Theme: "POSITIVELY CHARGED" - ION is added to each common phrase.
23. Literary takeaway?: READERS DIGESTION. Reader's Digest.
31. Riches of the Vatican?: PAPAL BULLION. Papal bull.
48. Blessing over breakfast?: EGGS BENEDICTION. Eggs Benedict.
64. Strong affection for school auditoriums?: HALL PASSION. Hall pass.
81. Drink to forgive and forget?: ABSOLUTION VODKA. Absolut Vodka.
91. Army of Istanbul?: TURKEY LEGION. Turkey leg.
107. Lamaze class lectures?: CONTRACTION TALKS. Contract talks.
Two IONs are added to the end of the first words, five are added to the last words.
It's hard to believe, but our label shows that this is Andrea's first LAT Sunday. Michael had his last Sunday puzzle in March, a collaboration with Kevin Christian, who's a frequent collaborator of Andrea.
Across:
1. Give for free: COMP.
5. Carpenter's compressor: C CLAMP. Quite a few letter entries: 41. Letter-shaped construction piece: I BAR. 36. City NNW of H-Town: BIG D. 61. Letter-shaped construction piece: H BEAM.
11. Chow: EATS.
15. Fall blooms, for short: MUMS.
19. Olympic fencing event: EPEE.
20. Card carrier?: DEALER. Playing cards.
21. Yankee preceder in the NATO alphabet: X-RAY.
22. "Gotcha": ON IT.
26. Sorry! or Scrabble: GAME.
27. Poison remedies: ANTIDOTES. I often confuse this word with ANECDOTES.
28. Cut (down): PARE.
29. Carpenter's drill: AUGER.
30. Vellani of "The Marvels": IMAN.
34. Spheres of influence: ORBITS.
38. Courses: WAYS.
39. New Year's __: EVE.
40. Soviet first lady Gorbacheva: RAISA. She was born in Siberia.
43. Combed: SEARCHED.
53. Feudal baron: THANE.
54. Bronze finishers: MEDALISTS.
55. JFK postings: ARRS.
56. Cutting edges: BLADES.
57. Kin of -kin: ETTE.
58. Zone: AREA.
59. Postpone the inevitable: BUY TIME. Also love these few entries: 75. Past the point of no return: IN TOO DEEP. 101. "We're doomed!": ALL IS LOST.
60. Salsa support: CHIP.
67. River Achilles was dipped into: STYX.
68. Rubs the wrong way: ABRADES.
70. Buck passers?: ATMS. Fun clue. See also: 88. Oxford heads?: LOOS. 117. Rolls out the green carpet?: SODS.
71. Lena of "Chocolat": OLIN.
73. Farm machine: REAPER.
74. Put up, in poker: ANTE.
80. "Hasta la vista": LATER.
83. Retired professor's designation: EMERITUS. Emerita for our Misty.
85. Gorilla expert Fossey: DIAN.
86. Sitcom actress Georgia: ENGEL.
87. __-eyed: DOE.
90. Isn't colorfast: BLEEDS.
97. Avianca airlines destination: CALI. Avianca is the largest airline in Colombia. Learning moment for me.
99. Swings around: SLUES.
100. Not fake: REAL.
106. Last Stuart queen: ANNE.
110. Amtrak track: RAIL.
111. The Jonas Brothers, e.g.: TRIO.
112. Appeared ominously: LOOMED. Always large.
113. Cry for worms: PEEP.
114. D.C. group: SENS.
115. "That remains to be __": SEEN.
116. Convent superior: ABBESS. Here are my classes for the next few months. I already had a video lesson with Bill & Margret yesterday. Four more next week.
Down:
1. "Arrested Development" star Michael: CERA.
2. Tournament type: OPEN.
3. Spam, lamb, or ham: MEAT.
4. Cab prefix: PEDI.
5. Old PC drive inserts: CD ROMS.
6. Jai alai basket: CESTA. Very athletic.
7. Weighed down: LADEN.
8. Boxers Muhammad and Laila: ALIS.
9. Storage unit, for short: MEG.
10. Settle in advance: PRE-PAY.
11. Overdramatic: EXTRA.
12. Mermaid who sings "I wanna be where the people are": ARIEL.
13. Philosophy often translated as "way": TAO. Dao in Mandarin.
14. Thesaurus entry: Abbr.: SYN.
15. Business bigwig: MOGUL.
16. Eel in nigiri: UNAGI.
17. Old-fashioned copier, briefly: MIMEO.
18. Back in the navy?: STERN. Navy ship.
24. Ready for making emends?: EDITABLE.
25. Drains, as strength: SAPS.
29. With ears pricked up: ALERTLY.
31. __-mutuel: PARI.
32. "How've ya __?": BEEN.
33. The Cavaliers of the NCAA: UVA.
34. City near Utah Lake: OREM. Next to Provo.
35. Indignation: RAGE.
37. Actress Rae: ISSA.
38. Fistfuls of dollars: WADS.
41. Accounts on the 'gram: INSTAS.
42. Palm with chewable nuts: BETEL.
43. "I need a rescue" letters: SOS.
44. Gabs: CHATS.
45. "I've __ with you!": HAD IT.
46. Archrival: ENEMY.
47. Neuter: DESEX.
49. "Take your pick": EITHER.
50. Sweet popcorn coating: CARAMEL.
51. Ringlet, maybe: TRESS. Margaret took me to her favorite stylist Angie on Tuesday. My new do.
52. Nest egg funds, for short: IRAS.
56. Toe woe: BUNION.
58. Likely will, with "is": APT TO.
59. "Said I Loved You ... But I Lied" singer Michael: BOLTON. He was super popular when I lived in Shanghai.
60. "The Very Busy Spider" writer/illustrator: CARLE.
62. Seeing red: IRATE.
63. Origami medium: PAPER.
65. PC connections: LANS.
66. Ancient Greek region: IONIA. AI Overview: In ancient Greece, Ionia was the central region of the west coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
69. Lampoons: DERIDES.
72. Storyteller: NOVELIST.
74. V-up muscles: ABS.
75. "No kidding?": IT IS.
76. Kaput: DONE.
77. Jigsaw puzzle starting point, often: EDGE.
78. Squeezed (out): EKED.
79. Chums: PALS.
81. "Clan of the Cave Bear" author: AUEL.
82. Japanese noodle: UDON.
84. Cracker Jack bonus: TOY.
88. "That's not true!": LIAR.
89. "C'est magnifique!": OO LA LA. Andrea speaks fluent French.
90. Hunters' hideaways: BLINDS.
91. Winter Palace rulers: TSARS.
92. Arm bones: ULNAE.
93. Quarrel: RUN IN.
94. Collapses, with "over": KEELS.
95. Muppet who is fond of bubble baths: ERNIE.
96. Climb aboard: GET ON.
97. Atmosphere: CLIME.
98. Burn-soothing plants: ALOES.
101. From __: one step: A TO B.
102. Places for napkins: LAPS.
103. Plant-based spread: OLEO.
104. Quick itinerary?: SKED. Schedule.
105. Baking soda amts.: TSPS.
107. Short change?: CTS. Short indicates an Abbr.
108. Resource in Minecraft or Catan: ORE.
109. Male swan: COB.
C.C.
17 comments:
I neglected to read the
title. However, the gimmick was evident from the first themed solve, so no problem. In fact, no problem whatsoever. FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
CESTA is an old-timey cw entry that emerged from brain cells I thought were long dead. BULLION was one letter too short for my first guess. Who knew that READER'S DIGEST was still "alive?" It used to be a staple in the doctor's waiting room. Yes, BIG-D (Dallas) is NNW of H-Town (Houston), but it's 240 miles away -- not really in the neighborhood. Interesting puzzle, but I wasn't enthralled with the theme. Thanx, Michael, Andrea, and C.C. (I'm surprised you've decided to take those classes.)
FIR but just barely. Some “challenging” clue/answer pairings. CESTA, BIGD, RAISA, EXTRA, CLIME…all either arcane or clued strangely, and I always thought it was ooh la la. Clime and atmosphere as SYNs seem to befuddle online thesauri. Fortunately, perps and a little luck served as my ANTIDOTES to these stretched entries (was she Mama Dotes’ sister?)
SKED and INSTAS (along with its clue) should be put in a box with SESH and taken out and buried. Did get a kick out of EGGSBENEDICTION.
FIR. I loved the theme and got it early on when I filled eggs benediction. I wasn't paying much attention to the theme before that.
There were a few knotty spots in today's puzzle but the perps were kind.
Overall an enjoyable puzzle.
Good Morning:
I’m pretty fussy when it comes to Sunday puzzles, but this one tickled my fancy, possibly because of the amusing and spot-on themers, particularly Eggs Benediction and its perfect clue. Even though the title and the first theme entry gave away the gimmick immediately, the solve was still fun and enjoyable because the C/As were not forced or foolish, IMO. There were a few unknowns, i.e., Iman, Carle, and Cali, but the perps were fair and the grid was free of the usual obtuse pop culture references.
Thanks, Michael and Andrea, for a lovely Sunday stroll and congrats, Andrea, on your Sunday debut. Thanks, also, to CC, for the always informative insider’s view on the nuts and bolts of crossword construction. Your new “do” is very attractive!
Have a great day.
FIW, missing PARa x EGGS BENEDaCTION (careless) and bALI x bLIME (coin-flipped bALI / mALI, not thinking of CALI. CLIME makes sense, but I don't remember running across it before.)
Bronz MEDALISTS, or "second losers."
As a reformed rag-bagger, every time I see STYX I think of Come Sail Away.
A better clue for LATER would have been hasta luego, literally "see you later."
Let's never forget that OREM is where Charlie Kirk was assassinated, just as no one will ever forget the grassy knoll.
I really enjoyed AUEL's books, but I also like Rolling Stones' Under My Thumb. Can I keep my man card?
I always think of Michel McDonald when I see the lesser-known Michael Bolton. McDonald's music with the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan was better known than his solo work. I think of Bolton as a cover artist.
Thanks to (another) Michael and Andrea for the fun Sunday workout. And thanks to CC for another solid tour. I'm impressed with your religious courses. I think people live better when they have a strong religious belief, regardless of which religion it is.
114A. Cry for worms = peep? I don't get it.
Musings
-Since nits are now is season, IONS can be negative as well.
-Surprised to see IONIA in the mix
-UNL has had to PARE some degree programs due to a budget shortfall
-IN TOO DEEP: Have you ever told what you thought was a little white lie and had to keep it going
-Cyrus McCormick’s REAPER revolutionized farm production
-I boarded for BALI before CALI
-Yes, a horrible event in OREM was in the headlines last week
-If I need an SOS I’d love to have ABBA sing it!
-Love the picture, C.C.!
-Doing EDGES first is also my lawn mowing strategy
-THe baby birds are going peep, peep, peep crying for a worm.
-What Irish said….again!!
Oh I just got it. Baby birds eat worms!
I liked this puzzle. For bonus charged particles, we have IONIA and BUNION, plus affection, designation, destination, old-fashioned, indignation, connections, region, and construction (twice) in the clues.
Good reading you all.
I don't know why I feel negatively about this puzzle, maybe because it seems like AUEL was generated by A.I.?
Thanks for the review. DIGESTION as "take-away" didn't quite land for me the way the other themed answers did, but I managed to finish correctly with no look-ups. EGGSBENEDICTION was pretty good.
FIR and enjoyed it. Seeing the gimmick at work in the first themed answer gave me a leg up in solving the rest of them, which I like. Still pretty challenging for a Sunday! DNK IMAN Vellani nor the name of the jai again basket, but guessing the A where they crossed was a good bet. Many thanks to Michael and Andrea, and to C.C. always!
Delightful Sunday puzzle, many thanks for this pleasant effort, Michael and Andrea. And, C.C., this will probably be one of my favorite commentaries of yours for all times. So, many many thanks to you for this too.
Well, as soon as I saw EATS and MEAT, I figured we were getting a food theme in today's Sunday puzzle. And sure enough, we soon got not just DIGESTION, but READER DIGESTION--hey, that's our take-away from today's Sunday paper. And then came the great gift, of course: EGGS BENEDICT. Woohoo! Sunday lunch doesn't get any better than this (well, except with real food, of course). And we even got some VODKA to go with this, and we didn't even have to PRE-PAY for it. So, an utterly delightful and tasty literal and figurative Sunday lunch, that will leave us happy all day.
So thanks again, everybody, and have a wonderful lunch too!
AUEL was born Jean Untinen. Her Clan of the Cave Bear is the first of her “Earth’s Children” novels, and is also my favorite. The series is set about 50,000 years ago (before most US Senators and ALL of the Rolling Stones were born.) Although the book doesn't mention it (IIRC,) the heroine seems to be a Cro-Magnon woman growing up in a band of Neanderthals. Although she is clearly genetically superior to the Neanderthals, they make the rules, which she can't abide.
Autocorrect changed my "jai alai" to "jai again," which sounds like "hi again." So, hi 👋 again!
Hola! I''ll have to read you all later as I'm due for two birthday celebrations. My granddaughter and one of my friends of the "fabulous foursome" have September birthdays. But I really enjoyed finishing this puzzle and the theme helped quite a lot in some cases. Thank you, Michael and Carla! I hope all are enjoying a wonderful day today!
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