Theme: "Welcome to the Big Leagues" - PRO is added to each common phrase.
24. Shout to an FBI agent investigating the wrong fellow?: DON'T PROBE THAT GUY. Don't be that guy.
38. "The polygraph is rigged!," e.g.?: LIE DETECTOR PROTEST. Lie detector test.
60. "RuPaul's Drag Race" prize money?: PROFIT FOR A QUEEN. Fit for a queen.
80. Like philosophers who can't find their way home?: LOST AND PROFOUND. Lost and found.
103. Hype that just goes on and on and on?: PERPETUAL PROMOTION. Perpetual motion.
121. Put off fulfilling a campaign promise?: PROLONG TERM GOALS. Long-term goals.
Another LAT debut, and a Sunday. Congratulations, Taylor!
We often see 7 or more theme entries. This one has 6, but they're all fairly long. Total 98 theme squares. It'd be great if all the new PRO* words do not have PRO as a root, such as PROBE, but they're all fun.
Across:
5. Rounds before the finals, for short: SEMIS.
10. Farm yield: CROP. My pal Carmen likes the Russian wheat noodles. Softer taste, she said.
14. Kudos at a poetry slam: SNAPS.
19. Batgirl garment: CAPE.
20. Glazer of "Broad City": ILANA.
21. Chicago MLS team: FIRE. In memory of the Great Chicago Fire.
22. __ noir: PINOT.
23. Meditate (on): CHEW.
27. Cherry-topped dish: SUNDAE. In case you don't know this trivia:
A pharmacist named Charles Sonntag created the treat, naming it the
“sonntag” after himself. Sonntag means Sunday in German, and so the name
was translated to Sunday, and later spelled as "sundae".
29. Travel pillow spot: NAPE.
30. Meh: SO SO.
31. "Now, where __ we?": WERE.
32. Taco topping: SALSA.
34. Long who plays Steve on "PEN15": CHAU. Unknown to me.
36. Helps: AVAILS.
43. NAACP co-founder __ B. Wells: IDA.
44. Informal meeting?: SESH. Session.
45. Piggy bank opening: SLOT.
46. Sound like autumn leaves: RUSTLE.
50. "We should!": LET'S.
52. "What's your __?": POINT.
55. Smidgen: IOTA.
57. "Broken Arrow" director John: WOO. Born in Guangzhou.
58. Fertile desert spot: OASIS.
65. __ Gatos, California: LOS.
67. London stroller: PRAM.
68. Planet __: gym chain: FITNESS.
69. Intro to typing?: STEREO. Stereotyping.
72. "Get __ of this!": A LOAD.
75. Suit bottoms: SKIRTS.
76. At an angle: SLANTED.
77. Sheet of ice: FLOE.
79. Maker of Calling All Goddesses! nail polish: OPI. The other brand is ESSIE. Friendly crossword combo.
85. Fern-to-be: SPORE.
89. Spot-on: APT.
90. BBQ side: SLAW.
91. Trauma specialist, for short: ER DOC. Boomer likes to fight with them :-)
93. Fed. power dept.: ENER.
94. Past: BEYOND.
98. Airbnb alternatives: INNS.
100. Scent: ODOR.
102. Former quarterback Manning: ELI.
108. Word with high or tech: SCHOOL.
110. __ bargain: PLEA.
111. Penélope Cruz's birthplace: SPAIN. Same as her husband Javier Bardem.
112. Dull pain: ACHE.
113. Fingers-crossed thought: WISH.
116. Ice cream brand: EDY'S.
118. Database systems giant: ORACLE. Our Steve used to work there.
125. Churn up: ROIL.
126. Chilling: EERIE.
127. 33-Down animal who loses because of a nap: HARE. 33. Storyteller whose tales usually feature talking animals: AESOP.
128. "Four Quartets" poet: ELIOT.
129. Clock toggle: AM PM.
130. Use foul language: SWEAR.
131. Ensnare: TRAP.
132. Flavors, in a way: SALTS. Or CURES.
133. Large bodies of water: SEAS.
Down:
2. Waimea Bay island: OAHU.
3. Available options when booking a flight: OPEN SEATS.
4. Pop up a lot?: NEW DAD. Ha ha. Pop who's up a lot. The baby is crying.
5. Evade: SIDESTEP.
6. "Xanadu" gp.: ELO.
