Sunday July 6, 2025 Gary Larson & Katie Hale

Theme: "Make a Long Story Short" - The last letter of each movie title is cut.  

23. Proposed network television schedule?: AIRPLANE.

25. Title for a tell-all about Cinderella's early social life?: OF MICE AND MEN.

39. Wise men bearing gifts of formula, onesies, and diapers?: PRACTICAL MAGIC.

71. "That guy prefers more formal greetings"?: HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU.

103. Horse-drawn carriages delivering Christmas trees?: CHARIOTS OF FIRE.

119. Norm for the dinosaur era?: JURASSIC PARK.

123. Edited version seen in theaters, and what six long answers in this puzzle need to match their clues?: FINAL CUT.

Super tight set. All well-known movies with the last letters deleted. Love the title.

I think this is first Sunday collab between Gary and Katie. Or maybe the very first between them. I've shown Gary's photo before. Below is a picture of Katie from Xword Info. She's based in London. 

Across:

1. Parking spot: LOT.

4. Curved paths: ARCS.

8. Visual multiplication tool: ARRAY.

13. Finishing touches on a letter?: SERIFS. The alphabet character. Not your sign-off.

19. Be in arrears: OWE.

20. Biblical sister of Rachel: LEAH.

21. Pinkish-purple: MAUVE. So many shades of mauve. We also have 111. Brownish-purple: PUCE.

22. Sweet liqueurs: CREMES.

27. Moore of "The Substance": DEMI.

28. Actor Michael: CERA.

30. Taj __: MAHAL.

31. Strong attraction, with "the": HOTS.

32. Wetland layer: PEAT.

34. Not so good in: POOR AT.

37. Genghis Khan follower: TATAR. Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire are romanticized in this popular TV series.  

43. "Something To Talk About" singer: RAITT.

45. Want: HOPE FOR.

46. Align properly: EVEN UP.

48. Beach, in Portuguese: PRAIA. I only know PLAYA.

50. Project ending?: ILE. Projectile. 

51. Hershey rival: NESTLE.

54. Gaggle members: GEESE.

56. Filmmaker Spike: LEE.

57. Some nobles: LORDS.

60. Blunted blade: EPEE.

61. RR connection: STA.

62. Skirt that shows off ankle boots: MIDI.

63. Draft choice: IPA.

65. Monkeyshines: ANTICS.

69. Dish made with Arborio rice: RISOTTO. Creamy seafood risotto. 

76. Ships abroad: EXPORTS.

77. Hit the hay: RETIRE.

78. Office no.: TEL.

79. Front or spot: LOAN. Verb "Front".

80. Estadio "Rah!": OLE.

82. Lass: MISS.

84. Argentine prairie: PAMPA.

88. Succinct "I could go on": ETC.

89. Saw logs: SNORE.

91. Chaste: VESTAL. Learning moment for me.

93. Bit of static buildup: ION.

94. Sister's daughter: NIECE. And 117. Grandma's daughter: AUNT.

96. Gave faithfully?: TITHED. From the faithful.

98. Oil used in some hair products: COCONUT. And 109. Like butter ready for whipping: SOFT.

101. Actor Haim: COREY.

106. Metamorphosis stage: PUPAL.

108. More ridiculous: INANER.

110. Impersonates: APES.

112. River near Roswell: PECOS. 

114. Agitate: RILE.

116. Inserts for some noisy toys: AAAS.

125. National park in Maine: ACADIA. We have Voyageurs National Park. We also have 64 state parks.

126. Madeline Miller novel featuring Odysseus: CIRCE. 

127. Member of the onion family: LEEK.

128. Artist Yoko: ONO.

129. Begrudge: RESENT.

130. Custard apple kin: PAPAW. The big seeds have medicinal benefits.

131. Icelandic epic: EDDA.

132. Racing initials: STP.

Down:

1. Cargo: LOAD.

2. Toddler's scrape: OWIE.

3. Major essay: TERM PAPER.

4. __ in a day's work: ALL.

5. Spit take, e.g.: REACTION.

6. Riddler accessory: CANE.

7. Tenzing Norgay, for one: SHERPA. For Edmund Hillary. Sherpa Tenzing was born in Tibet.

8. Latin lover's verb: AMO.

9. WWII fliers: RAF.

10. Search haphazardly (through): RUMMAGE.

11. Taking to the skies: AVIATING.

12. "Blech": YECH.

13. Graduated, in math: SCALAR. Not SCALED. 

14. Directional ending: ERN.

15. Poison Ivy feature: RED HAIR. Capitalized Ivy. DC Comics character.

16. Vampire's power: IMMORTALITY. How can you kill it with a stake then?

17. Stocking stuffers: FEET.

18. Tax form IDs: SSNS.

24. Jigsaw unit: PIECE.

26. "Mangia!": EAT.

29. Letters in "You've Got Mail": AOL.

33. DOJ branch: ATF.

35. Brunch staple: OMELETTE. And 85. Bite-size Tex-Mex snacks: MINI TACOS.

36. Party with glow sticks: RAVE.

38. Gift wrapper's need: TAPE.

39. Punxsutawney weather forecaster: PHIL.

40. Foil-wrapped candy: ROLO.

41. Manitoba people: CREE.

42. Prompts to act now?: CUES. On a stage.

44. Connected with: TIED TO.

47. __ dish: PETRI.

49. Vowel quintet: A E I O U.

52. Attention __: SPAN.

53. Gist: TENOR.

55. Goody-goody: SAINT.

58. Pastrami on rye spread, perhaps: DIJON.

59. Goad: SPUR.

62. Simoleons: MOOLA.

64. __ Martin: British automaker: ASTON.

66. Wednesday's kin: ITT. Wednesday Addams. 

67. Added one's two cents: CHIMED IN.

68. Attire at Hindi weddings: SARIS.

70. Dance instruction: STEP.

71. Honorary Oscar winner Keller: HELEN. Didn't known this. Google shows that Helen Keller was given an honorary Oscar as inspiration for the movie "Helen Keller in Her Story",  a documentary about her life.

72. "The Best __ Marigold Hotel": EXOTIC.

73. Films like "Star Wars": SPACE OPERAS.

74. Letter-shaped track: T SLOT.

75. __ drive: TEST.

81. Actor Stonestreet: ERIC.

83. Biodegradable egg containers: SACS.

86. Do a sommelier's job: POUR.

87. Upfront stake: ANTE.

89. Ooze: SEEP.

90. Horn of Africa nation: ETHIOPIA.

91. Aloe __: VERA.

92. Turned left, maybe: LOOSENED. Love the clue. 

95. Tireless campaign: CRUSADE.

97. Dada pioneer: HANS ARP.

99. Fiscal VIP: CFO.

100. Ingredient in some raw dog food: OFFAL.

102. Tries to intimidate, as a Chihuahua might: YAPS AT.

104. Poetic preposition: O'ER.

105. Rum-soaked British dessert: TRIFLE.

107. Lahaina loop: LEI. Maui town. 

110. Open a bit: AJAR.

113. USSR, in Russia: CCCP. 

115. Committed perjury: LIED.

118. "Halt!": STOP.

120. __ bin: penalty box: SIN.

121. Classic TV brand: RCA.

122. London's __ Gardens: KEW.

124. Letters between names: AKA.

Happy 78th birthday to dear waseeley (Bill), our faithful Thursday Sherpa for many years.  So happy to see both him and Lemonade on the blog these days. 

 

 

 

Thank you for the sweet birthday messages and cards. I had a lovely day. I've been making progress. The swollen right ankle continues to bother me though. Will see the doctor in 2 weeks. Hope there's a solution to it.  

C.C.