Matt Jones’s Jonesin’ Crossword, “Pay Cut” – Erin’s write-up

Jonesin’ answer 1/17/23

Hello lovelies! This week Matt is making an attempt to slash some money. Let’s see what’s going on right here:

• 19a. [Used a burner, perhaps] MADE COPIES OF CDS. Ah, brings me again to creating “mixed tapes” in faculty. Anyway, the circled letters spell PESO.
• 25a. [Common photo portrait dimensions] EIGHT BY TEN. There’s a YEN hiding in right here.
• 49a. [Eroded, like round river rocks] WORN SMOOTH, which comprises the letters in WON.
• 56a. [Recreational soccer, in the U.K.] AMATEUR FOOTBALL. Here we discover the EURO.
• 6d. [What this answer does to the words in the circles?] SPLITS THE PROFITS. This is a pleasant revealer, separating the letters of the hidden currencies.

Other issues:

• 6a. [“The X-Files” gp.] SETI. Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. In the 1994 episode “Little Green Men,” Mulder and Scully journey to the Arecibo observatory after Mulder hears experiences of alien life responding to the gear there
• second. [Mosquito-borne illness] MALARIA. Scientists proceed to make progress on malaria vaccines, with a three-dose dwell attenuated vaccine displaying latest promise.
• 45d. [Earache-related] OTALGIC. I’m curious if non-medical folks knew this or acquired it from crosses.
• 41d. [Figurine that gets watered] CHIA PET. I knew they have been nonetheless making these, however I had no clue that there have been so many! Take a glance right here for a few of them.

Until subsequent week!

Elizabeth C. Gorski’s Cr♥ssw♥rd Nation puzzle (Week 607), “Totally Ri-diculous!”—Ade’s take

Crossword Nation puzzle answer, Week 607: “Totally Ri-diculous!”

Hello all people! Here is hoping that you just’re doing nicely to start one other week!

In a approach, this can be a fairly well timed as a result of, in lower than three weeks, Rihanna will likely be acting at halftime of Super Bowl LVII in Arizona. Given that, Ri Ri may be seen in right now’s puzzle, as in every of the theme entries are changed into puns when including the letters “RI” inside them. 

• • • CURIE CARDS (17A: [Lab-tested Hallmark line invented by chemist Marie?]) – Cue playing cards
    • THINKING CAPRIS (23A: [Calf-length pants designed for brainstorming sessions?]) – Thinking caps
    • ARI TEAM (37A: [Starting squad that includes Onassis, Gold and Shapiro?]) – A-team
    • JURIST DESSERTS (49A: [“Top Chef” spinoff show featuring confections created by the Supreme Court?]) – Just desserts 
    • ALOE RIVERA (59A: [Succulent variety developed by baseball Hall-of-Famer Mariano?]) – Aloe vera

Best a part of the grid, for me, can be the 4 nine-letter downs, and all of them pack a punch and would depart nobody UNDECIDED as as to whether these entries are superior or not (8D: [On the fence, voting-wise]). There’s some critical rumbling happening the trades and transactions entrance within the WNBA in the meanwhile, with 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones being traded from the Connecticut Sun to the New York Liberty right now, with rumors — and a cryptic tweet — probably pointing at one other one-time MVP of the league, Breanna Stewart, additionally being on the transfer quickly (32A: [Chicago Sky’s org.]). The solely entry that was utterly new to me was DACE, largely as a result of I’ve solely gone fishing as soon as in my total life and I’m removed from well-versed in my information of lesser-known forms of scaly swimmers (10A: [Small, freshwater fish]). Maybe earlier than the yr is over, I’ll hyperlink up with mates and go on a fishing journey. If any of you could have plans on that developing and wish an additional pair of fingers for any motive, I volunteer to hitch!

“Sports will make you smarter” second of the day: YALE (19A: [Harvard rival]) – Would you consider that one of many standout performers nonetheless happening within the National Football League postseason proper now’s a Yalie? Jacksonville Jaguars center linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, together with being a fellow Nigerian, has led the NFL in mixed tackles in every of the final two seasons, together with a RI-diculous 192 tackles final season. (Oluokun completed with 184 mixed tackles this season.) Oluokun spent his first 4 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons after being drafted within the sixth spherical of the 2018 NFL Draft. If you need to search for him when the Jaguars play the Kansas City Chiefs this Saturday within the divisional spherical, Foye is #23 on protection.

Thank you a lot for the time, all people! Have a beautiful and secure remainder of your day and, as all the time, preserve fixing!

Take care!

Ade/AOK

Ella Dershowitz’s Wall Street Journal crossword, “Speed Reading”—Jim P’s assessment

Theme solutions are acquainted phrases whose first phrases are homophones of the letters in QUICK. The revealer is “IT’LL BE QUICK” (60a, [*”I only need a minute,” or a guarantee about this puzzle’s theme]).

Wall St Journal crossword answer · “Speed Reading” · Ella Dershowitz · Tue., 1.17.23

• 17a. [*”Get ready to feel a lot of feels”] CUE THE TEARS.
• 23a. [*”Actually…”] “YOU KNOW WHAT…”
• 30a. [*Mascara and liquid liner] EYE MAKE-UP.
• 42a. [*1970s aquarium pet] SEA MONKEY.
• 48a. [*Doris Day signature song] QUE SERA SERA.

Fun theme solutions. But I’d actually just like the theme higher if the revealer had some indicator that spelling was concerned. Say, for instance, in case your revealer was SPELL CHECK after which the primary phrases have been homophones of the letters in CHECK. (Good luck with that H, although.) You see what I’m saying? IT’LL BE QUICK doesn’t point out something about spelling which is a key function of the theme. (It wouldn’t be a nasty revealer, nevertheless, for a theme with phrases that have been synonyms of “quick.”)

TRASH TALKS is a enjoyable little bit of lengthy fill and REINVENTED ain’t half unhealthy, both. I’m not so certain about PRE-WORK [Reading before the semester starts], although. Isn’t that also simply “work”? ODA [___ Mae (Whoopi’s “Ghost” role)] is an entry that must be excised from constructors’ phrase lists as nicely.

Clues of notice:

• 15a. [“Dead Poets Society” director Peter]. WEIR. What does writer Andy WEIR should do to get some crossword love? He wrote the novel The Martian which turned an enormous movie starring Matt Damon. His most up-to-date hit novel, Project Hail Mary, can also be being made into a movie, this time with Ryan Gosling. Oh hey, and there’s ANDY at 20a.
• 54a. [Set on a course?]. CLUBS. Good misdirection with this clue.
• 52d. [Leave the beach?]. EBB. Hmm. Doesn’t appear fairly proper, does it? Because when the tide ebbs, guess what. There’s extra seashore uncovered.

3.25 stars.