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.
2 comments:
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.
Good morning!
Got 'er done in under 20 this morning -- that's a really good time pour moi. Caught the theme early, but it didn't really help much with the solve. AYESHA and Will will be together presenting The Puzzle on Sunday Edition in just a couple hours. Thanx, Matt and C.C. (No Man's Land -- typo.)
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