QOD: Why resist temptation? There will always be more. ~ Don Herold (July 9, 1889 ~ June 1, 1966), American humorist
Body Double: The word Body can be placed before each of the two words in the theme answers to give a new concept. Body Double is also a 1984 Brian De Palma film about young actor's obsession with spying on a beautiful woman who lives nearby.
17-Across. Intimate conversation in bed: PILLOW TALK. Body Pillow / Body Talk. Pillow Talk is a 1959 movie starring Rock Hudson and Doris Day. A Body Pillow is usually a long, narrow pillow that you cradle while you sleep. The benefit of a body pillow is that it gives extra support to side sleepers, especially those suffering from back issues or sleep apnea. Body Talk, also known as Body Language, "is the means by which people convey information through physical behaviors rather than words."
25-Across. Laundry apparatus used as a percussion instrument: WASHBOARD. Body Wash / Body Board. Body Wash is a liquid soap. A Body Board is used in the sport of bodyboarding in which the surfer rides a bodyboard on the crest, face, and curl of a wave. A Washboard is frequently used in Zydeco music.
35-Across. Aerosolized popcorn condiment: SPRAY BUTTER. Body Spray / Body Butter. Body Spray is similar to perfume, however, body sprays have a lower level of concentrated oil and more alcohol, while perfume have a higher level of oil and less water or alcohol. Body Butter is similar to a body lotion, however, body butter is better for rougher skin and is thicker than a lotion.
48-Across. Timepiece innards: CLOCKWORK. Body Clock / Body Work. Your Body Clock defines your daily rhythms. I think of Body Work as something that your car might need after an accident.
And the unifier:
57-Across. Actor's stand-in, or a hint to what can precede both parts of 17-, 25-, 35-, and 48-Across: BODY DOUBLE. Everything you wanted to know about a Body Double but didn't think to ask.
Brad Pitt and his Body Double.
Across:
1. Gentle touches: PATS.
5. Raise, as morale: BOOST.
10. Harvest: REAP.
14. Baker's appliance: OVEN.
15. One of the Three Musketeers: ATHOS. The Three Musketeers is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by Alexandre Dumas (1802 ~ 1870). The novel takes place in the 1620s and recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan (a character based on Charles de Batz-Castelmore d'Artagnan) after he leaves home to travel to Paris He had hoped to join the Musketeers of the Guard, but was ineligible. He was, however, befriended by three musketeers: – Athos, Porthos and Aramis, "the three musketeers". [Name # 1, fictional.]
16. Penne __ vodka: ALLA. Yummers! Penne alla vodka is a pasta dish made with (Surprise!) vodka and penne. There are a few other ingredients as well, including heavy cream, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, onions. The alcohol is said to intensify and accentuate flavors in the dish.
19. "The Rabbit Hutch" National Book Award winner Gunty: TESS. The Rabbit Hutch is a Tess Gunty's first novel, that was published in 2022. It is about 4 teenager who recently aged out of the state foster-care system and are now living together in a run-down town in the mid-West. [Name # 2.]
20. Pizzeria owner in "Do the Right Thing": SAL. Do the Right Thing is a 1989 film by Spike Lee (b. 1957) about race relations in a Brooklyn. Salvatore "Sal" Fragione, portrayed by Danny Aiello (1933 ~ 2019), is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in the neighborhood. [Name # 3, fictional]
21. Prepare ahead of time: PLAN.
22. Make a quick policy change: PIVOT.
23. Coming in handy: UTILE.
28. Funnel-shaped flower: PETUNIA.
30. Apple platform: IOS. // Not to be confused with 41-Across: Bit of positivity?: ION.
31. Greek letter before upsilon: TAU.
32. Fellows: MEN.
33. CPR pro: EMT. An Emergency Medical Technician better be able to perform CardioPulmonary Resuscitation.
34. "Been there, __ that": DONE.
38. Yes votes: AYES.
40. Key __: car remote: FOB.
42. Bad review: PAN.
43. Poivre partner: SEL. Today's French lesson gives us Pepper and Salt.
44. Ideal: OPTIMUM.
51. Muscat resident: OMANI.
52. "NCIS" protagonist __ Jethro Gibbs: LEROY. Leroy Jethro Gibbs the main character in NCIS and is portrayed by Mark Harmon (b. 1951). [Name # 4, fictional.]
56. Actress Shawkat: ALIA. Alia Shawkat (b. 1989) makes occasional appearances in the puzzles. She portrayed Maeby Fünke on Arrested Development. [Name # 5]
60. Exams for srs.: SATs. The Scholastic Aptitude Tests make frequent appearances in the puzzles.
61. Foe: ENEMY.
62. Wax alternative: NAIR. Hair removal products.
63. Whack: SWAT.
64. Like grainy graphics: LO-RES. Oh, as in Low Resolution. I kept looking at LORES and wondered what that meant, then the light bulb went on.
