Wednesday, October 25, 2023

QOD:  Death is sort of an affront to American life.  It’s so anti-aspirational.  ~  Zadie Smith (née Sadie Adeline Smith; b. Oct. 25, 1975), British novelist

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

QOD:  Ever consider what pets must think of us?  I mean, we come back from the grocery store with the most amazing haul ~ chicken, pork, half a cow.  They must think we’re the greatest hunters on earth!  ~  Anne Tyler (b. Oct. 25, 1941), American novelist

The Devil Made Me Do It.

17-Across.  *   Equally disagreeable choices: HORNS OF A DILEMMA.

23-Across.  *   Easy to cut, as meat: FORK TENDER.

40-Across.  *   Improvises: WINGS IT.

51-Across.  *   Braking signals: TAIL LIGHTS.

And the unifier:

62-Across.  "We were just talking about you!" and a hint to the first words of the answers to the starred clues: SPEAK OF THE DEVIL.

Across:

1. Brief email sign-off: BEST.

5. Baby horse: FOAL.

9. Utterly detest: ABHOR.

14. __ rug: floor decor: AREA.

15. Extreme anger: RAGE.

16. Director Sergio: LEONE.  Not a Tuesday name.  Sergio Leone (Jan. 3, 1929 ~ Apr. 30, 1989) was an Italian film director best know for producing the so-called Spaghetti Westerns.  Clint Eastwood starred in many of his films, including A Fist Full of Dollars and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.   [Name #1.]

20. Line spoken to the audience: ASIDE.

21. Boo-boo kisser: MOM.

22. Serve dinner to: FEED.

27. Be a good dog, say: OBEY.

28. Grade just above C: B MINUS.

32. Mideast title: EMIR.

35. Org. that certifies albums as gold or platinum: RIAA.  As in the Recording Industry Association of America.

38. Pronoun-shaped girders: I-BARS.

39. __ Vegas Raiders: LAS.  The professional football team.

42. Gym cushion: MAT.

43. "Erin go __": BRAGH.  Roughly translated to mean Ireland Forever.

45. Prod: GOAD.

46. Snaky swimmers: EELS.

47. "The Handmaid's Tale" novelist Margaret: ATWOOD.  Margaret Eleanor Atwood (b. Nov. 18, 1939) is a Canadian novelist.  [Name # 2.]

49. Tire leak sound: HISS.  

55. Admin. aide: ASS'T.  As in an Assistant.

58. Alumna bio word: NÉE.  Today's French lesson.

59. Deliver a speech: ORATE.

66. Depend (on): HINGE.

67. Oompah instrument: TUBA.  Hi, JazzB!

68. 12/24 and 12/31: EVEs.  Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

69. Provide with funding: ENDOW.

Well-Endowed.

70. "You missed a __": SPOT.

71. Whitehall whitewall: TYRE.  Whitehall is the name of a street in London, England where many government offices are located, hence, the cars parked on the street would be "misspelled" as Tyres.  Does a Tyre 49-Across in London?

Down:

1. "Who Let the Dogs Out" group __ Men: BAHA.  It was over a decade ago since this song was released.

2. Greek Cupid: EROS.

3. Calligraphy stroke: SERIF.

4. Clay oven for baking naan: TANDOOR.  Everything you wanted to know about Tandoor, but didn't know to ask.

5. To and __: FRO.  More information than you wanted to know about a pendulum going to and fro.

6. Bumbling fool: OAF.

7. Athlete's peak performance: A-GAME.

8. Gave false hope to: LED ON.

9. Every last one: ALL.

10. Barbecue cut: BEEF RIB.

11. House-shaped browser button: HOME.  I misread this clue as Horse-shaped browser button.

12. "Looks like the joke's __": ON ME.

13. Get lost in a book: READ.

18. Balkan native: SERB.

19. Film research website: IMDb.  As in the Internet Movie Database.

24. "The Americans" star Russell: KERI.  Keri Lynn Russell (b. Mar. 23, 1976) portrayed Elizabeth Jennings, a Russian spy, pretending to be an American on the spy drama The Americans.  The show ran for about 5 years.  [Name # 3.]

25. Making, as a knot: TYING.

26. Radiate: EMIT.

29. Birth certificate information: NAME.

30. Eurasian border river: URAL.  We often see URAL in the puzzles, but it usually refers to the mountains, not the river.

31. Phased-out fast planes, for short: SSTs.  As in the Super Sonic Transport planes.  The last commercial Concorde SST flight was on October 24, 2003.  Exactly 19 years and 1 day ago!

32. Actor Idris: ELBA.  Idris Elba (né Idrissa Akuna Elba; b. Sept. 6, 1972) is an English actor.  He portrayed Stringer Bell on the HBO series, The Wire.  Hi, Lucina!  [Name #4.]

33. Small store: MART.

34. "No need to describe what happened": I SAW.

36. "Four score and seven years __ ... ": AGO.  The opening line from the Gettysburg Address.

37. Japanese beer brand: ASAHI.

40. "Not so fast!": WHOA.

41. "With ya so far": I DIG.

44. "Adios!": GOTTA GO.

46. Springsteen's __ Band: E STREET.  How the band got its name.  [Name adjacent.]

48. Flintstone family pet: DINO.  [Name # 5.]

50. Wearing kicks: SHOD.

52. Some boxing jabs: LEFTS.

53. Ease off, as rain: LET UP.

54. Expertise: SAVVY.

55. Tennis legend Arthur: ASHE.  Arthur Ashe (né Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr.; July 10, 1943 ~ Feb. 6, 1993) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.   [Name #6.]

56. Laundry cycle: SPIN.

57. Ship: SEND.

60. Cake layer: TIER.

61. "You are something __!": ELSE.

63. London's __ Gardens: KEW.  Everything you wanted to know about the Royal Botanical Kew Gardens but didn't know to ask.

64. "House of the Dragon" cable network: HBO.

65. "Dig in!": EAT.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Happy Halloween!

Monday, October 25, 2021

QOD:  The greatest lie ever told about love is that it sets you free.  ~  Zadie Smith (née Sadie Adeline Smith; b. Oct. 25, 1975), British novelist

Sunday, October 25, 2020

QOD:  Happiness is not an absolute value.  It is a state of comparison.  ~  Zadie Smith (née Sadie Adeline Smith; b. Oct. 25, 1975), British novelist

Friday, October 25, 2019

QOD:  It’s better to be married to someone who hates your politics than someone who hates your momma.  ~  James Carville (b. Oct. 25, 1944), American political commentator

Thursday, October 25, 2018

QOD:  The will to succeed is important, but what’s more important is the will to prepare.  ~  Bobby Knight (né Robert Montgomery Knight, b. Oct. 25, 1940), American basketball coach

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

QOD:  I think that America will not trust a party to defend America that isn’t willing to defend itself.  ~  James Carville (b. Oct. 25, 1944), American political commentator

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

QOD:  The only thing I’m running for is the state line.  ~  James Carville (b. Oct. 25, 1944)

Sunday, October 25, 2015

QOD:  You have to have sharp elbows if you want to change something.  ~  James Carville (b. Oct. 25, 1944)