Sunday December 2, 2018 Mark McClain & George Telfer

Theme: "Hangers-On" - ERS is added to each theme entry.

23A. What the acrobatic landlady liked to do?: JUMP OVER BOARDERS. Jump over board.

32A. TruTV show for board game enthusiasts?: REALITY CHECKERS. Reality check.

52A. When a pro might practice at Augusta National?: BEFORE THE MASTERS. Before the mast.

69A. Gym employees for those getting in shape fast?: EXPRESS TRAINERS. Express train.

90A. Gold medal winners at the Renaissance fair?: TRIUMPHAL ARCHERS. Triumphal arch.

104A. Wedding chapel's main form of advertising?: HITCHING POSTERS. Hitching post.

120A. Where bills should be put after an audit?: BACK IN THE FOLDERS. Back in the fold.

Heavy theme with long theme entries. Total 109 theme squares. Lots to deal with.

I think this is George Telfer's debut. Congratulations, George! Mark McClain is a veteran and has been our regular LAT constructor for a few years.

Across:

1. Avian mimic: MYNA.

5. Selling point?: STORE. Great clue.

10. Weasel cousin: STOAT. Not SABLE.

15. Passed quickly, as time: FLEW.

19. Pigeon calls: COOS.

20. Kind of column: IONIC. Appears in our grid more often than DORIC.

21. Stands at lectures: PODIA.

22. Lead in a movie, say: ROLE.

26. Wile E. Coyote supplier: ACME.

27. Run-of-the-mill: ORDINARY.

28. Former LeBron team, on sports tickers: MIA. Miami Heat. 39. Former LeBron team, on sport tickers: CLE.

29. Lost on purpose: TANKED. Often a clue for DIETED.

31. Buds, possibly: BEERS.

37. Sorority letter: ETA.

40. Takes a breather: RESTS.

41. "The Simpsons" retailer: APU.

44. "Chain of Fools" name: ARETHA.

47. Out in the yacht: ASEA.

49. Bite playfully: NIP.

56. Departed: GONE.

57. "Once __ a time ... ": UPON.

58. Yon yacht: SHE.

59. Name in a Tolstoy title: ANNA. Anna Karenina. Russian novels are always so complicated. Same with classic Chinese novels.

60. Formal split: DIVORCE.

62. Electric wheels: TESLA.

64. Second-tallest living bird: EMU. What's the tallest?

66. Inform: TELL.

68. Skin-related: DERMAL. 88. Often painful crack: CHAP. Try Aquaphor.

73. Don't hold your breath: EXHALE.

76. Antelope playmates: DEER.

77. Musical muscle car: GTO.

78. Agave plant: YUCCA.

82. "The wisdom of many and the wit of one": Russell: PROVERB.

84. Dread: FEAR.

86. Bigelow product: TEA. They have jasmine tea. We also have 107. 86-Across variety: PEKOE.

89. Cut with a small knife: PARE.

94. Thesaurus wd.: SYN. Synonym.

95. Doing nothing: IDLE.

96. Cabinet department: ENERGY.

97. Minute: WEE.

98. China's Zhou __: ENLAI. Here he is with his wife Deng Yingchao. They did not have children. Both well-loved in China.

101. QB's stat: ATT.

102. Shocked text letters: OMG.

111. Vacation destination: BEACH. Last time I was at a beach.

Boomer & C.C., Myrtle Beach, May 2002

115. Caroline Islands components: ATOLLS.

116. Rescue squad initials: EMS.

117. Rant: HARANGUE. Sparkly fill.

119. Fictional plantation: TARA.

125. "Slippery" trees: ELMS.

126. "... but I could be wrong": OR NOT.

127. Celestial ovine: ARIES.

128. Shuts down: ENDS.

129. Colorist's supply: DYES.

130. Price enders, often: NINES. Oh, like $9.99.

131. Category: GENRE.

132. Obliterate, in Oxford: RASE.

Down:

1. Menial work: MCJOB.

2. "__ it!": YOU'RE.

3. __ plume: NOM DE. And 6. Start of an adage about humanity: TO ERR. Partials.

4. Have high hopes: ASPIRE.

5. Hindu "Destroyer": SIVA.

7. Sandwich shop order: ON RYE.

8. Often tickled bone?: RIB.

9. "Foucault's Pendulum" author: ECO.

