Theme: "Cards on the Table" - Each theme answer starts with a card game.
22. Temptation for Hansel and Gretel: GINGER BREADHOUSE.
38. Place to take a long drive?: WARNING TRACK.
47. Highly suspenseful: HEART-STOPPING.
67. Song for Snow White: WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK.
85. Infield feature: PITCHER'S MOUND.
92. Role that earned Renée Zellweger her first Oscar nomination: BRIDGET JONES.
115. "Time to play!," and what could be said about 22-, 38-, 47-, 67-, 85-, and 92-Across: LET THE GAMES BEGIN.
Fresh take on the card game theme. I don't recall seeing this approach before.
I think this is our constructor. He's an accomplished Scrabble player.
Across:
1. More predictable: TAMER.
6. Quite a few: MANY.
10. Extensions: LIMBS.
15. __ card: smartphone insert: SIM.
18. Atlanta university: EMORY.
19. Early Ron Howard role: OPIE. "The Andy Griffith Show".
20. Roast host: EMCEE.
21. Trillion, in computer storage: TERA. Mega, giga, tera.
25. Celebrated one: IDOL.
26. The 13 of PG-13: AGE.
27. Informal French pronoun: TOI. As to "vous".
28. Tweet: CHIRP.
29. Layered Italian dessert: SPUMONI. Layered gelato. With cherries and pistachios.
31. Hesitant: NOT SO SURE.
34. Tidy the garden: WEED.
36. Drive-in chain with carhops: SONIC.
37. En __: as a group: MASSE.
41. Farley of "Tommy Boy": CHRIS.
44. Wind up: COIL.
46. Airport destination: GATE.
52. Gallo Winery city: MODESTO.
57. "Dead Wake" author Larson: ERIK
58. Janelle of "Glass Onion": MONAE.
59. Otherwise: ELSE.
61. Singe: CHAR.
62. Voice artist Blanc: MEL.
63. "Whatcha __?": DOIN.
64. __ circus: FLEA.
65. Ornamental style: ROCOCO.
72. "I need grub!": FEED ME.
73. Maryland blue, e.g.: CRAB. This is huge.
74. Test-drive: SPIN.
75. "CrazySexyCool" R&B trio: TLC.
77. Even, in France: EGAL.
78. Headliner: STAR.
79. Very pale: ASHEN.
81. Spirit: BRIO.
82. Tattoos and such: BODY ART.
88. Half-moon tide: NEAP.
90. Citation abbr.: ET AL.
91. Longtime Celtics GM Danny: AINGE. Unfamiliar with this guy.
98. 64-Down tellers: LIARS. 64. Bit of baloney: FIB.
101. Eagle's nest: AERIE.
102. Irritable state: SNIT.
103. Reservation taker: CONCIERGE.
107. Name associated with two types of cups: STANLEY. The hockey cup and this type.
110. "Gesundheit" elicitor: ACHOO.
112. Beauty: GEM.
113. Amount to: ARE.
114. Donkey __: KONG.
119. Yale alumni: ELIS.
120. Sarge's superior: LOOIE.
121. Soul legend Redding: OTIS.
122. Congregational calls: AMENS.
123. Sixers for the Niners, briefly: TDS. I like this clue angle. And 78. 123-Across, e.g.: STAT.
124. Boutiques: SHOPS.
125. Tabloid fare: DIRT.
126. Like soapy hands: SUDSY.
Down:
2. Buddy, in Bolivia: AMIGO.
3. "Rouen Cathedral" painter: MONET.
4. Energy unit: ERG.
5. Canapé option: RYE TOAST.
6. __ strip: mathematics model used in the NASCAR Hall of Fame design: MOBIUS.
7. Loan fig.: APR.
8. Nephew's sister: NIECE.
9. "Totes": YEAH.
10. Musical satirist Tom: LEHRER. "The Elements".
11. "Throw it to me!": I'M OPEN.
12. Superhero franchise initials: MCU. The Marvel Cinematic Universe.
13. First lady after Eleanor: BESS.
14. Move like water in a percolator: SEEP.
15. Arizona home of Cathedral Rock: SEDONA. Stunning view.
16. Unexpectedly apt: IRONIC.
17. Wendie of "Just Shoot Me!": MALICK. Sometimes we see MALEK (Rami).
21. Divided island of Southeast Asia: TIMOR.
23. "American Fiction" actress Tracee Ellis __: ROSS.
