Friday, July 10, 2020, Kevin Salat

Title: An homage to the KNIGHTS WHO SAY NI.

The first Friday for Kevin S. who is a Saturday away from hitting for the cycle here at the LAT. To create this puzzle, Kevin uses a common Friday trick - a 16 x15 grid. This is an "add a sound" Friday which is made easier by an early reveal. 37A. Joint protection ... or, in a way, creators of four puzzle puns: KNEE CAPS (7). The sound "nee" is added to the end of four phrases presented in a pinwheel pattern with the central reveal. Since puzzles have various forms of symmetry, this one has some uniques aspects. (1) Both across fill are twelve letters and the sound comes from NEY being added. However, HOLD COURT does not change but NO CLOO/NO CLUE does (2) Both down fill end differently. the first NIE, the second the tricky GNA which is hard for literal people. Queen Bea is a legitimate name for someone named Elizabeth, but Down Below becomes BOLO. Because of the extra words and spaces we have ESSENCE, RED CARD, SENSORS, WELCOME, CAME NEAR, ELITISTS, BOOK SMART, INK SMEARS,  IN REVERSE, and OVERSLEPT.

18A. Embrace Love?: HOLD COURTNEY (12). Courtney Love is much more (or less) than Kurt Cobain's widow.

57A. Is unable to sign the top-billed star for an "Ocean's 13" sequel?: HAS NO CLOONEY (12). Rather true and a bit sad so soon after the passing of CARL REINER.

12D. Casual topper for Elizabeth II?: QUEEN BEANIE (11). The mental picture of the queen in a yarmulke, called by many a beanie amuses, but among the 5000 or so she has worn THIS is the closest I found. CED?

25D. Consume some deli meat?: DOWN BOLOGNA (11). Sounds like taking medicine. Have I told the story of the white bologna?

I am tired; time to get to the rest.

Across:

1. Stockpile: HOARD. This did not jump to mind despite all the hoarding shows on TV.

6. "Fuller House" actor: STAMOS. More stuff.

12. Proof letters: QED. Quod Erat Dēmonstrandum. Latin.

15. Perfume name: ESTEE. If you were speaking Latin you might Laud Her.
16. IdeaPad maker: LENOVO. Lenovo Group Limited is a Hong Kong-based company that bought IBM's PC business.

17. Sch. in Charlotte: UNC. University of North Carolina.

20. Time often named for a philosophy: ERA. Also can get your clothes clean.

21. Approached: CAME NEAR. Back to literal clue/fill.

22. Estate beneficiary: HEIR. Only if there is no will in Florida; 'Heirs' or 'heirs at law' means those persons, including the surviving spouse, who are entitled under the statutes of intestate succession to the property of a decedent.

23. Rental garage array: SEDANS. Does anyone actually call it a rental garage?

26. Basic nature: ESSENCE.

28. "Cancel the mission!": ABORT. A sideways CSO to our resident astronaut HG. Pete Conrad went to the same high school I did.

29. Anxious med. condition: OCD. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

32. Iberian capital, locally: LISBOA. Lisbon in Portuguese.

33. "Lawdy!": GAWD. Bordering on un-pc?

34. Ready to go back?: IN REVERSE. I like this one because to back up you need to be...

36. Writer Rand: AYN. The letters will keep her popular for many generations.

38. Civil War prez: ABE. In the news these days.

41. Educated in the classroom as opposed to the street: BOOK SMART. Versus street smart; we have both kinds here at the Corner.

43. Wrinkle: SNAG.

44. Hybrid utensils: SPORKS. Are there any Foons out there?

46. Nevada copper town: ELY. Not anymore, Ely's mining boom came with the discovery of copper in 1906. Ely was home to a number of copper mining companies, Kennecott being the most famous. They left in the 70's crash.
47. Bizet opera priestess: LEILA. Opera is not my strong suit, but I know his creation CARMEN. I did not know THE PEARL FISHER.

48. Friendly greeting: WELCOME. I had no choice.

50. Virgil epic: AENEID. Arma virumque cano. Latin.

51. Love god: EROS. Finally a Greek.

52. Snobs: ELITISTS.

56. Hosp. test: EKG.

61. It may not be intended: PUN. But today's clearly were.

62. Melodious: ARIOSE. This is having a melody, as distinguished from recitative.

63. Physique: FRAME. She was built like an A-frame.

64. Springs for a vacation?: SPA. Saratoga, and watch some horsies?

65. __ fly: TSETSE.

