Wednesday, September 27, 2023

QOD:  The art of love is largely the art of persistence.  ~  Albert Ellis (Sept. 27, 1913 ~ July 24, 2007), American psychologist, American psychologist

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

QOD: If at first you don’t succeed, blame your parents.  ~  Marcelene Cox, American author

An Ice Breaker:

17-Across. *   Another thing altogether: WHOLE NEW BALLGAME.  Whole Truth

30-Across. *    William S. Burroughs novel: NAKED LUNCH.  Naked Truth

49-Across. *    Background sound that may be a sleep aid: WHITE NOISE.  White Lie

And the unifier:

65-Across. Ice-breaker activity involving three claims, or what the starts of the answers to the starred clues literally are: TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE.  Two Truths and a Lie is a simple ice-breaker game that is designed to get to know others in a group.  Each individual shares three statements about themselves:  2 of the statements are true, and one is false.  The rest of the group tries to guess which statement is the lie by asking questions.

Across:

1. "How tragic": SO SAD!

6. Cent: PENNY.

11. Gender-neutral German article: DAS.  //  And 5-Down. Feminine German article: DIE.  The masculine German article, DER is missing from today's German lesson.

14. Food safety concern: E. COLI.  The full name of this bacterium is Escherichia coli.  Most strains of E. coli are actually harmless.  It is often used in microbiology teaching labs.

15. Infer: EDUCE.

16. Foot part: ARCH.

20. Annual presidential speech, for short: SOTU.  As in State Of The Union.

21. Maker of Simply Radishing and Can't Be Beet! nail polish: OPI.  This brand is becoming a crossword staple.

22. Sunburn soother: ALOE GEL.

23. Chain reaction component: DOMINO.

26. Restroom, to a Brit: LOO.

27. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame architect: I.M. PEI.  I.M. Pei (né Ieoh Ming Pei; Apr. 26, 1917 ~ May 16, 2019) was a Chinese-American architect.  He was quite a visionary and designed many unique looking buildings.  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is designed to look like a record player.[Name # 1.]

35. Pad thai strand: NOODLE.  Yummers!

37. One-line rave on movie posters: A MUST SEE!

38. __ Angeles Kings: LOS.  The professional hockey team.

39. Medium for many homemade cards: CRAYON.  If you are lucky, you have 64 color choices.

42. Chapped, maybe: DRY.

43. Remains calm: ACTS COOL.

46. Interstate through Chicago: NINETY.  Interstate-90 runs from Boston, Massachusetts to Seattle, Washington.

52. High-IQ group: MENSA.

53. "__ Lasso": TED.  Ted Lasso is a fictional character portrayed by Jason Sudeikis. [Name Adjacent.]

54. Doodads: GIZMOS.

56. Pseudonym: PEN NAME.  //  And 18-Down. __ de plume: NOM.  Theodor Seuss Geisel (Mar. 2, 1904 ~ Sept. 24, 1991) used Dr. Seuss as his pen name.

60. Org. headed by Michael S. Regan: EPA.  Michael Stanley Regan (b. Aug. 6, 1976) is the current Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.  [Name # 2.]

61. Wooden barrel: CASK.

68. Hardens: SETS.

69. Sports data: STATS.

70. "Assuming there is one": IF ANY.

71. "Black-ish" role: DRE.  Actor Anthony Anderson (b. Aug. 15, 1970) portrays Dre Johnson on the television sit-com Black-ish.  [Name adjacent]

72. Generational tales: SAGAS.  I can get lost in a good saga.  I have read several on this list.  Ken Follett also writes wonderful historical sagas.

73. Trait carriers: GENES.

Down:

1. Wraps (up): SEWS.

2. Cuatro x dos: OCHO.  Spanish math.  Hi, Lucina!

3. Flue residue: SOOT.

4. Slyly referred (to): ALLUDED.

6. Peek through shutters, say: PEEP IN.

7. Holly's "Raising Arizona" role: EDWINA.  Raising Arizona was a 1987 movie that starred Holly Hunter (b. Mar. 20, 1958) and Nicholas Cage (b. Jan. 7, 1964).  Holly hunter portrayed Edwina McDunnough.  [Name Adjacent]

8. Much-used pencil: NUB.

9. March Madness gp.: NCAA.  As in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

10. Holler: YELL.

11. International reality show that inspired "Shark Tank": DRAGONS' DEN.  I am not familiar with Dragon's Den.

12. Pinnacle: ACME.

13. Writer Silverstein: SHEL.  Shel Silverstein (né Sheldon Allan Silverstein; Sept. 25, 1930 ~ May 11, 1999) was a poet, cartoonist and songwriter.  Did you know that he wrote A Boy Named Sue?  [Name # 3.]

