Saturday, September 23, 2023

Saturday, September 23, 2023 by Matthew Stock and Caitlin Reid

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!"

Across:

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.


16. Medium for delivering course corrections: RED INK - Some want to banish RED INK for grading because it is threatening and intimidating. 


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.

26. Come into: GET.

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.


38. Clouseau player: SELLERS - Ya gotta love this clip! 


40. Hudson of "Glass Onion": KATE - Lower left


41. Kitty: POT 😀 Two names for money that has been bet


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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