Theme: That's Amore (A-more) - A is added to the start of each common phrase/word.
25A. Bit of support on the job?: AMEN AT WORK. Men at work.
42A. Leave everyone amazed?: AWE THE PEOPLE. We the people.
67A. In-house water source?: ABODE WELL. Bode well.
98A. Collect music publishing copyrights?: AMASS NUMBERS. Mass numbers.
119A. Legislative branch that is mindful and introspective?: AWARE HOUSE. Warehouse.
3D. Rock collector?: AGATE KEEPER. Gatekeeper.
6D. Stood up as friends?: AROSE BUDS. Rose buds.
72D. Row in Petco?: AISLE OF DOGS. Isle of Dogs.
83D. Mixture for a Pennsylvania Dutch brewer?: AMISH MASH. Mishmash.
Very consistent. All the A's are inserted in the front.
Quite
a gridding feat. The four Downs intersect four of the Across theme
entries. I don't think I've done this for a Sunday grid before.
Intersection sometimes makes the filling easier, sometimes it brings
knotty spots.
Across:
1. Refrigerator handle: AMANA. Ha, nice handle.
6. Rideshare updates, for short: ETAS.
10. Pencils that are hard to sharpen: STUBS.
15. In need of resupply, maybe: BARE.
19. Asperity: RIGOR. Never used "asperity" before.
20. TV producer Spencer: LARA. Knew her from "Antiques Roadshow" days.
21. Put forward: POSIT.
22. Lacking a paper trail: ORAL.
23. About to explode: IRATE.
24. Blondie drummer Burke: CLEM. Short for Clement.
27. Blues legend James: ETTA.
28. Partridge family member: PHEASANT.
30. Dune plants: GRASSES.
31. Scottish herders, informally: SHELTIES.
33. Noble gas that's roughly 1% of the atmosphere: ARGON.
35. __ gin fizz: SLOE.
36. Arboreal marsupial: KOALA.
37. Hypoallergenic makeup brand: ALMAY.
39. Bouillon __: CUBES.
47. Farm female: HEN.
49. Glissade garb: TUTU.
50. Sushi roll topper: ROE.
51. Tristan and __: ISOLDE.
52. Like much of Montana: RURAL.
54. Dworshak structure: DAM. Not famliar with the Dworshak Dam. In Idaho.
55. Gets a move on: HOPS TO. And 60. Greets silently: NODS TO.
57. Legal term that means "guilty mind": MENS REA.
62. See 58-Down: ADELINE. 58. With 62-Across, barbershop standard: SWEET.
64. Broke off from a group: WENT SOLO.
66. Supermodel Banks: TYRA.
71. From Perth to Sydney: EAST.
75. Sanctimonious sort: PHARISEE. I think I learned this word from Boomer, or maybe from Father Charlie.
81. Goes after: CHASES.
84. Woodstock sextet: SANTANA.
88. Being: PERSON.
89. Sleep cycle: REM.
90. Not quite foggy: MISTY. Hi there, Misty!
92. Goodyear offering: RADIAL.
94. "__-in-the-Mist": novel by Hope Mirrlees: LUD. Learning moment.
95. Purple bloom: IRIS.
97. Post-dubbing title: SIR.
101. Like 101 courses: BASIC.
103. "Honest": NO LIE. And 4. Very little: NOT A LOT.
105. Light cigar: CLARO.
106. Letter-shaped beam: H BAR.
108. Sealy rival: SERTA.
110. County officers: SHERIFFS.
113. Daughter of Cronus and Rhea: DEMETER. Also 82. Daughter of Cronus and Rhea: HERA. And 118. Balder's father: ODIN.
116. One well-versed in competition?: SLAM POET. Nice clue/fill.
121. Bent: BIAS.
122. "Middle Child" rapper: J COLE.
123. "Being the Ricardos" role: DESI.
124. Basilica areas: APSES.
125. Almond shade: ECRU.
126. "Shucks!": OH GEE.
127. Labor agcy.: OSHA.
128. Vegetarian source of protein: BEANS. Not a fan of beans. I do like tofu though.
129. Coarse file: RASP.
130. Conquers: BESTS.
Down:
1. Astrological ram: ARIES.
2. Jollity: MIRTH.
5. "Blessed __ the meek": ARE.