7. Leslie of "This Is 40": MANN.
8. Whole: INTACT.
9. Lyric poet of Lesbos: SAPPHO. Lesbian poet.
10. Corp. money exec: CFO.
11. Messy barbecue fare: RIBS.
12. Cookie used as a froyo topping: OREO.
13. Took care of a boxer?: PET SAT. Common misleads: "Took care of a lab" or "Watched a boxer".
14. Mud bath venue: SPA.
15. Birdbrains: NITWITS.
16. __ hair pasta: ANGEL. Boomer's favorite. I now like thin spaghetti.
17. Decants: POURS.
18. Eye ailment: STYE.
25. Brings up: REARS.
26. Emulate a drone: HOVER.
28. Sudsy mugfuls: ALES.
35. Illuminated from below: UPLIT.
37. Tempe sch.: ASU.
38. Stitch's human companion: LILO. "Lilo & Stitch".
39. Brainchild: IDEA.
40. Cricket sound: CHIRP.
41. Place for solar panels: ROOF.
42. Cleveland Browns great __ Graham: OTTO.
47. Twitter message: TWEET.
48. Fine-grained soil: LOESS.
49. Many ages: EONS.
51. Like some partners: SILENT.
53. "Julie & Julia" writer/director Ephron: NORA.
54. Cookware brand: T FAL. Teflon & Aluminum.
56. Kennel racket: ARFS.
59. Kinda: SORTA.
61. "Later!": I'M OFF.
62. "Chilombo" Grammy nominee Jhené __: AIKO.
63. Cotton swabs: Q-TIPS. We use these for Boomer's Mupirocin pre-op procedure. Twice a day for 5 days.
64. Not ready to eat: UNRIPE. I miss naturally ripe persimmons.
66. Not hidden: SEEN.
69. Ski resort feature: SLOPE.
70. Yummy: TASTY. I also miss dried persimmons, Xi'an-style.
71. Chances: ODDS.
73. Body cream additive: ALOE.
74. Gloomy: DOUR.
76. Big chunk: SLAB.
78. Forest moon that's home to the Ewoks: ENDOR.
81. Ballet move: PLIE.
82. Sound off: RANT.
83. Admit (to): OWN UP.
84. Extinct Mauritian birds: DODOS. We used to have a regular named Dodo, a sweet lady.
86. Like a family with a stay-at-home dad: ONE INCOME.
87. Move for one's co., say: RELO.
88. "The Night Circus" novelist Morgenstern: ERIN.
92. Handles food waste ecologically: COMPOSTS.
95. Sister of Laertes: OPHELIA. "Hamlet".
96. Opposite of paleo-: NEO.
97. Flood with chocolate syrup, say: DROWN.
99. "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" cat: SALEM.
101. T. rex's "I'm going to eat you!": ROAR. Ha.
104. Predicament: PLIGHT.
105. Rocky projections: LEDGES.
106. Bribe for airtime: PAYOLA. Is this still going on?
107. Glittery accessories: TIARAS.
108. Carpentry fastener: SCREW. I just learned from our master
carpenter Splynter that his mom passed way in March. As some of you
knew, Splynter was his mom's caregiver for many years. By the way, he
loves the new LAT crosswords.
 |
| Baby Splynter and His Parents |
109. Job jar assignment: CHORE.
112. Copies: APES.
114. Take the lead?: STAR.
115. Youngest daughter of Cronus: HERA. Cronus had 7 kids: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus and Chiron. Hera was the sister and wife of Zeus.
117. Breeze (through): SAIL.
119. "Future Nostalgia" singer Dua __: LIPA.
120. Stately trees: ELMS.
122. Atop, poetically: O'ER.
123. Gym unit: REP.
124. Movie filming site: LOT.
Boomer's
surgery (reverse total shoulder replacement) is rescheduled to May 31
Tuesday. He can't have chemo 2 weeks before or after the surgery, so
this further delay is a bit disappointing. But things could have been
worse: what if the surgeon tested positive for COVID the day after the
surgery? I would be so worried. Plus, Boomer's pain is under control.
We'll just start the at-home pre-op procedure again next week.
C.C.
FIWrong. A couple total naticks, one I WAGged right (CHAu + uPLIT) and one I WAGged wrong (AUKo + oPI).
ReplyDeleteThe theme was a good one that took me a while to get, because it was so well integrated! DON'T PROBE THAT GUY sounded like that well known mondegren (touch the sky/kiss that guy) that I thought that was going to be it.
Do you often ROIL the SEAS?
