Tuesday, April 15, 2024 |

Matt Jones’s Jonesin’ Crossword, “Now I Get It” — making you say the letter. – Erin’s write-up

Jonesin’ answer 4/15/25

Howdy lovelies! This week’s puzzle includes the component of shock…we’re including OH to some widespread phrases.

• 17a. [Old arcade game where you eat dots from talc to diamond?] MOHS PACMAN (MS. PAC-MAN)
• 56a. [Ensure there’s only one presenter on any TV show?] CUT COHOSTS (CUT COSTS)
• 11d. [Setting that’s very Hawaiian?] ALOHA MODE (A LA MODE)
• 33d. [Crates in the Hundred Acre Wood?] POOH BOXES (PO BOXES)

Different issues:

• 37d. [’60s dance craze] FRUG. In response to library of dance.org, the Frug includes rhythmically shaking the hips to accompany arm actions just like the Swim.
• 10a. [Rabanne of perfume and fashion] PACO. The model dropped Paco from its title in 2023, the identical yr that Rabanne handed away.
• 10d. [Deep-fried South Asian snack] PAKORA. Greens (or meat) are dipped in spiced gram flour and fried to crispy deliciousness.

Till subsequent week!

Noelle Griskey’s Wall Road Journal crossword, “Log Splitting”—Jim’s evaluate

Theme solutions are acquainted phrases whose starting and ending letters spell out forms of TREEs (70a, [Source of logs, as featured in this puzzle]).

Wall St Journal crossword answer · “Log Splitting” · Noelle Griskey · Tue., 4.15.25

• 3d. [Fond recollection] CHERISHED MEMORY. Cherry.
• 9d. [been have into put these What words] ALPHABETIC ORDER. Alder. Ooh, I’m giving this one my sideiest side-eye ever. Does anyone actually say this? I reeeeally needed “alphabetical order”.
• 13d. [Pair with rings] MARRIED COUPLE. Maple.
• 14d. [Common rec room fixture] PING PONG TABLE. Pine.

Giving the second entry loads of leeway, a stable theme. I like the construction of the grid as nicely with these two 13-letter entries utilizing rows 2-14.

Easy fill all through. Possibly a bit of quick within the sparkle division, however the straightforward fill allowed for a fast clear up.

Clue of notice: 9d. [been have into put these What words]. ALPHABETIC ORDER. Whatever the entry, I loved this loopy clue. The capital letter helped with doing the psychological rearrangement.

3.25 stars.

Elizabeth C. Gorski’s Cr♥ssw♥rd Nation puzzle (Week 724), “Share and Share Alike!”—Ade’s take

Crossword Nation puzzle answer, Week 724: “Share and Share Alike!”

Howdy there, everybody! Right here’s hoping that your visits together with your tax individual/CPA went easily throughout tax season!  

We have now one other ladder featured the place the second phrase within the first theme reply turns into the primary work within the second theme reply, and that sample continues till that very first phrase within the first theme turns into the final phrase within the closing theme entry  Dos-i-do and away we go! 

• • • • BACKSPACE (17A: [Delete while typing])
      • SPACEBAR (26A: [Largest keyboard key])
      • BARBELL (33A: [Lifted thing in a gym])
      • BELL JAR (45A: [Protective glass case])
      • JARHEADS (52A: [Marines, slangily])
      • HEADS BACK (65A: [Starts making a return trip])

Undoubtedly within the temper for some meals with MEAT (15A: [Potatoes partner]), TACOS (3D: [“Tuesday” dinner fare]) and AREPA all being part of the highest portion of the grid (16A: [Venezuelan corn patty]). Although BACON doesn’t make me hungry in any respect as a result of I’m not a fan of it, in all probability one of many few individuals you already know who say that concerning the widespread breakfast aspect (9A: [Strips for breakfast]). All the 9-letter non-themed entries taking place had been good fill as nicely. I can positively inform you that I can’t be speaking a few SCRUB within the subsequent graph, although I needed to swap issues up on the final second (18D: [Cancel a deep-cleaning session?]). After all, I’m utilizing “scrub” within the sports activities sense (an unskilled ball participant).

“Sports activities will make you smarter” second of the day: CEASE  (2D: [Stop]) – I used to be all able to go along with some CARLOS Alcaraz love, however, on the time of scripting this, I’m watching the Chicago Cubs play the San Diego Padres and the individual pitching for the Padres is Dylan Stop. There have been 4 no-hitters in Main League Baseball final season and Stop threw considered one of them, as he held the Washington Nationals with no hit in his 9 innings of labor throughout a 3-0 Padres victory on July 25, 2024. Earlier than 2021, the Padres had been the one energetic franchise in Main League historical past to by no means document a no-hitter, however now have recorded two up to now 4 years: Joe Musgrove on April 9, 2021, in Arlington, Texas, and Stop’s effort final summer season within the nation’s capital.

Thanks a lot for the time, all people! Have a beautiful and protected remainder of your day and, as all the time, hold fixing!

Take care!

Ade/AOK

Victor Schmitt’s Los Angeles Instances crossword — Jenni’s write-up

It is a enjoyable technique to begin Tax Day, if there may be such a factor. Every theme reply has two units of circles. As soon as I caught on to the sample it sped up the clear up.

Los Angeles Instances, April 15, 2025, Victor Schmitt, answer grid

• 15a [With some exceptions] is IN CERTAIN CASES.
• 27a [Place to pick up tickets at a theater, perhaps] is the WILL CALL COUNTER. I presume the “maybe” is there to push back feedback concerning the extra typical WINDOW.
• 41s [Thin Mint or Trefoil] is a GIRL SCOUT COOKIE. Mmm. Skinny Mints.