65. Best Female Athlete, e.g.: ESPY.
Down:
1. Comes as a surprise, maybe: POPS UP.
2. Fly a plane: AVIATE.
3. "Preach!": TELL IT!
4. NBC sketch show, familiarly: SNL. As in Saturday Night Live.
The original Not-Ready-For-Primetime Players
5. Weep loudly: BAWL.
6. Capital of Canada: OTTAWA. Hi, CanadianEh!
7. Hawaiian word for "family": OHANA.
8. Pine-__: cleaning brand: SOL. It now comes in all sorts of flavors, er, scents.
9. Disapproving sound: TSK!
10. Math comparison: RATIO.
11. Stairs alternative: ELEVATOR.
12. Concession speech giver: ALSO RAN.
13. Late, as a library book: PAST DUE. My public library has done away with late fees.
18. First game of the season: OPENER.
22. "All Creatures Great and Small" airer: PBS. As in Public Broadcasting Service.
24. Sugar cubes: LUMPS.
26. "Atlas" actor Liu: SIMU. Simu Liu (b. 1989) is a Canadian actor. He was born in Harban, China, but his family moved to Canada when he was a small child. In 2022, he was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world. ([Name # 6.]
27. Good intel: HOT TIP.
29. Shortly: IN A FEW.
33. Flow out: EBB.
34. Jeans material: DENIM.
35. Miss, in Mexico: SENORITA. Today's Spanish lesson.
36. "Carpe diem" acronym: YOLO. You Only Live Once.
37. "My Neighbor __": 1988 Miyazaki film: TOTORO. This seems to be a bit obscure for a Tuesday. My Neighbor Totoro is a Japanese animated film that focuses on two young sisters their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan. I had not heard of this film, nor had I heard of its director Hayao Miyazaki (b. Jan. 5, 1941). [Name # 7.]
38. Sr.'s course for college credit: AP CLASS. As in Advanced Placement Class.
39. Sonia Sotomayor's alma mater: YALE LAW. Sonia Sotomayor (b. 1954) has served on the Supreme Court since August 2009. I wouldn't want her job. [Name # 8.]
43. Pie in the __: SKY.
44. "I'm cool with that": OK BY ME.
45. Deadly African snakes: MAMBAS. Everything you wanted to know about the Mamba but didn't know to ask.
46. Release, as a carabiner: UNCLIP.
47. "__ loves company": MISERY.
49. Seashore: COAST. Here I am at Diamond Beach, also known as Breiðamerkursandur, is a beach located on the south coast of Iceland. Its name comes from the "diamond" pieces of ice from the nearby glacier. I didn't go swimming there.
50. More impolite: RUDER.
54. Dreyer's ice cream, east of the Rockies: EDY'S. This ice cream brand makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.
57. "The Fresh Prince of __-Air": BEL. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a television show from the 1990s and starred Will Smith (b. 1968).
58. Artist Yoko: ONO. Yoko Ono (b. Feb. 18, 1993) makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles. I can't believe she is 91 years old! [Name # 9.]
59. French article: UNE. More of today's French lesson.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
Many thanks to Anonymous T who filled in for me while Hubby and I explored the Land of the Midnight Sun.
The caption reads: I'm sorry, sir, you're overdrawn.
QOD: All looks yellow to the jaundiced eye.~Alexander Pope (May 21, 1688 ~ May 30, 1744), English poet
Standing Ovations: Notice that each theme clue is a two word phrase where each word contains two double O. Also the theme clues are Down, so that the double Os are "standing".
3-Down. * Pasta-shaped colorful foam float: POOL NOODLE.
9-Down. * Totally chill: LOOSEY GOOSEY.
21-Down. * Celebratory search engine logo: GOOGLE DOODLE. Here's a Google Doodle from last week:
25-Down. * "So awesome!": TOO COOL.
And the unifier:
31. Enthusiastic audience reactions, and a feature of the answers to the starred clues: STANDING O'S. Sadly, I am not as clever as my fellow commentators, so I do not know how to add color to highlight the grid to accent the double Os, so I'll insert the grid here so you can see the four theme answers.
Across:
1. Deeply engrossed: RAPT.
5. Played music at a dance club, say: DJ'ED.
9. Led Zeppelin's "Whole __ Love": LOTTA. [Name # 1.]
14. "The Time Machine" race: ELOI. These fictional post-human beings from the 1895 novel, The Time Machine, by H G Wells (né Herbert George Wells; Sept. 21, 1866 ~ Aug. 13, 1946) used to make frequent appearances in the puzzles. We haven't seen them in a while.
15. Slippery: EELY.
16. "Please specify" list option: OTHER.
