Two big annoying black-square assemblages, emblazoned at the top and bottom of the grid, one representing an M and one a W, along with the title of Matching Wits, provide a strangely faint wisp of a clue to eight two-word phrases constituting the interrelated group of this otherwise friendly Sunday crossword.
MUDDY WATERS(2D. “Hoochie Coochie Man” singer) MODERN WARFARE (6D. West Point subject) MONEY’S WORTH (17D. Bang for one’s buck) MIRACLE WORKER (30D. 1962 movie for which Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke won Oscars, with “The”) MINIMUM WAGE (58D. Money raised by members of Congress?) MAKING WHOOPEE (52D. Euphemism used often on “The Newlywed Game”) MALT WHISKEY (68D. Dewar’s product) MINUTE WALTZ (64A. Piece longer than it suggests)
“A grand old manor house deep in the English countryside will open its doors to reveal the story of an unexpectedly dramatic day in the life of one eccentric, rather dysfunctional, and entirely unforgettable family. Set in the early years of the twentieth century, award-winning author Sadie Jones’s The Uninvited Guests is, in the words of Jacqueline Winspear, the New York Times bestselling author of the Maisie Dobbs mysteries A Lesson in Secrets and Elegy for Eddie, ‘a sinister tragi-comedy of errors, in which the dark underbelly of human nature is revealed in true Shakespearean fashion.’” ~ Amazon.com
The quotation: THE EDGE OF THE GARDENS FORMED A HA-HA … BORDERED BY A KNEE-HIGH … HEDGE … CHILDREN … USED TO TAKE RUNNING JUMPS OFF THE APPARENT PRECIPICE, TERRIFYING VISITORS …, ONLY TO EMERGE LAUGHING HILARIOUSLY, COVERED WITH DANDELION FLUFF…
The author’s name and the title of the work: SADIE JONES, UNINVITED GUESTS The defined words: A. Clever bit of trickery, SLEIGHT B. Give unsolicited solicitous advice, ADMONISH C. Full-size Dodge S.U.V., DURANGO D. “Peter Pan” song sung by Peter Pan (2 wds.), “I’M FLYING” E. Game that introduced jokers as cards, EUCHRE F. Ballet company based in Chicago, JOFFREY G. Gauge of interest in a used car, ODOMETER H. “A woman is closest to being NAKED when she is well dressed” (Coco Chanel) I. What a certain theory in physics seeks to explain, EVERYTHING J. Patty in the World Golf Hall of Fame, SHEEHAN K. Change to a new software version, UPGRADE L. Commoner variety of jade, NEPHRITE M. “Napoleon Dynamite” setting, IDAHO N. Copacabana or Studio 54, e.g., NIGHTCLUB O. Vladimir Lenin wore one, VANDYKE P. Chip off the old block?, ICEBERG Q. Precursor to some drillling, TOOTHACHE R. Insect with pincer like rear appendages, EARWIG S. Hinged extender (2 wds.), DROP LEAF T. Well above average in talent, GIFTED U. Open to the breeze, UNFURL V. Drug that treats asthma and allergies, EPHEDRINE W. Weed that’s been wrapped in paper, SPLIFF X. Animal clocked at 5 m.p.h. tops, TORTOISE Y. Engage in a smear campaign, SLANDER ————————
The prior paragraph and the full paragraph of the quotation: The house stood on a piece of land so clearly semicircular, so strictly rounded, that it might have been a cake-stand left behind in the landscape by some refined society of giants. It was covered with deep, soft turf as one might lay a thick rug over a table, and all the busy pattern o fields, hedges, cows and villages scattered beyond, toy miniatures a child’s imagination would produce.
From the front of the house, the edge of the gardens formed a ha-ha between order and free nature. It was bordered by a tree-high sharp-trimmed box hedge, lest dogs should rush at it and fall off. Small children had been known to topple, although happily the slope, on falling was much gentler than it first appeared. Clovis and Emerald, when much younger had used to take running jumps off the apparent precipice, terrifying visitors unfamiliar with the topography, only to emerge laughing hilariously, covered with dandelion fluff or mud or clinging claws of long couch grass.