6. Stingy sort: EL CHEAPO.
7. Chronicles: TALES.
8. Length x width, for a rectangle: AREA.
9. Kafka protagonist: SAMSA. "The Metamorphosis".
10. Sequin: SPANGLE.
11. Snareless drum: TOM TOM. Hi there, Tom, Tom!
12. Make the most of: USE.
13. Google alternative: BING.
14. Rating units: STARS.
15. Steps aside: BOWS OUT.
17. Scarce: RARE.
18. Group with lodges: ELKS.
26. Mineral replaced by cornstarch in most cosmetic powders: TALC.
28. Adds criticism to criticism: PILES ON.
29. North __ Sea: Kazakh lake: ARAL.
32. Island of French Polynesia known for black-sand beaches: TAHITI.
34. Language of central Mexico: NAHUATL.
38. "Programs! Git __ programs here!": YER. What does this mean?
40. Nouveau-Mexique, par exemple: ETAT.
41. Japanese wrestling: SUMO. The wrestlers eat sumo oranges.
42. Buddhist who has attained nirvana: ARHAT.
43. Buzz Lightyear's pal: WOODY.
44. Shade tree: ELM.
45. Laudatory poem: ODE.
46. Cross product: PEN.
48. Tech startup?: NANO. Another great clue.
52. Actress Russo: RENE.
53. "hehe": LOL.
56. Smacks: SLAPS.
59. DVR button: REW.
61. "All the Light We Cannot See" novelist Anthony: DOERR. We had him before.
63. Ring bearer, maybe: EAR.
65. Camera type, briefly: SLR.
68. Casual cafes: BISTROS.
69. Anthem opener: O SAY.
70. TV room: DEN.
73. Use elbow grease on: SCOUR.
74. Cares for: TENDS.
76. Alter, in a way: HEM.
77. Clearance rack caveat: AS IS.
79. Shoulder ornament: EPAULET.
80. California beach town with a historic racetrack: DELMAR.
81. Nursery piece: CRIB.
85. Longtime Notre Dame coach Parseghian: ARA.
86. "If I Ruled the World" rapper: NAS.
87. Infomercials, e.g.: ADS.
91. Gluttony, e.g.: SIN.
93. Creeps: INCHES UP.
96. Risk territory: SIBERIA.
98. Close: AIRLESS. I don't get this clue.
99. Self-referential: META.
100. Eggy bun: BRIOCHE. Looks so soft.
102. "Tár" Oscar nominee Blanchett: CATE.
104. Abate: LESSEN.
107. Get-well program, briefly: REHAB.
109. "Waves of grain" color: AMBER.
110. Takes off: SOARS.
111. Boneless cut: FILET.
112. Bygone blades: SNEES.
113. Carpentry slot: DADO.
114. Farm females: EWES.
115. Tire swing holder: ROPE.
117. 12-point type: PICA.
120. Winner of all but three Olympic women's basketball championships: Abbr.: USA. I bet this is Patti's clue.
122. Indeed.com listing: JOB.
Big Easy's granddaughter
Janie scored 26 points in her final HS home game. Here she is with her
coach. Big Easy had a few health hurdles in the past few weeks. Glad the
toughest part is over, George!
C.C.
I got the gimmick with the first themed fill, and that helped me solve the rest of this (somewhat challenging) puzzle. I will say, however, that the crossing of “Nahuatl” with “mens rea” (if that’s how you parse it) seemed like cruel and unusual punishment, as (to a lesser extent) did the crossing of “Clem” and “Samsa.” Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
ReplyDeleteGood morning!
ReplyDeleteNeeded alphabet runs in several areas, turning this one from a romp to a slog. Got 'er done, but can't say I enjoyed it. Thanx, Gary, Amy, and C.C. (Those programs are printed souvenir booklets sold at sporting events. Airless refers to a stuffy atmosphere -- it feels CLOSE.)
Took 23:18 today, and felt like it twice that long.
ReplyDeleteThose intersections/crossing mentioned above were brutal. I didn't know Sweet Adeline, and many others.
I didn't notice the theme, but could tell something was amiss (Irish Miss).
Good morning! FIW, just barely. Foiled by 116A. I take issue with nine of the "?" clues being associated with the puzzle title "That's Amore" and yet just one clue, "One well-versed in competition?" did not follow suit. I was stuck here because I made the assumption that like the other nine, this "?" clue must be part of the theme and thereby should begin with an "A".