10. Diagonal sail extender: SPRIT. See this.

11. Now: TODAY.

12. Pindar piece: ODE.

13. Make widely known: AIR.

14. Samples: TASTES.

15. Stadium staples: FRANKS.

16. Eastwood's "Bronco Billy" co-star Sondra: LOCKE. So pretty!

17. Fictional hunter in a floppy hat: ELMER.

18. Signs of garden neglect: WEEDS.

24. GM subsidiary: ONSTAR.

25. Guy's girlfriend: AMIE. French "gee".

30. Comedy __: ACT.

33. One may be dull: ACHE.

34. Trek pack animal: LLAMA.

35. Algonquian language: CREE.

36. Picked up: HEARD.

38. Trojan War god: ARES.

41. Touch: ABUT.

42. Nickname for José: PEPE. I did not know. The two sound so different.

43. Eerie fliers: UFOS.

45. Old anesthetic: ETHER.

46. Like many crosswords: THEMED. Our LAT Saturday grids are themeless.

47. "Up" star: ASNER (Ed)

48. WWII prison camp: STALAG.

49. Standard: NORM.

50. Subject of Huáscar: INCA. Read here. Never heard of the guy.

51. Orange discard: PEEL. Chinese desserts often feature dried tangerine peels.

53. Legally off base: ON LEAVE.

54. Baited insect collector: ANT TRAP.

55. Beans or greens: SIDE.

56. Scalia's successor: GORSUCH (Neil). Fresh fill.

61. Enhancing word: VERY. So very touched reading Jerome's post. He went through what I'm going through now.

63. Shaft between wheels: AXLE.

65. Handy: USEFUL.

67. Trivial: LITTLE.

70. Vivacious: PERT.

71. Words near an "F," maybe: SEE ME.

72. Musical handicap: NO EAR.

73. Omar of "In Too Deep": EPPS.

74. Doctor's order: X-RAY. Piece of cake. The MRI was tough for Boomer last time. He did not use the toilet before the procedure, thinking it would be over in a few minutes. It took almost an hour.

75. French __: HORN.

79. Consider carefully, with "over": CHEW.

80. Attention: CARE.

81. Basilica recess: APSE.

83. Astros catcher McCann: BRIAN. Ex-Astro. Back with the Atlanta Braves. 

85. Bonnie Blue's dad: RHETT.

87. 2012 Ben Affleck film: ARGO.

91. "Gotcha!": I DIG.

92. Casino game requirement, often: ANTE.

93. Symphonic disc: CYMBAL.

98. Mercedes line: E-CLASS. No idea. Not into cars.

99. Kings' org.: NHL. LA Kings.

100. City from which Vasco da Gama sailed: LISBON.

101. NBA part: ASSN.

103. Driver's license info: GENDER.

104. Hardly favored: HATED.

105. Volta's birthplace: ITALY.

106. Musical Mel: TORME.  "The Velvet Fog".

108. Drops: OMITS.

109. German river, to locals: RHEIN. And 114. German state: HESSE.

110. Less risky: SAFER.

112. Gemini docking target: AGENA. What does this word mean? 

113. Lumps for Miss Muffet: CURDS.

118. Climbed: ROSE.

121. "Exodus" protagonist: ARI.

122. "The Situation Room" airer: CNN.

123. It's game: TAG.

124. Longtime Eur. realm: HRE. Holy Roman Empire.

Boomer Updates:

Boomer completed his radiation last Wednesday. He still has problem swallowing food and continues to feel run-down, but Dr. Esther told us that these side effects will be gone in one to two weeks. 

Boomer also started the chemo drug Abiraterone (Zytiga) last Thursday. He's been a good and cheerful patient. The staff at the radiation oncology all liked him.

Boomer, Nov 28, 2018

Tuesday, November 13, 2018 Mark McClain

"pH Test"

18. *Safari head protector: PITH HELMET

26. *Traditional farm equine: PLOW HORSE.

47. *Baked pork cut that sounds perfect for a blanket in the park: PICNIC HAM.

60. *Lever for manual water extraction: PUMP HANDLE.