Across —Bloke, CHAP; 5. Proper partner?, PRIM; 9. Expressed out loud, VOICED; 11. Big name in folk music, SEEGER; 13. Cubs cap display, LETTER C; 15. Patroness of Quebec, STE ANNE; 16. Defeat in a jump-rope competition, say, OUT-SKIP; 17. It’s said t be the world’s fastest field sport, HURLING; 18. More in need of a bath, say, GRIMIER; 19. Craigslist and others, AD SITES; 20. Make sense, STAND TO REASON; 22. Rocker with the 1973 #1 hit “Frankenstein”, EDGAR WINTER; 23. Spotted horse, PAINT; 24. Helpers for the deaf, HEARING DOGS; 30. Loitering, HANGING AROUND; 32. Arrangement of atoms in a crystal structure, LATTIC; 33. Accounting department employees, BILLERS; 35. Muscle that rotates a part outward, EVERTOR; 36. Definitely not a good looker?, EVIL EYE; 37. “Standing room only”, NO SEATS; 38. Wash, DETERGE; 39. Some jazz combos, OCTETS; 40. Join up for another collaboration, RETEAM; 41. Middling, SO SO; 42. Georgia and neighbors, once: Abbr.,SSRS.
Down — 1. French hearts, COEURS; 2. Member of an ancient people known for warfare for chariots, HITTITE; 3. Pretends to be sore, ACTS MAD; 4. Christmas no-no, PEEKING; 5. Views through a periscope, say, PEERS AT; 6. “It is through Art, and through Art only, that we can REALISE our perfection”: Oscar Wilde; 7. Furnace part, IGNITOR; 8. Speed Stick brand, MENNEN; 9. Certain YouTube posting, V-LOG; 10. Little orange snacks, DRIED APRICOTS; 11. Sign over a car, STUDENT DRIVER; 12. Rules and REGS; 14. Some E.M.T. personnel, CPR TRAINERS; 15. Living like husband and wife, SHARING A BED; 21. Unpaid, OWING; 24. Really would rather not, HATES TO; 25. Menu heading, ENTREES; 26. Hurriedly, in scores, AGITATO; 27. Sedimentary rocks resembling cemented fish roe, OOLITES; 28. Throats, GULLETS; 29. Elvis Presley, notably, SNEERER; 30. Post-hurricane scenes, e.g., HAVOC; 31. Fuel line additive, DRY GAS; 33. One side of a famous NBC feud, LENO; 34. Look, SEEM.
Edward Teach (c.1680 - 22 November 1718), better known as Blackbeard, was a notorious English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of the American colonies. ————————
Across —1. Mobile home?, SNAIL SHELL; 11. Made fun of, in a way, APED; 15. Bygone sportscaster with a statue outside Wrigley Field, HARRY CARAY; 16. Fan Letters?, XOXO; 17. They may lead to another story, ESCALATORS; 18. “Popular Fallacies” byline, 1826, ELIA; 19. Not so apple-cheeked, ASHIER; 20. “Sure, I’m game”, YES LET’S; 22. . Overzealous promgoer’s choice, maybe, TAILS; 23. Address add-on, Q AND A; 25. Noted press conference rhymer, ALI; 27.Where Achilles was dipped to make him invincible, STYX; 28. Representer of time, often, X AXIS; 30. Part of a publicity agent’s job, SPIN; 31. Ochoa who was the first #1-ranked golfer from Mexico, LORENA; 32. Waltz component, BOX STEP; 36. O, more formally, WINFREY; 37. Fee on some out-of-state purchases, USE TAX; 38. Bats, ZANY; 39. Longtime Capone rival, MORAN; 40. Lodging for a right out?, TENT; 41. Single mom in a 2000s sitcom, REBA; 45. Party to the Oslo Accords, for short, PLO; 48. In the loop, with “in”, CLUED; 48. South Pacific palm, BETEL; 49. Business that may be a zoning target, SEX SHOP; 51. Walk ostentatiously, SASHAY; 542. Drop, OMIT; 53. Some contemporary ads, WEB BANNERS; 56. Chance upon FIND; 57. Unlikely pageant winners, PLAIN JANES; 58. Muddles, FOGS; 59. Many a John Wayne pic, HORSE OPERA.