ReplyDeleteOtherwise an enjoyable romp!
"A" gimmick was easy. LARA, SAMSA, CLEM?Had no idea. A DNF today. But got the unknowns SHELTIES, J COLE, DOERR, RED RICE, DAM, DEMETER, CATE, NAS, NAHUATL
ReplyDeleteBIig Easy, from my phone.
Hola!
ReplyDeleteSince I actually finished this in due time, I found this easier than many Sunday puzzles. Thank you, Gary Larson and Amy Ensz.
I'm always happy to see classics like ISOLDE and DEMETER in a puzzle. CRIB certainly brings back memories, not only of my daughter as an infant but of my grandchildren, too.
SWEET ADELINE is an oldie, too.
PHARISEE was a surprise and I don't recall ever seeing that in a puzzle.
JCOLE was a pure guess only because of JOB. I'm not familiar with rappers.
Time to go. I hope all are having a good day today. Congratulations to Big Easy's granddaughter!
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteI had a FIW due to the Samsa/Clem cross which I suppose could have been avoided by doing an alphabet run but, I just accepted it and waved the white flag. Other than that crossing, the perps were pretty kind, overall, and were needed in several areas, e.g., Lud, Demeter, J Cole, Nahuatl, Arhat, Hera, and Siberia. Props for some fresh and interesting fill and amodest, for a Sunday grid, three letter word count (24). My favorite themer was Aisle of Dogs.
Thanks, Gary and Amy, and thanks, CC, for your guidance and expertise. At first glance, the red rice photo looked like a plate of worms!
BigEasy, congrats to your granddaughter and best wishes for your return to good health.
Have a great day. BTW, which teams are you all rooting for in today's playoff games? For no particular reason, I'll go with KC and Detroit. (Sorry, Bill, and all you Californians!)
WEES about the LARA, CLEM, SAMSA crossing. Kafka?? MENS REA?? FIW, WAGS and A-runs couldn’t come up with the right combination so I TITT after about an hour, but it was an enjoyable not quite solve. One letter kept me from a FIR. Thanks Gary and Amy for the Sunday challenge!
ReplyDeleteIM ☘️ ~ Even though I’m a GB shareholder, living in Michigan I have to go with the NFC North Lions 🤞🏼. AFC doesn’t really matter to me, but Baltimore looks pretty tough.
FIW x 5, 3 of them in Naticks SAMSA x LARA and PHEASANT (oh, I just got it - not Marsha, Marsha, Marsha) and NAHUATL x MENS REA. The other two were in TeLlS instead of TALES, in the same area.
ReplyDeleteToday is:
NATIONAL BLUEBERRY PANCAKE DAY (Fats Domino wants a hill, not a stack, of these)
NATIONAL KAZOO DAY (who doesn’t like a good hummer)
DATA PRIVACY DAY (I get happy birthday wishes from Facebook friends and firms I shop with that are far removed from the date my parents told me I was born)
NATIONAL GIFT OF THE LADYBUG DAY (I usually don’t list 2-year old “days,” but this one honors all children with critical illnesses. The name comes from kidlit)
OK, fellow s**tkickers - ever heard of red rice? AFAIK, the southern delicacy is red beans and rice. I'll take your share if you aren't hungry.
THAT'S Debbie Harry today? I'd still like to, er, listen to her music.
Der Bingle had a big hit that celebrates the horse racing track (and by extension, the city) with his Where The Turf Meets The Surf. He was part owner of the track.
Does brewing utilize MASH? I know distilling Bourbon (and other whiskeys) does.
Jimmy Buffett listed the deadly sins in his Bank of Bad Habits:
One: Pride - Thou shalt not have pride in thy neighbor
Two: Coveting - Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife
Three: Lust - Thou shalt not lust after his neighbor's wife
Four: Anger - Do not be angry with your neighbor's wife
Five: Gluttony - Do not eat thy neighbor's wife's...popcorn
Six: Envy - Do not envy your neighbor's wife
Seven: Sloth - Do not be a sloth
And the eighth deadly sin is pizza
FLN:
Anon @ 2:47, Mozart's birthday is certainly notable, but "Today's Birthdays" is a related but separate list. Maybe I'll switch to that one after I've done this smarm for a year or so.
Big Easy, I always suspected that you must be a Feelthy Commie Spy, but never had any proof until Saturday. You've never borrowed money, let alone never been in debt over your head? How un-American! Congrats on your daughter's outstanding performance.