5D. *Kid's homemade topper: PAPER HAT.

39. Ordeal ... and a hint to the initials of the answers to starred clues: ACID TEST.  - A rigorous and comprehensive test that proves or disproves the value of something.   Here, we also get a hint to the theme answers with the acid test answer.   The pH scale tells us how acidic or alkaline a substance is.

Across:

1. Source of spumante wine: ASTI.   Asti (also known as Asti Spumante) is a sparkling white Italian wine that is produced throughout southeastern Piedmont but is particularly focused around the towns of Asti and Alba.- Wikipedia

5. Mr. __: Former name of a Dr Pepper rival: PIBB.  Until this puzzle, I did not know Mr. Pibb is now the former name.  In 2001, a new formula was created and the soft drink was rebranded as Pibb Xtra.  This video is coded to start at the 2:26 mark with a 1996 commercial.  You can start from the beginning if you want to see the early '70's commercials.


9. Light model wood: BALSA.

14. Bore false witness: LIED.

15. Et __: and others: ALIA.

16. Provo native: UTAHN.  If you look closely, you'll also see other Utah related crossword favorites like Salt Lake City,  Uinta,  Wasatch, and Orem. 

17. Beige look-alike: ECRU..

20. Superficial, as beauty: SKIN DEEP.

22. Make possible: ENABLE.

23. Negative connector: NOR.

24. Packers quarterback Rodgers: AARON.  The 34 year old star quarterback of the National Football League's (NFL) Green Bay Packers signed a 4 year $134 million contract extension in August of this year.  I'd be smiling too !

29. Nervous twitches: TICS.

33. Vein discovery: ORE.

34. ... Venus, __, Mars ...: EARTH.   “we are unique individuals with unique experiences” - John Gray,  Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus

35. Like sea battles: NAVAL.

36. Column slant: Abbr.: POV.   Point of view.  Often revealed in (33 Down) -  Pundit's piece: OP ED.    I skip most of them and head to the important stuff. *

37. Overseas business abbr.: LTD.

38. Sheep's call: BAA.

40. Sister Sledge's "We __ Family": ARE.  The four Sledge sisters from Philadelphia hit in big at the height of the disco era in 1979 with this song.  The 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB) adopted this song as a theme song on their way to winning the 1979 World Series over the Baltimore Orioles.


41. Corp. bigwigs: EXECS.  Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, ET ALIA.

43. Nike alternative: ASICs.   Application Specific Integrated Circuits.   No, wait.  Never mind.  Here it is the name of the the brand of running shoes and sports clothing.

45. __ showing: theater info: NOW.

46. Textile mill worker: DYER. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for dyers and finishers will decline by 24 percent between 2012 and 2022.   I tried to find the job outlook for bakery icers for a comparison, but could only find de-icers.  Ramp agents at the airports.

49. Whirlpool brand: AMANA.

51. Wee bit: DAB.   Brylcreem.  A little dab will do ya.    Well then, Dippity-do !

52. Ship's chart: SEA MAP.

55. Air, mostly: NITROGEN.

62. Intricate garden feature: MAZE.

63. Medieval suit: ARMOR.

64. Backtalk: SASS.

65. Prickly husks: BURS.  We had a chestnut in the treeline of the woods along the back of our property when I was growing up.   When the bur (husk) opens, they're ripe.   Remove the husk, then boil or roast for 20 minutes to soften the skin.  Cool, peel and enjoy. 

66. Nary a soul: NO ONE.

67. London rental: FLAT.

68. Blind part: SLAT.

Down:

1. Brewpub pints: ALES.

2. Under the weather: SICK.  A possible side-effect of drinking too many brewpub pints.

3. Hatcher with a recurring role in TV's "Supergirl": TERI.   Melissa Benoist stars as the series' titular character, Supergirl.    Teri Hatcher played villain Queen Rhea.  Supergirl and Queen Rhea duke it out:


4. [Shrug]: I DUNNO.  I dunno why I linked that previous video.  Is anyone here a fan ?   Has anyone here ever been able to sit through an episode ?  Maybe when the grandchildren are around ?