66. Nikon setting: F-STOP.

Down:

1. "Very cute": HEH.

2. Spanish bear: OSO. Hello, again Lucy.

3. CDC headquarters city: ATLanta.

4. Soccer ejection indicator: RED CARD. I will never forget ...

5. Pour to purify: DECANT. Can you get me some good wine? I decant!

6. Swing around: SLUE.

7. Gull relative: TERN.

8. Start-up money?: ANTE. Poker anyway.

9. Janelle of "Moonlight": MONÁE. A definite STAR. An award-winning movie...

10. Stayed out too long?: OVERSLEPT.

11. __ milk: SOY. Do we have any soy milk drinkers?

13. Tenor Caruso: ENRICO.

14. Takoma Park, Md., is part of it: DC AREA.

19. Yoga chants: OMS. I am working on a puzzle with OM part of the theme.

22. Gas company with toy trucks: HESS.

23. Long story: SAGA. Oo and I have begun watching the old PBS show, the FORSYTE SAGA.

24. Site with PowerSellers: EBAY. Who knew?

27. Gentlemen: SIRS.

29. Washington's bills?: ONES. The 1935 blue seal.

30. __ fraîche: dairy product: CRÈME.  This is a cultured cream soured with a bacterial culture, similar to sour cream or Mexican crema.

31. Helmet sticker: DECAL.

34. Concern for lefty writers: INK SMEARS. I broke myself of the twisted wrist style, so I am good.

35. Change: VARY.

37. Gorilla who learned modified 50-Down: KOKO.

39. Hanes brand: BALI.

40. "Jiminy cricket!": EGAD.

42. Tolkien beasts: ORCS. More LOTR trivia.

43. They may pick up speed: SENSORS.

44. Cleans, in a way: SWEEPS. October, February, May, and July.

45. Get excited: PERK UP. My morning coffee.

47. Allow to go free: LET OFF.

49. Commercial cow: ELSIE. Bordens.

50. Syst. with hand signals: ASL. American Sign Language.

53. "What am __ getting?": I NOT. The solve.

54. Chuck: TOSS.

55. Brand written in frosty letters: ICEE.

57. Uniform part, maybe: HAT. See "helmet" above.

58. __ Geo: NAT.

59. Angsty genre: EMO.

60. "For sure": YEP.

Yep, I am done and the stage is yours to provide comments and discussion. Thank you, Kevin, and all who read and write.

Tuesday, April 28, 2020 Kevin Salat

Don't Cross Me!  The circled letters spell out three separate threats.  I think my Mom used a couple  of these phrases back when we were kids.

18-Across. 1981 fantasy about thieves hopping through historical eras: TIME BANDITS.  I MEAN IT!

39-Across. Many a millennial, now: THIRTY-SOMETHING. TRY ME!  This was also the name of a television show in the 1980s.  I called it NerdySomething.  The characters were all such whiners.

60-Across. "It's taken care of": YOU'RE ALL SET.  OR ELSE!

And the Unifier, which is a 2-parter:

5. With 47-Down, multitalented Broadway star ... or what's "veiled" in this puzzle's circles: TRIPLE. //  And 47. See 5-Down: THREAT.  Together this gives us a Triple Threat.  And, as we saw above, the circles gave us three threats.

Today's puzzle had lots of CSOs to our regular posters.  Can you find them all?

Across:

1. Disorderly do: MOP.

4. Canadian capital: OTTAWA.  Hi, CanadianEh!

10. River to the Severn: AVON.

14. Sashimi choice: AHI.  Yummers!  (or should I say nom nom nom?)

15. Investigated deeply: PROBED.

16. Gossip columnist Barrett: RONA.

Rona Barrett (née Rona Burstein; b. Oct. 8, 1936)

17. Derelict in one's duty: LAX.

20. Ensnare: TRAP.

22. Hedgehogs and gerbils, often: PETS.

23. Ski lodge mugful: COCOA.  I would have gone for something a bit stronger.

24. Story in installments: SERIAL.

26. The Auld Sod: EIRE.  Hi, Abejo!

27. Alternatives to teleprompters: CUE CARDS.

31. Stick-in-the-__: MUD.

34. Channel covering Capitol Hill: C-SPAN.

37. Site with posts: BLOG.  A CSO to all reading this commentary.

38. Green and brown garb, for short: CAMO.  Can you spot the owl?

42. The Beatles' "Abbey __": ROAD.

43. Sicilian volcano: ETNA.

44. Nickname for the MLB's Angels: HALOS.

45. Quarterback Dawson: LEN.

46. Patent pursuer: INVENTOR.

48. 10:1 or 5:2: ODDS.

