Sunday September 20, 2026 Emma Oxford

 

Theme:  "SOUND CHECK" -The last word of each familiar phrase takes on a new meaning when pronounced differently.

23A. "In the name of that rice wine we drank ages ago"?: FOR OLD TIME'S SAKE. Rice wine sake (sah-keh).

 

38A Bird that makes its home in trash receptacles?: DUMPSTER DOVE. The bird rather than the past tense dove.

  
63A. Business run by a bunch of hens?: CHICKEN COOP. Co-op.

73A. Swiped refills for a mechanical pencil?: TOOK THE LEAD.

96A. One who is always pointing at shooting stars?: METEOR SHOWER. Show-er, one who shows.

 
115A. Anesthetic for a noted Italian chemist?: AVOGADRO'S NUMBER. Numb-er, something that numbs.

17D. Musical instrument made off the coast of South America?: CHILEAN SEA BASS. Not the fish.

48D. Rips caused by large reptiles?: CROCODILE TEARS. 

The last word of each familiar phrase (except 63A) is reinterpreted as a heteronym, right? Same spelling, but a different pronunciation and meaning. I love the CHICKEN CO-OP and its clue.

I think this is our Emma Oxford. Very cool.

 Across:

1. Course most look forward to: DESSERT. Sweet clue!

8. Imposing construction: EDIFICE.

15. Supports: BACKS.

20. Unmasks: EXPOSES.

21. Brunch cocktails: MIMOSAS.

22. Not cool: UNHIP.

25. "Goosebumps" series writer: STINE (R. L.) The Stephen King of children's literature.

 

26. Remove adverbs and add punctuation, maybe: EDIT.

27. PlayStation maker: SONY.

28. __ Reader: UTNE.

29. Actress Swinton: TILDA.

30. Inventor Handler played by Rhea Perlman in "Barbie": RUTH. I didn't know that she invented the Barbie dolls.

31. "__ we good?": ARE.

32. Vexation: IRE.

33. Church perches: PEWS.

36. Moose kin: ELK.

37. NNW opposite: SSE.

41. Coastal inlets: BAYS.

42. Insta post: PIC.

43. Male turkey: TOM.

44. One of Paul's letters to the Ephesians?: EPSILON. The letter E in Ephesians. The Epistle to the Ephesians was written in Greek.
 
46. Herbal infusion from Peru: COCA TEA. Also 68. Chinese brew: CHA.

50. Rationalist's belief: DEISM.

53. Places to perch: ROOSTS.

56. Estate units: ACRES.

57. Sgt., e.g.: NCO.

59. Shoe designer Jimmy: CHOO. Same character as the Zhou in my name.

61. Pamper: DOTE ON.

62. Many August babies: LEOS.

66. IM pioneer: AOL.

67. Top card in a Broadway straight: ACE. A Broadway straight runs from ten to ace.

69. Frying need: OIL.

70. Pts. that often result in dances: TDS. Touchdown dance.

71. U.K. network: BBC.

72. Mattel game: UNO.

76. Julia of "The Addams Family": RAUL.

78. Simplified language: PIDGIN.

80. Wows: AWES.

81. Not just most: ALL.

82. Worth a second bite: TASTY.

83. Competed in the Figawi, say: SAILED. The Figawi is an annual sailing race from Hyannis to Nantucket. Learning moment for me.

84. Prefix with net or com, but not org: INTER.

86. "OK, got it": YES I SEE.

88. Tempts: LURES IN.

91. Fuel additive brand: STP. Scientifically Treated Petroleum.

93. Young fellow: LAD.

94. [Clears throat]: AHEM.

100. Take advantage of a bear market, perhaps: BUY.

103. Stomach: GUT.

104. "What You Need" band: INXS.

105. Kanga's kid: ROO.

106. Badger: NAG.

107. Figure in Norse mythology?: RUNE. "Figure" here means a written character or symbol.

108. Lies for, maybe: ABETS.

110. Forget about: OMIT.

112. Supermodel Banks: TYRA.

113. Incantation syllables: ABRA.

114. Fish with a big net: TRAWL.

118. New employee: HIREE.

119. Wright of "Black Panther": LETITIA. She played Shuri. 

120. Italian football powerhouse: AC MILAN.

121. Strong point: ASSET.

122. Rival one loves to hate: FRENEMY.

123. Sneaks: WEASELS.

Down:

1. Yields (to): DEFERS.

2. Book that tells the story of Moses: EXODUS.

3. Soft drink with a seasonal Winter Spiced Cranberry flavor: SPRITE. I've never had Sprite. 

4. Quaint truth: SOOTH.

5. Subj. for a non-native speaker: ESL.

6. Manicotti topping: RED SAUCE.

7. Abbr. on a weather map: T-STORM.

8. Posthumous award for Chadwick Boseman: EMMY.  Boseman won a posthumous 2022 Primetime Emmy for his voice performance as T'Challa in the animated series "What If...?"

9. Run out of power: DIE.

10. "Positive": I'M SURE.

11. Jodie with two Best Actress Oscars: FOSTER.

12. "Love __ Open Door": "Frozen" song: IS AN.

13. Treat on a stick: CAKE POP.

14. Jargon suffix: ESE.

15. Hits 22, perhaps: BUSTS. Blackjack.

16. Not in favor of: ANTI.

18. With gentleness: KINDLY.

19. Holds forth: SPEAKS.

24. Not up to the task: INEPT.

32. Online "I can relate": IT ME. As in "That's me".

34. Chargeable cars, briefly: EVS.

35. Goofballs: WEIRDOS.

38. Morse clicks: DITS.

39. "We have that in common": SO DO I.

40. "KPop __ Hunters": DEMON.

41. Italy's shape: BOOT.

42. Bel __ cheese: PAESE.

45. Circuit: LOOP.

46. Ore. neighbor: CAL.

47. Micronesia's region: OCEANIA.

49. Dried poblano: ANCHO.

51. Most disgusting: ICKIEST.

52. Seashore souvenir: SHELL.

54. Absolutely adorable: TOO CUTE.

55. 1975 TV debut, familiarly: SNL.

58. "Queen of Funk" Khan: CHAKA.

60. In base eight: OCTAL.

64. "Hallelujah" songwriter Leonard: COHEN. I love Jon Bon Jovi's version. 

65. "It's strange ... ": ODDLY.

68. Denounce: CONDEMN.

71. Challah feature: BRAID. These remind me of Chinese mahua.

72. FedEx competitor: UPS.

73. Part of a pricing plan: TIER.

74. Strong string: TWINE.

75. Soil: EARTH.

77. Soap ingredient: LYE.

79. In the doldrums: GLUM.

82. Bygone ruler: TSAR.

85. Canadian fuel giant: ESSO.

87. Class: ELEGANCE.

89. "On the Basis of __": Ginsburg biopic: SEX.

90. "We're done": IT'S OVER.

92. Miyazaki film about a goldfish who longs to be human: PONYO.

94. Kathryn's "WandaVision" role: AGATHA.

95. Fatal flaw in classic myths: HUBRIS.

97. Beginning: ORIGIN.

98. Turn: ROTATE.

99. Polish capital: WARSAW.

100. __ bath: BUBBLE.

101. Hard to believe: UNREAL.

102. Aches (for): YEARNS.

104. Archipelago unit: ISLET.

107. "Groundhog Day" director Harold: RAMIS. He also directed "Caddyshack".

109. Overly precious: TWEE.

111. Bit of dust: MOTE.

112. Printer part: TRAY.

115. Fuzzy 1980s sitcom character: ALF.

116. Low-lit: DIM.

117. Actress Thurman: UMA.

C.C.