Down —1. Scabbard, SHEATH; 2. Base for Blackbeard, NASSAU; 3. Fictional student at Riverdale High, ARCHIE; 4. Train track parts, I RAILS; 5. Actors Talbot and Wagoner, LYLES; 6. Disney villain, SCAR; 7. Monopoly token, HAT; 8. Spanish occupational suffix, ERO; 9. Pitch producer, LARYNX; 10. Dissolved, as bacteria exposed to antibodies, LYSED; 11. “Double” or “triple” move, AXEL; 12. Certain medieval combatant, POLE AXER; 13. Rhett Butler’s “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn,” e.g., EXIT LINE; 14. Nanny’s order, DO AS I SAY; 21. State with Leipzig and Dresden, SAXONY; 23. Stick in a cabinet, Q TIP; 24. Objectivist AYN Rand; 27. X-ray SPEX; 29. Chichuahua cry, ARF; 30. Stop, STANCH; 31. What a brush may pick up, LINT; 32. Ices, BUMPS OFF; 33. Common number of gondoliers, O SOLE MIO; 34. Intern’s duty, maybe, XEROXING; 35. Stop: Abbr., STA; 38. Magician’s prop, WAND; 39. Lightning bolt shape, ZEE; 40. Mississippi site of Machine Gun Kelly’s last known bank robbery, TUPELO; 41. Close again, as a change purse, RESNAP; 42. Emission of ripening fruit, ETHENE; 43. Ending with flag or pall, BEARER; 44. Actress Milano of “Charmed”, ALYSSA; 47. Marked acidity, LOW PH; 48. Earl Scrugg’s instrument, BANJO; 50. The E.P.A. issues them: Abbr., STDS; 51. Cogent, SANE; 54. Dial unit, BAR; 55. “Encore!,” to a diva, BIS.
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AGE DIFFERENCE (38A. 83, for the creators of this puzzle … or a hint to the ends of 17-, 25-, 51- and 60-Across), EXIT RAMPAGE (17A. Result of someone yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theater?), DIET PILLAGE (25A. Looting of a legislature?), INSTANT MESS (51A. What an exploding microwave can make?)and MUSICAL PASS (60A. Exemption from playing an instrument at school?) constitute the interrelated group of this Wednesday crossword. More at Wordplay.
WORDS WITH FRIENDS(56A. Popular app … or a hint to the starts of 18-, 24- and 49-Across),FACEBOOK STALKING (18A. Being an online creep, in a way),BEST DOCUMENTARY (24A. Oscars category) and IMAGINARY NUMBER (49A. Square root of -1, e.g.) constitute the interrelated group of this friendly Tuesday crossword.
S'more appears to be a contraction of the phrase, "some more." While the origin of the dessert is unclear, the first recorded version of the recipe can be found in the publication "Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts" of 1927. ~ Wikipedia
S’MORE(38A. Sweet treat), GIRL SCOUT (16A. Original maker of a 38-Across), GRAHAM CRACKERS (26A. Ingredients in a 38-Across), HOT MARSHMALLOW (46A. Ingredient in a 38-Across) and CHOCOLATE (63A. Ingredient in a 38-Across) constitutes the interrelated group of this Monday crossword.
Eight answers each with four squares containing two letters, e.g., OR, IN, ER, TH, ON, OW, ST and AR, constitutes the interrelated group of this intriguing Sunday crossword:
F[OR] BETTER [OR] F[OR] W[OR]SE (22A. Comic strip about the Patterson family) S[IN]G[IN] [IN] THE RA[IN] (45A. #1 on the American Film Institute’s “Great Movie Musicals” list) W[ER]N[ER] KLEMP[ER][ER] (73A. German-born Emmy winner of 1960s TV) [TH]IS [TH]AT AND [TH]E O[TH]ER (94A. Various things) [ON]CE UP[ON] A H[ON]EYMO[ON] (4D. 1942 Cary Grant comedy) H[OW] N[OW] BR[OW]N C[OW] (15D. Elocution phrase) CA[ST][S T]HE FIR[ST] [ST]ONE (47D. Initiates a conflict) M[AR]G[AR]ET F[AR]R[AR] (61D.Classic name in crossword puzzles)
Across — 1. Old easy-to-load shooter, INSTAMATIC; 11. Comparative follower, THAN; 15. Pitching technique?, DOOR-TO-DOOR; 16. Government auction action, REPO; 17. Toe-tapping trigger, IMPATIENCE; 18. Kissers, YAPS; 19. Some fridges, GES; 20. Dot in an atlas, ISLE; 21. How close-up magicians move, DEFTLY; 23. Home of some frogs, TREE; 24. Fixed a broken web link?, REWOVE; 25. Says “You said it!,” say; 28. Miss swinging at a piñata?, SENORITA; 30. Thugs, GOONS; 31. Tiny bit, SPECK; 32. Taste test, SIP; 33. Memo heads-up, ATTN; 34. Customer counter, maybe, STILE; 35. Coloring, TINT; 36. It airs episodes of “Episodes,” briefly, SHO; 37. François’s following?, APRES; 38. Keep the squeaking out of, say, REOIL; 39. It’s drawn between similar things, PARALLEL; 41. Bantam, TEENSY; 42. Teaching model, MOCK UP; 43. Small doses?, MEDS; 44. Green traffic sight?, ECOCAR; 45. Lift in greeting, DOFF; 46. City and state follower, ZIP; 49. Nero’s position?, SITU; 50. “A Tale of Two Cities” ender?, GUILLOTINE; 53. Some Fr. Honorees, STES; 54. Where the Garden State Parkway meets I-280, EAST ORANGE; 55. Lake EYRE (largest lake in Australia); 58. Stop on the way from 0 to 60?,SECOND GEAR.