50. Poet Langston with a Spingarn Medal: HUGHES.  I discovered Langston Hughes (né James Mercer Langston Hughes; Feb. 1, 1902 ~ May 22, 1967) when I was in high school.  He is one of my favorite poets.

54. __ wave: TIDAL.  Ever wonder what a Tidal Wave is?

56. In the distance: AFAR.

59. Gutter locale: EAVE.

63. No longer edible: BAD.

64. A midi covers it: KNEE.

65. Hebrew prophet: ISAIAH.  A book of the Hebrew Bible is named after him.

66. State east of Wash.: IDA.

67. Grub: EATS.

68. Contribute to a GoFundMe campaign, e.g.: DONATE.

69. Boxing count: TEN.

Down:

1. Ice-creamy drinks: MALTS.  Yummers!

2. Chicago hub: O'HARE.  The airport is O'Hare.  Originally, however, the airport was known as Orchard Field, hence, the airport code ORD.  In 1949, the name was changed to O'Hare to honor Edward Henry O'Hare (Mar. 13, 1914 ~ Nov. 26, 1943), a World War II flying ace, who was killed in the War.

3. "Inside Out" (2015) studio: PIXAR.  Pixar is a computer animation company that is a subsidary of Disney Studios.

4. Decide: OPT.

6. Heavy book: TOME.

7. Help with a robbery, say: ABET.

8. Halloween decor: WEBS.

9. Cavity-fighting org.: ADA.  As in the American Dental Association.

10. Zeal: ARDOR.

11. Phone message: VOICE MAIL.

12. Suspicious of: ON TO.

13. Artemis lunar program org.: NASA.  Hi, Gary!

19. TV maritime drama: NCIS.  //  And 28-Down. 19-Down network: CBS TV.  I have never watched this show, but the initials stand for Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

21. Captain Jean-Luc of the Enterprise: PICARD.  Hi, Picard!

25. Uncle's love: AUNT.

26. Cube part: EDGE.

29. Solo: ALONE.

30. Like some clock numerals: ROMAN.

32. "Sorry, that's not happening": UM ... NO!

33. Pooches: DOGS.

34. Key near Alt: CTRL.  As in the Control Key.  On my Mac keyboard, the full word "control" is spelled out.

35. Adidas product: SHOE.

36. Keyboard work for two: PIANO DUET.

38. Dead battery's need: CHARGE.

40. Desires: YENS.  Also the currency of Japan.

41. "... wherefore art __ Romeo?": THOU.  A reference to Willie the Shakes.  Hi, OMK.

46. Doing nothing: IDLE.

49. Challenges: DARES.  This could go with today's theme.

51. Checking for messages, e.g.: HABIT.

52. Dodge: EVADE.

53. Police car, usually: SEDAN.

54. Little fella: TYKE.

55. New Rochelle college: IONA.

56. Part of aka: ALSO.

57. Spanish dessert: FLAN.  Yummers!  When I lived in France, I ate these all the time.

58. Home of the world's six tallest buildings: ASIA.  Here's a list of the World's Tallest competed buildings.

A view from the Shanghai Tower.

61. Assistance: AID.

62. None of __ above: THE.

QOD:  The presence of those seeking truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they’ve found it.  ~  Sir Terry Pratchett (né Terrance David John Pratchett; Apr. 28, 1948 ~ Mar. 12, 2015), British humorist and novelist

Wednesday March 4, 2020 Kevin Salat

Theme - SCRATCH THAT.  The theme answers start with an anagram of the word SCRATCH, kinda, sorta, almost.

18 A. Collision simulation aids: CRASH TEST DUMMIES.  Full scale anthropomorphic structures that approximate the size, shape and modes of motion of humans.

33 A. Extraordinary little one, in folklore: STAR CHILD.  News to me, but here you go.

50 A. Place with drawing rooms: ART SCHOOL.  A studio with art supplies, not a room in a house where guests are entertained.

43 A. Junk collector: TRASH CAN.  It only collects trash if you put it in there.  Not to be confused with Oscar.

And the unifier:  66 A. Begin all over again ... and what 18-, 33-, 43- and 50-Across all do (almost), as indicated by the circled letters: START FROM SCRATCH.

