The key to dealing with keys

I read your column in the Waterbury, Connecticut, Republican American. Your suggestion for getting hooks by the door was great. I actually got one of those decorative clothes shelves with hooks that also has a small shelf and instead of hanging clothes, use the hooks to put all my keys — car, truck, garden tractor, lawn mower, snow blower, key to the garden shed, etc. Anything that needs a key to be operated, the key goes there.

As soon as we walk in the door from the car or finish using the mower or whatever, the key is immediately hung on the appropriate hook. If you are worried about a thief breaking in and knowing which key is which, I do not label the keys but get different colored tape for each key and learn which color goes to which key. Car keys have one color, and if you have more than one car, it's very simple to just number them as 1, 2, etc. The same goes for the mowers, etc. Simply label them with a different color and a number.

It is easy enough to remember, for example, that red tape number 1 key is the husband's car key, number 2 is the wife's, number 3 is the kids', 4 the truck that everyone uses and so on. You can easily come up with your own color scheme and numbering.

— Cathy Zbuska, Harwinton, Connecticut

Our family uses old-fashioned mattress pads, which we wash at least every six months. And it always has been a problem when air gets trapped in the pad and causes it to float on top of the water in our top-loading washing machine. Pushing the pad under the water and even pushing in against the side of the washer tub never seems to get enough of the air out.

But we have just found a better way. Fill the washing machine about a quarter full of water and then push the pad against the sides and bottom of the tub. With less water, the pad cannot “escape,” and you will get almost all the air replaced with water. Then fill the tub and wash as normal. And if needed, repeat the process for the rinse cycle. No more floaters.

— John N., Huntsville,

Alabama

As a retired home economics teacher, I figured out many years ago how to prevent brown sugar from hardening. Once you open the brown sugar box or bag, just place the brown sugar in a freezersafe zip-top bag to keep the air out. It works!

— Marleen L., San

Gabriel

Although there are commercial grout cleaners, I like the idea of using an eco-friendly solution. Once the grout has been cleaned, it would probably be a good idea to reseal it with a commercial resealer. Resealing will improve the longevity of the grout and make future cleaning a bit easier. — Tim Davis, Kettering,

Ohio

ACROSS

1

5

10

14

16 17

18 19

20

22 24 25 28 29 30 33

37 38 39

40

41

Order with four periods

Relative of mustard

Worked a reception, say, informally

What might be followed in an investigation

Kind of pants

It’s often found on bow ties

Booted up, say? Nickname in 1950s-’60s TV Some members of a blended family River of Hades Back

“___ America (And So Can You!)” (Stephen Colbert best seller)

Name names Salon offering Tease, with “on” Flew private, for instance Is super-punctual Make no plans It traditionally starts with a strophe

Saucer contents, for short

Terence ___, Fields Medalwinning mathematician 42 43

45 47

49 52 53

56

57

58

59

60

DOWN

1 2

3

4 5

6

7 8

Prefix with cortex Things sometimes named after scientists

Secret ___

Loves, and then some

Cusps

Low joint

In a manner of speaking? Company that uses about 1% of the world’s wood supply annually It ends with a big splash Distinguished fellows

Mortimer ___, famed ventriloquy dummy of old Longevous

Twitch, say Onetime subsidiary of G.M. Word that sounds like a plural of 1-Down

Corolla part Decisive periods, in brief

Activities for dummies High-end

It may be served in a bed

9

10

11

12

13

15 21

23

25

26 27 29 1980 black-andwhite film that was nominated for Best Picture, with “The”

Maker of the Supersonic hair dryer

England’s first poet laureate (1668)

They’re big in Hollywood

TV’s “American

_ _ _”

Glowing things Staples of old westerns

Gifts are displayed in these

___ disco (European music genre)

Secret alternative Look at with awe Port authority? 31 32 34

35 36 44 45 46

47

48

50

51

52

54

55

Uniquely

Reach

Focus of une biographie

Oafish outburst Pro follower

Spots

Avalanche

St. Teresa’s birthplace

It means “be quick” in Hawaiian Where zardozi embroidery is prevalent

Juul, e.g., informally

“Soldier of Love” singer, 2009 An opening to “closing”

Chi-Town airport code

Championed

Answers to yesterday’s puzzle