Sunday February 8, 2026 ~ Gary Larson & Amy Ensz

Theme: "Doing Business"

Cutthroat compounds are verb-noun compounds where the verb acts on the noun (i.e. cut-throat). While the themers are not compound words, they are in-the-language nouns turned into 'verb-ing on a noun' for each whimsically-clued career.

Let us play...

23. Job for an elephant caretaker?: BATHING TRUNKS.

He doesn't have a trunk.
He has a glove compartment.

33. Job for a department store model?: SPORTING GOODS. To sport clothes is to wear the goods.

51. Job for a tailor?: EVENING DRESSES. Read this as EVEN-ing a dress and then "tailor" makes sense.

65. Job for a nanny?: HANDLING CHARGES. A nanny's charges are the little imps she must handle with grace.

Mary Poppins, Burt, and her charges, Jane and Michael Banks.

85. Job for a cheesemonger?: PITCHING WEDGES.

Monty Python's Cheese Shop Sketch taught me all the cheeses.

100. Job for an interior designer?: CHANGING ROOMS. My fav of the themers.

117. Job for a corporate VIP?: RUNNING BOARDS.

Across:

1. Screenwriter's output: SCRIPT.

7. Confined: SHUT IN.

13. Emma of "Madame Web": ROBERTS.

20. "Gotcha": OH I SEE.

21. Excalibur, notably: CASINO. Sword was a letter short and perps didn't agree. My first gamble was roulette at Excalibur. I won on my first bet (on 19) and played with the house's money the rest of the night. I've never been that lucky since.

Excalibur Casino - Las Vegas, NV

22. Resolve: IRON OUT.

23. [See: Theme]

25. Hot pepper: CAYENNE.

Baldo is always a fun read

26. "Double-quick!": STAT.

27. Eggs __ easy: OVER. How I build my eggs every weekend.

28. Sugar source: CANE.

29. Mountain __: DEW.

30. Dangerous biters: ASPS. Egyptian snakes.

33. [See: Theme]

38. Show contempt for: SNORT AT.

41. Carrot, e.g.: ROOT.

42. Ring bearer, perhaps?: EAR. Who else thought "wedding" 1st?

43. Alter, in a way: HEM.

44. Coastline feature: RIA.

45. "__ Fideles": ADESTE. Better known as the carol "O Come, All Ye Faithful." [Wikipedia]

47. Kibble maker: ALPO.

51. [See: Theme]

54. Onetime Nissan make: DATSUN. In college, DW & I had a used ('84?) Datsun Z for a few years. I can't recall if it was a 240 or a 280Z but many of the parts were stamped "Nissan."

56. Galoot: BIG APE.

57. Cartesian conclusion: I AM. Rene Descartes: "cogito, ergo sum" ("I think therefore I am"). I learned that from Monty Python, too ;-)

The Philosopher's Song - Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl

58. Needle holder: TONE ARM. On your [98a] SPINNER.

59. "C'est la vie": ALAS. "C'est la vie" is classier than "sh** happens."

60. Saint __ fire: ELMOS. St. Elmo's Fire is a weather phenomenon caused by a pointy object in an electrically charged atmosphere [WikiP] and a Brat Pack movie from the mid-'80's.

62. Brook fish: TROUT.

64. Casual attire: TEE.

65. [See: Theme]

70. Cry of realization: AHA.

73. Roos in pouches: JOEYS.

I'm fairly sure I was much
younger when I figured that out.

74. 1990s cardio workout system: TAE BO.

75. Third-longest river in Europe: URAL.

79. Summers on "Gilligan's Island": MARY ANN. Dawn Wells (Reno, NV) played the character from KS who won the Three Hour Tour via a lottery.

Dawn Wells as Mary Ann Summers

81. Las Vegas drama: CSI. Crime Scene Investigation. I don't think I've ever seen an episode.

82. Brand for competitive divers: SPEEDO.

Image, fortunately, not available.

84. Entice: ALLURE.

85. [See: Theme]

90. Ran off with: TOOK.

91. Bounces back: ECHOES.

92. Bounce house filler: AIR.

93. Ginger __: ALE. A soda flavor.

94. Uni ref. work: OED. Oxford English Dictionary.

97. Microbe: GERM.

98. Record player: SPINNER. While I've heard "spin some records," I've never heard a turntable called a spinner.

100. [See: Theme]

106. Whirlybird: HELO. I'm guessing Gary & Amy are looking for helicopter and not the opening command in RFC 821 - SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) § 3.5.

