LA Times Crossword

November 1, 2020

C.C. Burnikel

(Title shown below)

 

What do the following phrases have in common?

 

1. SCAM ARTIST

2. NOT A PRAYER

3. OSCAR MAYER

4. NEWS JUNKIE

5. GRAPE SODAS

6. SECRET CODE

7. TV ON DEMAND

8. POLICE DOGS

HINTS:

1. The date of the puzzle is important.

2. Hidden "words"

 

Answers:

 

The first four phrases conceal the abbreviated months MAR, APR, MAY, JUN:

 

scaM ARtist

not A PRayer

oscar MAYer

news JUNkie

 

The last four phrases conceal the abbreviated months in reverse  PES, TCO, VON, CED:

graPE Sodas

secreT COde

tV ON demand

poliCE Dogs

 

Question:

Can you see why the first four months' abbreviations are in correct left-to-right order, and the last four are in reverse order?

Answer and theme of puzzle:

SPRING FORWARD - FALL BACK

 

The months of March, April, May, and June (mostly) are in the Spring, while the months of September, October, November, and December (mostly) are in the Fall. The Spring months' abbreviations go forward, while the Fall months' abbreviations go back.

 

Puzzle title: IT'S TIME - appropriately published on Sunday, Nov. 1 - the day we set out clocks back for Daylight Savings Time.