Theme: Terms of Endearment - Career-specific phrases identifying one's object of affection.
17. Beekeeper's valentine?: HONEY BUNCH. A beekeeper is a person who owns and breeds bees, especially for their honey. Their love is sweet.
25. Juice barista's valentine?: MAIN SQUEEZE. A juice barista prepares and serves fruit-based beverages, which presumably involves some squeezing. The main squeeze is someone's preferred girl/boyfriend or lover. No indication is given for the one in second place.
37. Optometrist's valentine?: GOOD LOOKING. Optometrists examine, diagnose and treat diseases and disorders that affect your eyes and vision. A good looking person is one who is physically attractive, either with or without glasses, on either of you.
52. Aesthetician's valentine?: SWEET CHEEKS. An aesthetician is a person trained to administer facials, advise customers on makeup and the care of skin and hair, etc. I did not know that. So the reference is to the attractiveness of the beloved's facial shape. My mind never even considered the callipygian alternative. Nope, not even for a microsecond.
61. Baker's valentine?: STUD MUFFIN. This is a sexually attractive, usually muscular young man. Unlike a culinary muffin, which is a small domed cake or quick bread made from batter or dough.
Hi, Gang, and happy Valentine's Ash Wednesday! JazzBumpa here to share the love. Margi and Katie have cooked up some tasty treats for us, and a bit of Valentine's eye-candy. And then comes Lent. So let's have some fun while we can.
1. Plot points?: BEDS. I guess this refers to garden beds in a plot of land, rather than a moment in a story that affects the character or the direction of the story in some way. Am I missing anything?
5. Reply-all email storm deterrents: BCCS. Blind copies, where the list of recipients is not revealed.
9. Horse breed native to the Middle East and North Africa: ARAB. A breed of horse with historic roots on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest modern breeds.
13. In a frenzy: AMOK. With uncontrolled and disruptive behavior.
14. Desert succulents: ALOES. An evergreen perennial, it also originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but also grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world.
16. Common piercing spot: LOBE. For ear rings.
19. Chaucer chapter: TALE. The Canterbury Tales is a collection of twenty-four stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. It is widely regarded as Chaucer's magnum opus.
20. Up and about: AWAKE. Out of bed and in motion.
21. Meditation retreat: ASHRAM. As defined.
23. "Karma is a __ / Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me": Taylor Swift lyric: CAT. Ode to a contented pet.
28. Almost overflow: BRIM. Filled to the very edge of a container.
30. Yokohama drama: NOH. traditional Japanese masked drama with dance and song, evolved from Shinto rites.
31. Consumer advocate Ralph: NADER. Ralph Nader [b. 1934] is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes, and a perennial presidential candidate.
32. Spanish title: SEÑORA. A title or form of address used of or to a Spanish-speaking woman, corresponding to Mrs. or madam.
35. Hardware store purchase: TOOL. A device or implement, especially one held in the hand, used to carry out a particular function.
41. Yemeni port: ADEN. Aden is a port city located in Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, positioned near the eastern approach to the Red Sea. It is situated approximately 170 km east of the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and north of the Gulf of Aden.
5. Reply-all email storm deterrents: BCCS. Blind copies, where the list of recipients is not revealed.
9. Horse breed native to the Middle East and North Africa: ARAB. A breed of horse with historic roots on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest modern breeds.
13. In a frenzy: AMOK. With uncontrolled and disruptive behavior.
14. Desert succulents: ALOES. An evergreen perennial, it also originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but also grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world.
16. Common piercing spot: LOBE. For ear rings.
19. Chaucer chapter: TALE. The Canterbury Tales is a collection of twenty-four stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. It is widely regarded as Chaucer's magnum opus.
20. Up and about: AWAKE. Out of bed and in motion.
21. Meditation retreat: ASHRAM. As defined.
23. "Karma is a __ / Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me": Taylor Swift lyric: CAT. Ode to a contented pet.
28. Almost overflow: BRIM. Filled to the very edge of a container.
30. Yokohama drama: NOH. traditional Japanese masked drama with dance and song, evolved from Shinto rites.
31. Consumer advocate Ralph: NADER. Ralph Nader [b. 1934] is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes, and a perennial presidential candidate.
32. Spanish title: SEÑORA. A title or form of address used of or to a Spanish-speaking woman, corresponding to Mrs. or madam.