107. Feel poorly: AIL.

108. __ Goose vodka: GREY.

109. Cedar Point state: OHIO. The Internet tells me that Cedar Point is a Six Flags property on the shores of Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio.

111. Wall alternative: MOAT. Why not both?

Let's see if this meme clip works.

115. More clear, as a photo: SHARPER.

117. [See: Theme]

122. Small: COMPACT.

123. Back, on a boat: ASTERN.

124. Completely committed: IN DEEP.

125. Rubs with oil: ANOINTS.

126. Affixes in a scrapbook: PASTES.

127. Subatomic particles: BOSONS.

WikiP explains.

Down:

1. Breaks down in tears: SOBS.

2. Online help option: CHAT.

3. Pop singer Ora: RITA.

4. Heavily panned 1987 Beatty/Hoffman comedy: ISHTAR. I heard it was bad so didn't bother.

5. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame architect: PEI. If you look closely, it's a TONE ARM on a stack of SPINNERS.

More info here

6. Mark of perfection, at times: TEN. But these go to 11...

Obligatory clip

7. Sketch show that once starred John Candy, for short: SCTV. Second City [Toronto] TeleVision. So much talent -- John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara (who passed last week), Harold Ramis, Dave Thomas, Martin Short, Rick Moranis, et.al. -- came out of SCTV. Lorne Michaels could pick 'em even b/f SNL.

Having been a smoker, the bit about "golden arm" stuck with me.

8. Animals that can run up to 50 mph: HARES. Cheetahs didn't fit and they run 60+ mph.

9. Appropriate, as power: USURP.

10. Pewter metal: TIN.

11. Tats: INK.

12. Discouraging words: NOS. If you think it's a NO, don't ask 'til it's time for forgiveness (learnt that in the Army, I did :-))

13. Puerto __: RICAN.

14. Anaheim's county: ORANGE. Anaheim, CA is in Orange County. I don't know why I know this 'cuz I've never been there.

15. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" actor John: BOYEGA.

16. Compass reading: ENE.

17. Repetitive musical composition: RONDO. Think Row, Row, Row Your Boat repeated over and over but started on three separate downbeats.

18. Properly pitched: TUNED.

19. Hearty dishes: STEWS.

24. Show up solo: GO STAG.

28. Mentions in a footnote: CITES.

31. Ribbon of fabric: STRIP.

32. "Common Sense" pamphleteer: PAINE. Thomas, the OG pamphleteer rabble rouser.

34. Assayers' stuff: ORES.

35. "The Joy of Painting" host Bob: ROSS. Pop & I would watch on PBS every Saturday.

36. Carry: TOTE.

37. Take the floor: ORATE.

38. Kingdom in what is now Yemen: SHEBA.

39. "On the Beach" author Shute: NEVIL.

40. Alpha's opposite: OMEGA. Greek to me.

45. Friend of d'Artagnan: ARAMIS. I'm thinking a Three Musketeers reference - Google says I'm right :-)

46. Evil fiend: DEMON.

48. Exam with an Argumentative Writing section: LSAT. Youngest passed hers and now has a semester of GWU Law under her belt.

49. 100%: PURE. My shower barsoap, Ivory, is touted as 99.44% pure.

50. "Put your wallet away": ON ME. Their treat.

52. Poet Ogden: NASH.

53. Humdinger: DILLY. Does anyone say this now? I'll tell Eldest; She'll bring it back to fashion.

54. Pederson who coached the Eagles to their first Super Bowl win: DOUG.

55. Penny-__: ANTE. FIL used to say this for anything unimportant.

58. Tuna tartare cut: TORO. Sushi!

60. Locale in a Steinbeck title: EDEN. Just a little East of, if I recall correctly.

61. Certain NCO: SGT.

62. Core argument: THESIS.

63. 1990s Israeli prime minister: RABIN.

66. Open a bit: AJAR. When is a door not a door? When it's a jar. Pop got me a Dad Joke of the Day calendar and now you must all suffer.

67. __ the wiser: NONE. Y'all really don't want the Dad Joke desk calendar.

68. Secret store: CACHE.

69. Sought damages: SUED.

70. Part of a Latin 101 conjugation: AMAT.

71. __ Top Creamery: HALO.

72. "The Good Dinosaur" dinosaur: ARLO. Google tells me Arlo is the protagonist in Disney's 2015 movie. An Alice's Restaurant or Motorcycle Song reference is more in my wheelhouse for ARLO.