Here is a theme that by it's own admission does not quite work. The theme fill entries all lack the second letter C that would be necessary to complete the word SCRATCH.  Unless I'm missing something, this is a pretty serious flaw.  High marks for honesty, though.  Let's move on.

Across:

1. Foreboding: OMINOUS.  Giving a feeling that something bad is about to happen.

8. Optimistic: ROSY.  Having a feeling that something good is about to happen.

12. Pump product: GAS.  Fuel for your auto.

15. "Give me an example": NAME  ONE.  Any one will do

16. "The real story is ... ": ACTUALLY.  In fact  .  .  .

20. Scapula neighbor, for short: DELT.  Shoulder blade bone and DELTOID, a triangular shaped muscle to the outside of the shoulder

21. Big name in nail polish: OPI.   Pick your color.

22. "Yeah, sure": I BET.  Sarcastic expression of disbelief.

23. Partnership letters: LLC. Limited Liability Company.

25. Cleaning conveniences: SPONGES.  Soft, porous material, either natural or synthetic.

30. "Scary Movie" reaction: SCREAM.  As in last weeks Psycho.

37. Poke tuna: AHI.  Poke [pronounced poh-kay] is a salad of raw fish marinated in sesame or soy.

38. Chocolate dog: LAB.

Dogs named for their color

40. Nabisco cookie: OREO.  Also chocolate on the outside.

41. Neither's partner: NOR.  Negating both one thing and the other.

42. Part of a relay: LEG.

45. Overly: TOO.  As in TOO much.

46. "So-so": MEH.  As per Homer.

47. Mark for good: ETCH.  Make a permanent mark.

48. Spanish bear: OSO.  Literal

49. Hong Kong lang.: ENGlish.

53. Womb occupant: EMBRYO. In humans, the pre-fetal stage between the 2nd and 8th week after conception.

55. Apparition: PHANTOM. Ghost or figment of the imagination.

57. Kobe cash: YEN.  Japanese money.

58. About: AS TO.  Referring to something

61. Duracell size: AAA.  Small battery.

63. Salty waters: SEAS.  Oceans

72. Ready for sleep: TUCKED IN.  Secure in the bed.

73. Lady Gaga's debut album: THE FAME.

74. Squid's defense: INK.  Obscures its location.

75. Therefore: ERGO. Literal

76. Left formally: SECEDED.  Formally withdrew from a federal union, alliance or organization.

Down:

1. How music can be stored: ON CD.  Is it obsolete yet?

2. Farm female: MARE.  Lady horse.

3. "Don't worry about me": IM ALL RIGHT.  Whatever it was, I survived.

4. Settle snugly: NESTLE.  Tucked in, frex.

5. Awed reaction: OOH.  Impressive!

6. Golden rule preposition: UNTO.  Others. It's always about the others.

7. Trickles (through): SEEPS.  Description of a very slow leek, usually of a liquid through what ought to be a solid surface.

8. Tell (on): RAT.  Tattle.

9. Med. condition with repetitive behavior: OCD.  Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior.  Characterized by uncontrollable thoughts and behaviors that a person needs to repeat, repeatedly.

10. Man's name that sounds like a slow-cooked dish: STU.

11. "Delicious!": YUM.  Please sir, may I have some more?

12. Smooth-talking: GLIB.  Fluent, bu insincere.

13. Out of the wind: ALEE.  Protected by some barrier or structure.

14. Part of CBS: Abbr.: SYSTem.

17. Barn-raising sect: AMISH.  A group of traditionalist Christians known for simple living, plain dress and resistance to modern technology.

19. Drinks a bit at a time: SIPS.

24. Pasadena institute: CAL TECH.  California Institute of Technology.

26. Texter's "Then again ... ": OTOH. On The Other Hand.

27. Bust maker: NARCO.  Drug bust, not a sculpted statue.

28. "Summer Nights" musical: GREASE.

29. Political bragging point, when it's thriving: ECONOMY.  And when it's not  .  .  .

30. Actress Hayek: SALMA.  Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez ( b1966) is a Mexican and American film actress and producer.

31. Joyful shout: CHEER.  Yay, hooray!

32. First first lady: MARTHA.  Mr, Washington, nee Dandridge.

34. Online promo: INTERNET AD.  Pop-ups and other annoying features.

35. Senseless: LOONY.  Inane

36. Khal __, Daenerys' husband in HBO's "Game of Thrones": DROGO.

Dream sequence

39. Strips for breakfast: BACON.  You can eat these strips for breakfast or you can strip for breakfast, but frying them in the nude is not recommended.