And the revealer: 55a [Goal of store loyalty programs, and what can be found in 15-, 27-, and 41-Across] is REPEAT BUSINESS. INC, LLC, CO. Good!

What I didn’t know earlier than I did this puzzle: that Richard GERE appeared in “Sommersby.”

Paolo Pasco’s New Yorker crossword — pannonica’s write-up

New Yorker • 4/15/25 • Tue • Pasco • answer • 20250415

Merely flew by way of this one. I believed maybe that among the sections with solely medium-length entries would possibly get a bit of rocky, nevertheless it was clean crusing in all places I turned my eye. Best ‘reasonably difficult’ New Yorker crossword since I’ve been discussing theme right here.

• 14a [California city that was home to the Auto Club Speedway] FONTANA. Had every little thing however the first letter by the point it got here to studying the clue and I used to be anticipating MONTANA, however no. Crossing 14d [Ultimate obstacles for gamers] FINAL BOSSES—feels as if we’ve been seeing a whole lot of this form of clue/reply in crosswords currently—offered the proper letter.
  
• 19a [Finds a spot for someone else?] VALET PARKS. Cute, however I wasn’t misled for a second.
• 34a [Ones driven on a camping trip?] TENT STAKES. Good. As soon as once more, I wasn’t fooled. The query marks had been useful in each circumstances.
• 40a [Make a recorder-like sound, e.g.] TOOTLE. 34d [Dot on an “i” or “j”] TITTLE. 8d [Dissimilar to] UNLIKE.
• 44a [Invertebrate such as a leech or earthworm] ANNELID. This was a gimme for me, however I believe possibly not so for many solvers. But it surely’s tremendous as a result of the grid was very reasonable with crossings all through.
• 45a [Swathe] ENWRAP, though I used to be half-expecting ENROBE.
• 1d [Network whose logo is a stylized depiction of three heads in profile] PBS. Evaluate to the sooner 1971 model.
• 7d [North-pointing member of Ursa Minor] POLARIS. This clue doesn’t really feel fairly proper to me. Polaris guides one north, nevertheless it doesn’t truly level that method. I’m in all probability being too nitpicky and narrowminded right here.
• 11d [“Je Suis __ Legende” (French title for “I Am Legend”)] UNE. I discovered this clue hilarious.
  
• 16d [Gets the champagne flowing] POPS BOTTLES. I can’t see myself saying it that method, unqualified by one thing like “a couple of” or “some” however I assume it really works.
• 26d [Blackmail, e.g.] SHAKEDOWN. Now a commonplace function of the US Govt Department.
  
• 31d [Offshoot of a climbing plant] TENDRIL. etymology (m-w.com): in all probability modification of Center French tendron bud, cartilage, alteration of Outdated French tenrum, from Vulgar Latin *tenerumen, from Latin tener tender — extra at TENDER entry 1. 12d [Soft paw part] PAD.
• 39d [Nickname for the title character of “Anora”] ANI. Lastly we’re shifting on from Star Wars right here? I’ve but to see this extensively acclaimed movie, and am trying ahead to it will definitely.

Per Bykodorov’s New York Instances crossword — pannonica’s write-up

NYT • 4/15/25 • Tue • Bykodorov • answer • 20250415

It’s an anagram theme, with the revealer spanning the grid at Row 8.

• 35a^R [Not quite right … or a hint to this puzzle’s circled letters] CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR.
• 16a. [Like a film that’s both sad and funny] TRAGICOMIC.
• 22a. [Ben & Jerry’s flavor honoring a jam band legend] CHERRY GARCIA.
• 46a. [Genre for Gabriel Garcia Márquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude”] MAGIC REALISM. I might’ve omitted the creator’s title in order to keep away from duplication with a key component of the theme.
• 56a. [Online marketplace with a “barter” category] CRAIGSLIST.

Very easy, sure. My (unreported) clear up time was solely about 10 seconds sooner than that for right this moment’s New Yorker providing.

• 1d [March V.I.P.s?: Abbr.] SGTS. Barely difficult clue, particularly as we’re on the cusp of St Patrick’s Day.
• 3d [Cleaning product with a mythical name] AJAX. “Stronger than filth!” Ought to or not it’s mythological title?
• 5d [Performer at ozashiki parties] GEISHA. Per Wikipedia: “The time period ozashiki combines the title for a banqueting room, zashiki (座敷), and the honorific prefix o- (お), altering the which means to a time period completely referring to the engagements a geisha takes.”
• 7d [Something heard through the grapevine] RUMOR.
  
• 11d [Wombs] UTERI, which is … one thing, coming proper after 10d [Big name in fertilizers] MIRACLE-GRO. Possibly I’m simply being bizarre.
• 21d [Fundamental] BASIC. 25d [Fundamentals] ABCS.
• 30d [Container for keys, wallet, razor, etc. in a modern portmanteau] MURSE, for man purse, evidently. I’ve seen the time period earlier than, however not usually. Would a razor actually be in there?
• 45d [Requests from] ASKS OF.
  
  (I’ve shared this earlier than, nevertheless it’s ok to spin once more)
• 58d [“It’s not you, it’s me,” often] LIE. Fact.
• 6a [Beer pong locale] FRAT. Some rumblings within the feedback about this. To me it sounds okay, as FRAT could be taken to imply frat home.
• 15a [ __ for sore eyes (www.optometrists.com?)] SITE. Ha-ha.
• 18a [Cactus __ (Arizona’s state bird] WREN.
  
• 30a [“Can’t you get someone else?”] MUST I. Good work on the clue; actually captures the essence of the phrase.
  
• 42a [Smells] ODORS. As ever, I’m contractually obligated to focus on non-pejorative cluing for ODOR/S entries.
• 59a [Similar to] AKIN, crossing 47d [The same] ALIKE.

A really Tuesdayish puzzle, calibrated good.