Tuesday, December 8, 2020

QOD:  Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don’t have the film.  ~  Steven Wright (né Steven Alexander Wright; b. Dec. 6, 1955), American comedian

The Third Rock from the Sun.  The circles spell out the word EARTH.

 17-Across. Creator of unique gallery pieces: NICHE ARTIST.

24-Across. "Louder, please": I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

51-Across. Free on request: FOR THE ASKING.

63-Across. Motorcyclist's state-of-the-art gear: SMART HELMET.

And the Unifier:

39-Across. TV soap for 54 years ... and a hint to the puzzle circles: AS THE WORLD TURNS.

The unifier was my last fill.  I don't know soap operas.  My grandmother used to watch The Young and the Restless, so that is the only one I am familiar with.  I had heard of As The World Turns, however.  The circled letters spell the word HEART, so I was trying to come up with a soap opera that includes some reference to a heart.  I laughed when I realized that letters in the circles also spell EARTH.

Across:

1. Pete Seeger's instrument: BANJO.  Pete Seeger (May 3, 1919 ~ Jan. 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist.  You can learn to play the Banjo with Pete Seeger.

6. Biblical song: PSALM.  The biblical Book of Psalms is made up of religious verses and songs, many of which are attributed to the biblical King David.

11. Chocolate dog: LAB.  The Labrador Retriever, not the candy.

14. Hunter in the night sky: ORION.  When you connect the stars, it is easy to see the constellation.

15. Radio station, e.g.: AIRER.

16. Physicians' gp.: AMA.  As in the American Medical Association.

19. Jake Tapper's channel: CNN.  Jack Tapper (né Jacob Paul Tapper; b. Mar. 12, 1969) is the Chief Washington correspondent for CNN.  He is also the host of a weekly show on the channel.

20. Adam's first home: EDEN.

21. Neptune's domain: SEA.  In addition to being the name of a planet, Neptune was the Roman god of the sea.  The Greek counterpart was known as Poseidon.

22. "Amen": SO BE IT.

27. Cry out loud: SOB.

30. Make a choice: OPT.

31. Ctrl+Z, in Windows: UNDO.

32. Ruin's companion: WRACK.

34. Blonde or pale beverage: ALE.  Your guide to Beers and Ales and a CSO to Lemonade's son.

35. Slime: GOOP.  Also the name of a company founded by Gwyneth Paltrow.

43. Mug for a selfie: POSE.

44. Nile viper: ASP.  Legend has it that an ASP killed Cleopatra.

45. Race prelims: HEATS.  Ever wonder why the term Heat?

46. Behaves: ACTS.

48. One of two for a downhill run: SKI.  Because just 1 ski would be a snowboard.

50. Movie filming site: LOT.

56. Playground bully, e.g.: ABUSER.

57. Butter square: PAT.  How much is a Pat of Butter?

58. Waikiki Beach location: OAHU.  I would really like to be on the beach about now.

62. "Little Birds" author Anaïs: NIN.  Her full name was Angela Anaïs Juana Antolina Rosa Edelmira Nin y Culmel (Feb. 21, 1903 ~ Jan. 14, 1977).  She was a French-Cuban diarist and novelist.  She is best known for her short stories and erotica.  Little Birds falls into the latter category.  It is a collection of short stories.  Although the book was published in 1979, it was written in the 1940 when she was known for writing pornography.

66. First day of spring, in Hanoi: TET.

67. Conical plains shelter: TEPEE.

68. Car alarm sound: BLARE.

69. Biblical beast of burden: ASS.

70. Scornful look: SNEER.

71. Modern storage units: BYTES.

Down:

1. Tibia or humerus: BONE.  One from the leg and the other in the arm.

2. Dry as a desert: ARID.  I love this photograph.  If you look closely, you will see that the "camels" are actually their shadows.  The photo is looking directly down on the camels.

3. Naughty's opposite, to Santa: NICE.  A NICE CSO to our dear Argyle.

4. First of 21 Popes: JOHN I.  Apparently, there is considerable confusion as to the actual number of Popes named John.  The number varies according to how one counts, and there were numbering errors in the middle ages.

5. Number that's its own square root: ONE.  When was the last time you needed to know the square root of a number?

6. Mother or grandmother, e.g.: PARENT.

7. Occupy, as a desk: SIT AT.

8. Phoenix MLB team, on scoreboards: ARI.  The team is known as the Diamond Backs.

9. Eased: LESSENED.

10. "The Wind in the Willows" amphibian: MR. TOAD.  The Wind in the Willows is a classic children's novel.  It was written in 1908 by Kennety Grahame (Mar. 8, 1859 ~ July 6, 1932).  The novel focuses on 4 anthropomorphised animals:  Mr. Toad, Rat, Mole and Mr. Badger.

11. Cagney's TV partner: LACEY.  Mary Beth Lacey and Chris Cagney were NYPD officers in a detective serise that ran in the 1980s.  Lacey was played by Tyne Daly (née Ellen Tyne Daly; b. Feb. 21, 1946).  Cagney was actually played by several actresses, but for most of the series, was portrayed by Sharon Gless (née Sharon Marguerite Gless; b. May 31, 1943).