Bayou Tony - I was going to mention that most folks think of macros as recorded keystrokes, but I've created more in writing than by recording. Just need a little knowledge of the application's syntax and a little Visual Basic and you're all set. I don't type well enough to efficiently record keystrokes.
BE- granddaughter, not daughter. Don't know why I can't catch these things in "preview."
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the witty themers, and I brought my A game to the party, but I have to declare a DNF due to at least three Naticks.
ReplyDeleteTough Sunday, and lots of obscure names, but I got the theme and that helped a lot.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I know Gregor Samsa was that we read a lot of Kafka short stories when I took High School German. (And the only Clem I know is Clem Kadiddlehopper!!)
Musings
ReplyDelete-Obscure LARA/SAMSA/CLEM mashup is good and I’ll take a “got ‘er done”
-CLEM was my H.S. coach and math teacher who did not like kids. Not a pleasant memory
-WENT SOLO: Diana Ross first popped into my head. You?
-My granddaughter got involved in SLAM POETRY and so we went to her competition. Uh, Teenagers pouring out their angst was not our cup of tea.
-OSHA was too late to save my hearing
-Big BOW OUT news this year: Saban, Belichick and Harbaugh
-My knowledge of central Mexican languages and Buddhists who acquire Nirvana are non-existent
-The king of INFOMERCIALS
-Congrats BE and get better!
Didn’t anyone else notice? A DVR (Digital Video Recorder) does not have a REW(REWIND) button. A VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) does, since it utilizes tape, not digital. A DVR does have a REC (Record) button, however.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. It was right up my alley and I had fun with the theme.
ReplyDeleteNo problem with SAMSA since I used to teach Kafka’s Metamorphosis. The students loved that story.
Our MISTY made an appearance in this CW.
I used to have several SANTANA records, yes records, not CDs.
I wonder the south of which country has RED RICE as a staple.
Zhouqin gave us a great review and thanks for the pictures of Big Easy’s granddaughter. (I wish spellcheck weren’t so confident that I must not know what I want to say.. I keep telling myself I’m going to shut it down, but I hesitate since sometimes it is convenient. )
Hand up cross of NAHUATL and MENS REA rather unfair. Cross could have been an S. Hand up way too many crossed names. But hand up that I was impressed with the construction of so many theme answers crossing each other. Never heard of ISLE OF DOGS, almost ending it for me in that area. FIR.
ReplyDeleteOn Friday our UCSB META Lab had a wonderful meeting with cutting edge SLEEP researcher Ken Paller at the home of META Lab director Jonathan Schooler.
Ken is in the blue shirt behind me and Jonathan is next to me on the couch. DW took the photo. Paller was talking about his innovative research where he is able to do two way communication with people during their REM sleep. Truly a mind blowing JOB.
Yesterday was DW birthday. We had a spectacular Japanese meal including ROE while overlooking the ocean.
From January 23:
AnonT Thank you for validating that your brother says APPS for appetizers. Never heard that before.
CC Get YER programs = Get your programs. Heard perhaps at a baseball game or circus with that accent.
ReplyDeleteMy downfall was using REJOICE for REDRICE. Didn't know DELMAR so jELMAR looked OK and DOEeR looked fine too. Otherwise, slow and steady filled it in.
ReplyDeleteAll praise to Gary, Amy and C.C. for their contributions to today's frolic.
East is East and West is West, and ne'er the twain shall meet in the middle.
Strictly
It’s frustrating to successfully complete almost the entire puzzle but know without a doubt that I will still FIW due to impossible (for me) crossings. Like others, I fell into the SAMSA, CLEM and MENSREA, NAHUATL pits, and even alphabet runs and Wags couldn’t help me.
ReplyDeleteStill, I always enjoy Gary Larson puzzles and thought the themers were clever and much of the fill interesting and educational. PHARISEE and SLAM POET were favorites.
Thanks, Gary for your usual high level of clue choice, and thanks to Amy too. C.C., your tours are always fun to read.
As a 4th generation daughter of Ann Arbor, I’m pulling for the Lions even though I’ve been a Californian for 50 years. It promises to be a great game!
We live about 40 minutes from Del Mar race track and have enjoyed many outings there to see the beautiful horses run. Half the fun is going there and back on the train, along the beach with plentiful libations. Sort of like a moveable tailgate party.