24. Hindu festival celebrated over five days: DIWALI. When I was a kid, Chinese New Year lasted at least 15 days. It's the only time I got new clothes.
30. Formal Spanish pronoun: USTED.
32. Smug look: SMIRK.
33. Meet up with old friends: RE-CONNECT.
35. Archaeological site: DIG.
38. Moist towelette: WIPE.
39. "__ your price": NAME.
40. Classic Pontiac: GTO.
41. Sci. class with a lab requirement: CHEM.
42. "Brace yourselves!": HERE WE GO.
43. End of the line, perhaps: RAILHEAD.
45. Joyful cry at a Greek wedding: OPA. Let's see if this video works.
48. Struck down, biblically: SMOTE.
49. Slog away: TOIL.
50. Tony winner Carter: NELL.
51. TV musical with 207 songs on the Billboard Hot 100: GLEE.
53. Danish shoe brand: ECCO.
54. Immediate future: SHORT RUN. Or a 3-mile trot to Renee.
55. Taking on, as a challenge: TACKLING.
56. Spanish treasure: ORO.
60. Offers a greeting: SAYS HELLO.
63. Psych. handbook: DSM. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.
65. Archaeological site: RUINS.
66. Possess: OWN.
68. Without thinking: IDLY.
69. Sandwich option: WRAP.
70. Mata __: HARI.
71. Pay phone abbr.: OPER.
72. Shortest mo.: FEB.
76. Program: CODE.
79. Goes for it: ACTS.
80. Doo-wop syllable: SHA.
81. Home of the NCAA's Broncos: BOISE. Boise State Broncos.
83. Nativity play role: ANGEL.
84. Food writer Drummond: REE.
86. Get a bite?: TEETHE. Fun clue.
87. Xylophone kin: MARIMBAS.
89. Comfy outfit: PJS.
92. Picnic container: BASKET.
93. Like stories of days gone by, often: RE-TOLD.
94. Tehran natives: IRANIS.
95. Small imperfections: DINGS.
96. Using inside info, perhaps: ON A TIP.
97. Cozy spots: NICHES.
99. Eat: INGEST.
100. Las Vegas WNBA team: ACES.
103. Animal also known as the hog-nosed raccoon: COATI.
104. Stormed: RAGED.
105. Sly expressions: GRINS.
106. Itty-bitty: EENSY.
108. What always ends well?: ELLS. The two letters.
109. Michelle of "Everything Everywhere All at Once": YEOH. Hokkien spelling of the Chinese name Yang. Hokkien is the largest Chinese dialect in Malaysia.
111. Psalm starter: O GOD.
116. As well: TOO.
117. Bygone space station: MIR.
118. Cassowary relative: EMU. We have ostriches in our local Como Zoo.
In case you missed it, Husker Gary met with Inanehiker (Nina) and her friend Marla last Wednesday. I love seeing our blog regulars meet in real life. This picture made me so happy.
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| Nina, Gary and Marla |
6 comments:
I saw all the “card games” (one or two I didn’t recognize, but I knew of and/or have played most of them at one time or another ) and solved the puzzle in good time. Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
Saw the lead-off card games. Is it PIT or PITCH? Both work. There were far too many names for my taste, but I managed to finish, so the perps must've been helpful. Was this a debut for Ricky? Good one. Thanx for the recap, C.C.
Looks like Nina and Husker had a nice lunch. I guess Marla didn't get to eat.
Pu to the nth degree! Nothing but obscure names.
I liked it, although I have no recognition of a card game named of PIT (or PITCH).
I was surprised to see that MONET was used as an answer twice. First at 3D and then again at 58A. A quick check of the crossing clues gave me the correct spelling of her last name. It wasn't an "aha" moment. It was an "oh yeah" moment. I know her from the movie "Hidden Figures"
D-O, this is the 5th debut of Rick Sirois. His first was Jan 14, 2023.
Some good Sunday fare today with a solid theme and reveal. FIR in a few ticks under a half hour. Seemed like a lot of names but I knew nine of them off the top of my head, others required perps. We’ve had MONET several times lately, today also MONAE. I’d guess Baltimore Bill knew what a Maryland Blue was. The top themer also had “HOUSE” (of cards), first thought that may be part of the theme till I saw the other game names, never heard of PIT. A good Friday clue for EMU would be “Ypsilanti sch.” Thanks Ricky for the fun puzzle and C.C. for the expo!
Ricky.
Nice that inanehiker and Husker Gary got to meet!
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