Tuesday, March 17, 2026 St. Patrick's Day

QOD:  

Let's Talk:

19-Across. Emotional plea in "Top Gun" and "Top Gun: Maverick": TALK TO ME, GOOSE.

26-Across. "I didn't hear a 'Please'!": SAY THE MAGIC WORD.

43-Across. "Why this course of action?": EXPLAIN YOURSELF.

And the unifier:

53-Across. Requests to Siri and Alexa, or what 19-, 26-, and 43-Across literally are: VOICE COMMANDS.

Across:

1. Lobby group for seniors: AARP.  American Association of Retired Persons.

5. "__ knew?": WHO.

8. Red light therapy venues: SPAS.  Red Light Therapy uses low-level, 630–700 nm wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to boost cellular energy, reduce inflammation, and promote tissue repair.  Sessions last 5–20 minutes and are used to treat acne, wrinkles, hair loss, and chronic pain. While generally safe, it requires consistent use to see results and may carry risks of eye damage if not used properly.  I think I'll pass on this therapy.

12. Pink's counterpart in "Wicked": GREEN.

14. Stranger __ fiction: THAN.

15. Work for: EARN.

16. Italian liqueur such as Aperol or Campari: AMARO.  Amaro is a family of Italian herbal liqueurs, (amaro means bitter) that are made by infusing a base spirit (like wine or neutral grain spirit) with a blend of botanicals such as herbs, roots, flowers, and citrus peels, resulting in a bittersweet, complex flavor profile.

17. Blow off steam: VENT.

18. Cogito, __ sum: ERGO.  Today's Latin lesson ... or, as René Descartes (Mar. 31, 1596 ~ Feb. 11, 1650) so succinctly stated:  I think, therefore I am.

22. NYC summer hrs.: EDT.  As in Eastern Daylight Time.  We just "sprung" forward over the weekend.

23. Most consecutive Super Bowls won by the same team: TWO.  Eight NFL teams have won 2 consecutive Super Bowls:  Green Bay Packers (I-II), Miami Dolphins (VII-VIII), Pittsburgh Steelers (IX-X & XIII-XIV), San Francisco 49ers (XXIII-XXIV), Dallas Cowboys (XXVII-XXVIII), Denver Broncos (XXXII-XXXIII), New England Patriots (XXXVIII-XXXIX), and Kansas City Chiefs (LVII-LVIII).

24. Italian fashion house: PRADA.  Prada means Meadow in Italian.  The Italian fashion house, however, was founded by Mario Prada (1894 ~ 1958).

31. "I __ a hunch!": HAD.

32. Insta upload: PIC.  As in Pictures.

33. Guitar Hero World Tour console: WII.

34. Helpful feedback: INPUT.

37. Fuel efficiency stat: MPG.  As in Miles Per Gallon (of gasoline).

38. Gives a hoot: MINDS.

40. Corp. leader: CEO.  As in Chief Executive Officer.

41. Wilmington's st.: DEL.  Wilmington is in Delaware.

42. __ rummy: GIN.  Gin Rummy is a card game.

50. Harbor Freight purchases: TOOLS.

51. "Hello, fellow sheep": BAA.

52. Stretch the truth: LIE.

57. Graduate of the CIA, perhaps: CHEF.  Not the Central Intelligence Agency, but the Culinary Institute of America.

59. Great Plains tribe: OTOE.

60. Corrosive compounds: ACIDS.

61. Subtle glow: AURA.

62. Numbered hwys.: RTES.  As in Routes.

63. "Girls5eva" co-star __ Elise Goldsberry: RENÉE.  I am not familiar with with either Renée Elise Goldsberry (b. Jan. 2, 1971) or Girls5eva.

64. Fishnet fabric: MESH.

65. Pops: DAD.

66. Covers with grass: SODS.

Down:

1. Rock shop options: AGATES.

2. Naval fleet: ARMADA.  The best known Armada is the infamous Spanish Armada, which set sail from Spain in 1588 in an effort to invade England.  It failed.

3. "Million Dollar Listing" field: REALTY.

4. Fringe benefit: PERK.

5. Cry of delight: WHEE.

6. Kick back (with): HANG.

7. Good place for a lecturer to stay?: ON TOPIC.

8. Teeter-totter: SEESAW.

9. Streamline, perhaps: PARE DOWN.

10. Iguazu Falls land: Abbr.: ARG.  Iguaza Falls is a spectacular waterfall system that consists of over 275 individual drops spanning nearly 2 along the Argentina-Brazil border. 

11. Cold-sounding commercial prefix: SNO.

13. "Anything else!": NOT THAT!  Not exactly sure how this answer fits.

14. Claire Dunphy, e.g.: TV MOM.  Claire Dunphy was the fictional mother on Modern Family.  She was programmed by Julie Bowen (née born Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer, b. March 3, 1970).