6. Nastase of tennis: ILIE.   Physically gifted and deftly skilled Romanian-born professional tennis player during the 1970s and early 1908s.   An International Tennis Hall of Fame member, he ranked as high as World # 1 in late 1973 and most of 1974.   Enfant terrible.  Nicknamed "Nasty" and the "Bucharest Buffoon" because of his on court antics and histrionics.  John McEnroe was a choirboy compared to Nastase.   In July 2017, the 72 year old Nastase received a 4 year ban by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for his actions and racist comments.  The World Tennis Association (WTA) probably has him on thin ice as well. 

7. Minor role: BIT PART.   Erased "BIT role" as quickly as I entered it because role was in the clue. 

8. Scrooge's "Dang!": BAH.  Humbug.

9. Good, in Guatemala: BUENO.

10. Hawks' home: ATLANTA.  The Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

11. Ewe kid: LAMB. 

12. "A Light in the Attic" poet Silverstein: SHEL.   I know this name only from crosswords.  I had Shul until I changed Helmut to Helmet.   Don't know where that U came from.  Maybe Canada ?

13. Penny-__: unimportant: ANTE.   I like Wikipedia.   It's not unusual to find a few penny-ante errors in articles every now and then.  But then sometimes I run into obviously vandalized articles, like this one, which has since been corrected:

I also first thought this was a Wikipedia error, but it's a Google knowledge panel error:

19. Roll call answer: HERE.   An appropriate answer for a roll call to, "How many of you were wondering where TTP was going with those comments about penny-ante ?"

21. Woodworking rods: DOWELS.

25. Rubbish container: ASH BIN.   I used a galvanized metal pail as an ash bin.  I used it when  I emptied the ash tray at the bottom of the pot bellied stove.

26. Stockholder's agent: PROXY. 

27. Protective embankment: LEVEE.  A musical interlude is needed.


28. Install, as a cleric: ORDAIN.

30. Eric Trump's mom: IVANA.

31. Off-the-cushion pool shot: CAROM.

32. Large quantity: SLEW.

35. Daytona 500 org.: NASCAR.  The National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing.  The Daytona 500 is the top event in NASCAR.   Racing began at Dayton Beach in 1903 with a race between Ransom E Olds  and  Alexander Winton.   Richard Petty has the all-time record of 7 Daytona 500 wins.   AJ Foyt won it once.   Mario Andretti won it in 1967, and remains the only foreign-born racer to ever have won it.

42. Ice-climber's boot attachment: CRAMPON.

Choosing the Right Crampons

44. Tabloid fodder: SCANDAL.

47. One of the Three Bears: PAPA.  Can't help but thinking of George "Papa Bear" Halas of the NFL Chicago Bears when I hear or see Papa Bear, but in this clue it's about Goldilocks and the Three Bears.   As an aside, blogging the puzzle can broaden one's knowledge base.  e.g. I had no previous knowledge of  the origins of the Goldilocks tale until reading the Wikipedia article. 

48. Cold War threats: H-BOMBS.

50. Skiing champ Phil or Steve: MAHRE.  In the Olympics: 1976 Innsbruck, 1980 Lake Placid, and 1984 Sarajevo.    The Mahre brothers: Twin skiers who won gold and silver in slalom.

52. Cross over: SPAN.   The UFO Bridge spans the Danube in Bratislava, Slovakia.

53. Tipperary tip jar coin: EURO. The town and county in Ireland, and their current currency.  Learned of this song watching some old movie.


54. Hunter's need: AMMO.

56. Victor's wife in "Casablanca": ILSA. Victor Lazlo and Ilsa Lund, played by Paul Henreid and Ingrid Berman, respectively.   Here's a memorable scene from that movie.  Sam is played by Dooley Wilson.   


57. Ancient France: GAUL.  And present day Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, northern Italy,  parts of the Netherlands and of Germany west of the Rhine.  About a third way through its existency, Julius Caesar had the unmitigated gall to invade and conquer almost all of Gaul.

58. Poet Pound: EZRA.  Annenberg Learner - Voices and Visions - Ezra Pound

59. Branch home: NEST. 

61. Bad check letters: NSF.  Non-Sufficient Funds.  Why ?  Why did they come up with this term ?  Why not insufficient funds ?

* Where's that crossword puzzle ?  😀

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to Big Easy (George Simpson). Hope Diane is recovering quickly from her knee surgery, George!