Down —1. “Cool, bro”, I DIG; 2. Norton Sound port, NOME; 3. Concessions, SOPS; 4. Skipping sound?, TRA; 5. Outfits, ATTIRE; 6. Nephew of Matty and Jesus, MOISES; 7. She released “21” in 2011, ADELE; 8. It might be harsh or hushes, TONE; 9. It oversees a major production every two yrs., IOC; 10. Plausibility, CREDENCE; 11. Strive to reach, TRY FOR; 12. One of Superman’s powers, HEAT VISION; 13. Cosmo alternatives, APPLETINIS; 14. Busy, NOSY; 22. Battle of Endor combatant, EWOK; 23. Andrew Johnson’s home: Abbr., TENN; 24. Rocks from socks, REELS; 25. Audibly amazed, AGASP; 26. Penguin’s habitat?, GOTHAM CITY; 27. Line opener, ROTO-ROOTER; 28. Series of selling points, SPIEL; 29. With relevance, APTLY; 31. Winter malady, STREP; 34. Acts as if money were no object, SPLURGES; 35. Little props, TEES; 37. Seltzer starter, ALKA; 38. He starred as Gatsby in 1974, REDFORD; 40. Pin something on, ACCUSE; 41. Cookware cover, TEFLON; 43. Very, to Verdi, MOLTO; 44. Ovidian infinitive, ESSE; 45. Either side of an Oreo, DISC; 46. Fan’s pub., ZINE; 47. Young Frankenstein married her, INGA; 48. Kind of review, PEER; 51. Fujairah’s locale: Abbr., UAE; 52. Hanger in a clothing shop, TAG.
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Twelve ten-letter entries in sets of three in the four corners of the puzzle constitutes the main feature of this first-day-of-summer crossword.
TABLECLOTH (1A. Dinner spread) MIRACLE GRO (15A. Gardening brand) AMY POEHLER (17A. Former “Weekend Update” host on “S.N.L.”) SNEAK A PEEK (55A. Ruin the surprise, perhaps) ALL-TERRAIN (59A. On- and off-road) TYLER PERRY (61A. Movie mogul whom Forbes magazine once named the highest-paid man in entertainment) EARL MONROE (12D. N.B.A. Hall-of-Famer who, with Walt Frazier, formed the Knicks’ “Rolls Royce Backcourt”) GREGARIOUS (13D. Outgoing) ASSAILANTS (14D. Hit makers, say) PORTLANDIA (27D. TV sketch comedy set in the “city where young people go to retire”) OPERATIONS (28D. They’re ordered by mathematicians) SENEGALESE (29D. Some French-speaking Africans)
Other — “Bigger & BLACKER,“ EROTIC and TRENDING (48A. Hot; 9D. Hot), HORRORS (10D. “Ye gods!“), LEERS AT and OGLE (39D. Views lasciviously; 8D. View lasciviously), OPIATE (43D. It’s a downer), SMELT ROE (24D. Common sushi garnish), TRESTLES (38A. They cross many valleys).
INSTANT WINNER (36A. Lucky lotto participant) going from POOR to RICH in a word ladder constitutes the interrelated group of this swank Thursday crossword — POOR(1A. Start of a word ladder whose first and last words are suggested by 36-Across),POOL, POLL, POLE, ROLE, RILE, RICE, and finally RICH(65A. End of the word ladder).
Crossword by Richard F. Mausser / Edited by Will Shortz
Five answers all clued as “Face value?”, FRANKLIN 100, HAMILTON 10, CLEVELAND 1000, CHASE 10000 and WASHINGTON 1, constitute the interrelated group of this rich little Wednesday crossword.
Other — ALIBIS (8D. Cover stories), BIOLOGY (21A. Dissection class), Virginia’s Luray CAVERNS, JEAN AUEL (3D. “Earth’s Children” author), MR MAGOO (27D. Toon voiced by Jim Backus), OLIVE OYL (40D. Toon with size 14-AAAAAA shoes), ORNATE (4D. Like Rococo architecture), POSSUM (49D. Woods critter).
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