44. Opportunity: SHOT.  Take a SHOT at something.

51. Hybrid picnic utensil: SPORK.  Portmanteau of spoon and fork, not functioning very well as either.

52. Fertile soil: LOAM.  Composed of sand, silt and clay.

54. "Take care of yourself": BE SAFE.  Yes, all - please do this.

56. Mariner's supports: MASTS.  For sails.

58. Sparkling Italian wine: ASTI.  Named for it's region of origin.

59. Knock for a loop: STUN.

60. Wall map marker: TACK.  Push pin used to mark a spot or attach papers.

62. Feel sore: ACHE.  No pain, no gain.

64. Apex: ACME.  High point.

65. Spot for a mower: SHED.  Small out-building used for storage.

67. Begin a hole, with "up": TEE.  Golfing.

68. Four-term prez: FDR. Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

69. Oil field sight: RIG.  A drilling setup or operating well.

70. Musician Yoko: ONO. [b 1933] In addition to being a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter and peace activist, she is also the widow of he late John Lennon.

71. __ center: REC.  A community building used for meetings, sports and other activities.

Thus ends another Wednesday's recreation.  Hope you got through it UNSCRATCHED.

Cool regards!
JzB

Monday October 21, 2019 Kevin Salat

Theme: MIXED SIGNALS (62. Communication confusion ... or what's literally found in this puzzle's three sets of circles) - SIGNAL is scrambled in the middle of each theme entry.

17. Vessel for Bond: MARTINI GLASS.

28. "... for the remainder of my days": AS LONG AS I LIVE.

 

47. Places to get bronzed skin: TANNING SALONS.

Boomer here. 

I am pretty sure that I have played my last round of golf for 2019 last Thursday.  We had a nice weekend but the weatherman says that the future is not looking too warm or dry. Well, our Gophers remained undefeated on the football field while Wisconsin took one on the chin from Lovee's crew.  The door is open to Pasadena. The last time the Gophers were in the Rose Bowl, I watched it on our 19" black and white TV.

In 1961, Calvin Griffith moved the Washington Senators to Minnesota and they became the Twins.  Washington was without Major League Baseball until the Montreal Expos moved to the nations Capital in 2005.  D.C. has not seen a World Series since before I was born and I am pretty old.  It was pretty impressive the way the Nats took care of the Dodgers and Cardinals. Houston has their hands full and it should be fun to watch.

Across:

1. Thespian's platform: STAGE.  The last one out of town ??

6. English Derby site: EPSOM.  I believe the salt is named after this site.

11. Earlier: AGO.  "A long, long time AGO, I can still remember how the music used to make me smile. Don McLean - American Pie.

14. Handsome god: APOLLO.  APOLLO CREED, a Heavyweight champ that ran into Rocky.

15. "Me too!": DITTO.  One of the Flagston kids.

16. Coffee hour vessel: URN.  I have heard of this, but I get my coffee from a pot.

19. Sigma follower: TAU.

20. Golf tournament kickoff: PRO-AM.  I have bowled many PRO AMs as a bowler.  Recently bowled with Parker Bohn III at Treasure Island (in MN).  Parker was the PRO, I was the AM.

21. Clairvoyant: SEER.

22. B-ball: HOOPS.  We have Timberwolves in Minnesota.  They are not too good with HOOPS.

24. Spanish "month": MES. See 31. Twelve 24-Acrosses: ANO.

25. Money in the middle of a poker table: POT.  This used to describe my belly, but then I thinned up.

27. Smoke for Sherlock: PIPE.  I tried this after I quit cigarettes in 2001.  It did not last long.

34. No-holds-__: BARRED.  A lot of Viking opponents get "BARRED" by Anthony.

Anthony Barr

37. "Like it __ ... ": OR NOT.

38. 2020 Super Bowl number: LIV.  We had LII in Minneapolis.

39. Lemony Snicket's evil count: OLAF.  We have a St. Olaf College in Northfield, south of Minneapolis. You may have heard of it.  Jesse James wishes he had not.

40. Celestial shower component: METEOR.

42. Ice cream holder: CONE.  David was a great pitcher for the Mets.

David Cone

43. "The Greatest" boxer: ALI.  This guy only pitched his greatest to the media, but he was pretty good.

44. Painter of café scenes: MANET.

45. John of "Three's Company": RITTER.  The son of country singer Tex Ritter.  He had a great career on the sit-com but passed away early at the age of 55.