Sunday November 4, 2018 Mark McClain

Theme:  "Alphabetical Order" - AB, CD, EF.... YZ starts each them entry.

22. First-aid kit brand: ACE BANDAGE.

24. Reprimanded: CALLED DOWN.

36. Liz Taylor's husband before Richard Burton: EDDIE FISHER.

39. One whose mouth shouldn't be examined?: GIFT HORSE.

56. Disloyal crimes: INSIDE JOBS.

62. One of three planetary motion principles: KEPLER'S LAW.

70. Raised a ruckus, say: MADE NOISE.

80. Source of zest: ORANGE PEEL.

84. What a texter usually expects: QUICK REPLY.

99. Donut ... or the consequence of eating too many of them?: SPARE TIRE.

104. Car on craigslist: USED VEHICLE.

118. Ways to detect fractured trapeziums: WRIST X-RAYS.

120. Restricted parking area, perhaps: YELLOW ZONE.

Quite often constructors can move theme entries around in the gridding process. Not today's grid though. AB/CD/... YZ dictated the strict order and put lots of pressure on Mark in his designing and filling process.

Except the middle M* N*, all the other entries are placed in the same row separated by one black square.  This makes the theme gimmick easy to spot visually.

Across:

1. "College Football Live" channel: ESPNU.

6. Apple-order link: PIE.

9. Turner's device: LATHE. Turn-er.

14. Start-the-day ABC talk show, familiarly: GMA.

17. Govt. red tape reduction: DEREG. Deregulation.

18. Parched: ARID.

20. Burger add-on: ONION. I only like green onions.

21. Smooth, in a way: IRON.

26. More achy: SORER.

27. Harassed impertinently: HECKLED.

29. "Bolero" composer: RAVEL.

30. Palais resident: ROI. Palace.

32. Piece of land: TRACT.

34. Antipoverty agcy.: OEO. Office of Economic Opportunity.

35. "__ was I?": WHERE.

43. "__ there, done that!": BEEN.

44. Blowhard: GAS BAG.

46. NYC area above Houston Street: NOHO. North of Houston Street.

47. Nickname usually related to hair color: RED.

50. Drew __, Patriots' quarterback before Brady: BLEDSOE. Unknown to me.

52. Upscale retailer: SAKS.

64. Menlo Park initials: TAE. Thomas Alva Edison.

65. Opera outburst: BRAVO.

66. Green-lights: OKS.

67. __ Sketch: ETCH-A.

68. Ward (off): STAVE.

74. Song of worship: PSALM.

75. Indulge: HUMOR.

76. U.N. workers' agcy.: ILO. International Labour Organization.

77. Slow, on scores: LENTO.

79. Humdinger: PIP.

86. N.C. neighbor: TENN.

87. "Sacré bleu!" kin: MON DIEU. My god.

89. Extra NHL periods: OTS.

90. To the __: maximally: HILT.

91. Himalayan native: SHERPA.

95. Small cells: AAAS.

107. Jazz pianist Chick: COREA.

108. Can cover: LID.

110. Shop: STORE.

111. La. neighbor: TEX. Texas Tom. Chicago Tom. That's how Boomer and I discuss our two Toms at home.

112. One on a trail: HIKER.

113. Song title words before "for Miles": I CAN SEE.

116. Connection points: NODES.

124. Top-drawer: A ONE.

125. Nemo's creator: VERNE.

126. Falco of "The Sopranos": EDIE.

127. Words of domination: I RULE.

128. Waze ways: Abbr.: STS. Waze is the GPS navigation app. So sorry you missed the annual lunch, Agnes!

129. Dot in the ocean: ISLET.

130. Pampering place: SPA.

131. Components of fences: GATES.

Down:

