Theme: "Wheeling and Dealing" - Each common phrase is reinterpreted as if it's a car model.
23A. Shopping for a Kia subcompact SUV?: SOUL SEARCHING.
33A. No longer keen on that Ford crossover SUV?: OVER THE EDGE.
56A. Choosing the Nissan with the all-wheel drive?: GOING ROGUE.
60A. "Love the new Ford crossover"?: GREAT ESCAPE.
89A. Expert in hard-to-find Rolls-Royces?: GHOST HUNTER.
92A. Deep dive into the three-row Honda?: PILOT STUDY.
112A. Leaning toward the Honda sedan?: CIVIC MINDED.
128A. Last Nissan truck off the assembly line?: FINAL FRONTIER.
No Hyundai, their models are place names. Not good for wordplay. Eight theme entries, four in front, four in the back. Very consistent.
Alan has collabrated a few times with Andrea Carla Michales and Doug Peterson. This is his first solo LAT Sunday. Congrats, Alan!
1. Pilates roll up targets: ABS.
4. Return advice pro: CPA. Tax return.
7. Emmy winner Uzo: ADUBA. Gained fame for her role in "Orange Is the New Black".
12. States with authority: SAYS SO.
18. Public notice: PLACARD.
20. Use a zoom: PAN IN. And 109. Zoom events: Abbr.: MTGS. Meetings.
21. Go over exam notes, e.g.: PREPARE.
25. Check one's math again: RE-TOTAL.
26. "I could go on": ETC ETC. Boomer's high school classmate Paul Newman visited me last Tuesday. He lives in a 16-acre farm. Has a story for everything.
27. Clay mineral: TALC.
28. French café partner?: LAIT. Cafe au lait.
30. Ryan Gosling and Kingsley Ben-Adir in "Barbie": KENS.
31. Coastal concern: SEA LEVEL.
36. 37-Across+Y: RE-DO &
37. PC shortcut key: CTRL.
39. Collaborators: TEAMS.
40. "Yikes!": EEK.
43. Figure on the shelf at Christmas: ELF.
45. Genesis figure: ENOS.
47. "Sorry, impossible": I CAN'T.
51. Flamenco star José: GRECO. Italian-born flamenco dancer. Learning moment for me.
54. "The Witch Elm" novelist French: TANA.
63. __ Rabbit: BR'ER.
64. Pans with patinas: WOKS.
65. Munich Olympics star Mark: SPITZ.
66. Asian mushroom: ENOKI. Common ingredient in Chinese, Japanese and Korean soup dishes and hot pots.
68. "Get Smart" crime org.: KAOS.
70. Bring home: NET.
71. NBA great Curry: STEPH. And
73. "Goosebumps" series writer: STINE. And
75. "Julie & Julia" actor Stanley: TUCCI. Three name in a row, but all well-known.
77. President's advisory gp.: NSC. National Security Council.
79. Skateboarding trick spot: RAIL.
81. Drum kit piece: SNARE.
83. Really irritated: CROSS.
85. Tiny amount: A TAD. Bill and Margaret loved my quinoa & sweet potato salad. I used a few drops of maple syrup in my dressing.
87. Commit a faux pas: SLIP.
95. Bone, in Bologna: OSSO.
96. Khaki kin: BEIGE.
97. Collection of plates?: ARMOR. Armor plates.
98. Farm baby: FOAL.
100. Hosp. theaters: ORS.
102. Limit: CAP.
103. Third-largest city in Israel: HAIFA.
107. Lego competitor: K'NEX.
116. Mooch: FREELOAD.
120. Guinness of "Smiley's People": ALEC.
121. Useful houseplant: ALOE.
122. Mindy, to Emily in "Emily in Paris": AMIE.
124. "Sit!": PARK IT.
126. Direct connection: LINKAGE.
131. Past-post wager: LATE BET.
132. Guitar-playing "Glee" kid: ARTIE. Played by Kevin McHale.
133. Disney film whose opening song is "The Family Madrigal": ENCANTO.
134. Fixers of fixer-uppers: DIYers.
135. Temps for bundling up: TEENS. You can still see guys in shorts in our grocery store. Crazy.
136. Low grade: DEE.
137. Retired jet, briefly: SST.
Down:
1. Semicircular recess in a cathedral: APSE.
2. Dabs at: BLOTS.
3. Béarnaise, e.g.: SAUCE.
4. Windsor __: CASTLE.
5. Lead: PRECEDE.
6. "__ Twist, Scientist": kid-lit bestseller: ADA.
7. Class for a mathlete, informally: AP CALC.
8. Arlene of the silver screen: DAHL.
9. Billion-dollar start-up: UNICORN.
10. British trash can: BIN.
11. Viewpoint: ANGLE.
12. 7UP competitor: SPRITE.
13. "Think" singer Franklin: ARETHA.
14. Up to this point: YET.
15. "Eat Mor Chikin" sloganeer, e.g.: SPOKESCOW.
16. Completely full: SATED.
17. Red-haired primate: ORANG.
19. Crystal __: CLEAR.
22. "What __ can I do?": ELSE.
24. GPS directive: RTE.
29. Class with smocks: ART.
32. Electric fence measures: VOLTS.
34. Daily Insta post: V-LOG.
35. Arab honorific: EMIR.
38. Steep places?: TEAPOTS. Steep tea.
40. Half a zygote: EGG.
41. Miscalculates: ERRS.
42. Stays cool: KEEPS CALM.
44. Turn toward: FACE.
46. Weep noisily: SOB.
48. Argumentative: AGONISTIC. New word to me.
49. Zap in the microwave: NUKE.
50. Doctor's order: TEST.
52. "I Am __": Jenner reality show: CAIT.