76. Lear daughter: REGAN.

77. "Easy on Me" singer: ADELE.

78. Last one to cross the finish line: LOSER. How about the softer euphemism "didn't place"?

80. Klondike Gold Rush site: YUKON.

What would you do?

82. Run off with: SWIPE. Took [90a clecho], steal, rob, sometimes clued as 'take badly.'

83. Risk: PERIL.

85. "Mad Men" role for Elisabeth Moss: PEGGY.

86. "Happy Birthday" writer: ICER.

87. "Comin' __ the Rye": THRO. Robert Burns' 1784 poem.

88. Singer Perry: COMO.

89. Fuel guzzler: GAS HOG.

95. Omelet maker: EGG PAN.

96. Work behind the camera: DIRECT.

99. Wanderers: NOMADS.

Dion

100. Brutus co-conspirator: CASCA. He, too?

101. Casual lead-in to "I'm home": HI HON.

102. Memorable Texas mission: ALAMO. The first time I went to the Alamo was post-Basic AIT (Advanced Individual Training) at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio in '88. The River Walk has grown a lot since then, but the core (and the Alamo) remains the same.

Remember the um, um, um...

103. "Botheration": NERTS.

104. "Haystacks" painter: MONET.

Haystacks

105. English county: SHIRE. The OED [94a] (subscription required, so this instead) will tell you that Sheriff comes from "Shire's Reeve" where reeve is an official steward.

110. Quaint hotels: INNS.

112. Black-and-white treat: OREO.

113. Arabian port: ADEN.

114. Cough syrup amts.: TSPS.

116. Upstate NY school: RPI. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy (Hi, IM!) New York.

117. 50 Cent piece?: RAP. 50 Cent, aka Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), is a Rapper.

118. Letters on Megan Rapinoe's jersey: USA. Megan in a soccer player.

119. Some Windows systems: NTS. Windows NT / XP / Vista / 10 / 11 all have the same kernel base first developed for IBM's OS/2. I first worked with NT 3.1 & 3.5 on a DEC Alpha in the early '90's.

120. Chest protector: BIB.

121. "Painting To Be Stepped On" artist Yoko: ONO. Is there any other Yoko? Oh, there is (but not in crossword-world).

Painting To Be Stepped On [MOMA]

The Grid:

The Grid

WOs: DoTSUN - > DATSUN, rIB -> BIB
ESPs: ROBERTS, BOYEGA, ADESTE, RITA, ARAMIS, NEVIL, REGAN, PEGGY, ICEO, CASCA, ARLO (as clued) & probably other names.
Fav: SCTV brings back many fond memories.

Y'all have a great Sunday.
Cheers, -T

Sunday June 15, 2025 Gary Larson & Amy Ensz

Theme: - "Living in the Past" - One word in each common phrase is replaced its past tense. 

22. Totally wild bibliography text?: LIT SOURCE. Light source. 

24. Number jammed in an adding machine printout?: STUCK FIGURE. Stick figure.

45. Drink to toast the Apollo 11 landing?: SHOT FOR THE MOON. Shoot for the moon.

66. Cowardly FBI agent?: CHICKEN FED. Chicken feed.

70. Indictment based on falsified evidence? : MADE-UP CASE. Makeup case. 

91. Skirmish at sea?: SPAT IN THE OCEAN. Spit in the ocean.

115. Ballroom pro who spent all of their cash on costumes?: BROKE DANCER. Break dancer.

119. Tossed some hairpieces?: THREW RUGS. Throw rugs.

66A is the only entry where the last word has the tense change. Fun entry/clue though. I did a similar theme ages ago for the WSJ. Used CHICKEN FED also. 

Gary and Amy's set is quite focused. They avoided bear/bore, see/saw where the nouns & verbs share no roots.

Across:

1. Guitar clamps: CAPOS. So happy for Splynter's new lifestyle.

6. Special __: OPS.

9. Jewish scholar: RABBI.

14. Omar of "House": EPPS.

18. Ticket category: ADULT.

19. Hard swing, in baseball slang: RIP.

20. Agree to take part: OPT IN.

21. French Revolution journalist: MARAT. Jean-Paul Marat, who's killed in his bathtub. 

26. Hidden: LATENT.

27. Nutrient-rich berry: ACAI.

29. Cornmeal dish: POLENTA. I grew up eating plain steamed corn buns. 

30. Former Nair competitor: NEET.

32. Laugh behind one's hand: SNICKER.

36. Paper purchase: REAM.

37. German pronoun: ICH. Wo in Chinese. Wo ai ni.

40. Swelter: ROAST.

43. Hillary Rodham __: CLINTON.

49. Sage and dill: HERBS.

53. Hard work: LABOR.

54. Jewelry for a piggie: TOE RING.

55. Private eye: GUMSHOE.

57. God, in the Torah: ADONAI. Hebrew for "My Lord".

59. Movie lines?: PLOTS. Oh story lines. 

60. "Not long now!": VERY SOON.