50. Adolescent: TEEN.  "Well, I'm just eighTEEN got a ruptured spleen and I always carry a purse."  Draft Dodger Blues - The Chad Mitchell Trio.

51. Cuteness reactions: AWS.

52. State-of-the-__: ART.  Mr. Garfunkel.

55. "Me too!": SO DO I.

56. Give off: EMIT.

59. Debate topic: ISSUE.

61. Game with Draw Two cards: UNO.  I think everyone had one of these games when I was a kid.

65. Quito's country, to the IOC: ECU.  That would be Ecuador, down by the Equator.

66. "Time is money," e.g.: ADAGE.

67. Texting devices: PHONES.  It's odd. I mentioned to three of my bowling coach buddies that I mentioned them in "My Nickel's Worth" column on mnbowling.com.  All three took out their phones and read the column.

68. Filming site: SET.  Six wins in a tennis match or another name for a TV.

69. Tibetan priests: LAMAS.  Okay a man became a monk in Tibet in an order that allowed only two words after five years. So after the first five years he visited the monk superior and said "I'm Hungry".  "No problem brother, we'll see that you receive more food".  After another five years he said "I'm cold."  Once again the head monk said "No problem, we will get you more blankets."  After the third five year period he proclaimed "I Quit".  The head monk said "Brother, I am not surprised,  You have done nothing but complain ever since you got here."

70. Engaged in battle: AT WAR.

Down:

1. Fifth tire: SPARE.  No, everyone knows that it's when you leave a ten pin and pick it up on your next ball.

2. Pamplona runners: TOROS.  We have a TORO company in Northern Minnesota that makes lawn mowers and great snow throwers.

3. Utah ski resort: ALTA.  One letter off from a vaping product called ALTO.  I could not help but notice that since the Medicare season is upon us, it seems as though there are a dozen health care commercials on TV every hour.  One of them was followed by one of these ads for ALTO.  I could not help but think if you buy one, you better have the other paid up also.

4. Quick look: GLIMPSE.

5. Ages and ages: EON.

6. Beat by a bit: EDGE.  A smaller Ford SUV.  I once owned an Explorer, but they are really huge now.

7. Paperwork accumulation: PILE.  Not Gomer, his name was PYLE.

8. "A __ Is Born": STAR.  "When you wish upon a STAR, makes no difference who you are."

9. Tense NBA periods: OTS.  It takes a tie game to get there and the Timberwolves seldom squeak out a tie.

10. Slam-dancing area: MOSH PIT.

11. Tesla self-driving car system: AUTOPILOT.  Reminds me of the movie Airplane and the blow up doll named OTTO.

12. Fruity metaphor for a rumor mill: GRAPEVINE.

13. Burden: ONUS.

14. Clock radio toggle: AM PM.

18. "No one __ blame": IS TO.  That's what Rocco said when the Yankees kicked our Twins butts.

23. Crude in a tanker: OIL.

26. 2018 Best Actor Gary: OLDMAN.  Now this puzzle is getting personal.

28. Dog's bark: ARF.  Dennis the Menace says his dog goes "RUFF".

29. What students take at lectures: NOTES.

30. Legendary Garbo: GRETA.

32. Melancholy: SORROW.  "Only one thing that money can't buy, True Love will never die. All my sorrows, soon forgotten." Kingston Trio.

33. Of all time: EVER.  "If you're ever in a jam, here I am." I don't know who sang that one.

34. Yacht or ferry: BOAT.  I once owned a boat, and took my son fishing a lot in the summer.  Now he owns a boat and lives by a lake.  C.C. and I used to go for pan fish off a fishing dock in a small town called Annandale, MN.  Now we go to Cub and buy walleye from the freezer.

35. Suddenly: ALL AT ONCE.  It's a strike if you knock the pins down ALL AT ONCE

36. Postponed, as a ball game: RAINED OUT.  Sometimes it's also a golf game.

41. U.K. language: ENG.

42. Dime's 10: Abbr.: CTS.  Jeopardy's James Holzhauer called a dime, $1,000.00.  Must be Las Vegas talk.

44. Barely enough: MINIMAL.

46. Acumen: INSIGHT.  A Honda Hybrid car.

48. Prefix with liberal: NEO.

49. Pull-up muscles, briefly: LATS.

52. Yoga posture: ASANA.

53. Measuring stick: RULER.

54. Hardy's "__ of the D'Urbervilles": TESS.

55. Takes to court: SUES.  Johnny Cash once touted, "My Name is Sue, How do you do".  Then Elaine Benes of Seinfeld said "Don't call him SUES."