53. Kelp forest dweller: OTTER.
From Google: One of the most important mammals in a kelp forest is the
sea otter, who takes refuge from sharks and storms in these forests.
55. Mums' mums: NANS.
57. Rankle: IRK.
58. "How cool!": NEAT.
59. Curmudgeon: GROUCH.
61. Convenience that may take a toll?: E-ZPASS. Great clue.
62. Squeezing (by): EKING.
67. No longer even: IN A HOLE. Casino, right?
69. Benchwarmer: SCRUB. Scrub player.
72. Sword handle: HILT.
74. God with magical arrows: EROS.
76. Pet protector: CONE.
77. Good place to pick up a cab?: NAPA. Cabernet.
78. Commotion: STIR.
80. Lucy who played Watson: LIU. Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu and Chen are popular surnames in China.
82. Petrol provider: ESSO.
84. Angry Birds owner: SEGA.
86. Thingamabob: DOOHICKEY.
88. "See attached" attachment: PDF.
90. Singer Mel: TORME.
91. Sales __: REP.
93. Gillette brand: TRAC.
94. Tie together: YOKE.
99. Slow and steady, musically: ANDANTE.
101. "First ... ": STEP ONE.
104. Radiologist: IMAGER.
105. Options at Ruth's Chris: FILETS. We have a Ruth's Chris in Minneapolis.
106. "So is that __?": A NO.
108. Cases for Mulder and Scully: X-FILES.
110. Hurried look: GLANCE.
111. "That's not totally wrong": SORTA.
112. Dial up: CALL.
113. "The Song of Achilles" inspiration: ILIAD.
114. Starbucks order: VENTI.
115. Skim, as homemade chicken stock: DE-FAT.
117. Zebra on a field: REF.
118. Claude of "B.J. and the Bear": AKINS. Unknown to me.
119. Pescatarian and vegetarian: DIETS. Connie is a pescatarian.
123. Course opener?: MAIN. Main course.
125. Bouncy gait: TROT.
127. Actor Vigoda: ABE.
129. Indignation: IRE.
130. __ velvet: RED.
C.C.
8 comments:
I didn’t have too much trouble with this puzzle, but I do have a little nit with the plethora of names; in particular, crossing “Aduba” (who?) and “Dahl” as well as putting “Spitz” and “Steph” right next to each other. Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
Not too difficult. D-o recognized all of the car models. I do have a nit on PAN IN: A PAN is a side-to-side camera movement, not a zoom. Anyone else try the old standby ATRA for that Gillette product? Impressive Sunday debut, Alan. Thanx for 'splainin' it all, C.C. (Are you sure that's not a 160-acre farm? 16 acres is pretty small.)
EZ PASS: I turned mine in when I retired, but recently got a new one. It occasionally comes in handy on my M-o-W routes and for doctor appts.
AKINS: Claude AKINS was a long-time spokesperson for AAMCO transmissions. "Half the cars serviced by AAMCO don't need a new transmission." Translation: AAMCO can fix your car about half the time.
FIW, missing my WAGs @ AlDANTE x KlEX and NANa x aTINE. Several erasures, notably ghost busters->GHOST HUNTERS and is that all->is that A NO.
I'm with D-O on PAN IN. I worked at a PBS affiliate as an engineer, and saying that would have caused derisive laughter among the crew.
I most remember Claude AKINS as Sonny on Movin' On. He and Frank Converse both actually drove the big rigs on the show, and both became licensed to do so.
Did we have an Easter egg @ BRER rabbit? (I wonder if the wokies have cancelled those books. Can't imagine The Tar-Baby being allowed to be read to kids these days.)
In Eastern Kentucky, the competitor to 7UP was (and is) Ale-8-One. Pronounced SORTA like "a late one."
So good to see The Velvet Fog remembered today with TORME.
Thanks to Alan for the fun puzzle, and thanks to CC for the interesting review.
All the obscure names sucked the fun out of this one.
Just read that Ricky Henderson, aka the Man of Steal, died Friday. in his major league career he had 1,406 steals, 468 more that Lou Brock. RIP, fast man. You made watching baseball fun.
Unlike SubG and d-o, I thought this was a lot tougher than most Sundays. It took major perp aid and a few WAGs to get me ADUBA, GRECO, TANA, KAOS, TUCCI, ARTIE, ADA and AGONISTIC…ETC…ETC…. I did manage a FIR w/out help in 50:07, but it was a slog. I was familiar with all the car models so that helped, just all the obscurities (for me) put a damper on the enjoyment. Thanks Alan for the morning challenge and to C.C. for your informative write-up.
Not a fan of today’s puzzle. Too much popular culture and other trivia. Turns the whole thing into an ugly slog. CAIT, GRECO, TANA, STEPH, SPITZ - all crammed into one small section would be Exhibit A.
I knew the cars but the SW gave me trouble. The cross of VENTI and DIYERS got me. I guessed VENTE and had no idea what DAYERS was and left it. A FIW today. Not a coffee drinker and Do-it-yourself wasn't a thought.
The proper names for A&E fills are always a struggle. ADUBA, AKINS, KENS, TUCCI, KNEX, X FILES, ARTIE, ENCANTO ADA, CAIT, LIU-filled by perps.
I did know Jose GRECO, ALEC, DAHL, ARETHA.SPITZ, TORME.
Thingamabob- I've always heard thingamajig or DOOHICKEY
ORANG for red haired primate. When I had hair, it was red.
FILETS or T-BONES. Chris Steakhouse in NOLA was bought by Ruth Fertel. She kept the name Chris, just added her name. It became Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.
Post a Comment