Theme: "SUPERMARKET SWEEP" - Each theme entry strings together three familiar product brands in the aisle named in the clue.
23. Brief but strong infatuation in the beverage aisle?: BRISK MONSTER CRUSH.
38. Sly campaign to keep white birds out of the deodorant aisle?: SECRET DOVE BAN.
51. Huge supply of sled dogs in the household goods aisle?: HEFTY HUSKY BOUNTY.
66. Improve Alabama school spirit in the laundry aisle?: GAIN TIDE CHEER.
84. Ms. Witherspoon's Peruvian friends in the candy aisle?: REESE'S ANDES PEEPS.
92. Full commitment to benevolence in the cereal aisle?: TOTAL KIND LIFE.114. Exclusive gathering around a cauldron in the snack aisle?: PREMIUM KETTLE CLUB.
In the old Tribune Media Daily days, we would have "three types of candy" or "three types of cereal" clues.
Adam elevates the concept beyond simple mashups. It takes real creativity to craft a coherent surface for each trio so that the brands read naturally when placed side by side.
Across:
1. Scary story emotion: FEAR.
5. Corrida star: TORERO. Spanish for "bullfighter".
11. Yogi's pose: ASANA.
16. "__ Is a Woman": Ariana Grande song: GOD.
19. Shakespearean villain: IAGO.
20. Putting in some miles, say: ON A RUN.
21. Trig function: COSEC.
22. Impersonate: APE.
26. __ of attrition: LAW.
27. Daytime show until 2022: ELLEN. "Call Me Maybe" era memories. Blurry images though.
28. Sundaes, e.g.: DESSERTS.
29. 2026 Olympics host country: ITALY.
31. Whiskey choice: RYE.
32. Spanish river to the Mediterranean: EBRO.
35. Evian, par exemple: EAU.
36. Sacramento daily: BEE.
37. French father: PERE. et Mere.
45. Opera solo: ARIA.
48. Ordinary: USUAL.
50. Financial: MONETARY.
56. Toledo's lake: ERIE.
57. Pitcher's rate?: AD FEE. Sales pitch.
58. Cell service letters: LTE.
59. Check no.: ACCT.
60. Take by force: WREST. Not our normal USURP or SEIZE.
61. Vegan cafe order: SOY LATTE.
63. Farm insects: ANTS.
64. Bridal party attire: DRESSES.
69. Finalize, as a house purchase: CLOSE ON.
73. Exclude: OMIT.
74. Obscene: INDECENT.
79. Show runner?: AIRER. Literally.
80. Borscht base: BEET.
81. "Here Comes the Hotstepper" singer Kamoze: INI. Learning moment for me.
82. Radii neighbors: ULNAE.
83. Nota __: BENE.
88. Tool for an ENT: OTOSCOPE.
90. Have faith in: TRUST.
91. Campus group: FRAT.
96. Pet brand since 1946: IAMS.
98. Figure skater Alysa: LIU. She's stunning.
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99. Landlocked Eur. country: AUS.
100. Ocular issue: STYE.
101. Light-years away: FAR.
104. Dry shampoo target: SCALP. Not a fan of dry shampoo.
107. Unleash: LET LOOSE.
111. Corn: MAIZE.
113. Sin City airport code: LAS.
118. Alias letters: AKA.
119. Consumed: EATEN.
120. City near Hueco Tanks: EL PASO. Hueco Tanks is a Texas state park. Unfamiliar to me.
121. Neutral shade: ECRU.
122. __ in one's step: PEP.
123. Corp. shuffle: REORG.
124. Woven furniture material: RATTAN.
125. Ewes and does: SHES.
Down:
1. Nutrient found in most fruit: FIBER. I'm so looking forward to the peach season.
2. At 4 a.m., say: EARLY.
3. Limber: AGILE.
4. "Titanic" heroine: ROSE.
5. __ yum: Thai soup: TOM. Tom means "boiling". Hot.
6. Peace activist Yoko: ONO.
7. Stranger, in slang: RANDO.
8. Gaelic language: ERSE.
9. Tedious routines: RUTS.
10. "Be right back ... ": ONE SEC.
