Theme: "REPAIR WORK" - A pair of identical letters are replaced by another matching pair.
27. Irresistibly cute river animal?: AN OTTER YOU CAN'T REFUSE. An offer you can't refuse.
42. "Get that pool float out of my way!"?: MOVE THE NOODLE. Move the needle.
55. Question about a new romantic partner?: WHO ARE YOU KISSING. Who are you kidding?
78. Photo taken as milk spreads over a table?: THE SPILLING IMAGE. The spitting image.
91. Goo or ga, for a baby?: HALF THE BABBLE. Half the battle.
108. Working the barbecue at the corn festival?: GRILLING FROM EAR TO EAR. Grinning from ear to ear.
I've mentioned last time. This is our Jill Singer, a filmmaker in the Boston area.
Great title, Jill! I would have struggled mightily to find a title that captures the gimmick so perfectly. Only six theme entries, but they're all long.
Across:
1. Bottom of a platter?: SIDE B. Vinyl record,
6. Singer Guthrie: ARLO.
10. Actress Mireille: ENOS. Her husband is Alan Ruck, who was in "Succession".
14. Beta preceder: ALPHA.
19. Solo: ALONE.
20. Shakespearean king: LEAR.
21. Catholic leader: POPE. We also have 73. Prayer ender: AMEN. And 77. "__ Maria": AVE.
22. Prepare for a long drive: TEE UP.
23. Santa Ana __: WINDS.
24. Miami-__ County: DADE.
25. Risks a "TMI" response: OVERSHARES.
30. Video game thief Sandiego: CARMEN.
31. Learning ctr.: SCH.
32. Pastoral people of Kenya: MASAI. Also spelled as Maasai.
33. Actor Sean: ASTIN.
36. Equivalent: SAME.
38. Update a cartographer's work: RE-MAP.
47. Fury: OUTRAGE.
49. Obey, with "by": ABIDE.
50. Early show since 1975, briefly: GMA. Good Morning America.
51. Aspiring atty.'s hurdle: LSAT.
53. Freelancer's job: GIG.
54. __ a one: NARY.
61. Ostrich kin: EMU.
62. Sausages served with sauerkraut, for short: BRATS.
63. Sonoma product: WINE.
64. Swimmer's unit: LAP. Two lengths.
65. "Have a bite": TASTE IT. Xi'an-style sandwich.
67. Juniper-flavored liquor: GIN.
68. Huge favors: BIG ASKS.
72. Zoo doc: VET.
75. Astonish: AMAZE.
83. Figure skating gold medalist Nathan: CHEN. He's becoming a doctor now.
84. Email signature info: TEL.
85. Catches: NABS.
86. Apple variety: MAC.
87. Bars under cars: RAILS.
88. Gulf of Mexico structures: OIL RIGS.
96. Show off in the mirror: PREEN.
97. Give a hoot: CARE.
98. Davenport citizen: IOWAN.
99. G-Shock watchmaker: CASIO.
102. Some British sports cars: MGS.
104. Superficially attractive: GILDED.
114. Unit in Chagall's "Four Seasons": MOSAIC TILE.
115. "Another thing ... ": ALSO.
116. Pay stub data: WAGES.
118. K.T. of country music: OSLIN.
119. Airline figs.: ETAS.
120. Narrow inlets: RIAS.
121. Basketball great Shaquille: O'NEAL.
122. Ignominy: SHAME.
123. Hall of Fame safety Ronnie: LOTT.
124. Chooses, as a replacement: TAPS.
125. Square: NERDY.
Down:
1. Glimpsed: SAW.
2. __ crest: pelvis part: ILIAC.
3. Disco legend Summer: DONNA.
4. "Return of the Jedi" forest moon: ENDOR.
5. Brit's close pal: BEST MATE.
6. Like some pasta: AL DENTE. I like chewy udon noodles.
7. __ admiral: REAR.
8. British title: LADY.
9. Cookies similar to Trader Joe's Joe-Joe's: OREOS. Never had Joe-Joe's.
10. Momentous: EPOCHAL.
11. Bossa __: NOVA.
12. Enticing words on a gift box: OPEN ME.
13. Sealy rival: SERTA.
14. Fundamentally: AT HEART.
15. Less raked: LEAFIER.
16. Home of the Spectacled Bear Conservation Society: PERU. Wikipedia says "Spectacled Bear is the only living species of bear native to South America". Learning moment for me.
17. Shades: HUES.
18. Church recess: APSE.
26. Soon-to-be grads: SRS.
28. Musician and radio host John: TESH.
29. The Tritons of the NCAA: UCSD.
34. Gold block: INGOT.
35. Spanish "Stop!": NO MAS.
37. Honeydew, e.g.: MELON.
39. Crèche figures: MAGI. I saw them during Christmas.
 |
40. Opposin': AGIN.
41. Simon of "The Boys": PEGG.
42. Impressionist douard: MANET.
43. "The Light We Carry" writer Michelle: OBAMA.
44. Self-replicating malware: VIRUS.
45. Ice cream maker Joseph: EDY.
46. Paddle kin: OAR.
47. Shipbuilding wood: OAK.
48. Employ: UTILIZE.
52. Take to court: SUE.
55. Cuneiform, e.g.: WRITING.
56. Panama, for one: HAT.
57. "Dallas" surname: EWING.
58. __ and yang: YIN.
59. Wise one: SAGE.
60. Massage locale: SPA.
62. Page: BEEP.
66. Den sets: TVS.
67. X, Y, or Z intro: GEN. I'm a Gen Xer.
68. Purse: BAG.
69. Hindi title: SAHIB.
70. Rejoice with pride: KVELL. Consonants-heavy.
71. Get a feeling about: SENSE.
73. Clerical robe: ALB.
74. "Supernatural" actor Collins: MISHA.
75. Rare Italian violin: AMATI.
76. "__ Man": Village People hit: MACHO.
78. Mustang roof option: T TOP.
79. Successor: HEIR.
80. French pronoun: ELLE.
81. __ Vegas Raiders: LAS.
82. Global finance org.: IMF. The International Monetary Fund, based in D.C.
83. Hired ride: CAB.
87. Was almost out of: RAN LOW ON.
89. Win back: RECLAIM.
90. Waiting, perhaps: IN A LINE.
92. Coveted territory in the air?: ARM REST. Fun clue.
93. Brickmaker: LEGO.
94. "That's disgusting!": EW GROSS.
95. Angler's supply: BAIT.
97. "__, ergo sum": COGITO.
100. "I know this is wrong," from an editor: SIC.
101. Spy collection: INTEL.
103. Like some watches: SMART.
105. Silas of the Continental Congress: DEANE. This is pretty sad.
106. Enthusiastic: EAGER.
107. Anticipate with fear: DREAD.
108. Engineered foods, for short: GMOS.
109. __ Hashana: ROSH.
110. Cuba, por ejemplo: ISLA.
111. Like an open can of soda, eventually: FLAT.
112. Director Kazan: ELIA. He directed "East of Eden".
113. "Right now!": ASAP.
117. Underhanded: SLY.
C.C.