61. Machu Picchu builder: INCA.

63. "I have read and agree to the above terms and conditions," often: LIE. Chuckled at the clue. Yes.

64. Sardine containers: TINS.

65. In-app convos: DMS.

73. Hee-__: HAW.

74. Housekeeping staffer: MAID.

75. Place for pennies: JAR.

76. Do well in a comedy club: SLAY.

77. Longtime "Masterpiece Theatre" host Cooke: ALISTAIR. Feels like he should have been a Sir.

80. Sealy rival: SERTA.

82. Chronicles: ANNALS.

86. Some deodorants: ROLL-ONS.

87. Draw in: ATTRACT.

89. Metric weights: KILOS. Infusion again next Tuesday. The total dosage is based on my weight. 

90. Letter-shaped opening: T SLOT.

93. Tires out: WEARIES.

96. Indian tea region: ASSAM.

97. S&L investments: CDS.

98. "Right now!": ASAP.

101. Big squeeze: BEAR HUG.

103. __ bene: NOTA.

106. Totally committed: DEVOTED.

108. Three-piece suit garment: VEST.

111. Removable locks?: TOUPEE. Locks?= hair. Always.

121. Like plant-covered walls: IVIED.

122. "Arsenic and Old Lace" director: CAPRA (Frank)

123. Pro vote: YEA.

124. Some iPods: NANOS.

125. British puzzle pieces?: ZEDS. Just the letter Z.

126. About to cry: TEARY.

127. Final chapter: END.

128. Brief scrap: SET-TO.

Down:

1. Phone: CALL.

2. Sarah McLachlan hit: ADIA.

3. Stroke to hit par, often: PUTT. Putt for par. 

4. Pro Football Hall of Famer Merlin: OLSEN.

5. Avocado center: STONE.

6. Winner of eight consecutive Norris Trophies: ORR (Bobby). That's a record. Norris Trophy is awarded to the top defensive player. 

7. Typesetting unit: PICA.

8. Design detail, for short: SPEC.

9. Violin bow need: ROSIN.

10. Fitting: APT.

11. HVAC meas.: BTU.

12. Brand of 13-Down: BIC. 13. Writing implement: INK PEN.

14. "I can't wait!" feeling: EAGERNESS.

15. Cut back: PRUNE.

16. Medicare section: PART A.

17. Mirror fogger: STEAM.

21. Thousand thou: MIL.

23. In __: before birth: UTERO.

25. Military stronghold: FORT.

28. "Armageddon" threat: ASTEROID. An asteroid heading for Earth,

31. Material for a suit: TORT.

33. Toolbar symbols: ICONS.

34. Flow stopper: CLOG.

35. Close relations: KIN.

37. "Marge in Charge" writer Fisher: ISLA.

38. Neighbor of Sudan: CHAD.

39. __ bag: slouchy purse: HOBO.

41. Crowning: ATOP.

42. Ready to eat, as pistachios: SHELLED.

44. "Good heavens!": OH MY. Our whole neighborhood was super quiet yesterday. I live 2.2 miles miles away from the lawmaker's house. 

46. Drink with quinine: TONIC.

47. Open and honest: FRANK.

48. Tiny pest: MITE.

50. "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" spinoff: RHODA.

51. Prosperous periods: BOOMS.

52. Perceive: SENSE.

55. Pool contents: GENES.

56. Disney's "Poor Unfortunate Souls" singer: URSULA. "The Little Mermaid". Learning moment for me.

58. Who "cometh" in a Eugene O'Neill play: ICEMAN.

60. Reels post, for short: VID.

62. Diarist Nin: ANAIS.

64. Highlands designs: TARTANS. And 116. Edinburgh no: NAE.

66. Data display: CHART.

67. Angels' crowns: HALOS.

68. "Let me do it": I WILL.

