Theme: "SEE ZEE SIGHTS!" - See/Zee sound is added to each common phrase, changing spelling as needed.
23. Place to learn about chili peppers?: SPICY MUSEUM. Spy museum.
32. Shearing event held under the big top?: FLEECY CIRCUS. Flea circus.
47. Root for a Calgary franchise?: FANCY THE FLAMES. Fan the flame.
63. Event for people who won't drink Coca-Cola?: PEPSI RALLY. Pep rally.
66. "Gangster Malone takes the bait!"?: BUGSY BITES. Bug bites.
83. Coffee table item in a dollhouse?: TEENSY MAGAZINE. Teen magazine.
95. Where it's hard to keep a secret?: NOSY MAN'S LAND. No man's Island.
109. "Yes, I'll invest in beachfront property in Arizona!"?: PATSY ANSWER. Pat answer.
I've mentioned before how much I admire this type of letter addition theme where spelling changes are involved. These are much harder to construct than straightforward insertions, It requires creativity.
There are also quite a bit of clue echos in this grid. I love these three:
5. "Don't sweat the small stuff": WHY WORRY. 44. "Don't sweat the small stuff": LET IT SLIDE. And 106. Sweat the small stuff, say: FRET. I love these clue echos.
Across:
1. Scattered: STREWN.
7. Georgetown athlete: HOYA.
11. Baking amts.: TSPS.
15. Labor agcy.: OSHA.
19. "Weekend Edition Sunday" host Rascoe: AYESHA. Here she's playing Ping Pong with the Puzzlemaster Will Shortz. We also have 29. "Weekend Edition Sunday" airer: NPR.
20. Smell: ODOR.
21. Neutral color lighter than greige: ECRU. Greige is a blend of gray & beige.
22. To-do: STIR.
25. Shimmery gem: MOONSTONE.
27. Egg maker: HEN. 35. Egg maker: FABERGE.
28. Telegrams: WIRES.
30. Lake near Syracuse, New York: ONEIDA. The largest lake entirely within New York State.
31. Salad bar accessory: TONGS.
38. Tara of "Sharknado": REID.
39. Earring option: HOOP.
40. "Unfortunately ... ": I FEAR.
41. Lucy Van __: "Peanuts" kid: PELT.
42. First number in many countdowns: TEN.
43. Envelope part: FLAP.
51. Unflinching: STEELY. 16. Unflappable: STOIC.
53. Part of a foot: INCH.
54. Countless lifetimes: EON.
55. "The Menu" star Taylor-Joy: ANYA. Super friendly letter combo.
56. More to the point: BLUNTER.
57. Colorful method of data visualization: HEAT MAP.
60. __ Kippur: YOM.
61. Rowing implement: OAR.
62. Secret suffix: IVE.
69. Above, poetically: O'ER.
70. Former U.N. head Hammarskjöld: DAG. Swedish diplomat who died in a plane crash.
71. Listening device?: EAR.
73. Small gears: PINIONS.
74. Assembled in advance: PRE-MADE.
76. Chicken cordon __: BLEU.
78. California wine grape, for short: ZIN. Zinfandel.
79. Bunches (of): A LOT.
82. Triple-A squad in Buffalo: BISONS. Buffalo Bisons are the Triple-A affiliate of the Blue Jays.
86. Folksy assent: YES M.
87. Square root of cuatro: DOS.
88. Dayton's state: OHIO.
89. Connection points: NODES.
90. Picture of health?: X-RAY.
92. Stefani of No Doubt: GWEN.
93. Most cruel: MEANEST.
100. Game similar to pétanque: BOCCE. Pétanque is a French lawn game. Learning moment for me.
101. "Cool beans!": OH NEAT.
102. Pointer: TIP.
103. "Love Will Find a Way" band __ Cruise: PABLO.
104. Letters on some makeup bottles: SPF.
107. Chaotic swirl: MAELSTROM. Dutch origin.
112. North __ Sea: Central Asian lake: ARAL.
113. Stuff of legend: LORE.
114. Tiff: SPAT.
115. Look for solutions: IDEATE.
116. __ Fifth Avenue: SAKS.
117. Farm females: EWES.
118. Abbey recess: APSE.
119. Din: RACKET.
Down:
1. Window part: SASH.
2. Use keys to enter: TYPE. And 4. F1 neighbor: ESC.
3. Horse rider's strap: REIN.
6. __ rights: sponsorship option: NAMING.
7. Garden coils: HOSES.
8. Poems of 49-Down: ODES. 49. Tribute: HOMAGE.
9. "If I were __ ... ": YOU.
10. Triceps locale: ARM.
11. Home of Arizona State: TEMPE. They have a great swimming program.
12. Leaves char marks on: SCORCHES.
13. Maven: PRO.
14. "Performance is what we do" gas brand: SUNOCO. No Sunoco near me.
15. Air fryer brand: OSTER.
17. Dharma follower: HINDU.
18. Zones: AREAS.
24. Hankering: URGE.
26. Quick cut: SNIP.
29. Composer Rorem: NED.
31. Shows some class, maybe?: TEACHES. Great clue.
32. Mac: FELLA.
33. Resonant chant: LITANY.
34. That way, quaintly: YON.
35. Stereotypical name for a poodle: FIFI.
36. Secret admirer's sign-off: A FAN.
37. Weight training exercise: BENCH PRESS.
38. Slo-mo reviewer: REF.
41. Punishment-related: PENAL.
42. Work together: TEAM UP.
43. Bog: FEN.
45. Advil alternative: ALEVE.
46. Combustible heaps: PYRES.
48. Foursomes: TETRADS.
50. "Butt out!" initials: MYOB. Mind Your Own Business.
51. Bringing down the house: SLAYING.
52. Auto engine booster: TURBO.
56. Part of the former Yugoslavia: BOSNIA.
58. Quinn of "Practical Magic": AIDAN. He was in "Blink" also. Scary movie.
59. Academy newbies: PLEBES.
63. Stop in: POP BY.
64. Spooky: EERIE.
65. Connecticut Ivy: YALE.
67. Thingamajig: GIZMO.
68. Hyper-focused: IN A ZONE.
72. Fame: RENOWN.
75. May honoree: MOM.
77. Led into a theater, slangily: USHED.
80. Change machine inserts: ONES.
81. End-of-unit check: TEST.
83. Place that's all fun and games: TOY STORE.
84. __ and yang: YIN.
85. South American behemoth: ANACONDA.
87. Karate skill level: DAN. Literally "stage". We call it "Duan" in Chinese.
90. Dec. 25: XMAS.
91. Shake up: RATTLE.
92. Word with age or wage: GAP.
93. "__-Dick": MOBY.
94. Cream-filled choux pastry: ECLAIR.
95. "Uncle!," in Spanish: NO MAS.
96. Catherine of "Beetlejuice": O'HARA.
97. Act clandestinely: SNEAK.
98. Whoops: YELLS.
99. Guacamole ingredients: LIMES.
100. Verb in a roast recipe: BASTE.
103. School gps.: PTAS.
104. Letters on an envelope: SWAK. I''ve never actually received an envelope with SWAK written on it.
105. Tennis great Sampras: PETE.
108. Fracas: ROW.
109. Infotainment spot: PSA.
110. Tablet download: APP.
111. Brief moment?: SEC.
C.C.
1 comment:
The title of this puzzle
fooled me. I thought we were going to have a bunch of “z’s.” But I quickly caught on to what the actual gimmick was.
And it wasn’t too tough, in spite of the plethora of obscure names.
FIR, so I’m happy.
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