Theme: "OPPOSITE DAY" - Each theme entry contains a pair of opposite words
43. Backup for a proofreader, perhaps: ANOTHER PAIR OF EYES.
85. 2010 animated film featuring Princess Fiona: SHREK FOREVER AFTER. And 115. 85-Across figure: OGRE.
Reveal:
100. Oxymoron, or what can be found five times in this puzzle: CONTRADICTION IN TERMS.
What a great follow-up to Paul Coulter's "Magnetism" puzzle. Paul's theme hid pairs of opposite words right next to each other (ON/OFF, HE/SHE, IN/OUT, etc.). Here, Will and Beth use the same basic concept but separate each pair, making the hunt a bit more challenging.
This is Will and Beth's second collaboration for the LAT. Both are outstanding constructors.
Across:
1. Option B precursor: PLAN A.
6. Creature in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland": DODO.
10. Winter resort rentals: SKIS.
14. Supermodel Kate: MOSS.
18. Old Renault: LE CAR.
19. Apple tablet: IPAD.
20. Penny: CENT.
21. Each: A POP.
22. Not suitable: UNAPT.
23. Mandala medium, often: SAND. Many Tibetan Buddhist mandalas are painstakingly created from colored sand before being ceremonially dismantled.
24. "__ you asked ... ": SINCE.
25. Count (on): RELY.
30. WNW opposite: ESE.
31. Love, in Italian: AMORE.
32. Asian language: LAO.
33. Handel oratorio: MESSIAH.
37. Former: PRIOR.
38. All excited: ATINGLE.
42. Ginger __: ALE.
46. Lightweight fabric: LINEN. And 120. Woolen cloth: TWEED. Much prefer Japanese crepe fabric. Non-wrinkly.
48. Romance: WOO.
49. "C'est la __!": VIE.
50. Trolley car: TRAM.
51. Celebrity couple: ITEM.
52. Pres. on a dime: FDR.
53. Imrie of "The Thursday Murder Club": CELIA. English actress.
57. Square things: ATONE. Nice clue.
63. 2028 Olympics host: Abbr.: USA. 74. 2024 Olympics host: PARIS.
64. "The Fresh Prince of __-Air": BEL.
65. __ acid: AMINO.
66. Apology starter: MEA. As in "Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa".
67. Male swan: COB.
77. Newark's county: ESSEX.
78. Permit: LET.
79. Burden: ONUS.
80. Lasting mark: SCAR.
81. Org. nicknamed "No Such Agency": NSA.
83. Owns: HAS.
84. Nimble: AGILE.
92. Singer __ King Cole: NAT.
93. Game for little batters: TEE BALL.
94. Hazardous gas: RADON.
95. Goes on and on: YAMMERS.
97. Finish: END.
98. OB test: AMNIO.
99. Reuben sandwich bread: RYE. I've become a fan of the New York rye bread sold at our local Hy-Vee.
109. __ of paradise: BIRD.
110. Flared skirt style: A LINE.
111. Voting group: BLOC.
112. Inbox message: EMAIL.
113. Demolish: RAZE.
114. Ice sheet: FLOE.
116. Mother-of-pearl: NACRE.
117. Rude one: BOOR.
118. Throw out: TOSS.
119. "Easier __ than done": SAID.
Down:
1. "And also ... ": PLUS.
2. Singer and civil rights activist Horne: LENA.
3. Palm berry: ACAI.
4. City where pizza was invented: NAPLES.
5. __ well: ARTESIAN. Water reaches the surface naturally because of underground pressure.
6. Frisbee, e.g.: DISC.
7. Birthstone between sapphire and topaz: OPAL.
8. Paul who played twins in "There Will Be Blood": DANO.
9. "Most likely ... ": ODDS ARE.
10. Annabella of "Tulsa King": SCIORRA.
11. __ cloth: Ghanaian textile: KENTE. Kente comes from the Akan word kenten, meaning "basket," referring to its woven pattern.
12. Move slowly: INCH.
13. Digital protection device?: STEEL TOE. Clever clue.
14. Figure that comes with strings attached: MARIONETTE.
15. Accepting customers: OPEN.
16. "Deal!": SOLD.
17. Intel gatherer: SPY.
24. Small porch: STOOP.
27. Campus leader: DEAN.
28. Mideast leader: EMIR.
29. Urchin: WAIF.
33. Beach city near Pepperdine: MALIBU.
34. Powerful groups: ELITES.
35. __ Falls Convention: SENECA. The first women's rights convention was held in Seneca Falls in 1848. Learning moment for me.
36. "What a bore": HOW DULL.
37. Soup often garnished with bean sprouts: PHO.
38. Nev. neighbor: ARI.
39. Wrap with tzatziki: GYRO.
40. Tilt: LEAN.
41. "Hanna" star Creed-Miles: ESME.
44. Having trouble deciding: TORN.
45. Physiologist Pavlov: IVAN.
47. Given to moping, maybe: EMO.
52. Sense: FEEL.
53. Unresponsive states: COMAS.
54. Party-planning site: E-VITE.
55. Massachusetts home of the Tanglewood Music Festival: LENOX.
56. Wrinkle remover: IRON.
57. Quaint word of despair: ALAS.
59. Many execs: MBAS.
60. Lasses: GALS.
61. Pardon: AMNESTY.
62. Vivid vegetable: BEET.
67. Pointy tooth: CANINE.
68. Eye-related: OCULAR.
69. Attacks from all sides: BESETS.
70. Figure who manipulates flames in a Nickelodeon fantasy series: FIREBENDER. Refers to "Avatar: The Last Airbender." In that universe, firebenders manipulate fire, one of the four classical elements.
71. Phobia: FEAR.
72. Villainous Count of kid-lit: OLAF.
73. Confused state: FOG.
74. Note-passer's utterance: PSST.
75. Head or heart follower: ACHE. I've been dealing with an awful RA flare-up and can't wait for my infusion next Wednesday.
76. Valuable to collectors: RARE.
81. Annual Player Selection Meeting, informally: NFL DRAFT.
82. Step on the scale?: SOL. Musical scale. Do–Re–Mi–Fa–Sol–La–Ti–Do.
83. Largest Chinese ethnic group: HAN. I'm one.
84. Military encampment unit: ARMY TENT.
86. Philosopher Immanuel: KANT.
87. Winter stoats: ERMINES.
88. "Lovecraft Country" actor Courtney B. __: VANCE. Married to Angela Bassett.
89. Revise: EDIT.
90. Reddish-brown tea: ROOIBOS. Naturally caffeine-free.
91. Work hard for: EARN.
96. Grandma, to some: MEEMAW.
98. "Farewell, amigos!": ADIOS. And
100. "Farewell, amici!": CIAO.
101. Ricelike pasta: ORZO.
102. French greeting: ALLO.
103. Tokarczuk who won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature: OLGA.
104. Onigiri wrapper: NORI.
105. Like cupcakes but not muffins, usually: ICED.
106. Compete against the clock: RACE.
107. Slimy mud: MIRE.
108. Toboggan, e.g.: SLED.
109. Texter's "Just a moment": BRB. Be Right Back.
C.C.
There was more than one
ReplyDeletetime where a proper name crossed a proper name, which is a no-no.
Other than that, I didn’t have too much trouble with this fun puzzle.
FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteZipped through this one with nary a scathe in sight. D-o even figured out the theme. Amazing. I remember Courtney B. Vance as "Jonesy," the music-loving sonarman in The Hunt For Red October. Thanx, Beth, Will, and C.C.
FIR, but napoli->NAPLES, pea->PHO, nori->GYRO, weasels->ERMINES, and nhl draft->NFL DRAFT.
ReplyDeleteA real LA puzzle today with MALIBU, BEL Air and somewhere around 20 A&E items. The A&E drek extracted nearly all the joy out of this solve for me. At least the theme was clever and fun. (Except that SAILED CLOSE TO THE WIND is a compliment to boat, equipment and crew, not a peril. Doing so better than the others is what wins races. Maybe that's why England doesn't win the America's Cup.)
Remember the cornball classic hit by Dean Martin That's AMORE?
I also thought "org. nicknamed 'No Such Agency" for NSA was especially weak. Kinda like cluing "Infernal Revenue Service" for IRS. Nothing wrong with the fill, just awful cluing IM(never to be H)O.
As a high school member of the 4H club, I wanted "head or heart follower" to be "Hands" or "Health."
In his album title track Fruitcakes, Jimmy Buffett sang:
Alright, alter boys
MEA culpa, MEA culpa, MEA maxima culpa
MEA culpa, MEA culpa, MEA maxima culpa
Where's the church, who took the steeple
Religion is in the hands of some crazy-ass people
Television preachers with bad hair and dimples
The god's honest truth is it's not that simple
Thanks to CC for the fun narrative. Hope your RA treatment quickly relieves your RA pain. I think I would ask my rheumatologist if a CBD might be a helpful adjunct.