69. Tree at a Christmas tree farm: FIR.

70. Suited king and queen, in pinochle: MARRIAGE.

71. Tonkatsu ingredient: PANKO.  Tonkatsu is pork cutlet. Often paired with shredded cabbage.

72. Sour sort: CYNIC.

75. Rocker Joan: JETT.

78. Sidewalk impediments: SLOWPOKES.

79. Gift bag, often: TOTE.

80. Hiding place: STASH.

81. Is theatrical: ACTS.

83. "Lawrence of Arabia" co-star Guinness: ALEC.

84. "Get a __ of this!": LOAD.

85. Tax prep figs.: SSNS.

87. Parrot: APER.

88. Holier-__-thou: THAN.

91. "Gimme Love" singer: SIA.

92. Be theatrical: EMOTE.

94. Still not ready to get up: ABED.

95. Hide text in a document: REDACT.

98. Commercial trade, briefly: AD BIZ.

99. Wait tables: SERVE.

100. Sidestep: AVOID.

102. Vitamin D source: UV RAY. I probably do not need to take vitamin D supplement during summer months. 

104. Dots on a map: TOWNS.

105. Surrounding glows: AURAE.

107. Danson of "A Man on the Inside": TED.

109. Eyelid problem: STYE.

110. Consequently: THEN.

112. Special teams responsibility: PUNT.

113. Awards acronym: EGOT.

114. Canadian gas company: ESSO.

117. Tax return pro: CPA.

118. Botch: ERR.

120. "So cool!": RAD.

C.C.

Sunday April 13, 2025 Gary Larson & Amy Ensz

Theme:"Made to Measure" - Common phrases are reinterpreted as if they're units of measurement.

23. Increments of time spent on an assembly line?: FACTORY SECONDS.

28. Units of weight equivalent to roughly seven times that of a human?: DOG POUNDS.

43. Percentages of alcohol in shipboard grog?: GALLEY PROOFS.

65. Units of force required to bite into a Mediterranean fruit?: FIG NEWTONS.

72. Volumes of topping poured over movie theater popcorn?: BUTTER CUPS.

93. Lengths to which some teenagers will go to procure fake IDs?: MINOR LEAGUES.

109. Areas of land bought and sold by savvy real estate investors?: WISE ACRES.

118. Thermometer readings at a major golf tournament? : MASTER'S DEGREES.

Chuckled at a few clues. Definitely some grin-worthy moments. The units of measurement are, of course, playfully repurposed from phrases that originally had nothing to do with actual measuring.

Gary Larson & Amy Ensz are a husband-and-wife team.  Can you imagine the wordplay flying around their home?

Across:

1. Limp Bizkit genre: RAP METAL. Nu metal band.

9. "Welcome to Hawaii!": ALOHA.

14. Without bias: JUSTLY.

20. "Maybe it's true": I GUESS SO.

21. Pitney's partner: BOWES.

22. Course absent at a dim sum or tapas restaurant: ENTREE. Generous portions at the dim sum place. We normally ordered 3 or 4 baskets then yakked for hours.

 

25. "Seinfeld" role for Julia: ELAINE.

26. Priceless?: FREE. Nice clue also.

27. Slightest: LEAST.

30. Get a bunch of: AMASS.

32. Viscount's superior: EARL.

33. Discombobulate: ABASH.

34. Capital that replaced Istanbul: ANKARA.

38. Paddock pace: TROT.

41. Spilled the beans: TOLD.

46. Washstand toppers: BASINS. 86. Wash up: LAVE.

50. Stunt performer Knievel: EVEL.

51. Swiss chocolate brand: LINDT.

52. Three-spot in a hand: TREY.

54. WWE wrestler __ "Freakin" Rollins: SETH. Unknown to me.

56. Went back and forth: SEESAWED.

59. Transitions: SEGUES.

61. "Whoopee!": YAHOO.

62. Feathery wrap: BOA.

63. D.C. baseball team: NATS.

64. "Heavens to Betsy": DEAR ME.

74. Divvies up: ALLOTS.

75. Like a phone in need of a charge: DEAD.

77. Fly catcher: WEB.

78. Pride members: LIONS.

79. Sent an emoji: TEXTED.

81. Italian dessert: TIRAMISU. Want some?

87. Tick off: LIST.

88. Bishop's agent: VICAR.

90. Seemingly forever: EONS. Been over 8 weeks since I took Methotrexate. Alas, no improvement yet. Sure hope there's some alternative when I see the RA doctor again on 4/23.