16. Get too old: AGE OUT.

19. Lounges around: LOLLS.

24. Cruet contents: OIL.

25. Just so-so: OKAY.

27. Spouse's kin: IN-LAW.

28. Scrounging sort: MOOCH.

29. Sticky reminder: POST-IT NOTE.

31. Genre associated with black eyeliner: EMO.

32. Country duo Brooks & __: DUNN.  [Names # 4.]

33. "Two mints in one" mint: CERTS.

34. 2003 Outkast hit: HEY YA!

36. Business maj.: ECON.  As in Economics.

40. Milne joey: ROO.  A reference to Winnie-the-Pooh's reference.

41. Sacha Baron Cohen persona: ALI G. Ali G is a satirical character played by Sasha Baron Cohen (b. Oct. 13, 1971).  [Name # 5.]

44. Artery inserts: STENTS.

45. Fragrant wood: CEDAR.  Everything  you wanted to know about Cedar wood, but didn't know to ask.

47. "If u ask me ... ": IMO.  Textspeak for In My Opinion.

48. Brand that had instant success?: NESCAFÉ.  The brand that makes instant coffee.

50. Afternoon nap: SIESTA.

51. Toll-paying convenience: E-ZPASS.  I live in a state that doesn't use an electronic pass.  We did have to get a toll-tag for Texas, however.

55. "Wow": MAN!  Meh?

56. Survivor's struggle, briefly: PTSD.  As in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

57. Carafe kin: EWER.

58. No __, no fuss: MUSS.

59. Jazz legend James: ETTA.  Etta James (née Jamesetta Hawkins; Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan. 20, 2012) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.  [Name # 6.]

62. Actor Rickman: ALAN.  Alan Rickman (né Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman; Feb 21, 1946 ~ Jan. 14, 2016) was such a talented actor.  [Name # 7.]

63. __ wave: SINE.

64. Types (in): KEYS.

66. Folklore crone: HAG.

67. Use a trowel: DIG.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

L'Shana Tova to all who celebrate.

Monday, September 27, 2021

QOD:  I didn’t go to high school.  I think that after you learn to read and write and do your numbers and flush the toilet behind yourself, you don’t need more schoolin’.  You need to get out in the water and swim.  ~  Wilford Brimley (né Anthony Wilford Brimley; Sept. 27, 1934 ~ Aug. 1, 2020), American actor

Friday, November 27, 2020

QOD:  You don’t need to spend a fortune to look like a million.  ~  Jil Sander (née Heidemarie Jiline Sander; b. Nov. 27, 1943), German fashion designer

Sunday, September 27, 2020

QOD:  The best people I know have had a lot of obstacles to overcome.  ~  Jayne Meadows (Sept. 27, 1919 ~ Apr. 26, 2015), American actress

Friday, September 27, 2019

QOD:  Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin.  That, or a kick-ass red lipstick.  ~  Gwyneth Paltrow (née Gwyneth Kate Paltrow; Sept. 27, 1972)

Thursday, September 27, 2018

QOD:  Mankind are governed more by their feelings than by reason.  ~  Samuel Adams (Sept. 27, 1722 ~ Oct. 2, 1803), American statesman and Founding Father

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

QOD:  Teaching can be learning, especially if student curiosity with the question “What’s going on here?” can be elicited.  ~  Oliver E. Williamson (né Oliver Eaton Williamson; b. Sept. 27, 1932), recipient of the 2009 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science

Sunday, September 27, 2015

QOD:  There is only one secret ~ to love what you are doing.  ~  Jayne Meadows (Sept. 27, 1919 ~ Apr. 26, 2015)

Friday, September 27, 2013

QOD:  When you win, you eat better, sleep better and your beer taste better.  ~  Johnny Pesky (né John Michael Pesky; Feb. 27, 1919 ~ Aug. 13, 2012)

Thursday, September 27, 2012

QOD:  Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.  ~  Helen Keller (née Helen Adams Keller; June 27, 1880 ~ June 1. 1968)