56. More than a quiz: EXAM.

57. Prefix between kilo- and giga-: MEGA.  There's a lottery game called "Mega Millions".  C.C. and I do not play. Once in awhile we might buy a $2.00 ticket and we would be happy to double our money.

58. March 15, notably: IDES.

60. Skiing surface: SNOW.  I think I have heard of this.  I think it was Chrissy's surname in "Three's Company."

63. Wash. neighbor: IDA.  I have a cousin that lives in Twin Falls.  He told me his golf season is not yet over.  I'm not sure if he hits golf balls or potatoes.

64. Hoppy brew, for short: IPA.

Boomer

Sunday October 13, 2019 Kevin Salat

Theme: "Flip the Switch" - ON and OFF change positions.  

22A. Lectured about links?: SPOKE ON THE CUFF. Spoke off the cuff

47A. "We have that in stock," e.g.?: ON HAND REMARK. Offhand remark.

70A. Extra-base hit, likely?: FLY OFF THE WALL. Fly on the wall.

91A. Fake modeling material?: KNOCK OFF WOOD. Knock on wood.

117A. Let go of a factory workers unit?: LAID OFF THE LINE. Laid on the line.

32D. Guidebook for throwing a shot?: ON PUTTING. Off-putting.

60D. Stage hog staying sober?: HAM OFF RYE. Ham on rye.

Three Off to ON, Four On to OFF. One more will be an even switch.

Grid design can be deceiving at times. I thought this is a 140-worder, a few spots just feel so chunky.

Across:

1. Expert's nugget: PRO TIP.

7. Seaside eatery: CLAM BAR. Never been to a clam bar.

14. Relative challenge for some: IN-LAW. Real "relative".

19. Stand-up sort: MENSCH. So many on our blog.

20. Filmmaker for whom a Golden Globe award is named: DEMILLE. Also 127. Academy bestowals: OSCARS.

21. Part of TNT: NITRO.

24. Got out of the pen: SPRUNG. Jail. And 81. Sentence structure?: CELL.

26. 1974 Peace Nobelist from Japan: SATO. Wiki says he "brought Japan into the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, for which he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974." He died in 1975.

27. Gram opening: INSTA. Instagram.

28. Word on a towel: HIS.

29. Icky stuff: GOO.

30. __-cone: SNO.

33. Portable preparedness kit: GO BAG.

35. Rang: TOLLED.

37. 2019 NCAA hoops champ: UVA. And 34. 37-Across conf.: ACC.

38. Start of a few choice words?: EENIE.

40. World Golf Hall of Famer Lorena: OCHOA. One of my favorite LPGA players.

42. Big discount events: FIRE SALES.

45. Fabric flaws: RIPS.

46. Govt. health org.: CDC. And 66. 46-Across HQ city: ATL.

49. Uniformed "O Canada" singer: BLUEJAY. And 52. Maple syrup base: SAP.

51. Prom coif: UPDO.

53. Oktoberfest vessel: STEIN.

54. Balaam's mount: ASS.

55. "In memoriam" piece: OBIT.

59. Adjust the length of: RE-HEM.

63. Peach center: PIT. Tried a few white peaches this year. So sweet.

64. "Cabaret" film director: FOSSE.

66. Spanning: ACROSS.

68. Foo Fighters frontman Grohl: DAVE.

69. "__ dreaming?": AM I.

73. Guys: MEN.

74. Frog hangout: POND.

76. Like many awards: ANNUAL.

77. Similarly named rival of a video game plumber: WARIO. Arch-rival of Mario.

78. PDX : Portland :: __ : Chicago: ORD.

79. Heavenly body?: ANGEL.

82. Wetland: FEN.

83. Tips politely: DOFFS. Hat.

85. Complainer who won't quit: NAG.

87. Dressed: CLAD.

89. Fundraiser: BENEFIT.

97. Round number?: PAR. Nice clue.

98. Obama Education secretary Duncan: ARNE.

99. Specialized market segment: NICHE AREA.

100. Big name in grills: WEBER.

102. Utah's __ Canyon: BRYCE.

103. Do brunch, say: EAT. Not a Chinese tradition.

104. Maze navigator: LAB RAT.

106. Cara of "Fame": IRENE.

108. Yet, in poetry: EEN.

109. "That was ages __": AGO.