11. Build over time: ACCRUE.
12. Spreadsheet action: SORT.
13. Taiwanese tech giant: ASUS. Named after Pegasus, the winged horse.
14. Console known as Famicom in Japan: NES. Famicom stands for Family Computer.
15. Realize: ACHIEVE.
16. Big do: GALA.
17. Fall birthstone: OPAL.
18. Damp in the morning: DEWY.
24. Leg joint: KNEE.
25. Foster: REAR.
30. Wobbles: TEETERS.
33. "Dude, are you serious?": BRUH.
34. Bring about: RESULT IN.
36. Like hard-to-eat fish: BONY.
37. Dev of "Monkey Man": PATEL. Made his breakthrough in "Slumdog Millionaire"
38. Quaff with sushi: SAKE.
39. "Tarzan" actor Ron: ELY.
40. Cartoon quartet named for Renaissance artists, for short: TMNT. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael
41. Half of a colon: DOT.
42. Exposes: BARES.
43. Pop up: ARISE.
44. Russian denials: NYETS.
45. Clicking sounds?: AHAS. Good old clue.
46. Second chance: REDO.
47. Not certain: IFFY.
49. Route that includes a ferry between Wisc. and Mich.: US TEN.
52. Record-setting pilot Chuck: YEAGER.
53. Wild West robbers: BANDITS.
54. One set of pawns, in chess: OCTET.
55. Sch. whose mascot is Sammy the Banana Slug: UCSC. University of California, Santa Cruz.
60. "It's our turn!": WE'RE UP.
62. Eastern philosophy: TAO. Dao in China.
63. Mann of alt-rock: AIMEE.
64. Fights an allegation: DENIES IT.
65. Like half of Indonesia's flag: RED.
67. Pedicure targets: TOES.
68. One performing puja: HINDU. Puja is Hindu worship ritual.
69. American statesman Henry __ Lodge: CABOT.
70. Mislead: LIE TO.
71. "... but maybe I'm off base?": OR NOT.
72. Has a panoramic view, say: SEES ALL.
75. Staff figures: CLEFS.
76. Fed. power dept.: ENER.
77. __ cabbage: NAPA. We ate napa cabbage and daikon every day
during winter when I was a kid. Popular ingredients in Chinese paocai,
our version of kimchi.
78. Sample: TEST.
80. "It's __ a minute!": BEEN.
81. Memo starter: IN RE.
84. Smart TV option: ROKU.
85. Prefix with dermal: EPI.
86. DOJ bureau: ATF.
87. Lisa Loeb hit single: STAY.
89. Intuit Dome player: CLIPPER. NBA's newest arena in Inglewood, CA.
93. Seeing romantically: DATING.
94. Doozy: LULU.
95. Chemical cousin: ISOMER.
97. Viral post: MEME.
100. Adjust to: SET AT.
101. Pilfer: FILCH.
102. Bright blue hue: AZURE.
103. Picture puzzle: REBUS.
104. Smack: SLAP.
105. Birthday order: CAKE. I want this.
106. "Stat!": ASAP.
107. Sister of Asteria in Greek mythology: LETO.
108. Pt. of EMT: EMER.
109. St. with a panhandle: OKLA.
110. Mo. in a Green Day title: SEPT.
112. Vegas team: ACES.
115. Issa of "American Fiction": RAE.
116. Screening org.: TSA.
117. Silent film star Chaney: LON.
On a sad note, I'm sharing that Bill G, who used to comment regularly on our blog, passed away in February 2025. I had emailed him a "Happy Birthday" message, his daughter Bonnie let me know the news. Bill was a warm and thoughtful presence here, and he will be missed.
Barbara, Bill & their grandchildren
2 comments:
Although I didn’t quite
know all the brands involved, the puzzle was not that difficult to solve. Perps helped, when needed.
Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
YooperPhil here ~ currently on a bus in Inverness, Scotland, heading to a castle on Lake Ness. 5G coverage is superb over here. Had to download the puzzle from the WaPo as the LAT site doesn’t come up for some reason. No constructor byline and no title, but I did figure the very clever theme after the first few long entries. FIR in 32 and change. Thanks to the author for the enjoyable solve, and to C.C. for your review. Sorry to hear of Bill G’s passing.
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