ReplyDeleteAt 106 across, isn't a Hbar just an Ibeam turned 90 degrees
ReplyDeleteSo, it was SWEET ADELINE, not SHAVE and HAIRCUT. SCRUB became SCOUR. BEATS became BESTS. I noticed RARE and BARE.
ReplyDeleteOur DIL has two SHELTIES, a Dachshund, and two cats.
FLN, many thanks to TTP, Jinx, PK, and Anonymous T for well wishes. Apologies if I missed anyone. A very nice physician put 4 staples in my scalp, and I was still able to finish like many Cornerites today, stuck like KS at the crossing of LARa (unknown), CLEm (unknown), and SamSA (couldn't remember). Two blank squares for a DNF. I agree with RainyPortlandME about the ? being a misdirection in the clue for SLAM POET. Other solvers FIR, so it was a very good puzzle overall, and I appreciate Gary and Amy, Patti, and CC. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteA sterling bunch of themers by Gary and Amy, but, sadly, ruined by stacked and crossing obscure proper names, pop culture stuff and a whole fam-damily of mythological characters. And I, along with several of you folks, will continue to bitch about this until our illustrious constructors stop using so bloody many of them!
ReplyDelete@Wendybird, I also used to ride the Coastliner to Del Mar, not to watch the horsies but to see the horsepower — we’d go down for the IMSA sports car races back in the ‘90s. Had friends who were drivers back then. It was always a really fun trek, and seeing the sun sink into the Pacific on the way home was a perfect ending to an epic weekend.
Thanks for the fun tour, C.C.!
====> Darren / L.A.
Wouldn’t that be Red Beans & Rice for a southern staple? Locally in my south we never called it red rice.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Gary & Amy. This was definitely not an "easy-A" (for me); but, after a lot of fiddling and re-working, I eked out a FIR.
ReplyDeleteFAVs: AGATE KEEPER and the CSO to MISTY. Also loved your title!
Thanks to C.C. for going over the grid for us and for keeping everyone connected with bits of news.
Big Easy, keep getting better and congratulations to your granddaughter! You seem to have a very athletic family.
Anonymous @4:55. Around here in southern Louisiana red beans and rice is called red beans and rice.
ReplyDeleteWendy and Darren, I used to take the train from downtown SD to LA a few days before the Independence Day weekend. There was a sailboat race every year from Marina del Rey to the entrance to SD Bay on Saturday and Sunday. I would drop my truck and boat trailer at Southwestern Yacht Club (just up the street from the posh SDYC,) catch a bus downtown, and hop on Amtrak for the beautiful trip home. I flew Southwest a time or two, which was much quicker but not nearly as much fun.
ReplyDeleteHi Y'all! I filled this with 53 minutes a-muddling about with too many red-letter runs. Call this unknown city! WEES. And I have liked Gary Larson's stuff before. Oh well, kept my mind occupied and off things I don't want to think about.
ReplyDeleteThank you, C.C. I needed your input saying the A-stuff was a theme.
Big Easy, hope your health improves. Congrats on your athletic granddaughter. Isn't your wife a tennis champ? Bet she's proud, too.
NaomiZ: staples in your scalp? Doesn't sound fun. Which hurt more, the staples or the tough puzzle?
ReplyDeleteThank You Gary Larson and Amy Ensz for a very challenging puzzle. I was barely able to finish it ... but there was no pleasure in it. The personal names and the rare clues took all the fun out of it. Just my two bits ...
Thank You CC for your review and the explanations.
Picard ... I Loved. loved, loved your picture of the dinner (?) party and the gathering of friends and well wishers !!! I loved the frame of the picture, and I watched everyface ... one by one ... and also the decor of the room... I missed seeing the picture of your DW, until you explained ...
Your 'advisor' has some very cute and eclectic bric-a-brac on his shelves and across the room ... I noticed a pinecone, a japanese/chinese mythical old style kettle, a split geode etc. etc.
I too, have lots and lots of bric-a-bracs .. baubles, trinkets in my numerous shelves around the family room and the living room. Its just what I have to have ... being an inveterate hoarder ... and junk collector. Some items, I don't even think , or know, ... what they are ... but they're there. After my death, I have left instructions that these items are to be thrown directly into the trash ... nobody would appreciate them, as much as I do...
Have a good week, all you all.