110. Law firm fig.: ATT.

111. Brief affair: FLING.

113. XL, for one: SIZE.

115. Work intermittently (in): DABBLE.

122. Intel-gathering mission: RECON.

123. Premier League powerhouse: ARSENAL. Quite a few soccer fields in our area. 

124. Syrian city: ALEPPO.

125. Rainbow-shaped: ARCED.

126. Has no wrong answers, say: GETS AN A.

Down:

1. Downing St. VIPs: PMS.

2. Union __: REP.

3. "Blueprint for a Sunrise" artist: ONO. Wiki says it's a "concept album of experimental feminist rock". She looks like a Chinese empress here.

4. Chiding sounds: TSKS.

5. Frigid time: ICE AGE.

6. ID card feature: PHOTO. Do you all have a real ID?

7. New Orleans summer hrs.: CDT.

8. Bethlehem university: LEHIGH.  Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. (Thanks, billocohoes~)

9. "Absolutely!": AMEN.

10. Prop for an emcee: MIC STAND.

11. Olive pursuer of comics: BLUTO.

12. Sprouts source: ALFALFA. I only like beansprouts.

13. Call the game: REF.

14. First to hear the news: INSIDERS.

15. Little bites: NIPS.

16. P.O. delivery: LTR.

17. Peppery salad green: ARUGULA. Aldi has a spinach & arugula mix.

18. Convinced: WON OVER.

23. Twerp: NOBODY.

25. "Find out": GO ASK.

28. __ mentality: HERD.

30. NBA's Nikola Jokic, e.g.: SERB. Not familiar with him.

31. "Lost in Yonkers" playwright: NEIL SIMON.

36. "Hamilton" creator __-Manuel Miranda: LIN.

39. "Aha!": I SEE.

41. "I'm such a klutz!": OOPS.

43. Char: SEAR.

44. Energetically excited: AMPED.

46. Cooking oil option: CANOLA. Canola field is pretty.

48. Poor spirits?: HOOCH. Oh, I like this clue.

50. Sec: JIFF.

51. Good to have around: USEFUL.

54. All together: AS ONE.

56. Prepared, as beer: BREWED.

57. Waterloo resident: IOWAN.

58. Ruler until 1917: TSAR.

61. From then on: EVER SINCE.

62. Patch: MEND.

63. Rollin' stone, in a Motown classic: PAPA. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".

65. What collaborators should be in: SYNC.

67. Small burger: SLIDER.

71. Edie of "The Sopranos": FALCO.

72. Fish-eating bird: LOON.

75. Academy Award winner Dame Judi __: DENCH. I still have not figured out why Rich sometimes uses __ in the clue, esp when the actress is so famous.

80. Limnologist's subject: LAKE. Never heard of limnologist.

82. Wither away: FADE.

84. Funhouse reaction: FEAR.

86. Commit a hoops no-no: GOALTEND. Read more here.

88. Good times to build sand castles: LOW TIDES.

89. Least adorned: BAREST.

90. Many a "Freaks and Geeks" character: TEEN.

91. Manipulate digitally: KNEAD.

92. Falls for someone who's married?: NIAGARA. Good old clue.

93. Red __: fictional sub: OCTOBER.

94. __ party: FRAT.

95. American Heart Mo., aptly: FEB. Valentine's Day.

96. Armed conflict: WARFARE.

97. What "/" may mean: PER.

101. Ardent enthusiast: BIG FAN.

102. Frames around smartphone displays: BEZELS. The middle one is bezel-less. The screen looks bigger.

105. Top-tier: A LIST.

107. Mandarin hello: NI HAO. Literally "you good".

110. Lotion ingredient: ALOE.

112. Hendryx of the "Lady Marmalade" trio Labelle: NONA. We had her before.

114. Util. supply: ELEC.

116. Include covertly, briefly: BCC.

117. Online gaming annoyance: LAG.

118. St. Pete's place: FLA.

119. Beer choice: IPA.

120. "Code Switch" airer: NPR.

121. Dawn goddess: EOS.

Dennis is going to have a full open-heart surgery at the JFK Medical Center (Atlantis, Florida) next Tuesday Oct 15, 2019. The operation is quite risky as they need to replace both valves.

Dennis jokes that he is always a risk-taker and loves new adventures, but this is quite a battle. The surgery is long and the recovery is longer. Tough for someone who's always on the go.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Stay tough, Dennis!

Dennis