12. OB/GYN procedure: AMNIO.  As in an amniocentesis, which is a medical procedure used to diagnose chromosomal abnormalities, fetal infections and sex determination.

13. African language group: BANTU.

18. "Instantly!" letters: ASAP.

23. Irish accent: BROGUE.  You, too, can learn to speak with an Irish Brogue.

25. Pepsi rival: COKE.  I don't drink much soda, but I would go with Coke.

26. Main body of the Constitution?: HULL.  My favorite clue of the puzzle.  The USS Constitution, also known as Old Iron Sides

, is sitting in Boston Harbor.

27. Give and take: SWAP.

28. Thereabouts: OR SO.

29. Ones hanging out in caves: BATS.

33. Ignores the rules: CHEATS.

34. Dada co-founder: ARP.  Our old friend Jean Arp (né Hans Peter Wilhelm Arp; Sept. 16, 1886 ~ June 7, 1966) is back.  We haven't seen him in quite a while.

36. Like some traditions: ORAL.

37. Not fooled by: ON TO.  I am not fooled by this clue and answer.

38. Hissed "Over here!": PSST!

40. Guys in the fishing business, e.g.: WATERMEN.  Waterman is the name of a company that makes fine writing instruments.

41. Mount of Greek myth: OSSA.

42. Pizza crust order: THIN.  Yummers!

47. Places for ribs: CHESTS.

48. One doing axels: SKATER.

49. Kin's partner: KITH.  Kith and Kin is becoming a crossword staple.

51. Fruity soda brand: FANTA.  Lots of fruit flavors.

52. Village Voice awards: OBIES.  The Obies are the Off-Broadway Theater Awards.

53. Littlest littermates: RUNTS.

54. "Shop 'til you drop" affair: SPREE.

55. "Wowie!": GOLLY.

59. Amo, amas, __: AMAT.  Today's Latin lesson.

60. "Take it!": HERE.

61. Tribe with a state named for it: UTES.  Can you guess the State?

64. Impersonate: APE.

65. Tidal flow: EBB.

Here's the Grid:

Happy Hanukkah!

Monday, December 7, 2020

QOD:  Some memories are realities and are better than anything that can ever happen to one again.  ~  Willa Cather (née Willa Sibert Cather; Dec. 7, 1873 ~ Apr. 24, 1947). American novelist

Friday, December 4, 2020

QOD:  Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the victims he intends to eat until he eats them.  ~  Samuel Butler (Dec. 4, 1835 ~ June 18, 1902), British poet

Thursday, December 3, 2020

QOD:  Never write if you can speak; never speak if you can nod; never nod if you can wink.  ~  Martin Lomasney (né Martin Michael Lomasney; Dec. 3, 1859 ~ Aug. 12, 1933), American politician

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

QOD:  Life is so fragile, so brief.  And we seemingly work so hard at trying to ignore that.  ~  Elizabeth Berg (b. Dec. 2, 1948), American author

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

QOD:  Through books and photographs, I saw a world that was not my own, and I realized that there was another world.  That’s why I’m concerned about education, because it helps our children see other worlds.  ~  Bette Midler (b. Dec. 1, 1945), American singer-songwriter

Say Cheese!  Each three word phrase FINISHes with a word that can mean a PHOTOgraph.  In English, one is encouraged to say "Cheese", because that word hard to pronounce without the mouth forming into a smile.  Other languages use different words and phrases to elicit a smile.

17-Across. Drain a basketball three-pointer, say: MAKE THE SHOT.

Robert Parish makes the Shot!

26-Across. "Understand?": GET THE PICTURE.  This phrase is usually said somewhat sarcastically.

41-Across. Mess up a football hike: FUMBLE THE SNAP.

And the unifier:

54-Across. Very close race, and what 17-, 26- and 41-Across have in common: PHOTO FINISH.

Across:
1. Fountain orders: COLAs.  I tried Sodas, then Cokes, before settling on Colas.

6. Embarrass: ABASH.

11. Zig counterpart: ZAG.

14. Full of energy: ALIVE.

15. Ultra-masculine: MACHO.  Sorry!

16. Rage: IRE.  This has become a crossword staple.

19. Peter of Neverland: PAN.

20. Like a medium steak that was ordered rare: OVER DONE.

21. "We'll see": MAYBE.

23. __ Paulo: SÃO.   São Paulo, Brazil is one of the largest cities in the world.

24. Richard's running mate: SPIRO.  Spiro Theodore Agnew (Nov. 9, 1918 ~ Sept. 17, 1996) was Richard M. Nixon's running mate and became the 39th  Vice President of the United States.  He was the 2nd Vice President to resign the position, but the 1st to resign due to a scandal.

