Saturday Themeless by Matthew Stock and Caitlin Reed
Matthew gave me a jolt of déjà vu when he informed me he has taken a step back from teaching 8th grade math in Gainesville, FL and is going to pursue a degree in counseling. I kept teaching but did get a Masters degree in counseling after teaching math a few dozen years ago! He said he reached out to Caitlin, who lives in Santa Ana, CA, online and they have collaborated on several puzzles. Matthew said she is a joy to work with.
I had a pleasant journey around Matthew and Caitlin's puzzle and finished up in the NW corner where UPDO (not chic), SLOW LORIS (such a common adjective), LIKE SO (wrong demonstration idea by me) and PLAICE (??) just wouldn't come to me. We were at a concert and I had a picture of the grid on my phone and UPDO hit me out of nowhere while waiting for the curtain. I rushed home afterwards and got a satisfying "got 'er done!"
1. High fashion?: UPDO.
5. Gramps alternative: PAPA - My proudest alias!
9. Scratches, e.g.: FLAWS - Claws works as a verb but this called for a noun
14. Large-eyed primate with a toxic bite: SLOW LORIS.
18. Look: FACIAL EXPRESSION.
20. Phrase heard during a demonstration: LIKE SO.
21. Frozen drinks: ICEES.
22. Hip-hop pioneer Kool __ Dee: MOE.
23. Tops: ACES.
24. Quite a lot: HEAPS.
25. "The thing with feathers," per Dickinson: HOPE.
27. Ready to play: CUED - Dr. Johnny Fever getting a song CUED up on a turntable on WKRP
29. Percocet, codeine, etc.: OPIATES.
31. Cry for attention?: TEN-HUT.
33. "That wasn't exactly honest": I LIED.
34. Working capital, in a way: TRADE SECRETS
36. Get new life out of: REUSE.
37. Tarator ingredient: TAHINI.
37. Tarator ingredient: TAHINI.
38. Clouseau player: SELLERS - Ya gotta love this clip!
40. Hudson of "Glass Onion": KATE - Lower left
44. Like some holiday sweaters: UGLY.
45. Pocket protector?: MISER 😀
47. Rebecca in the Basketball Hall of Fame: LOBO.
48. Furrow: RUT - RUTS from the Oregon Trail in western Nebraska
49. Could or could not: MIGHT.
50. Goes around in circles: TWIRLS.
52. Snack with which one could be caught red-handed?: FLAMIN' HOT CHEETOS.
55. __ solution: SALINE.
56. Happy place: CLOUD NINE.
57. Show again: RE-AIR - I love these RE-AIRING of this show. It is like a time capsule.
58. Spare __: KEYS - Ours are hidden where no one can find them. 😙
59. Yields to gravity: SAGS.
Down:
1. Symbol on a space suit, for short: US FLAG - These 12 wore that symbol on the Moon.
2. "The carp play the harp / The __ play the bass": "Under the Sea" lyrics: PLAICE - I have never heard of this fish but it is pronounced "plays" which rhymes with bass and so...
3. List for a trial period?: DOCKET 😀
4. Baby bumps?: OWIES 😀
5. Sport that's a lot of horsing around: POLO 😀
6. Is for two: ARE.
7. Part of a fictional flight plan: PIXIE DUST.
8. Rescue org.: ASPCA.
9. Nonconformist: FREE SPIRIT - As a student, they can be a delight or a nightmare for a teacher
10. Not so much: LESS.
11. Subway car decor: ADS.
12. Handheld Nintendo devices: WIIMOTES - I laughed out loud when I said this out loud and finally saw the pun for a WII remote!!
13. Did some digging: SNOOPED.
15. "__ Mañanitas": Mexican birthday song: LAS.
17. Strike zone bottom: KNEES.
19. Credit report blot: REPO.
24. "lol": HE HE.
25. Tortuga's country: HAITI.
27. Cut off: CEASE.
28. "The Incredibles" villain likely inspired by Marvel Comics' Mole Man: UNDERMINER - A clever name.
30. "The Handmaid's Tale" executive producer Chaiken: ILENE - Her IMDB entry
31. White Claw rival: TRULY.
32. Whistler on the range: TEA KETTLE 😀
34. Clear sign: TELLTALE - When Aaron Rodgers had to be carted off the field after the third play of the game this year, it was a TELLTALE sign he was severely injured.
35. Arctic __: CHAR.
36. Frequent patron: REGULAR.
38. Goes over board?: SURFS 😀 Two words for over board indicates someone who is over a board and not overboard.
39. Eye roll accompanier, maybe: SIGH.
41. "The Merchant of Venice" heroine: PORTIA - The traditional PORTIA and an updated one set in Las Vegas
42. Like most mozzarella sticks: OBLONG.
43. Flings: TOSSES.
46. Flabbergast: SHOCK.
47. Bank claims: LIENS.
49. __ fridge: MINI.
50. Q.E.D.: THUS - THUS we are done.
51. Unite beneath a chuppah, e.g.: WED.
53. Emma's "La La Land" role: MIA - Ms. Stone
54. Demure: COY.
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