ Mpv. 18, 1965) was Roosevelt second Vice-President.  He served from 1941 until 1945.  [Names # 13 and 14.]

45. __ de toilette: EAU.  Today's French lesson.  Everything you wanted to know about Water of the Toilette but didn't know to ask.

47. Some Parliament members: LORDS.

49. Dinner plate: DISH.

50. Did a garden chore: HOED.

54. Zero, in soccer: NIL.

55. Sheep call: BAA.

56. TV channel with election night coverage: CNN.  Cable News Network.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

QOD:  Life is rather like a tin of sardines ~ we’re all of us looking for the key.  ~  Alan Bennett (b. May 9, 1934), British actor and playwright

Time to get to Work.  The first words of each theme answer pertains to one's wages: RATE, PAY and FEE.

18-Across. Review site used by students: RATE MY PROFESSORS.  Yup! There is a website for that.

28-Across. Honor, with "to": PAY TRIBUTE.

49-Across. Alliterative chant from "Jack and the Beanstalk": FEE FI FO FUM.

And the unifier:

64-Across. Entry-level wages, and a hint to the first words of 18-, 28-, and 49-Across: STARTING SALARIES.

Across:

1. NYC nabe with the Museum of Ice Cream: SOHO.  Who knew there was a Museum of Ice Cream in the neighborhood South of Houston?

5. Keith Haring genre: POP  ART.  Keith Haring (né Keith Allan Haring; May 4, 1958 ~ Feb. 16, 1990) was known for his Pop Art that often depicted themes of social activism.  Sadly, he died of complications of AIDS at only 31 years old.  [Name # 1.]

11. First piece moved in chess, often: PAWN.

15. "My turn!": I'M UP.

16. Dealership perk: LOANER.

17. __ vera gel: ALOE.  //  Not to be confused with 42-Across. Lisbon greeting: OLÁ.  Today's Portuguese lesson.

21. First part: INTRO.

22. Après-__: SKI.  Today's French lesson.

23. White House rejections: VETOEs.

24. Bronx-born member of Congress, familiarly: AOC.  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (b. Oct. 13, 1989) represents New York's 14th District in the United States House of Representatives.  [Name # 2.]

26. Using Wi-Fi: ON-LINE.

32. Ye __ Shoppe: OLDE.

35. Sheltered, at sea: ALEE.  This used to be a crossword staple.

36. German article: DER.  Today's German lesson.  //  And 41-Across.  French article: LES.  

37. Most concise: TERSEST.

40. Tell tales: LIE.

43. EMT skill: CPR.

44. Makeup for lashes: MASCARA.

46. Ride-or-die pal, briefly: BFF.  I was not familiar with the phrase "ride-or-die", but the perps gave me the Best Friend Forever.  According to the Slang Dictionary, the phrase means extreme loyalty to someone or some thing.  It does not exactly have a positive connotation.

47. Singer Del Rey: LANA.  Lana Del Rey (née Elizabeth Woolridge Grant; b. June 21, 1985) is known for her melancholic melodies.  [Name # 3.]

48. Opportunity: SHOT.

52. Montana's capital: HELENA.  How Helena got its name.  It is still a mystery.  Maybe Montana will weigh in and give us her take on the State's capital.  [Name adjacent.]

54. Soccer goal part: NET.

55. Calm: SERENE.

58. Neutral possessive pronoun: ITS.  Not to be confused with It's, which is another concept altogether. 

60. __ cotta: TERRA.  Today's Latin lesson.  The term means Baked Earth.  I saw the Terra Cotta Warriors when I was in Xi'an, C.C.'s home town.

67. Appellation: NAME.

68. Sign after Taurus: GEMINI.  Gemini and Taurus = a love match.

69. Colorful eye part: IRIS.  Everything you wanted to know about the Iris but didn't know to ask.

Iris are also colorful flowers

70. Avoided a tag, perhaps: SLID.  Think baseball.  It looks painful.

71. Like some fancy bathroom floors: HEATED.  My bathroom floors are not so fancy.  We did, however, experience some very fancy heated toilets while in Vietnam.

72. "__ No Sunshine": Bill Withers hit: AIN'T.  Bill Withers (né William Harrison Withers, Jr.; July 4, 1938 ~ Mar. 30, 2020) was working as an aircraft assembler when this song was released in 1971.   [Name # 4.]

