Sunday February 27, 2022 Katrina Lee

Theme: "Juicy Tidbits" - Four different teas are dropped from four long Across theme entries.

1A. Often abbreviated reaction to information overload: TO (O LONG), DIDN'T READ.

2D. Chinese for "black dragon": OOLONG.

32A. Completely different situation: A WHOLE OTH(ER BAL) GAME.

35D. Like some remedies: HERBAL.

70A. Middle-earth ring bearer: BILB (O BA)GGINS. And 12. 70-Across nephew: FRODO.

71D. Fett in "The Mandalorian": BOBA.

106A. Résumé alert about an unfinished goal: DEG(REE N)OT COMPLETED.

108D. Putting __: GREEN.

Reveal:

130. "Give me some gossip!" ... and a hint to this puzzle's sets of circles, which affect four Across answers: SPILL THE TEA.

Congrats to Katrina for her first LAT puzzle. And a Sunday!

I don't think we've seen a puzzles with a 11-letter Across, normally the first themer starts at the 3rd row. Amazing grid! "Dropping" theme is always trickier to design and fill.

 
Across:

12. Ukulele ridge: FRET.

16. "Gotcha" sounds: AHS.

19. Starter: HORS D'OEUVRE. 22. Altruism: SELFLESSNESS. Partnered with two more long entries: 120. Total removals: ERADICATIONS. 127. "The Crocodile" of early tennis: RENE LACOSTE.

20. Indian flatbread: ROTI. Not NAAN.

 

21. Laser pointer chaser: CAT.

23. Most of the 2010s: OBAMA ERA.

25. Span of a scale with three sharps: A TO A. Tricky to parse.

26. That, in Madrid: ESA. Or ESO.

27. Gucci of fashion: ALDO.

29. "Elements of Algebra" author: EULER. Wikipedia says he wrote the book around 1765 in German.

30. "Don't back down, bro!": MAN UP.

36. Certain carton components: EGG CUPS.

39. Reunion attendees: AUNTS.

40. Café freebie: EAU. And 112. Like a romantic dinner, in Paris: A DEUX. 117. Paris gal pal: AMIE. 28. Paris article: LES.

41. "Don't think so": I BET.

42. Nos. for alums: YRS.

43. Comparative data diagram: BAR GRAPH. So many fantastic entries in this grid: 64. "Play it cool": ACT CASUAL. 78. Raggedy: MOTH-EATEN. 92. Dad's referral?: GO ASK MOM. 15D. Zoom annoyance: TIME LAG.

48. "The Misery Index" network: TBS.

51. Bulgarian's neighbor: SERB.

53. Type of diet that might replace potatoes with cauliflower: LOW CARB. I'd be miserable with such a diet.

 56. New Deal agcy.: NRA.

57. "High Rollers" co-host __ Lee: RUTA.  Here with Alex Trebek.

59. Grams: NANAS.

61. Alert on the road: HONK AT.

63. __ in Charlie: C AS.

66. Prefix with treat or giving: MIS.

67. Blow a fuse: LOSE IT.

69. Sellers of KAFFEREP cinnamon buns: IKEAS.

74. Following: POSSE.

75. Tokyo airport: NARITA. Busiest airport in Japan. The first two characters 成田 is Narita.

77. Apple runs on it: IOS.

80. Hot state: IRE.

81. How three nursery-rhyme merchants went to sea: IN A TUB.

84. Trailer follower: MOVIE.

85. Laker legend, familiarly: KOBE. Bryant.

86. Votes against: NOS.

87. Soybeans served in the pod: EDAMAME. It's called "mao dou" in Chinese. Same thing.

89. Gawk at: OGLE.

91. With 6-Down, Rudolph's guiding light: RED. And 6. See 91-Across: NOSE.

95. Boarding precedes it: Abbr.: ETD. Also 14. ORD posting: ETA.

97. Penicillium, e.g.: MOLD.

99. Half a martial art: TAI. Tai chi.

100. Kendrick with a Pulitzer: LAMAR. For his album DAMN.

102. On the lam: AT LARGE.

113. Chef's protection: APRON.

114. Word with words or chance: LAST.

115. Org. with many returns: IRS. And 128. ID on many returns: SSN. Have not done ours yet.

118. Most sentimental: WEEPIEST.

125. Maiden name preceder: NEE.

126. __-Ball: SKEE.

129. Post: SEND.

Down:

1. What Rickey Henderson often beat: THE TAG. 1,406 stolen bases. Record of course.

 

3. NIAID director: DR FAUCI. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
 
4. Luzon, for one: Abbr.: ISL. Island. Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines.

5. JFK predecessor: DDE.

7. Thompson of Marvel movies: TESSA.

8. Beat it: RUN AWAY.

9. Night before: EVE.

10. ___ Technica: tech news website: ARS.

11. Make drinkable, as seawater: DESALT.

13. "Mr. __": Rami Malek drama: ROBOT.

 16. Amtrak speedster: ACELA.

17. Sultan's group: HAREM. 

18. Intimidate, with "down": STARE.

22. Identical: SAME.

24. Foretell: AUGUR.

31. Trivia night settings: PUBS.

33. Flings: HURLS.

34. "That's wrong __ many levels": ON SO.

37. Hammer parts: PEENS.

38. "Ghost Story" author Peter: STRAUB. Learning moment for me.

43. Forbid: BAN.

44. Flood shelter: ARK.

45. 23andMe discovery: ANCESTOR.

46. "Thank the Lord!": PRAISE BE.

47. Got a move on: HASTENED.

48. Instruction: TRAINING.

49. "__ Holiday": opening section of Copland's "Rodeo": BUCKAROO.

50. First woman to be named Doctor of the Church, briefly: ST TERESA. Sometimes we see AVILA clued as [St. Teresa's city].

 

 

52. __ B'rith: BNAI.

54. Tory adversary: WHIG.

55. __ de' Medici, first de facto Lord of Florence: COSIMO. Also new to me.

58. Berry in a bowl: ACAI.

60. Garlic genus: ALLIUM. Onion, leek, chive all belong to this genus.

62. Get plastered: TOPE. Not a word I use.

65. Piedmont bubbly: ASTI.

66. Classic U.K. sports cars: MGS.

68. Prepare, as beans: SOAK. I like peas better, esp black-eyed peas, widely used in Cantonese soup.

72. De __: again: NOVO.

73. Stain: STIGMA.

76. Short on iron, maybe: ANEMIC. Beans and peas are high in iron.

79. Serf of Sparta: HELOT.

82. Ruckus: ADO.

83. Cap with a pompon: TAM.

84. Convened in: MET AT.

88. Idea that spreads in a culture: MEME.

90. "First Lady of Song": ELLA. And 116. 90-Down's improv: SCAT.

93. Entrance porch: STOOP.

94. Teen dystopian novel narrator: KATNISS. "The Hunger Games".

96. Hanukkah top: DREIDEL.

98. Duchamp, for one: DADAIST.

100. CD precursors: LPS.

101. Lets out, say: ALTERS. Sometimes I struggle to fold Boomer's walker. Not fun when it's -12 and windy. I'm surprised that it takes a long time for my cracked finger to heal. I'm also surprised that the same spot can be cracked twice. I need to be a better glove-wearer.

103. Channel changer: REMOTE.

104. Kind of pig that's not a pig: GUINEA.

105. They can be tricky to run into: EXES.

106. Daybreaks: DAWNS.

107. Foil relatives: EPEES.

109. Designer Ashley: OLSEN. Here with her twin.

110. Like some cornered kings: MATED.

111. "You know the __": DRILL.

119. Just make, with "out": EKE.

121. Good name, briefly: REP.

122. "Star Wars" nickname: ANI. Nickname for the young Darth Vader.

123. German "Alas!": ACH.

124. __ the line: TOE.

We have another busy week ahead. VA every day. Thursday is tougher with four appointments, including Boomer's chemo infusion and a meeting with the neurosurgeon.

But there's no more below zero in the forecast. So happy. We had a tough time last Tuesday with the snowstorm.

C.C.