Then an ORACLE you might be!
Rile not oceans
But emotions.
No matter what your prophecy!
ELI's jaw is so weak, he has to CHEW a SUNDAE.
A pugilist, he ACHES. But expects that one day
He'll win a bout,
Let out a shout,
But a PRAM will hold his opponent, in fun play.
{A-, C+.}
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteAlmost spit my coffee when I misread PEN15 in the clues. (Mightier than the sword?) Needed to whip out my trusty Wite-Out for seeya/IM OFF, hope/WISH, and tenon/SCREW. Guessed wrong on AIKe/ePI. No idea. Bzzzzzt. Managed to get the theme without reading the puzzle title. Does that count for partial credit? Didn't think so. Impressive debut, Taylor. Thanx for the expo, C.C. (Good to hear that the on again/off again shoulder surgery is back on again. Good luck, Boomer!)
PAYOLA -- This was a big deal back in the '50s. The problem wasn't that the stations took money for promoting songs, it was that they didn't OWN UP to it. Soon every radio station was airing a disclaimer every hour admitting it, whether they ever took PAYOLA or not. They figured the FCC couldn't punish every broadcast station. (I even aired a disclaimer on my pirate AM station.) That was also the era of the $64,000 Question and Twenty-One cheat scandals.
I thought I remembered "Opi" from previous cwds, and I was right. There were a couple of WAGS in this puzzle for me, but through P and P I got through them. FIR, so I'm happy.
ReplyDeleteFIR. Had a WAG at Aiko and Opi, and wasn't thrilled with the crossing of proper names at Ilana and Mann, but another good guess did the trick.
ReplyDeleteNever have understood abbreviating session as sesh. Ain't no h in session.
ReplyDeleteMusings
ReplyDelete-Obscure NEO names abound again but Taylor or Patti threw me a bone with OTTO
-Not only did I not know LI_A. but it crossed AM_M that could have gone two ways. I guessed right there and on AIK_/_PI! Wow!
-Fuel and chemical prices have made planting CROPS this spring very expensive.
-It appears ENER and SESH are here to stay in Crosswordland
-Jerry: “Elaine, can you smell that ODOR?” Elaine, “Of course I can, I’m not hard of smelling!”
-We found two OPEN SEATS online for the new Downton Abbey movie. After a two year sabbatical, it drew us back to the theater.
-Incredible DRONE video of the 2022 Kentucky Derby
-Gotta run.
Yay! Back on track with a Sunday FIR! Hand up for not knowing AIKO and forgetting OPI which we've had before but my guess was good. Other proper names were verified by perps. Always appreciated. Saw the PRO in the themers and a little later saw the common phrases the PROs were added too. What a fun puzzle! Thanks, Taylor. Nice debut!
ReplyDeleteWOs were needed for missteps: Film/FLOW, seT/LOT, curse/SWEAR, Neck/NAPE and dImWIT/NITWIT. Thanks, C.C., for clearing up my questions so ably and for the update on BOOMER. Best wishes for a good outcome this time as you prepare him for surgery again.
BobB @8:06 AM, I think it's just based on the way we pronounce session with an sh sound in the middle. I can't think offhand of other examples of shortened words that change spellings. Anyone else?
Have a super day, everyone!
Boomer here with a short message. (because it hurts my shoulder to type with the left hand). Tiger was not much of a PRO Sunday when he quit. Yeah, he was tied for last at 12 over par for 54 holes but I guess his legs hurt. He should be happy. My legs are screwed up by spinal cord damage from my last surgery so my golf buddies will not see me at Island Lake course unless something good happens in the next weeks. Two of my favorite words Odor and Oreo are in this puzzle. My favorite cookie and Oriole second baseman.
ReplyDeleteVery enjoyable "insert the PRO" theme. Sadly marred by inexcusable crossed Naticks. The worst by far was AIK?/?PI. Could have been any vowel and several consonants. Did WAG to FIR, but was that really necessary?
ReplyDeleteCC Come out here to California for a BOUNTY of persimmons in season! I like the firm Fuyu and DW likes the squishy Hachiya. Which do you prefer?
Here is my article on our visit last year to NIT WIT Ridge in Cambria.
This was our first venture out of town after a year close to town during COVID.
From Yesterday:
AnonT Thanks for the reply regarding messed up printing of the puzzle. Any idea what is going on? It seems that it works OK for some people and not for others? The problem started happening intermittently on June 29, 2020. Then every day starting November 29, 2020. Any ideas?