Down:

1. Apple's virtual assistant: SIRI.  If you ask Siri personal questions and you will get some funny answers.  [Name # 5.]

2. Mideast sultanate: OMAN.

3. Sluglike species of "Star Wars": HUTT.  The most famous Hutt is probably Jabba.

4. Run: OPERATE.  As in operating some sort of machine, and not running a marathon.

5. Kleenex layer: PLY.

6. "My bad!": OOPS!

7. Sport that turns everyday objects into an obstacle course: PARKOUR.  You learn something new with every crossword puzzle.  The word parkour is derived from the French term (more of today's French lesson) parcours du combattant, which roughly translates to obstacle course.

8. Bless using oil: ANOINT.  Charles III, King of Great Britain (b. Nov. 14, 1948) was anointed at his coronation ceremony last Saturday.

9. Whistle blower?: REF.  Cute clue.

10. Rome's __ Fountain: TREVI.  The Trevi Fountain was constructed in the 1700s.  Construction began in 1732 and it was completed in 1762.  The name derives from the Latin word Trivium, which indicated the intersection of three streets.  The three streets are Via Via De'Crocicchi, Via Poli and Via Delle Muratte.  The fountain was officially opened and inaugurated almost exactly 261 years ago ~ on 22 May, 1762 by Pope Clement XIII (Mar. 7, 1693 ~ Feb. 2, 1769).

11. Muted shades: PASTELS.

12. __ gobi: vegetarian curry dish: ALOO.  Another learning experience.  Aloo Gobi is a vegetarian dish made with potatoes and cauliflower.   It looks good.

13. Was dressed in: WORE.

14. Loch in tabloid photos: NESS.  The modern legend of the Loch Ness monster dates back just 90 years.

19. Tie up at the dock: MOOR.

20. Madame's Spanish counterpart: SEÑORA.  Today's Spanish lesson.  Hi, Lucina!

25. Angry Orchard beverage: CIDER.

27. Acquit: LET OFF.

28. Tropical tree: PALM.

29. Pseudonym: ALIAS.

30. "Unbelievable!": YEESH!

31. "Take care on the way home!": BE SAFE!

33. Late-afternoon coffee choice: DECAF.

34. Broadcaster of some NCAA games: ESPNU.  ESPNU is the sister company of ESPN that covers college sports.

38. Pixieish: ELFIN.

39. Shuttle on rails: TRAM.  Also known as streetcars.

41. Not yet visible: LATENT.

45. Held together: COHERED.

46. Scrams: BEATS IT.

47. Game of chance also known as "Mexican bingo": LOTERIA.  Another learning experience

50. Mystery: ENIGMA.  Alan Turing (né Alan Mathison Turing; June 23, 1912 ~ June 7, 1954) cracked the Enigma Code.  The Enigma machine was an encryption machine the Germans used during WWII to transmit coded messages.  Turing and other researchers at Bletchley Park found some weakness in the code and were able to decrypt it.  It's a fascinating history.

51. Greek cheese: FETA.  Feta is a soft, crumbly Greek cheese made from sheep or goat milk that is brined in salt.

53. "Psycho" actress Janet: LEIGH.  Janet Leigh (née Jeanette Helen Morrison; July 6, 1927 ~ Oct. 3, 2004) is the mother of actress Jamie Lee Curtis (b. Nov. 22, 1958).  The shooting of the shower scene in Psycho gave Janet nightmares for years after.  It creeps me out, too.  [Name # 6.]

55. Taxpayer IDs: SSNs.  As in Social Security Numbers.

56. List-shortening abbr.: ET AL.  A crossword staple.

57. Actor Malek: RAMI.  Rami Said Malek (b. May 12, 1981) made a convincing Freddie Mercury in the 2018 movie Bohemian Rhapsody.  [Name # 7.]

59. Levelheaded: SANE.

61. 2023 Super Bowl performer, to fans: RI-RI.  Ri-Ri is the nickname of Rihanna (née Robin Rihanna Fenty; b. Feb. 20, 1988).  [Name # 8.]

62. Bridle part: REIN.

63. Admin. aide: ASST.  As in an assistant.

65. Formerly called: NÉE.  More of today's French lesson.  Technically, the word comes from the French which means born.  The word née, the feminine past participle of naitre, "to be born." The masculine form is né.

66. Pot top: LID.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה