Theme: "Before Tea" ( "B for T") - T is changed into B in each familiar phrase.
22A. Give orders, even while dreaming?: BOSS IN ONE'S SLEEP. Toss is one's sleep.
42A. Request from one robot to another in "Futurama"?: LOVE ME BENDER. Love Me Tender
70A. One who starts a fight over the last crustacean at a seafood buffet?: SHRIMP BRAWLER. Shrimp trawler.
99A. Decorations for a "Bob the Builder" birthday cake?: BRICK CANDLES. Trick candles.
120A. "Oh, you're not acting so brave now, are you!"?: LOOK WHO'S BALKING. Look Who's Talking?
15D. Maintain forest health with a planned fire?: DO A GOOD BURN. Do a good turn.
69D. Illustrative tools in a neuroscience lab?: MODEL BRAINS. Model trains.
Looks like Laura's LAT debut. Congratulations! You all know Christiana, who used to be Patti's assistant.
Such a great title! I'd be at loss. Slight tweak on a classical pinwheel Sunday design. This one has eight 9-letter fill!
Across:
6. Ratio phrase: IS TO. :
10. Dweeb: DORK.
14. Hubbubs: ADOS. And 78. Bobs and weaves: DOS.
18. Angry: IRATE. And 20. Fencing implement: EPEE. We see IRE, IRA, IRATE & EPEE frequently due to their friendly letter combo.
19. Twosome: PAIR.
21. Dark beer: STOUT. And 29. Light beer: LAGER. And 104. Brewpub handle: ALE TAP.
25. Muse of poetry: ERATO.
26. Tolkien creature: ENT. Tree being.
27. Contributes: ADDS.
28. Swiss chocolatier: LINDT.
30. Tanning bed fixtures: LAMPS.
33. Stripped (of): DIVESTED.
35. Bauxite, e.g.: ORE.
36. "Don't lose hope!": CHIN UP.
38. Mining engineer who became president in 1929: HOOVER. I did not know this.
40. Maine college town: ORONO.
44. In the center of: AMIDST.
47. List unit: ITEM.
48. Flit: DART.
49. Update, as charts: RE-MAP.
53. Vintage ski lift: T BAR.
54. Davis of "Grumpy Old Men": OSSIE.
56. 2022 World Cup city: DOHA. Argentina won the Cup.
58. "Dune" director Villeneuve: DENIS.
60. Ancient character: RUNE.
61. Small battery: AAA.
63. Target of some bark beetles: ELM.
65. Gets there in no time?: TELEPORTS. Nice clue/fill.
67. Rapper will.__: I AM.
74. "Hip Hop Is Dead" rapper: NAS.
75. Episodic option in some games: STORY MODE. Like this.
77. Feel crummy: AIL.
80. Put on board: LADE.
81. Colleague of Sonia and Ketanji: ELENA.
83. Latch (onto): GLOM.
86. Like Wiccans and Druids: PAGAN.
90. Domain: AREA.
91. Diploma word: LAUDE. Here's a typical Chinese diploma.
93. Monogram pt.: INIT.
95. Humorist Barry: DAVE.
96. Not as harsh: MILDER.
102. Via ship, e.g.: BY SEA.
105. Large grinders: MOLARS.
106. Polite title: SIR.
108. Face up to: CONFRONT.
110. Found loathsome: HATED.
111. Poet who wrote, "The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt": PLATH. Sylvia.
113. __-Roman: GRECO.
114. Darling: DEAR.
116. Narrow inlet: RIA.
119. Chateau-dotted valley: LOIRE.
124. Word with circle and tube: INNER. And 16. Word with space and planet: OUTER.
125. Capri, for one: ISLE. My sister-in-law Connie might have visited the place. She spent a few years in Italy and she still goes back there every year.
126. Voting no: ANTI.
127. Pizza slice, say: PIECE.
128. Charge (with): TASK.
129. Really, really overcook: CHAR.
130. Deli array: MEAT. Followed by
131. Introductory course: SALAD.
Down:
2. "East of Eden" brother: ARON. Cal's brother.