91. Hold back: DETAIN.

96. Origin: SEED.

98. World Cup cheers: OLES.

99. Chalkboard accessory: ERASER.

100. Persian potentates: SHAHS. Followed by 104. Many a Riyadh resident: ARAB.

106. Diving positions: TUCKS. Pike and tuck.

111. Condition: SHAPE.

113. Some PC ports: USBS.

117. Figure skating biopic: I TONYA. Played by Margot Robbie.

122. Chops finely: MINCES.

123. Mystery prize?: EDGAR. The Edgar Awards.

124. Eroding: EATING AT.

125. Knights' mounts: STEEDS.

126. Coffee order: LATTE.

127. Some sporty Pontiacs: TRANS AMS.

Down:

1. Song opening, often: RIFF.

2. Biology lab supply: AGAR.

3. Purple shade: PUCE.

4. Ration (out): METE.

5. Spanish "that": ESO.

6. Original Dungeons & Dragons co.: TSR. Short for Tactical Studies Rules.

7. Safe places: ASYLA. I dreamed of ICE agents visiting my house one night. 

8. Takes the count: LOSES.

9. Primer material: ABCS.

10. Spoils: LOOT.

11. Have possession of: OWN.

12. "__ Gabler": Ibsen play: HEDDA.

13. Classify: ASSORT.

14. Military vehicle: JEEP.

15. Vents: UNLOADS. Guess how much does it cost to change a Federal Pacific panel these days? $5K at least. I have to replace it if I want to sell the house, as it's regarded as a fire hazard. But I don't need to if I continue to live here. 

16. French cookware brand: STAUB. Pricey.

 

17. "Still da Baddest" artist: TRINA.

18. Advances: LENDS.

19. "Good grief": YEESH. 30. "__ you joking?": ARE. The panel!

24. Singer Sheena: EASTON.

29. Geography class spheres: GLOBES.

31. Kentucky Derby month: MAY.

32. Dark forest hypothesis subjs.: ETS.

34. Keeps in a cellar, perhaps: AGES.

35. Pews locale: NAVE.

36. "Castle and Sun" painter Paul: KLEE.

37. "__ Well That Ends Well": ALL'S.

39. Engine parts: RODS.

40. As a rule: OFTEN.

42. Nonprofessional: LAY.

44. Tennis skirt fold: PLEAT.

45. Clear (of): RID.

47. Oscar of "Dune": ISAAC.

48. Jacket named for an Indian prime minister: NEHRU.

49. Walk noisily: STOMP.

52. Ballet attire: TUTU.

53. Sabbath activity: REST.

55. Tilling tools: HOES.

57. Helps run a scam: ABETS.

58. Blows away: WOWS.

60. Make small talk: GAB.

61. __ Buena Island, California: YERBA.

64. Bambi, e.g.: DEER.

65. Pumpkin spice season: FALL. Lately I've been loving pumpkin millet congee. It soothes my stomach and brings me back to my childhood.

66. Trojan War saga: ILIAD.

67. Part of a fitting simile?: GLOVE. Fit like a glove.

68. Nine-piece band: NONET.

69. Poetic exaltations: ODES.

70. Call from a till: NEXT.

71. Did nothing: SAT.

73. Flower girl's dance move, perhaps: TWIRL.

76. Pitchfork wielder: DEVIL.

79. Quality of one who can't sing on pitch: TIN EAR.

80. Chow down: DINE.

81. 2022 Cate Blanchett drama: TAR. It's heavy.

82. Ginormous: MEGA.

83. Letters of debt: IOUS.

84. Old-fashioned blade: SNEE.

85. Space race initials: USSR.

87. Golf ball position: LIE.

89. One who shares the bill: CO-STAR.

92. Evaluated: ASSAYED.

93. Unruly group: MOB.

94. Sound of surprise: EEK.

95. Horace's "__ Poetica": ARS.

97. Multitool maker: DREMEL. We had this before.

100. Stays afloat: SWIMS. Been taking a break. Sure hope the ankle swelling goes away soon.

101. Water-skier's "Go!": HIT IT.

102. Collectively: AS ONE.

103. Thus: HENCE.

105. Carne __: ASADA. This looks delicious.

107. Unexpected sports outcome: UPSET.

108. Chest material: CEDAR.

110. Pop's Mama: CASS.

111. On the double: STAT.

112. "Take this!": HERE.

113. Banquet coffeepots: URNS.

114. Genesis creator: SEGA.

115. Skyscraper support: BEAM.

116. Fast fliers no longer flying, briefly: SSTS.

119. Title of a Beatles song?: SGT. Pepper!

120. Pilot's approx.: ETA.

121. __ rummy: GIN.