20. Carried a debt: OWED.

21. Goblinlike creature: ORC.  The Orc is a fictional creature from The Lord of the Rings.

25. Bone-dry: ARID.

27. Thanksgiving, e.g.: Abbr.: THU.  Thanksgiving is a holiday that always falls on the third Thursday of November.

28. Put on, as nail polish: APPLY.

29. Job for a DJ: GIG.

30. Prefix with loyal and service: DIS.   As in Disloyal and Disservice.

34. The "I" of the RICE method: ICE.  Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate.

35. Dismissive call: NEXT.

36. Puffy pastries: POPOVERS.  Yummers!

37. Guys: MEN.

38. San Diego neighborhood whose name means "sea view": MIRAMAR.

39. __ and outs: INS.

41. Lack of harmony: DISCORD.

42. U.S. Pacific island: GUAM.  Guam appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle.  [See clue 24-down.]  Since 1898, Guam has been a U.S. island territory.  It is the largest, most populous, and southernmost island in the Marianas archipelago and Micronesia.  Guam is known for its beautiful by tropical beaches, Chamorro villages and ancient latte-stone pillars.  Guam’s WWII significance is on view at the War in the Pacific National Historical Park, whose sites include Asan Beach, a former battlefield.

44. Bath scrubber: LOOFAH.

45. Oscar winner Mahershala: ALI.  Mahershala Ali (né Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore, b. Feb. 15, 1974) is an American actor who has two Oscars: One for his portrayal of a drug dealer in Moonlight and one for his portrayal of Don Shirley in Green Book.

46. Thin woodwinds: OBOES.  These woodwinds make frequent appearances in the puzzles.

47. Pacific climate phenomenon: EL NIÑO.  Everything you ever wanted to know about El Niño.

48. Heavy-__: sleepy: LIDDED.

49. Admits, with "up": 'FESSES.

54. Jazz great James: ETTA.  Etta James (née Jamesetta Hawkins; Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan. 20, 2012) is a frequent guest in the puzzles.

55. Like many dorms: CO-ED.  Last Tuesday this was clued as Not Single-Sex.  [See 16-Across.]

56. Top poker cards: ACES.

57. Kiss __: PDA capturer at a stadium: CAM.  The infamous Kiss Cam from last summer's Coldplay concert.

58. Shade on a color wheel: HUE.

חתולה

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Sunday, March 17, 2024 // St. Patrick's Day

QOD:  A good friend is like a four-leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have.  ~  Irish Proverb

Friday, March 17, 2023 // St. Patrick's Day

QOD:  The future is already here.  It’s just not evenly distributed yet.  ~  William Gibson (né William Ford Gibson; b. Mar. 17, 1948), American-Canadian speculative fiction writer

Thursday, March 17, 2022 / St. Patrick's Day

QOD:  Time moves in one direction, memory in another.  ~  William Gibson (né William Ford Gibson; b. Mar. 17, 1948), Canadian-American writer

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 St. Patrick's Day

QOD:  We are in a democratic society.  It’s our job to question.  ~  Kurt Russell (b. Mar. 17, 1951), American actor

 

Tuesday, March 17, 2020 / St. Patrick's Day

QOD:  When you want to know how things really work, study them when they’re coming apart.  ~  William Gibson (né William Ford Gibson; b. Mar. 17, 1948), American writer

What's your game?  The word Game can go at the End the last word of each theme answer to give us a new concept.

1-Across. *  Ready to set sail, say: ON BOARD.  Board Game.  Professor Plum used a lead pipe in the dining room.

17-Across. *  1950s sitcom co-star: LUCILLE BALL.  Ballgame.

26-Across. *  Hester Prynne's mark of shame: SCARLET A.  A Game.  Working at one's highest level of performance.

49-Across. *  "Which side of the debate will you argue?": PRO OR CON.  Con Game.

60-Across. *  Culpable one: GUILTY PARTY.  Party Game.

And the Unifier:
69. Chess match climax, and what the last word of each answer to a starred clue can have: ENDGAME.

Top o'the mornin' to you on this St. Patrick's Day.  Sadly, parades were cancelled this year due to COVID-19.  May all of us here stay healthy.

Across:

8. Diplomatic rep.: AMB.  As in an Ambassador.

11. Machines with Windows, briefly: PCs.  As in Personal Computers.

14. More tired: WEARIER.

15. Foe of Chiang: MAO.  As in Chiang Kai-shek (Oct. 31, 1887 ~ Apr. 5, 1975) and Mao Zedong (Dec. 26, 1893 ~ Sept. 9, 1976)

16. Swing, jazz or rock 'n' roll: ERA.

19. Early internet company: AOL.  Originally known as America OnLine.  //  And 43. 19-Across et al.: ISPs.  As in Internet Service Providers.

20. Investor's purchase: Abbr.: STK.  As in Stocks.

21. Amazement: AWE.

22. German cameras: LEICAS.  Leica, which also makes binoculars, microscopes and other items with lenses, was founded by Ernst Leitz (Apr. 26, 1843 ~ Sept. 12, 1920) in 1914.  The name of the company is derived from the first 3 letters of the founder's name, Leitz and the first 2 letters of the word Camera.