3. Old incarnations: PAST LIVES. Buddhists believe in reincarnation.
4. Extra NFL periods: OTS.
5. Outdoor gear giant: REI.
6. Old Apple devices: IPODS. Do you guys listen to Sam Harris?
7. Beachfront property?: SAND. Good clue also.
8. Links: TIES.
9. RN workplaces: ORS.
10. Came through: DELIVERED. Like this guy in black. Always came through. Always comes through. Do you like his bag?
11. First act: OPENER.
12. Swamp grasses: REEDS.
13. Didn't stray from: KEPT TO.
14. Razor brand: ATRA.
17. Put away for later: STORE. D-Otto got me this onsen powder. I have more coming. I'll never run out of this again.
21. Rarely: SELDOM.
23. Was out briefly: NAPPED.
24. Thin shard: SLIVER.
31. Iron deficiency: ANEMIA.
32. Fall flower, for short: MUM.
33. Pentagon org.: DOD.
34. "Mrs. America" political cause, briefly: ERA. The Equal Rights Amendment.
36. Advertising award: CLIO.
37. Red __: spicy candies: HOTS.
38. Protagonist: HERO.
39. Available, in a way: ON THE MENU. The Eucharistic Minister
Bill and his wife invited me to their house for lunch on Friday. I had
Cane's Chicken Fingers for the first time. Boomer would have loved them.
41. Drag racer's fuel, briefly: NITRO.
43. Awful: BAD.
45. Sleigh driver: SANTA.
46. Lock of hair: TRESS.
50. "Enter Sandman" band: METALLICA. I think Splynter likes this band. How are you doing, Splynter?
51. Fresh: ANEW.
52. Caplet: PILL.
55. "Gentle, gentle": EASY.
57. Jungfrau, e.g.: ALP.
59. Germ: SEED.
62. Sighed line: AH ME. Do you actually say this phrase?
64. Many an exec: MBA.
66. Hold (up): PROP.
67. Quran faith: ISLAM.
68. Breakout gaming company: ATARI.
71. Wallpaper unit: ROLL.
72. Inkling: IDEA.
73. Fix unlawfully: RIG.
76. Hide-and-seek word: READY.
79. Prepare to ride, in a way: SADDLE.
82. Ghostery, for one: AD BLOCKER.
84. Cleaning up the mess, say: ON KP.
85. Audio jack abbr.: MIC.
87. Cate Blanchett's "The Lord of the Rings" role: GALADRIEL. Ethereal.
88. Declare: AVER.
89. "Queer Eye" expert Jonathan Van __: NESS.
92. Prior to today, poetically: ERENOW.
94. "The Savages" filmmaker Jenkins: TAMARA. Learning moment for me.
97. Artist known for optical illusions: ESCHER. That M.C. guy.
98. __ Speedwagon: REO.
100. Hairy Addams cousin: ITT.
101. "__ so fast!": NOT.
103. Old English: ANGLIC.
104. Ring of color: AREOLA. I can't link this again. Will cause our blog trouble.
106. Go 50-50 on: SPLIT.
107. Massey of old films: ILONA.
109. College newbie: FROSH.
110. Sister's attire: HABIT.
112. Long haul: TREK.
114. Thoroughly cooked: DONE.
115. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTA. Ni hao ma?
117. Ancient Cuzco dweller: INCA.
118. Like much cheddar: AGED.
121. Hawaiian-style pizza topping: HAM. And pineapple.
122. Record collector's collection: LPS.
123. Carnival maker: KIA. Why did they stop using Sedona?
A few extra notes:
I
gained access to our account for a few days with a temp code. But the
code
lost its magic yesterday. I really need the post office to hurry up
their piled-up mail and get me my ATM card. The credit card was also a
mess also due to our address "84 1/2 Ave. No." Wells Fargo site does not
allow dash
marks and the local banker was simply too incompetent to solve my
glitches. Very frustrating.
I
do have some good news. My best friend Carmen has improved greatly. She
still has throat problems and body aches from COVID, but she feels good
enough to WeChat me again.
I also found this clip of the musical fountain in the north square of the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, 30 minutes away from where I grew up. The guy who took the clip (and showed up in the end) happened to be my friend David, whom I last saw at the Gare Du Nord back in 2000. Thanks to our own Steve Marron, who's been in London for the holidays, David and I got reconnected. He now works in IT for the UK Cabinet Office.
Here are a couple pictures from David's archive. Both taken millions of years ago. I think the first one is in front of the Centre Pompidou. Pas certain. Does that bold red scene look familiar to any of you? I actually didn't recall having my picture taken with that sword guy, much to David's surprise.
Happy New Year! Wishing you lots of love and laughter in 2023!
C.C.