35. Hardware store purchase: TOOL. A device or implement, especially one held in the hand, used to carry out a particular function.
41. Yemeni port: ADEN. Aden is a port city located in Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, positioned near the eastern approach to the Red Sea. It is situated approximately 170 km east of the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and north of the Gulf of Aden.
From Google Maps
42. Buys time: STALLS. Delays an event temporarily so as to have longer to improve one's own position.
45. Packs in, as coffee: TAMPS. Rams or packs (a substance) down or into something firmly. I've never tamped coffee.
49. Performer's routine: ACT. Perform a fictional role in a play, movie, or television production.
51. Nursery rhyme vessel: PAIL. A usually cylindrical container with a handle. Don't fall down when carrying one, you could break something.
56. Snoop: SPY. Investigate or look around furtively in an attempt to find out something, especially information about someone's private affairs.
57. "Never would have thought": THAT SO? Expression of surprise or disbelief
58. Vegas lights: NEONS. Fluorescent lamps filled with neon, and inert gas
60. Monopoly payment: RENT. A fee charged to a player who lands on somebody else's property
66. Midrange voice type: ALTO. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by either low women's or high men's voices. It is pitched lower than soprano, and higher than baritone.
67. "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse" writer: AESOP. Aesop [c. 620–564 BCE] was a Greek fabulist and storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains unclear and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day.
68. Spicy __ roll: TUNA. A saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, which averages 2 m and is believed to live up to 50 years.
69. Devious plan: PLOY. A tactic intended to embarrass or frustrate an opponent, or to trick someone to achieve an often concealed objective.
70. Parking lot mishap: DENT. Making a bad impression.
71. Healthy piece: SLAB. A large, thick, flat piece of stone, concrete, or wood. Though, in this case, it's probably a piece of meat.
Down:
1. "A Christmas Carol" cry: BAH. Frequent utterance of Ebenezer Scrooge. His redemption by three spirits has become a defining tale of the Christmas holiday in the English-speaking world
2. Intense music genre: EMO. Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and post-hardcore from the mid–1980s Washington, D.C. hardcore scene.
3. Making a gift of: DONATING. Giving money or goods for a good cause, for example to a charity.
4. Misrepresent, as data: SKEW. To distort from a true value or symmetrical form
5. Braided bread often filled with chocolate or cinnamon: BABKA. A sweet braided bread which originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. It is popular in Israel and in the Jewish diaspora.
6. Make aware: CLUE IN. Provide information about a particular item or event.
7. Swindle: CON. Use deception to deprive someone of money or possessions.
8. "Just wait a __": SEC. Request for someone to briefly pause an action.
9. Tennis and golf legend Gibson: ALTHEA. Althea Neale Gibson [1927 - 2003] was an American tennis player and professional golfer, and one of the first Black athletes to cross the color line of international tennis. In 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam event.
10. Showed displeasure like a dragon: ROARED. A roar is a a full, deep, prolonged cry uttered by a lion or other large wild animal. Why a fictional creature was chosen is a bit of a mystery.
11. Burning: ABLAZE. On fire. Keep your distance. AFLAME has 4 of the same letters.
12. Pricey German wheels, informally: BEEMER. A BMW automobile, a product of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, commonly abbreviated to BMW, a German multinational manufacturer of luxury vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
15. "Inside the NBA" analyst, familiarly: SHAQ. Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, known commonly as Shaq, is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA.
18. Thanksgiving vegetable: YAM. Only maybe. Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes the Same? No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.
22. Naturally bright: SUNLIT. Like an atrium, a large open-air or skylight-covered space surrounded by a building.
23. "Survivor" network: CBS. Columbia Broadcasting System
24. "__ we having fun yet?": ARE. The second person singular present and first, second, third person plural present of be. Well - are we?
26. Never ever: NOT ONCE. Ain't gonna happen.
27. "Get out!": SHOO. A word said to frighten or drive away a person or animal. And never, ever come back!
29. Dairy farm sound: MOO. Bovine utterance. Not to be confused with an udderance, though moo utterers do have udders.
33. Events with a lot of insult comedy: ROASTS. A banquet at which the guest of honor is subjected to good-natured ridicule.
34. Put in: ADD. To put something with something else to increase the number or amount or to make it more important. Or, to voice an opinion in an on-going discussion.
