Wednesday, May 28th, 2025 ~ Sala Wanetick & Emily Biegas

 IT'S A TRAP~!

Star Wars, The Return of the Jedi, It's a trap #1

Once more we have the duo of Sala and Emily offering up our Wednesday workout, and I can literally take my review from their last construction ( here on Mar 5th ) and post it word for word, as today's crossword practically duplicated that one; it felt like deja vu all over again.  I do the Down clues first, so this grid, like the one in March, opened with a muscial concept I could grasp, but also like the last one, it had a plethora of names, two of which formed a Natick ( I'm looking at you, 16A/11D. )  which did me in this Monday's puzzle, as well.  Sigh.  YMMV, but, like thier last consturction, I felt the theme was weak and just didn't hit the mark for me.  It was suggested the last time I did a review of the girls' construction that I be "honest", so that all constructors could improve upon their puzzles ( I myself have had a couple of co-created, published crosswords ) - I say, keep trying, ladies~!  The themers - three "set ups" - and reveal;

17. Potentially awkward encounter: BLIND DATE - I was "threatened" with a blind date the last time I was on Long Island; my friend's wife "really thought I should get together with this friend of hers."

26. Deceptive undercover ploy: STING OPERATION - this is the "poster song" for any "STING"

The Entertainer - Scott Joplin

43. "American Ninja Warrior" feature: OBSTACLE COURSE - I've been diligent in the month of May - went to the gym every other day, then walked 30-40mins in my neighborhood on the off days - and I would love to get into shape just be able to attempt this . . . .

59. "We've been fooled!," or what can be said about 17-, 26-, or 43-Across: "IT'S A SET-UP~!" - I certainly feel like I've been "had"

Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, "It's a trap" #2

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Move from the freezer to the sink, perhaps: THAW

5. Pod that may be pickled: OKRA

9. Barbershop sharpening tool: STROP

14. Hall of Fame golfer Isao: AOKI - name #1 - a crossword staple, with all those vowels - I only knew this name because I learned who he is by doing crosswords; he's the same age as the man who started the Pipe Organ company

15. Some summer babies, astrologically: LEOS - a bit 'meh' in the plural

16. "Defying Gravity" singer Cynthia: ERIVO - name #2, got me - see the little black triangle in the grid solution below.  Natick.  Pure. And. Simple. Period.  Her web page - I do like the album cover

19. Come-ons: LURES - not RUSES; I was 60% correct

20. Burned a bit: SINGED - I once sing-ed a song for karaoke . . . .

21. Stimulant in some soft drinks: CAFFEINE 

I'm fine, no really, I'm good, I just need a cup of coffee

23. Jumbo suffix: TRON - as in Jumbotron, the big screen at sports arenas, etc.; I'm feeling 'meh' about this, too

25. Cooling systs.: A/Cs

33. Coffee mug defect: CHIP

Yup, definitely "chipped"

34. Square-jawed canine: BOXER

35. Supersecretive org.: NSA - Dah~! Not CIA; 33% correct

36. Chicago airport code: ORD - due to O'Hare originally being Orchard Field - the Wiki

37. Gallivant: TRAIPSE - now here are good $2 words for clue/answer

39. Beanie, e.g.: CAP

40. Pool stick: CUE - had this Monday, too

41. Pay bump: RAISE

42. Sheet in a book: PAGE - at least it's not a name; i.e., Jimmy PAGE

47. "C'est la __!": VIE

48. Adjust the pitch of: TUNE

49. Musical place for a partridge: PEAR TREE - another good clue/answer

54. Tennessee NFL team: TITANS

58. Frowned upon: TABOO

61. Shady garden area: ARBOR

62. "Shoot": "DANG."

63. Connecting point: NODE

64. Bombards with texts, say: SPAMS - again, in the plural, a bit 'meh'.

65. Michigan's __ Royale National Park: ISLE - I'm betting Jazzbumpa knew this one

66. Chatted privately, briefly: DMed - Direct Messaged

DOWN:

1. Guitar player's aid: TABS - short for tabulature, which shows the fret number you hold with your finger(s) on the "lines" representing the strings on the neck; it's how I learned to play, but lately, I have gotten better with the actual note names

"Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love" - Van Halen

2. Colorful Hindu festival: HOLI - I had this back on Apr 16th

3. Related (to): AKIN

4. Shape of some eyeliner applications: WINGTIP - this makeup detail

At least it wasn't the shoes

5. One who's past the age of learning, in a saying: OLD DOG - that is, you can't teach an - - - new tricks

6. Hawaii's Mauna __: KEA - geographic name - LOA, or KEA~?

7. Campus mil. group: ROTC - Reserve Officers' Training Corps - more here

8. Offshore: ASEA - yeah, but meh.

9. Focus of a "me day": SELF CARE - I figured it was something like "SPA - - -"

10. Most authentic: TRUEST

11. "SOS" singer, to fans: RiRi - OK, I get it, I'm old.... The artist Rihanna; the song, which samples MY generation's "Tainted Love" from Soft Cell, this 80s one-hit-wonder.  RiRi's Wiki; name #3

12. Tandoor, for one: OVEN - More here

13. Sit (for): POSE

18. "Marriage Story" Oscar winner Laura: DERN - name #4

22. Kayak listing: FARES - Tried HOTEL; the website - Kayak choice would have been more deceptive

24. Goal of some criminal justice reform efforts: NO BAIL - had N, O, L via perps, so a WAG on my part

26. Hedge element: SHRUB - a shrubbery~!

MP and the Holy Grail

27. Gravitational phenomena: TIDES

28. Composure: POISE

29. Anticipate: EXPECT

30. Quechua speakers: INCAS - name(ish)

31. "August: __ County": Meryl Streep film: OSAGE - no clue, so I'm calling name #5

32. Area hidden by a turtleneck: NAPE - could not be "neck" because it was in the clue

33. American tennis phenom Gauff: COCO - the Frawnche Open is this week; like the British open, known as "Wimbledon", the offical name of this tennis championship is Roland-Garros - name #6

37. Turncoats: TRAITORS

38. 5K participant: RACER - I knew we were looking for a "runner", which didn't fit; I tried MILER

42. Make believe: PRETEND

44. Den: TV ROOM - mancave didn't fit

45. Power interruption: OUTAGE - a nuisance, if you're watching a movie in your 44D.

46. Colleges, to Aussies: UNIversitieS

49. School fundraising orgs.: PTAs - again, the plural is a bit 'meh'

50. "Tombstone" character Wyatt: EARP - even if I know this, it's still a name, #7

51. "SOS" singers: ABBA - the "other" SOS song - still a name, #8

52. Cash gift given on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha: EIDI  - Islamic holidays - more here.  Really~? on Wednesday~?   Sheesh.  The Wiki

53. Waze figs.: ETAs - Waze, the driving app, a cute play on "WAYS"

55. Basic particle: ATOM

56. Like a streaker: NUDE

57. Stepped on the gas: SPED

60. Marcello Hernández's show, for short: SNL - his IMDb - name #9

Splynter