crossword puzzle
There are spoilers ahead. Before you read on, you might want to try solving today’s puzzle.harsh remark
constructor: emily carroll
Editor: Amanda Lufkin
What I learned from today’s puzzle
- Cheese and Rice (56A: “Oh my god!”) Cheese and rice is an example of a chopped oath when used as an exclamation rather than the name of a delicious-sounding casserole. A minced oath is a euphemism for words that the speaker does not want to say. The use of “darn” for “damn” and “gosh” for “god” are examples of chopped oaths. The cheese and rice are carved with a vow to Jesus Christ. I needed help crossing the answers to discover CHEESE AND RICE while solving. When I looked up this expression, I remembered something I had heard before. It’s definitely colorful and expressive. I suddenly feel the urge to walk around expressively proclaiming “Cheese and rice!”
Random thoughts and interesting things
- EVER (8A: “…and they lived happily ever after”) and I DO (61D: Promise made at the altar) “I DO” … “And they lived happily ever after” ” These two answers caught my attention. The words are in opposite corners of the grid, but the clues fit together well. This is a timely combination for me as my daughter got married yesterday. We wish the bride and groom much love and happiness.
- REC (12A: “Parks and ___” (formerly NBC sitcom, abbreviated)) Mockumentary sitcom parks and recreationknown as Park and REC, for short, originally aired on NBC from 2009 to 2015. Amy Poehler stars as Leslie Knope, the deputy director of the parks and rec department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana.you Park and REC If you’re a fan, you might want to check out Amy Poehler’s memoir. Yes, please. Her husband and I listened to audiobooks during a recent road trip. I haven’t seen many episodes, but Park and RECbut it was still fun to hear the behind-the-scenes stories.
- Lisa (15A: Maggie’s sister from “The Simpsons”) in an animated comedy simpsons, Homer and Marge Simpson’s children are Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Lisa, the middle child and a bright 8-year-old, is voiced by Yeardley Smith. (nevertheless simpsons The character Lisa Simpson has liberal political views and champions peace, equality, and the environment.
- Aspen (40A: Colorado Ski Area) The city of Aspen, Colorado was founded as a mining camp in the late 1800s. It is named for the abundance of aspen trees in the area. Aspen Mountain is an 11,212-foot peak located just outside the city of Aspen. Aspen Ski Company was founded in 1946, and since then the area has been known as a ski destination.
- SEPHORA (2D: Popular Cosmetics Chain) SEPHORA is a French retailer that offers a line of cosmetics. Sephora was founded in France in 1969. The origin of the company’s name is a combination of the Greek word “cephos” meaning beauty and the name of Moses’ wife Zipporah.
- Elmo (8D: “Tickle Me” Muppet) Tickle Me Elmo is a furry red stuffed version of the Muppet that vibrates and laughs when squeezed. Released in July 1996, the toy became very popular later that year and sold out in many stores. By the end of December, 1 million Tickle Me ELMO dolls had been sold. I remember the Tickle Me ELMO craze well (fortunately my kids were too young to be interested at the time). It’s a bit of a shock to know that Tickle Me ELMO has been on the market for almost 28 years.
- ESSENCE (10D: a magazine whose motto is “a place where black women are a priority”) since 1970. essence The magazine’s monthly issues have featured fashion, beauty, entertainment, and culture with articles written for Black women readers.
- HBO (23D: “White Lotus” channel) white lotus A television series for HBO about a fictional resort chain called “White Lotus.” The show, which premiered in 2021, is an anthology series, meaning each season may present a different story and have a different cast and setting.first season white lotus The setting was Hawaii.second season of white lotus It was held in Sicily, Italy.3rd season of white lotus ‘ (probably scheduled for release in 2025) is being filmed in Thailand.
- NET (26D: Leap and ___ appears) “Leap and NET appear” is an inspirational proverb used to encourage people to take chances and try new things. I think this is similar to the advice to “fake it till you get it” and “just do it.” The idea is that sometimes you need to act before you feel ready. My personal feeling is that the reality is more along the lines of “Leap or NET may or may not show up, but something will happen along the way.” Perhaps it will never become established as an inspirational word.
- BLONDIE (28D: Band “Heart of Glass”) “Heart of Glass” is a 1979 song by the band BLONDIE. The disco-inspired song was a number one hit in the US and UK. In 2015, “Heart of Glass” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for having “qualitative or historical significance.” To be considered for the Grammy Hall of Fame, a song must be at least 25 years old. It’s been 45 years since “Heart of Glass” hit the charts. It’s been a while since I heard this song, so I had a great time watching the music video and reminiscing.
- URSA (48D: Ursa Minor) Ursa Minor is a constellation of seven stars, the brightest of which is Polaris. Means “little bear” in Latin. sign.
- Other tips that I particularly liked are:
- LOVE (55A: Valentine’s Day card theme)
- MINIVAN (22D: soccer mom’s car, stereotype)
- 9 (58D: Number of seats on the Supreme Court)
Overview of crossword puzzle themes
- Holy Guacamole (20A: “Oh my God!”)
- Good Gravy (37A: “Oh my god!”)
- Cheese and Rice (56A: “Oh my god!”)
The answer for each theme is a REMARK containing food (i.e., the best item to chew on).
Oh my god! Holy guacamole! Good gravy! Cheese and rice! Choose your preferred expression to describe this clever themed puzzle. I really enjoyed how the same clues were used for all three theme answers. Emily, thank you for this fun puzzle.