17. Many many: A TON.
18. Call on the carpet: TAKE TO TASK.
20. Triangle or quadrilateral: POLYGON. A Polygon is a plane figure with at least three straight sides and angles, and typically five or more.
22. Holds a grudge against: RESENTS.
23. Fed. ID fig.: SSN. As in Social Security Number.
24. Give the boot: OUST.
26. Boomer's kid, perhaps: XER. Generation X (1965 ~ 1980) is the demographic between the Boomers (1946 ~ 1964) and the Millennials (1981 ~ 1996).
27. Sty emanation: ODOR. // And 45-Across. Sty emanations: OINKS.
29. Maker of Regenerist products: OLAY.
31. Bath tourist spot: SPA.
The Ein Gedi spa on the Dead Sea.
34. First __ equals: AMONG. Also the name of a 1984 political novel by Jeffrey Archer (b. Apr. 15, 1940).
36. Pogo stick sound: BOING.
37. Toy that resembles a gyroscope: TOP.
38. Rafael who is one of tennis's "Big Three": NADAL. The Big Three in tennis refers to Novak Đoković (b. May 22, 1987), Roger Federer (b. Aug. 8, 1981) and Rafael Nadal (né Rafael Nadal Parera; b. June 3, 1986), each of whom is considered to be among the greatest players. [Name # 2.]
39. Healthcare.gov law, for short: ACA. As in the Affordable Care Act.
40. Chi-town airport: O'HARE. Ever wonder why the airport code for Chicago's O'Hare International Airport is ORD? It was originally named Orchard Field Airport for the neighborhood in which it was located. It was renamed in 1949, in honor of aviator Edward "Butch" O'Hare (Mar. 13, 1914 ~ Nov. 26, 1943) who went missing in World War II.
42. Nothing to do with soccer?: NIL.
43. Boo-boo: ERROR.
46. World Cup cheer: OLÉ. A crossword staple.
47. Wonderland bird: DODO. Think of Alice.
48. Abbr. on a company sign: ESTD. As in Established.
49. Promissory note: IOU.
50. "My only __ sprung from my only hate!": Juliet: LOVE. A reference to a play by Willie the Shakes. [Name adjacent.]
52. "To a degree": -ISH.
55. Church deliveries: SERMONS.
59. Artist with the 2024 album "Cowboy Carter": BEYONCÉ. Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (b. Sept. 4, 1981) is married to Jay-Z (b. Dec. 4, 1969), whose given name is Shawn Corey Carter, but is that why she had Carter in the name of the album? [Name # 3.]
61. Slowpoke's opposite: SPEED DEMON.
63. Petri dish gelatin: AGAR.
64. Ebbing and flowing: TIDAL.
65. Old movie spool: REEL.
66. Answering system limbo: HOLD.
67. Clotted cream accompaniment: SCONE. Yummers!
68. Site for selling personalized gifts: ETSY.
69. Multitool's multiplicity: USES.
Down:
1. Cuts with a sickle: REAPS. Sometime it can be pretty grim.
2. Singers between sopranos and tenors: ALTOS.
4. Itsy: TINY.
5. Route around a construction area, say: DETOUR. There is some major road construction on the interstate in my city for the next [fill in the blank] years.
6. Denim pants: JEANS.
7. Rocky Mountain National Park grazer: ELK.
8. One who adds a little color: DYER.
10. Aquatic mammal: OTTER.
11. Better __ ever: THAN.
12. Try out: TEST.
13. Boats like Noah's: ARKS.
19. Austinite, e.g.: TEXAN.
28. Personal code?: DNA. Cute clue.
30. Story teller?: LIAR.
32. Chorizo meat: PORK.
33. "Planet of the __": APES.
34. __ Domini: ANNO. Today's Latin lesson.
35. Pigeonhole filler: MAIL.
36. Storyteller: BARD. The Bard is Willie the Shakes.
41. Double or triple, maybe: HIT. Think baseball.
44. 18 holes of golf, typically: ROUND.
48. In equal amounts: EVENLY.
49. "To be clear ... ": I MEAN.
51. Double-reed woodwinds: OBOES. A crossword staple.
53. Ascend, as a peak: SCALE.
54. Giraffe groups: HERDS.
55. Phased-out jets: SSTs. These jets used to be a crossword staple.
56. __ fail: EPIC.
57. Upgrade, as decor: REDO.
58. Parched: SERE.
60. Banzai Pipeline island: OAHU. I am not a surfer, so was not familiar with the term Banzai Pipeline. Apparently it is a famous surfing spot.
62. Rendezvoused: MET.
חתולה
I will be taking a brief hiatus for the next few weeks. Fear not, Tuesdays will not be blank. You will be in good hands. See you in July.
QOD: Hatred is the vice of narrow souls; they feed it with all their littleness, and make it the pretext of base tyrannies.~Honoré de Balzac (May 20, 1799 ~ Aug. 18, 1850), French novelist