Thanks also for acknowledging the humorous MIT Lexicon entry for CROCK and the reminder about "Car Talk" and the MIT connection.
Sunday Lurk say...
ReplyDelete{B+, B+}
C.C. & Boomer - Bummer that all treatments are on hold but nice to read the pain is manageable. Keep keepin' on you two.
D-O: Wasn't there another PAYOLA scandal in the '70s? I recall a 2-part WKRP* episode where Johnny leaves, the new morning man is getting coke in record sleeves (PAYOLA), and Mr. Carlson (being told the coke was foot powder) puts it in his socks -- "I've got a monkey on my foot!" :-)
re: SESH I don't know if it's just the guy at work who says it or it just grates on the ears...
HG - I'm not into horse racing but that link was pretty cool. Thanks.
Cheers, -T
*The show took on issues of the day. Remember The Who festival-seating deaths in '79? [cite]
I only do Sunday toughies because I enjoy reading C.C.'s commentary, and this one was a pleasure as was the puzzle in the end. So, many thanks, Taylor and C.C..
ReplyDeleteI do these puzzles while drinking coffee before my late breakfast, so it's nice to get some food in here, like a SUNDAE on Sunday, along with some SLAW, and a bit of SALSA for the taco, and a glass of PINOT noir.
And there was a bit of art here and there, with a favorite of mine, T.S. ELIOT's "Four Quartets," along with lyric poet SAPPHO, whose work I don't know, unfortunately.
Liked seeing the picture of Penelope Cruz and her husband, C.C.
Have a great Sunday, everybody.
Forgot to say thanks for checking in with us, Boomer, and good luck on your surgery in the next weeks. You'll be in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteSuper Sunday. Thanks for the fun, Taylor and C.C.
ReplyDeleteI FIRed (online because we don’t have a Sunday newspaper), and saw the PRO theme.
(I wonder if those PROs are going to the SEMIS.)
Several inkblots.
Parsing issues gave me ONE IN ninE before ONE INCOME. ( I wonder what the ratio of dads at home actually is.). Some of them would be NEW DADs (great clue!). Great to have the choice.
Even though I am from the era of Women’s Lib, I though of slacks before SKIRTS for the “suit bottom”. And I had to speak up for professional recognition at the beginning of my career!
Hand up for Neck before NAPE, and Hope before WISH.
I knew OPI, but AIKO, CHAU, WOO,.and LIPA needed perps.
Mini food and drink theme to CHEW on today - RIBS/SLAW, SALSA for our taco, PINOT Noir or ALES, C.C.‘S UNRIPE persimmons, EDYS ice cream for our SUNDAE, plus our PERPETUAL OREO.
AESOP’s HARE was joined by APES, but hopefully no TRAP.
Someone who PETSAT might hear ARFS or maybe even a ROAR.
Did DODO birds TWEET or CHIRP, or were they SILENT? Did they have a CROP.
Wishing you all a great day.
Like Misty (who also saw the mini-food theme while I was posting), I forgot to send best wishes to Boomer and C.C. as prep for upcoming surgery next week begins. Glad the pain is under control.
ReplyDeleteWell I’m amazed, that’s two Sundays in a row I’ve managed to FIR a CW! Although it took me an hour, I did complete it. Knew NONE of the 12 proper names, so that was part of the time consumption, I’m sure. CW seemed to have a sub-theme: salute to Asian Americans (it is Asian American and Pacific Islander Month), which is fun. Second time recently to see Dua Lipa, and in a near identical place on the CW. Never heard of Laertes, let alone her sister. As others have mentioned, my first read of PEN15 gave me a double-take. Amazingly enough, I even got the theme. I liked this CW, thanx, TJ. These Sunday CWs are just more time than I really wanna spend on a CW, but maybe, with perseverance, I AM able to FIR them, after all. I quit trying many moons ago. Thanx, C.C., for the fun and informative write-up, and also for keeping up up to date on Boomer. Still hasta wait then, to get his shoulder fixed. Keep us informed, please.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThank You Taylor Johnson, for a challenging, long Sunday puzzle. I finished with a too long time ...
Thank You CC for a fascinating review.
Hopes and Prayers for you and Boomer, every night.
When I think of you I am reminded of my wife, who has gone through a lot, thru fire and ice, to keep all my dozens of meds in proper logical and timely order ... we have 3 lists of them ... and I hope I am properly grateful and express my gratitude, often enough.