36. Allows: OKs. Grants assent or permission.
38. Two-time Emmy winner Remini: LEAH. Leah Marie Remini [b. 1970] is an American actress. She starred as Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens and as Vanessa Celluci in the CBS sitcom Kevin Can Wait, both alongside Kevin James.
39. Snooze: NAP. A short period of sleep, typically taken during daytime hours as an adjunct to the usual nocturnal sleep period. Naps are most often taken as a response to drowsiness during waking hours.
40. Generous pour: GLASSFUL. An amount contained by or sufficient to fill a glass or tumbler, possibly to the brim.
43. Gloss target: LIP. Gloss is a cosmetic used primarily to give lips a glossy luster, and sometimes to add a subtle color. It is distributed as a fluid or a soft solid. A lip is either of the two fleshy parts which form the upper and lower edges of the opening of the mouth. Their primary purpose is to make sounds on the trombone.
44. Wily: SLY. Having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.
45. Sandal style: T-STRAP. Having a single or multiple strap attached to a shoe to hold it on the foot or having a purely ornamental function and passing either above the instep near the arch or around the ankle.
46. "Gosh darn it!": AW HELL. Slangy expressions of disappointment.
47. Treating unkindly: MEAN TO. Purposefully being rude or saying or doing something to hurt someone.
48. Object in a game of fetch: PET TOY. Toys specifically marketed for dogs to play with come in many varieties, including dog bones, puppy toys, balls, tug toys, training aids, squeaky toys, etc. As far as I know, attempting to play fetch with cats is doomed to failure.
50. Connective tissue: TENDON. A flexible but inelastic cord of strong fibrous collagen tissue attaching a muscle to a bone.
53. Spanish "thing": COSA. Literal translation.
54. Well-groomed: KEMPT. Maintained in a neat and clean condition; well cared for.
55. Trifling sum: SOU. A former French coin of low value.
45. Packs in, as coffee: TAMPS. Rams or packs (a substance) down or into something firmly. I've never tamped coffee.
49. Performer's routine: ACT. Perform a fictional role in a play, movie, or television production.
51. Nursery rhyme vessel: PAIL. A usually cylindrical container with a handle. Don't fall down when carrying one, you could break something.
56. Snoop: SPY. Investigate or look around furtively in an attempt to find out something, especially information about someone's private affairs.
57. "Never would have thought": THAT SO? Expression of surprise or disbelief
58. Vegas lights: NEONS. Fluorescent lamps filled with neon, and inert gas
60. Monopoly payment: RENT. A fee charged to a player who lands on somebody else's property
66. Midrange voice type: ALTO. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by either low women's or high men's voices. It is pitched lower than soprano, and higher than baritone.
67. "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse" writer: AESOP. Aesop [c. 620–564 BCE] was a Greek fabulist and storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains unclear and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day.
68. Spicy __ roll: TUNA. A saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, which averages 2 m and is believed to live up to 50 years.
69. Devious plan: PLOY. A tactic intended to embarrass or frustrate an opponent, or to trick someone to achieve an often concealed objective.
70. Parking lot mishap: DENT. Making a bad impression.
71. Healthy piece: SLAB. A large, thick, flat piece of stone, concrete, or wood. Though, in this case, it's probably a piece of meat.
Down:
1. "A Christmas Carol" cry: BAH. Frequent utterance of Ebenezer Scrooge. His redemption by three spirits has become a defining tale of the Christmas holiday in the English-speaking world
2. Intense music genre: EMO. Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and post-hardcore from the mid–1980s Washington, D.C. hardcore scene.
3. Making a gift of: DONATING. Giving money or goods for a good cause, for example to a charity.
4. Misrepresent, as data: SKEW. To distort from a true value or symmetrical form
5. Braided bread often filled with chocolate or cinnamon: BABKA. A sweet braided bread which originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. It is popular in Israel and in the Jewish diaspora.
6. Make aware: CLUE IN. Provide information about a particular item or event.
7. Swindle: CON. Use deception to deprive someone of money or possessions.
8. "Just wait a __": SEC. Request for someone to briefly pause an action.
9. Tennis and golf legend Gibson: ALTHEA. Althea Neale Gibson [1927 - 2003] was an American tennis player and professional golfer, and one of the first Black athletes to cross the color line of international tennis. In 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam event.