31. Beauty at a ball: BELLE.

33. Back forty's forty: ACRES.

34. Road furrow: RUT.

35. Brit's "Goodness!": I SAY.

36. Way up or down: STAIR.

37. Flutter by like a butterfly: FLIT.

38. Sibs, uncs, etc.: FAM.  Siblings and uncles are members of a family.

39. Treasure holder: CHEST.

40. One of Chekhov's "Three Sisters": IRINA.  Russian playwright Anton Chekhov (Jan. 29, 1860 ~ July 15, 1904) wrote Three Sisters in 1900.  It was first performed in 1901.  As the title suggests, it focus upon the 3 Prozorov sisters: Olga, Maria and Irina.  There is also Andrei, the brother in the family, but the play isn't titled Three Sisters and a Brother.

44. __-Turkish War, 1911-12: ITALO.  Everything you ever wanted to know about the Italo-Turkish War, but were afraid to ask.

45. Prefix with center or dermal: EPI.  As in Epicenter or Epidermal.

46. "Don't wimp out, bro!": MAN UP.

48. Start of a partial concession: I'LL ADMIT.  Okay, I'll admit that I have fun creating this commentary.

53. Bearskin floor covering, e.g.: RUG.

57. Dot follower, on campuses: EDU.  Check out LSU.

58. British noblemen: EARLS.  More than you ever wanted to know about British Titles.

59. Juliet's love: ROMEO.

60. Super Bowl party bowlful: DIP.  Yummers.  I'll take the dip, but pass on the Super Bowl.

61. Harped (on): DWELT.

62. Rodeo ride: STEER.

Down:
1. Hunting outfit, for short: CAMO.

2. Norse king: OLAV.  There have been several Norse kings named Olav (sometimes spelled as Olaf).  The first was Olav I, who reigned from 995 to 1000.  The most recent was Olav V (July 2, 1903 ~ Jan. 17, 1991), who reigned from 1957 until his death 33 years later.

3. Facebook response: LIKE.

4. In opposition: AVERSELY.

5. Fixed appointment: SET DATE.  Once couples SET a DATE for their wedding, they often send out Save the Date cards to friends and family before sending the official wedding invitation.

6. "You said it!": AMEN.

7. Loyal political group: BASE.

8. German gripe: ACH!

9. HBO rival, briefly: SHO.  Home Box Office vs Showtime.

10. They might capture embarrassing comments: HOT MICS.  Often these are political comments, so we'll skip the videos.

11. "Shh!": ZIP YOUR LIP.

12. Spirited horse: ARAB.  The history of the Arabian Horse.

13. Chromosome carrier: GENE.

18. Partner of holler: HOOT.

22. Museum collection: ART.

24. Lemon-lime drink since 1961: SPRITE.

25. Place to tie up: PIER.

26. Making more alluring: GLAMMING UP.  David Bowie, Glamming it up.

27. Really would rather not: HATE TO.

28. PayPal payment, e.g.: E-CASH.

29. Spoil: RUIN.

Ruins of Ancient Rome.

30. James of blues: ETTA.  Etta James (née Jamesetta Hawkins; b. Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan. 20, 2012), makes frequent appearances in the crossword puzzles.

31. "Back to the Future" bully: BIFF.  Biff was played by Thomas Wilson (b. Apr. 15, 1959). 

Biff, then and now.

32. Isaac's eldest son: ESAU.  In the Biblical book of Genesis, Jacob and Esau were the fraternal twins of Isaac and Rebekah.  Although Esau was older, he sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentils.

36. Author Silverstein: SHEL.  Sheldon Allan Silverstein (Sept. 25, 1930 ~ May 10, 1999) was known for his cartoons and children's stories.  Some of his best known books are The Giving Tree and A Light in the Attic.

37. "Sorry, no can do": 'FRAID NOT.

39. Turned (on) remotely, as the lights: CLAPPED.  Order Now!

40. How ark creatures boarded: IN PAIRS.  Did you know that there are actually two narratives in Genesis telling of Noah getting the animals on the ark?  In the first narrative, Noah is commanded to bring two of every kind of animal, male and female, onto the ark.  A few verses later, Noah is told to bring seven pairs of clean animals and on pair of animals that are not clean onto the ark.

42. Utility bill meas.: BTU.  Short for British Thermal Unit.

43. __-esteem: SELF.

46. TV horse who "will never speak unless he has something to say": MR. ED.  A horse is a horse, of course, of course ...

47. BMW rival: AUDI.

48. "__ cost you!": IT'LL.

49. Driving around in circles, maybe: LOST.

50. Silent performer: MIME.

51. "Gotcha": I SEE.

52. Superhero with a hammer: THOR.

55. Hem partner: HAW.

56. Iron __: ORE.

Here's the Grid:

Yesterday marked the end of the 2020 Hurricane season.  It has been quite a season.  There were 30 named storms in the Atlantic Ocean, the most ever recorded.  Twelve of those storms hit the continental United States.  Five of those 12 named storms hit Louisiana.  Thirteen of the 30 named storms reached hurricane categories.  After running through the 21 Atlantic list of names, we had to go to the Greek alphabet, where 9 of those letters became named storms.