24. Bashful: SHY.  Also the name of 1 of the 7 dwarfs.

28. No-no: TABOO.

31. Continental coins: EUROS.  Each country in the Eurozone has its own design on one side of the euro coin, whereas the reverse side is the same for each country.

1 Euro coin from Italy

32. "Inside the NBA" analyst Shaq: O'NEAL.  Shaquille O'Neal (b. Mar. 6, 1972), just celebrated his 48th birthday.  He graduated from LSU.  His son, Shareef will be transferring to LSU to play basketball.

33. Returning GI's diagnosis: PTSD.  As in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

34. Capitol Hill helper: AIDE.

38. Musically monotonous: ONE NOTE.

40. Collection of sacred songs: PSALTER.

42. Geeky type: NERD.

45. Lazy __: revolving tray: SUSAN.  The origin of the Lazy Susan is not known, but here are some interesting theories.

46. December mall figure: SANTA.  And a tribute to our own dear Santa.

48. Foolish: INANE.

52. June honoree: DAD.

53. Really bothers: EATS AT.

54. Fair-hiring inits.: EEO.  As in Equal Employment Opportunity.

56. Wood for bats: ASH.  What type of wood makes the best Baseball Bats?

59. Home security co.: ADT.  In 1874, company was originally known as American District Telegraph.

64. Fairway position: LIE.

65. Bruins legend: ORR.  Bobby Orr (né Robert Gordon Orr; b. Mar. 20, 1948), makes frequent guest appearances in the crosswords.  He had a long career with the Boston Bruins.  He will turn 72 in just a few days.

66. Answered: REPLIED.

67. Title for Elton: SIR.  Sir Elton John (né Reginald Kenneth Dwight; b. Mar. 25, 1947) is another March Birthday Boy.

68. Once called: NÉE.

Down:
1. Hooting birds: OWLS.  They come in all shapes and sizes.

2. Not masc. or fem.: NEUT.  As in Masculine, Feminine or Gender Neutral.

3. Begin to parallel park, with "in": BACK.  When I lived in Boston, the only parking my appartment had was on the street.  Mandatory parallel parking.  One always "tapped" the car in front and in back when trying to get into the very tight spaces that were barely big enough for the car.



4. "... __ quit!": OR I.

5. Feel crummy: AIL.

6. Race with batons: RELAY.

7. Sketched: DREW.

8. Org. with a Health Care Advocacy web page: AMA.  As in the American Medical Association.

9. Ducks whose males have green heads: MALLARDS.

10. Slow-tempo Spanish dance: BOLERO.



11. Quiet partner: PEACE.

12. Zagreb native: CROAT.

13. Taco topper: SALSA.  Yummers!

18. Harass: BESET.

23. "Casablanca" heroine: ILSA LUND.  I never knew her last name.

Ilsa Lund, played by Ingrid Bergman (Aug. 29, 1915 ~ Aug. 29, 1982)

24. Stinkers: SO-AND-SOs.  Calling someone is Stinker is a very New England term.

25. Prefix with gram: HOLO-.  As in a Hologram.

27. Zodiac borders: CUSPS.

28. Bugs Bunny or Bullwinkle: 'TOON.

29. Lestat creator Rice: ANNE.  Anne Rice (b. Oct. 4, 1941) was the author of Interview with the Vampire.  Lestat de Lioncourt was the vampire of this novel.  Anne Rice is from New Orleans.

30. Bar pint contents: BEER.

33. Sauce with basil: PESTO.  Yummers!  I made a wonderful Pesto Chicken Pasta dish last week.

35. "__ miracle!": IT'S A.

36. College faculty head: DEAN.

37. Shore bird: ERNE.  A crossword staple.

39. __ of iodine: antiseptic: TINCTURE.

41. China's continent: ASIA.

44. Group of jurors: PANEL.

47. Ferdinand II's realm: ARAGON.  Ferdinand II, King of Aragon (Mar. 10, 1452 ~ Jan. 23, 1516) was the husband of Queen Isabella of Castile.  They are best known for their roles in the Spanish Inquisition and the issuance of the Alhambra Decree.

49. Rings, as a bell: PEALS.

50. Bike spokes, geometrically: RADII.

51. Furry aquatic mammal: OTTER.  They are such cute critters.  If you go to Ethel, Louisiana, you can even swim with the Otters.

52. Elder statesman: DOYEN.

55. To be, in Tours: ÊTRE.  Today's French lesson.  Conjugated in the present tense:

Je suis  //  Nous sommes

Tu es  //  Vous êtes

Ils / Elles est  //  Ils / Elles sont 

56. Puccini piece: ARIA.

57. Pipe part: STEM.  Anatomy of a pipe:

58. Stevenson's villainous Mr.: HYDE.  A reference to Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson (Nov. 13, 1850 ~ Dec. 3, 1894).

61. Wrath: IRE.

62. Scoreboard abbr. for a rainout: PPD.  As in Postponed.  It also refers to the current pandemic.  I had to PPD my father's 90th birthday party, which was scheduled in April.

63. High school subj.: ALG.  As in Algebra.

Here's the Grid: