Theme: EMPTY WORDS - T is changed into M in each phrase.
22. Rowing teams that spread good cheer?: MERRY CREWS. Terry Crews.
40. Scampering after a letter caught by the wind?: CHASING ONE'S MAIL. Chasing one's tail.
47. Exhausted after cramming for a geography test?: ALL MAPPED OUT. All tapped out.
64. Trick to getting the cleanest floors?: MOP SECRET. Top secret.
71. Courthouse employee responsible for maintenance?: BAR MENDER. Bartender.
85. Solution when it's too hard to choose one Halloween costume?: MULTI-MASKING. Multi-tasking.
92. "Let's raise a glass to our favorite silent performers of yore!"?: FOR OLD MIME'S SAKE. For old time's sake.
115. Shop displays of long skirts?: MAXI STANDS. Taxi stands.
"Empty" sounds like "M-T," hence the title. Some letter changes occur in the first word, some in the middle, and a couple in the last word. No odd man out.
Across:
1. NYC home of Dalí's "The Persistence of Memory": MOMA.
5. Leader of the Aesir: ODIN. Aesir is the pantheon of Norse myth. Also
97. Home of 5-Across: ASGARD.
9. Use the Track Changes feature in a document, say: EDIT. Microsoft Word.
13. Roles, metaphorically: HATS.
17. At any moment: EVER.
18. Body lotion brand: NIVEA. I like Curel. Scent-free.
20. Places: PUTS.
21. Hebrew prophet: MICAH. One of the twelve minor prophets.
24. Solo at the Met: ARIA.
25. The Gem State: IDAHO. Idaho is home to more than 72 different types of precious and semi-precious gemstones.
26. Jealous: ENVIOUS.
27. Superlative suffix: EST.
29. From Laos, say: ASIAN.
31. NL East or AL West: DIV.
32. "Ciao!": BYE.
33. Afternoon TV fillers: RE-RUNS.
35. Clear plastic: LUCITE. Type of acrylic.
37. Mesoamerican fruit: CACAO.
43. "For You" singer Rita: ORA.
44. Take to court: SUE.
45. Insta profile part: BIO.
46. Killer whale: ORCA.
52. Ides of March utterance: ET TU.
53. Texas metropolis, for short: DFW. Dallas Fort Worth.
56. Jeep headquarters city: TOLEDO. Mud Hens.
57. Shortly after the big bang, e.g.: EONS AGO.
59. Orléans river: LOIRE.
61. Notable deeds: FEATS.
63. Title role for Benicio del Toro: CHE.
66. Collapsible bed: COT. 69. No longer in 73-Across: RISEN. 73. Place to be tucked in: BED.
67. Chobani competitor: OIKOS.
70. Took lunch: ATE.
74. Cacophonous: NOISY.
76. Starts a fresh pot: ANTES. Poker.
77. Leaves no room for doubt: ENSURES.
79. Bully: COERCE.
82. "It was fine": MEH.
83. Tax pros: CPAS.
88. Late-night TV pioneer: PAAR (Jack)
89. Prefix with dermis: EPI.
90. 2019 W.S. champ: NAT. World Series. National.
91. Corp. bigwig: CEO.
98. NHL legend Hull: BRETT. Son of Bobby Hull.
100. Image in a group chat, perhaps: AVATAR.
101. Runway figures: MODELS.
102. Hip-hop pioneer Kool __ Dee: MOE.
103. Blue rep.: DEM.
104. Lure: TEMPT.
106. Prayer __: RUG.
107. Airport areas with extra amenities: LOUNGES.
111. Muse of poetry: ERATO.
113. Self-involved: VAIN.
117. Contract addition: RIDER.
118. Ruse: PLOY.
119. Media coverage: PRESS.
120. "Heat" director Michael: MANN. He also directed "Ali".
121. "I need it now!": STAT.
122. Rational: SANE.
123. Normandy landing time: D DAY.
124. Round-about figs.?: ETAS. Oh, "round-about" here means approximate.
Down:
1. Image in a group chat, perhaps: MEME.
2. Busy spot at Thanksgiving: OVEN. Look at this pumpkin bar. Loaded.
3. "Wheel of Fortune" creator Griffin: MERV.
4. Up, in Spanish: ARRIBA.
5. Perfectly timed: ON CUE.
6. Short ways to go?: DIRS. Directions.
7. "__ seen enough": I'VE.
8. Cap company: NEW ERA.
9. Org. that regulates pesticides: EPA.
10. Chihuahua neighbor: DURANGO. Both are states in northern Mexico; Durango borders Chihuahua to the south.
11. "Affirmative": IT IS SO.
12. Ming who hosts the cooking show "Simply Ming": TSAI.
13. Camouflaged: HID.
14. National park near Bar Harbor: ACADIA.
15. Largest island in French Polynesia: TAHITI.
16. Sandbox toy: SHOVEL.
19. Burros: ASSES.
21. Wee: MINUSCULE.
23. Go up and down: YO-YO.
28. The Texas __: nonprofit media company: TRIBUNE.
30. "Nerd __!": ALERT.
34. Liters and meters: UNITS.
36. Nashville awards org.: CMA. The Country Music Association.
37. Polish layer: COAT.
38. "Heaven" singer Parks: ARLO. Born and raised in London.
39. Summon: CALL FORTH.
40. Measuring __: CUP.
41. Laugh syllable: HEE.
42. Closed for business: NOT OPEN.
44. Totally right: SPOT ON.
48. "Let's get together": MEET ME.
49. Lovelace of computing history: ADA. Daughter of Lord Byron.
50. Room designs: DECORS.
51. Cries of wonder: OOHS.
52. Self-images: EGOS.
53. Cajun dish cooked with giblets: DIRTY RICE.
54. No charge: FREE.
55. Like a martini with extra vermouth: WET.
58. Surrounded by: AMIDST.
60. Ric of The Cars: OCASEK.
62. Like many infield throws: SIDEARM.
65. Ski run vehicle: SNO-CAT.
66. Peppermint candy shape: CANE.
68. Some dolls: KENS.
69. Spool: REEL.
71. "Bang!": BAM.
72. Moving staircase: ESCALATOR.
73. Elle Woods' dog: BRUISER.
75. Apple platform: IOS.
78. Called someone out, perhaps: UMPED.
80. Tech coverage site: CNET.
81. Awards quartet: EGOT.
84. Fernando Tatís Jr., for one: PADRE.
86. Tattoo parlor supply: INK.
87. Astronaut Jemison: MAE.
88. Tea holder: POT.
89. Strong feeling: EMOTION.
92. Sliding volume controls: FADERS.
93. No longer interested: OVER IT.
94. Best Western rival: RAMADA.
95. Antelope with twisted horns: IMPALA.
96. Losing streak: SLUMP.
98. Session: BOUT.
99. File menu choice: RE-NAME.
102. Like green logs: MOSSY.
105. Some post-series interviewees, for short: MVPS. The latest World Series MVP: William Contreras.
107. Kudrow of "The Comeback": LISA.
108. Little pest: GNAT.
109. Writer Ferber: EDNA.
110. IDs on blue cards: SSNS.
112. Lunar festival in Vietnam: TET. Feb 6, 2027.
114. Dec. 31: NYE.
116. Marked (out): X'ED.
C.C.
I got the gimmick
ReplyDeletewith the second themed entry, as at first I didn’t remember “Terry Crews.”
After that, it was (pretty much) smooth sailing.
FIR, so I’m happy.
FIR, but nevia->NIVEA, assures->ENSURES, aoc->DEM, ereto->ERATO, cann->MANN, miniscule->MINUSCULE, heh->HEE, and save as->RENAME.
ReplyDeleteDidn't get MERRY CREWS, and just assumed that there was a kind of tee-shirt called a TERRY CREW.
ADA also has a programming language named for her.
Samantha Sang sang EMOTION in the title track of her album. Lovely voice. Probably heard mostly on yacht rock radio stations these days.
Thanks to Katie for the fun challenge. And thanks to CC for the concise review.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Jinx on TERRY CREW -- figured it was a shirt made of towel material. Understood the rest of the themers. My Waterloo was 98d. That NHL legend wasn't sufficiently legendary for me. Also didn't recognize that hip-hopper, and couldn't come up with a 4-letter "session" ending in UT. Bzzzzzzt. Thanks for playing. Enjoy the ceramic Dalmatian. Thanx, Katie and C.C.