C.C. Burnikel's crossword today includes six much-overused puzzle answers beginning with the letter A: ADE, AHI, ALI, ALOE, AROMA and AFRO. ("Afro"? In the year 2018? Really?) The crossword also includes four theme answers with circled letters:
Commercial rental property: OFF
ICESPACE
Beverage-named Denver arena: PE
PSICENTER
Area behind velvet ropes, often: V
IPSECTION
Former
SNL regular known for Sinatra impressions: JO
EPISCOPO.
"Curry powder, e.g." is SPICEMIX. Each theme answer contains a mix of the letters in SPICE.
What we call curry powder was created in Great Britain, not India. The most common ingredients are coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek and chili peppers. The name comes from the Tamil
kari podi, which means "sauce powder." Kari podi is a traditional relish used in southern India as a topping for rice. Here are two recipes for curry powder:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/46767/mild-curry-powder/http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/homemade-curry-powder-38702"Favoring relatives in hiring" is NEPOTISM. The word dates from the 17th century and derives from
nipote, the Italian word for "nephew." Popes who fathered illegitimate sons referred to them as "nephews" and granted them certain favors and privileges.
Entrepeneur magazine has a helpful article for anyone dealing with a favored "nephew" at work:
Five simple ways to handle nepotism in the workplacehttps://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/302245"So-so grade" is CEE. I have never known
any teacher or professor to give a grade of "Cee." Grades are A, B, C, D or F, never "Cee."
And with that comment, I cee I'm done.