Theme: "PERIODIC UPDATES" - The chemical element in each common phrase is replaced by its periodic table symbol.
22. Upside found periodically in a bad situation?: AG LINING. Silver lining.
29. Queen singer played periodically by Rami Malek?: FREDDIE HG. Freddie Mercury.
46. Cary Grant film that airs periodically on classic movie channels?: AS AND OLD LACE. Arsenic and Old Lace
41. Baking ware that's only used periodically?: MUFFIN SN. Muffin tin.
96. Dickens novel that's only read periodically?: DAVID CUFIELD. David Copperfield.
100. Perfect stand-up material performed periodically?: COMEDY AU. Comedy gold.
115. Hairstyling device applied periodically?: CURLING FE. Curling iron.
124. Periodically prone to breaking the speed limit?: PB-FOOTED. Lead-footed.
Reveal:
69. Advantage in some situations, or an alternate title for this puzzle: ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.
This
is a very straightforward symbol substitution theme. The constructors probably spent more time on the theme cluing then finding the theme set.
Constructor Ben Wildman-Tobriner is also an Olympic swimmer. See this Wikipedia page. He won a gold medal as part of the world-record 4x100 freestyle relay, one of the most exciting relays ever. In the heats, he swam alongside Nathan Adrian, Cullen Jones, and Matt Grevers. Adrian and Jones also swam in the final, along with Michael Phelps and Jason Lezak.
Across:
1. Cheerful: GLAD.
5. Wrigley product: GUM.
8. Ocean liner?: COAST. Literally.
13. Brazilian coins: REALS.
18. Govern: RULE.
19. Inspired by: A LA.
20. Per __: CAPITA.
21. Kaitlin of "High Potential": OLSON. She also voiced the whale shark Destiny in "Finding Dory".
24. On the wrong path: ASTRAY.
25. Shelter org.: ASPCA.
26. __ turtle: SEA.
27. Fills with love: ENAMORS.
31. "Come on now!": PSHAW.
33. In the past: EARLIER.
35. Takes a rideshare: UBERS.
36. MLB stat: RBI.
38. Flavor of many a bright green martini: SOUR APPLE. Granny Smith is the only sour apple I can think of.
51. Due-in hr.: ETA.
52. Parroted: ECHOED.
54. Swimmer's wear: CAP.
55. Midsize car: SEDAN.
56. Word: TERM.
58. Clutched: HELD.
59. Must pay: OWES TO.
62. Pagoda instrument: GONG. You can visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an, very close to my childhood home.
63. Fancy tie: ASCOT.
65. Tyler of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?": AISHA.
67. Anise aperitif: OUZO.
75. Beauty aisle brand: OLAY. Been into CeraVe the past few years.
76. Dorm digs: SUITE.
77. Coins of the realm?: PENCE. Kingdom "realm".
80. Basketball stuff: DUNK.
83. Civil rights icon Mandela: NELSON.
86. Olaf's creator in "Frozen": ELSA.
89. Udder part: TEAT.
90. Physicist Newton: ISAAC.
92. __ Quixote: DON.
93. Bee keeper: APIARY.
95. "Rocky III" actor: MR T.
102. Portrayal: DEPICTION.
104. "What a treat!": YAY.
105. "All the Light We Cannot See" novelist Anthony: DOERR. He won a Pulitzer Prize for the book.
108. Perseveres with: KEEPS AT.
111. Warms: HEATS.
118. Like tiramisu and cannoli: ITALIAN.
120. Letter before sigma: RHO.
121. Desert near the Sinai Peninsula: NEGEV. Abraham lived in and moved through the Negev.
122. Victory celebration: PARADE.
126. Elevator stop, in Paris: ETAGE. French for "floor".
127. Fit to be farmed: ARABLE.
128. Chart topper: HIT.
129. Rae who plays President Barbie in "Barbie": ISSA.
130. Broadway awards: TONYS.
131. Bristlelike grippers on gecko feet: SETAE. Learned from doing crosswords.
132. Batteries in some remotes: AAS.
133. Soapmaking supplies: LYES.
Down:
1. Clutch: GRASP.
2. Olympic sleds: LUGES.
3. God of Islam: ALLAH.
4. Agnus __: DEI. Lamb of God.
5. Choice when the Tide runs out?: GAIN. Detergent.
6. Lower arm bones: ULNAE.
7. Pre-eruption lava: MAGMA.
8. Conspirator in "Julius Caesar": CASSIUS. He was the brother-in-law of Brutus. There are total 60 conspirators. We also have 79. "Not you too!": ET TU.
9. Go (for): OPT.
10. Carrier whose primary hub is Charles de Gaulle: AIR FRANCE.
11. Headliner: STAR.
12. Diggs of "All American": TAYE. He was married to our crossword regular Idina Menzel for many years.
13. Surfaces that hold tracks and ties: ROADBEDS.
14. Borden mascot: ELSIE.
15. In accordance with: AS PER.
16. Scottish waters: LOCHS.
17. Hiccup: SNAG.
20. Bunch of clowns, maybe: CARLOAD. I like the visual image in this clue.
23. Greenhorn: NEWBIE.
28. RN workplaces: ORS.
30. Boring: DULL.
32. Shelter sound: ARF.
34. Significant stretch: ERA.
37. Inseam unit: INCH.
39. BlackBerrys, e.g.: Abbr.: PDAS.
40. Can opener: POP TOP.
41. Like a movie making fun of its own plot holes: META.
42. Great Basin people: UTES.
43. Mockery: FARCE.
44. __ shed: SHE.
45. Sports podcaster Katie: NOLAN. Wikipedia says she won a Sports Emmy Award in 2016 for her podcast Garbage Time with Katie Nolan.
47. The 587-piece Pok mon Eevee, e.g.: LEGO SET.
48. Big fuss: ADO.
49. "You __ do it!": CAN.
50. Cornwall lang.: ENG.
53. Exchange words?: EDIT.
57. Fifth-largest Hawaiian island: MOLOKAI.
59. "What a treat!": OH FUN.
60. "Now, where __?": WAS I.
61. Team's adjective: OUR.
64. Business card no.: TEL.
66. Only OK: SO SO.
68. Oomph: ZIP.
70. Fellow: MAN.
71. Got the measure of: EYED UP.
72. The Miners of the NCAA: UTEP.
73. Museum piece: RELIC.
74. Syndrome in "The Incredibles," e.g.: ENEMY. He's the archenemy of Mr. Incredible. Learning moment for me.
78. Model Delevingne: CARA.
80. Pulled off: DID.
81. Mex. neighbor: USA.
82. Pt. of USNA: NAV.
84. Lacking sharp sound quality, briefly: LO-FI.
85. Ridicule: SNICKER AT.
87. __ Paulo, Brazil: SAO.
88. Military force: ARMY.
91. Features of PC towers, once: CD DRIVES.
93. Rescue dog, e.g.: ADOPTEE.
94. "Hard pass": YEAH NO.
97. Home of the Large Hadron Collider: CERN. The European Organization for Nuclear Research. Based in Geneva.
98. Summer in la cit : ETE.
99. Go unused: LIE IDLE.
101. Give some shade?: DYE. Ha. I just pluck the white hair if I see one. Often I pluck the wrong strand.
103. Intel org.: NSA.
105. As a result of: DUE TO.
106. Church instrument: ORGAN.
107. John Milton's "Lycidas," for one: ELEGY.
109. Letter before beta: ALPHA.
110. Lower leg bone: TIBIA.
112. Like many indie films: ARTSY.
113. "If __ walls could talk ... ": THESE.
114. Bar mixers: SODAS.
115. Tech news site: CNET.
116. College figs.: GPAS.
117. Grub: FARE.
119. Times before eves, in classified ads: AFTS. Afternoons.
123. Legal org.: ABA.
125. Snake __: OIL.
C.C.
1 comment:
I figured out the
gimmick with the first themed fill.
After that, it was pretty much off to the races for me, although remembering the chemical designations for all the missing “elements” wasn’t always easy.
Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
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