C.C.

Friday, December 27, 2024, Gary Larson, Amy Ensz

 Today's theme is SELF-EVIDENT.

Gary Larson and Amy Ensz have placed five OBVIOUS theme clues symmetrically throughout the grid.  The first word of each answer is a synonym for OBVIOUS.

The theme clues and answers (all Across) are:

15. Casino employee, obviously?: PLAIN DEALER.  PLAIN is a synonym for OBVIOUS, as in, "It is PLAIN to me that the readers of this blog enjoy crossword puzzles."  A DEALER is a casino employee who runs games by distributing cards and managing chips.  A PLAIN DEALER is a person who interacts with others honestly and openly.

23. Natural pillow stuffing, obviously?: MARKED DOWN.  MARKED is a synonym for OBVIOUS, as in, "There is a MARKED difference between summer and winter temperatures."  DOWN is a layer of fine feathers found under the exterior feathers of birds, often used as pillow stuffing.  MARKED DOWN is a phrase that means reduced in price.

34. Actor Jude's offspring, obviously?: PATENT LAW.  PATENT is a synonym for OBVIOUS, as in, "He told a PATENT lie."  LAW is the surname of actor Jude Law.  PATENT LAW is a legal framework providing exclusive rights to inventors.

48. Honorific, obviously?: CLEAR TITLE.  CLEAR is a synonym for OBVIOUS, as in, "It is CLEAR to me that the theme answers are humorous double entendres."  TITLE can refer to an honoric, like "Mr.," "Ms.," or "Dr."  CLEAR TITLE is a phrase that means undisputed ownership.

58. Convenient excuse, obviously?: STRIKING OUT.  STRIKING is a synonym for OBVIOUS, as in, "The younger Law bore a STRIKING resemblance to his father, Jude."  OUT can be used to mean an excuse, as in, "I didn't want to attend the party, and my sniffles gave me an OUT."  STRIKING OUT has a number of meanings -- setting out on a course of action, having three unsuccessful swings in baseball, failing at something, or in this case, a spectacular excuse!

And now, it is obviously time to review the remaining clues and answers!

Across:

1. Made-up band: KISS.  The American rock band KISS has been made up of various members over the years.  They are known for being MADE-UP with lots of makeup.

5. EPA concern: SMOG.

9. "Rules __ rules": ARE.

12. Native of Pre-Columbian Peru: INCA.

13. Gaze: STARE.

14. T. follower: REX.  T. rex is short for Tyrannosaurus rex, a large, carnivorous dinosaur that lived in western North America during the Late Cretaceous period.

15. [Theme clue]

17. Red block in Minecraft: TNT.  Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all-time, with over 300 million copies sold and nearly 170 million monthly active players as of 2024.  The game world is composed of cubes (or "blocks") representing materials such as ores, water, and lava.  And TNT!

18. Retinol Correxion skin care brand: RoC.  Apparently this stuff is the fountain of youth for your face.  Stay out of the sun if you use it, and watch out for skin irritation!

19. Hair-raising: EERIE.

20. Manitoba people: CREE.  The Cree are a North American Indigenous people. They live primarily in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories of Canada.

21. "Plus some other folks" abbr.: ET AL.  Short for "et alia," a Latin phrase meaning "and others."

23. [Theme clue]

26. Leave the band, perhaps: GO SOLO.

28. Rejected: VETOED.

29. Pirouetting, perhaps: ON TOE.  A ballet dancer supporting their weight on the tips of their toes is said to be en pointe.  

30. Call on: VISIT.

33. Physicians, briefly: MDs. Medical doctors.

34. [Theme clue]

37. Coolers, briefly: ACs. Air conditioners.

40. A mile a minute: SIXTY.  If you're going a mile a minute, that's sixty miles per hour.

41. "Up in Smoke" co-star: CHONG.  "Up in Smoke" is a 1978 comedy film starring Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong.

45. New Jersey city: CAMDEN.

47. Black eye: SHINER.

48. [Theme clue]

52. Cacio e __ pasta: PEPE.  "Cacio e pepe" is Italian for "cheese and pepper."  The classic dish is made with just pecorino romano cheese, black pepper and pasta.  Some folks consider this a good dish to order to test the quality of the kitchen in an Italian restaurant.  If they offer pizza, try margherita, topped with crushed peeled tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves.