In my extended family, I have persistently seen wives who spend their old age looking after their hubbies ... but never the other way around ... because the hubbies never outlived them.
Regarding solving the Crossword ... I had a lot of trouble with the names, and even with the long answers. Maybe I never moved around in the right circles, or went to enough mass functions, or interacted with the common folks enough...
I know a couple of ER Docs ...as friends,... and I would know NEVER to fight with them.
Not a good idea.
They are generally overworked and frazzled already ... and looking forward for their shift to End !!! Plus dealing with drug and heroin addicts etc., and people begging for pain pills, ... has already made them very tense and terse...
Be extra polite and pleasant with them , otherwise they might go into their offices and you may not see them for a hour.
I went to the emergency in a major hosp after April 16th, and never saw an attending for 8 hours ... and my wife has been an attending there for 40 years, and she and a couple of CRNAs were with me all the time ... ! Can you believe that ? Such is Life.
Have a nice rest of the weekend, you all.
Insurance including Medicare now control the practice of medicine in the US. Any further comment would violate the rules here.
ReplyDeleteC.C. thank u for your kind review
Taylor welcome to the Corner
Fun PGA
I liked this puzzle. The clue for NEW DAD was excellent. I was not fond of ILANA crossing MANN and AIKO crossing OPI. ELI crossing ERIN was not cool, either. Hand up for changing NECK to NAPE and HOPE to WISH. Overall, a nice 26 minutes of solving pleasure.
ReplyDeleteThe house in San Diego that our son dwelt in has now sold and he is excitedly moving into his new house in Mill Valley, Marin County, CA. Full disclosure: he has reconnected with his original college sweetheart, who has 2 grown kids and is divorced, and they are now engaged to be married, which they will do in August. He is happier than he has been for years, and we are happy for both of them. Yes, things moved really fast, but LW and I know this is exactly the right thing to be happening.
Wishing Boomer and C.C. all the best.
Hi Y'all! Considering the PROs & cons of this puzzle, I am definitely PRO. Thanks, Taylor. Thanks, C.C., for the great expo. You are handling Boomer like a PRO caregiver. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteThank you Taylor and congratulations on your LAT debut, you're already constructing like a PRO. Your entrance brought me some beginner's luck too, as I got a FIR and extended my winning streak to ONE. I liked the theme, although I was helped by the Sun's printing of the theme title, something they don't normally do during the week. There was a fair amount of P&P in this, but perps helped overcome my DNKs.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you C.C. for your explication and nice illustrations. And thank you for the update on Boomer. He is an inspiration.
As I'm late to the party, I'll just list a few favs:
14A SNAPS. I have a friend who is a poet and the next time I go to one of her slams I'll know how to applaud.
22A PINOT. Teri is a PINOT person and I prefer BORDEAUX, but it's any PORT in a storm.
29A NAPE. Started with NECK, but couldn't make it work. It required that the location be isolated to the back of the head.
34 CHAU and 57A WOO. DNK know either, but today we attended a piano recital by a brilliant young Chinese-American named Joel FAN. Absolutely stunning performances of Beethoven and Listz sonatas and Chopin Etudes. JOEL FAN is a name to look out for.
Cheers,
Bill
Lemonade714 @ 5:40: You may blame Medicare, but you should add HIPAA to the list.
ReplyDeleteInter alii, HIPAA prohibits disclosure of patient information without patient authorization. One mother was seriously ill (or dying - I don't remember). The doctor could not legally tell her son about her status, because she didn't -- or wasn't conscious at the time to be able to -- put him on the list.
Missed posting this
ReplyDeleteOPI "friendly!"?? Along with AIKO a perfect Natick. I'm not taking FIW on that one.
Nope. Give me the #2 spaghetti.
I'm with you Picard on NitWit Ridge. I use a smartphone, read FB but deplore Smartphone Culture
Alan Freed was the PAYOLA victim. Or his fans were. As if that sort of stuff is unusual today .
I had trouble grok'ing the theme but finally figured it out and it helped a lot. I thought the "Pop up" would be baseball
I don't consider the "O"PI a FIW as I said but I'll leave it to the jury. I'm darling it a weekend FIR
This is my last night in Sun City. We had to unpack and drive down at 7pm. I got started on xword at ten pm
It was alow going but I eventually got it.
WC
Enjoyable puzzle. Salem the cat? Obscure clue from the 1960’s.
Delete