10. Showed displeasure like a dragon: ROARED. A roar is a a full, deep, prolonged cry uttered by a lion or other large wild animal. Why a fictional creature was chosen is a bit of a mystery.
11. Burning: ABLAZE. On fire. Keep your distance. AFLAME has 4 of the same letters.
12. Pricey German wheels, informally: BEEMER. A BMW automobile, a product of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, commonly abbreviated to BMW, a German multinational manufacturer of luxury vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
15. "Inside the NBA" analyst, familiarly: SHAQ. Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, known commonly as Shaq, is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA.
18. Thanksgiving vegetable: YAM. Only maybe. Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes the Same? No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.
22. Naturally bright: SUNLIT. Like an atrium, a large open-air or skylight-covered space surrounded by a building.
23. "Survivor" network: CBS. Columbia Broadcasting System
24. "__ we having fun yet?": ARE. The second person singular present and first, second, third person plural present of be. Well - are we?
26. Never ever: NOT ONCE. Ain't gonna happen.
27. "Get out!": SHOO. A word said to frighten or drive away a person or animal. And never, ever come back!
29. Dairy farm sound: MOO. Bovine utterance. Not to be confused with an udderance, though moo utterers do have udders.
33. Events with a lot of insult comedy: ROASTS. A banquet at which the guest of honor is subjected to good-natured ridicule.
34. Put in: ADD. To put something with something else to increase the number or amount or to make it more important. Or, to voice an opinion in an on-going discussion.
36. Allows: OKs. Grants assent or permission.
38. Two-time Emmy winner Remini: LEAH. Leah Marie Remini [b. 1970] is an American actress. She starred as Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens and as Vanessa Celluci in the CBS sitcom Kevin Can Wait, both alongside Kevin James.
39. Snooze: NAP. A short period of sleep, typically taken during daytime hours as an adjunct to the usual nocturnal sleep period. Naps are most often taken as a response to drowsiness during waking hours.
40. Generous pour: GLASSFUL. An amount contained by or sufficient to fill a glass or tumbler, possibly to the brim.
43. Gloss target: LIP. Gloss is a cosmetic used primarily to give lips a glossy luster, and sometimes to add a subtle color. It is distributed as a fluid or a soft solid. A lip is either of the two fleshy parts which form the upper and lower edges of the opening of the mouth. Their primary purpose is to make sounds on the trombone.
44. Wily: SLY. Having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.
45. Sandal style: T-STRAP. Having a single or multiple strap attached to a shoe to hold it on the foot or having a purely ornamental function and passing either above the instep near the arch or around the ankle.
46. "Gosh darn it!": AW HELL. Slangy expressions of disappointment.
47. Treating unkindly: MEAN TO. Purposefully being rude or saying or doing something to hurt someone.
48. Object in a game of fetch: PET TOY. Toys specifically marketed for dogs to play with come in many varieties, including dog bones, puppy toys, balls, tug toys, training aids, squeaky toys, etc. As far as I know, attempting to play fetch with cats is doomed to failure.
50. Connective tissue: TENDON. A flexible but inelastic cord of strong fibrous collagen tissue attaching a muscle to a bone.
53. Spanish "thing": COSA. Literal translation.
54. Well-groomed: KEMPT. Maintained in a neat and clean condition; well cared for.
55. Trifling sum: SOU. A former French coin of low value.
59. Crypto artworks, for short: NFTs. Non-Fungible Tokens -- blockchain-based tokens that each represent a unique asset like a piece of art, digital content, or media. An NFT can be thought of as an irrevocable digital certificate of ownership and authenticity for a given asset, whether digital or physical.
62. Nickname for Edward or Theodore: TED. It's unclear to me how TED is derived from either of them. But I knew I guy named Roland who went by Ron. This whole thing is about as confusing as NFTs
63. Not let go to waste: USE. Consume or put in to action - not let something sit idle.
64. "Go-To Dinners" cookbook writer Garten: INA. Ina Rosenberg Garten [b. 1948] is an American television cook and author. She is host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa, and was a former staff member of the Office of Management and Budget.
65. Capture: NAB. In this context, apprehend a wrong-doer.
Hope you found something sweet to enjoy in this basket of Valentine treats.
Cool regards!
Cool regards!
JzB
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This is a fun blog. Light-hearted banter is welcome. Snark is not. If you want to fight, find my other blog.
Play nice, and we'll all have fun.
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Cheers!
JzB