Sunday Jan 20, 2013 Jim Hyres

 (Note from C.C.: Due to a blog lock-down, we had to move to Ginger Roots blog to review the puzzle. Please click here to see our discussions on this crossword.)

Theme: Turning Heads - The first words (heads)  in each common phrase is spelled backwards, e.g., "turned". 

 23A. Nail salon supplies? : TIPS AND POLISH. Spit and polish.

 34A. Couch-jumping and yard-running? : PETS AEROBICS. Step aerobics.

 40A. Tongue twister? : TRAP OF SPEECH. Part of speech.

 64A. Good golf rounds? : PAR SESSIONS. Rap sessions.

 72A. Energetic ghosts? : LIVE SPIRITS. Evil spirits.

 92A. Torches in Dracula's crypt? : DOOM LIGHTING. Mood lighting.

 99A. Sharp dresser features? : DRAWER POINTS. Reward points.

 116A. Talk shows? : YAP TELEVISION. Pay television.

  

 I apologize for the short post. Been very distracted.

Across:

1. Over the top, design-wise : GARISH

7. Goes like the wind? : BLOWS. Nice clue. Very strong wind here last night.

12. Fairly shared : PRO RATA

19. Like much summery footwear : OPEN TOE

21. Mauve relative : LILAC

22. "Wild Thing" rapper : TONE LOC

25. Was humbled : ATE DIRT

26. Bud's promise : BLOOM

27. Midsection : GUT

28. Popular skiing destination : VAIL

30. Former NBA coach Brown : HUBIE.  I don't follow basketball.

31. However : YET

32. Exam for a jr. : PSAT

37. Customarily : AS A RULE

39. Getting the wrong order and such : MIX UPS

45. 68-Across neighbor : NEB. 68. Where Manhattan is: Abbr. : KANS. Manhattan, Kansas.

46. Abscam agcy. : FBI

49. Dawn-of-mammals epoch : EOCENE

50. Wedding acquisition : SPOUSE

52. Multitude : LEGION

55. Fan sounds : RAHS

56. Lincoln Logs, e.g. : TOY

59. One and only : SOLE

60. Former Buick sedan : LESABRE

61. Mean Amin : IDI

62. Funeral lighting? : PYRES

66. Actress Ward : SELA

70. Alluvium : SILT

71. Italian hot spot : ETNA

75. "Oliver Twist" criminal : FAGIN

77. Holder and Reno: Abbr. : AGs. Eric Holder.

79. Certain Ukrainian : ODESSAN

80. They're worth 1.0 : DEES

82. Soccer __ : MOM

83. Classic name in shoes : MCAN

84. Ones with many feet : VERSES

85. Snoopy, for one : BEAGLE

87. Mimosa family tree : ACACIA

89. Road course curve : ESS

90. Airport uniform initials : TSA

95. Ed of "Modern Family" : O'NEILL

98. Barbecue fare : WIENERS

104. __ Beach, Fla. : VERO

105. Raiders' gp. : AFC

108. When doubled, Northwest wine valley : WALLA. Walla Walla.

109. Follow : OBEY

110. Title for Jackson or King: Abbr. : REV

111. "West Side Story" song : MARIA

113. Short operatic solo : ARIETTA

119. Apartment dwellers, typically : RENTERS

120. One way to read : ALOUD

121. London-based news agency : REUTERS

122. Lighthouse lens inventor : FRESNEL. Nope.

123. Cozy spots : NESTS

124. Music producer Estefan : EMILIO. Husband of Gloria Estefan. The only Emilio I know is Estevez.

Down:

       

1. Sidestepped : GOT BY

2. Loads : A PILE

3. Do a gardener's chore : RE-POT

4. __ many words : IN SO

5. Tries to put out, as a small fire : STAMPS ON

6. Dear : HON

7. Reputation stain : BLOT

8. Wee, in a small way : LIL

9. One stuck in a bar? : OLIVE. Clever!

10. Attended : WAS AT

11. Long division? : SCHISM

12. School support gp. : PTA

13. Malarkey : ROT

14. Like some grounders : ONE HOP

15. Gives a new name to : RE-DUBS

16. Story : ALIBI

17. Doughnut-shaped : TORIC. We just saw TORI clued as "Bagels, shapewise" last Friday.

 18. Entr'__: play intervals : ACTES

20. Dick Francis has four of them : EDGARS. Mystery awards.

24. Provide, as money : PUT UP

29. "Mule Train" singer : LAINE (Frankie)

33. Firearm feature : SAFETY

34. Quick looks : PEEPS

35. Computer program suffix : EXE

36. Dollars : cents :: __ : kopecks : RUBLES

37. Copies : APES

38. "__ Miz" : LES

40. Actress Garr : TERI

41. Impromptu picnic locales : ROADSIDES

42. Go-getters : ACHIEVERS

43. Confine, with "up" : COOP

44. Luau dances : HULAS

46. Eponymous Italian mathematician : FIBONACCI. Don't know him.

47. Revitalized : BORN AGAIN. Christians.

48. Another name for Saint Agnes : INES. Agnes is our  Irish Miss' real name.

51. Finishing touch of a sort : SERIF

53. German industrial city : ESSEN

54. Amble, e.g. : GAIT

57. Pest control name in a red diamond : ORKIN

58. Oenophile's concern : YEAR

60. Fire : LET GO

62. No longer in : PASSE

63. Not nice at all : SNIDE

65. Pan or roast : SLAM

67. Minus : LESS

69. Lieu : STEAD

72. Affectionate valediction : LOVE

73. Kindergarten craftsman : PASTER

74. Lily that's Utah's state flower : SEGO

76. Diagnostic machine : IMAGER

78. Trouble spot : SNAG

81. Responds to a yellow : SLOWS

83. Dojo accessories : MATS

85. "The Jungle Book" bear : BALOO. No idea. I just learned that KAA is "The Jungle Book" python.

86. Brit. record label : EMI

88. Element in stainless steel : CHROMIUM. I just call it Chrome.

91. Taste : SIP

93. Tool box item : LEVEL

94. "The nerve!" : I NEVER

95. Small hooters : OWLETS

96. Tidy : NEATEN

97. Like some of the Sahara : LIBYAN

99. Sleepy, e.g. : DWARF.  The Seven Dwarfs. Tricky clue.

100. Less done : RARER

101. Dress style : A-LINE

102. Hall of Fame football coach Earle "Greasy" __ : NEALE. Unknown name to me.

103. Red-lined items, perhaps : TYPOS

105. The Little Mermaid : ARIEL

106. Flower-shaped pasta : FIORI. Italian for "flowers"

107. Childish comeback : CAN SO

110. Malbec and Merlot : REDS

112. __ Spumanti : ASTI

114. One past due? : TRE. Une, due, Tre

115. Manual transmissions?: Abbr. : ASL (American Sign Language)

117. King in a Steve Martin song : TUT. "King Tut".

118. Success sign : VEE