53. Not pretty: UGLY.

54. Plays: DRAMA.

56. GPS display: RTE.  A Global Positioning System app (like Google Maps or Waze) displays a "route" to follow.

57. Was on the bottom?: SAT.  Oh, *that* bottom! 

58. [Theme clue]

61. Before, before: ERE.  Ere used to mean before, well before our time.

62. Filch: SWIPE.

63. Nature or nurture: NOUN.  Nature and nurture are both nouns.  

64. Leb. neighbor: SYR.  Lebanon and Syria.

65. Schnoz: NOSE.  Likely from Yiddish שנויץ (shnoyts), cognate to German Schnauze (“snout”) and English snout.

66. Ill at __: EASE.

Down:

1. Unit of explosive force: KILOTON.  A unit of explosive power equivalent to 1,000 tons of TNT.

2. Plastered?: IN A CAST.  Plaster casts are used to treat bone fractures.

3. __-fi: SCI.

4. Sensible: SANE.

5. Step: STAIR.

6. "Bohemian Rhapsody" Best Actor Oscar winner: MALEK.  Rami Malek portrayed Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury in the 2018 biographical film "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury

7. Lode load: ORE.

8. Neighbor of Aus.: GER.  Austria and Germany.

9. Creative venue: ART ROOM.

10. Like some library books or contracts: RENEWED.

11. Stretches out: EXTENDS.

13. "Buona __": SERA.  "Good evening" in Italian.

15. Barilla rival: PREGO.  Competing brands of bottled marinara sauce, made with tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs.

16. Expo presentation: DEMO.  At an exposition, exhibitors offer demonstrations of their products.

20. Chi. summer setting: CDT.  Chicago is on Central Daylight Time in the summer.

22. Aerial maneuver: LOOP.  A loop maneuver is an aerial stunt performed by airplane pilots.  The loop is achieved by diving and pulling back sharply. In every loop, the pilot has to navigate through a force of gravity nine times the normal.  It's dangerous!

24. Malicious: EVIL.

25. Rip off: DETACH.

27. Landlord: LEASER.

30. Bother: VEX.

31. Abbr. on a bank statement: INT.  With any luck, your bank statement shows interest.

32. Mud hole: STY.  A sty is a pig pen, which is often muddy.

35. Shade: TINT.

36. Blender setting: WHIP.

37. Charges: ACCUSES.

38. Home of the Stampede: CALGARY.  The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition, and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

39. Place of refinement?: SMELTER.  A smelter is a machine or factory that heats ore to high temperatures to separate metal from other elements.

42. Burdensome: ONEROUS.

43. Planet with the Great Dark Spot: NEPTUNE.  The Great Dark Spot was observed by NASA's Voyager 2 space probe in 1989, and later by the Hubble Space Telescope.  It is a large storm.

44. Welcome: GREET.

46. Same-__ delivery: DAY.

47. Formal introduction?: SEMI.  Semi-formal is a dress code:  more polished than work wear, but less formal than black-tie.  For men, a suit is in order.  For women, who the heck knows?

49. Actor Elba: IDRIS.  Idris Elba is an award-winning English actor and singer.  He is OBVIOUSLY sexy, having been named Essence's annual Sexiest Man of the Year in 2013 and People's Sexiest Man Alive in 2018.

50. Drivel: TRIPE.  Drivel is nonsense.  Tripe is slang for nonsense.  The first meaning of tripe is the edible lining of a cow, pig, or sheep's stomach.  The edible tripe looks like rubbish, which led to the secondary meaning of rubbish or nonsense.

51. Camp sight: LAKE.

55. Celebrity chef Burrell: ANNE.  Anne Burrell is an American chef and television personality She hosts the Food Network show Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and co-hosts Worst Cooks in America. 

58. Digits from the government: SSN.  Social Security Number.

59. Wee hour: TWO.  The wee hours are the first few hours after midnight, so called because they have wee (or small) numbers.  TWO o'clock AM is a wee hour -- but not the only one.

60. Indian state whose capital is Panaji: GOA.  Goa is a state on the southwestern coast of India.  It is India's smallest state by area and fourth-smallest by population. India rates Goa as having the best quality of life in the country.  The state capital, Panaji, retains cultural influences from its 456 years as a territory of Portugal.  The beaches of Goa appear to be popular tourist destinations.

Here's the grid:

So, was this puzzle perfectly CLEAR to you?

Or did you find yourself STRIKING OUT along the way?

NaomiZ