1. Author LeShan: EDA.

2. Bama's conf.: SEC.

3. Act the chair: PRESIDE.

4. Mount from which Moses saw the Promised Land: NEBO.

5. Lorre's "Casablanca" role: UGARTE.

6. Two-time British Open champ Harrington: PADRAIG. Gimme for me.

7. Keogh plan rel.: IRA.

8. Pizzas slices, commonly: EIGHTHS.

9. Age of Reason philosopher: LOCKE.

10. Not digital: ANALOG.

11. Shower wall item: TILE. We'll probably cave in to Plumb Right to fix the bathtub and the tiles sometime next year. 

12. Hang onto: HOLD.

13. OKC-to-Tulsa dir.: ENE.

14. Muppet prone to eschewing contractions: GROVER

15. Lawn machines: MOWERS.

16. Shakers founder: ANN LEE.

19. Not a good mark: DEE.

21. Sun Valley state: IDAHO.

23. Soft toy brand: NERF.

25. BBC time traveler: DR WHO.

28. Reef material: CORAL.

30. Hoops stat.: REB. OK, rebound.

31. Tribute in verse: ODE.

33. Breakaway nation: Abbr.: CSA.

37. Crucifix letters: INRI. Latin for "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews".

38. Pulls back: EBBS.

40. Brit. police rank: INSP.

41. Trick: FOOL.

42. "... I __ wed": THEE.

45. "Wall Street" antagonist: GEKKO (Gordon)  48. Stefan of tennis: EDBERG.  53. Li'l Abner drawer: AL CAPP. 54. Poet Gibran: KAHLIL. A bit name heavy in a few Down spots.

49. __ Spiegel: German magazine: DER.

51. Arnaz-Ball studio: DESILU.

52. Bygone boomers: SSTS.

55. Like England's "the Fens": SWAMPY.

56. "Turn on the AC!": IT'S HOT.

57. Mother __: NATURE.

58. Low naval rank: SEAMAN. Our Spitzboov retired as a Commander.

59. Fruity spread: JAM.

60. Egg cells: OVA.

61. Able or full follower: BODIED.

63. Think tank output: REPORT.

66. Tokyo-born Yoko: ONO.

69. World Cup skiing champ Lindsey: VONN. Born here in St. Paul.

71. Perry of fashion: ELLIS.

72. Due times tre: SEI. 2 times 3.

73. Bus. letter insert: ENC.

78. Ref's call: TKO.

81. Send forth: EMIT.

82. __ sci: POLI.

83. __'acte: ENTR.

84. Q&A part, briefly: QUES.

85. Morales of "Jericho": ESAI.

88. Israeli prime ministers Barak and Olmert: EHUDS. And 101. Acting father and son: ARKINS.

90. Ticker: HEART.

92. Works on a lawn: RESEEDS.

93. Calif. summer hrs.: PDT.

94. "Anne of Green Gables" setting: AVONLEA.

96. Pantomimes: ACTS OUT.

97. Pub pint, perhaps: ALE.

98. __ symbol: SEX.

99. Pair in "awaken": SCHWAS. The two vowel sounds.

100. "Little grey cells" detective: POIROT.

102. Piece maker?: REESE.

103. Funny Boosler: ELAYNE.

105. Buck back?: EROO. Buckeroo.

106. Harry Potter's owl: HEDWIG.

109. Map within a map: INSET.

113. More than annoys: IRES.

114. Poet Sandburg: CARL.

115. Hurricane feature: EYE.

117. Cornell founder Cornell: EZRA.

119. Driving age in old Rome?: XVI. Drive a chariot.

121. Gloss target: LIP.

122. Div. with Braves: NLE. NL East.

123. Some RPI grads: EES.

Boomer struggles with this back brace. We'll see if his doctor has other options early next week. We're also going to meet with the radiation oncologist next Friday for a consultation. Hopefully the radiation can start the week after.

C.C.

Tuesday, Oct 23, 2018 Mark McClain

"Beef.  It's What's For Dinner"

18. Controversial coal-extraction method: STRIP MINING.

24. Dues-paying participant: CLUB MEMBER.

40. Broadside accidents: T-BONE COLLISIONS.

50. Format for some tournaments: ROUND ROBIN.

61. Meal suggested by the starts of four long answers: STEAK DINNER.

Yesterday, Ed Sessa had high on the hog, and today Mark brings us ideas for a steak dinner.  Unless you live high on the hog, be prepared for "sticker shock" if  you want to eat at some of these  restaurants on Zagat's 2018 List of Best Steakhouses in Chicago.  We know Bill G would agree to steak.  Prime Rib and Rib Eye would be my favorite cuts.  What cuts do you prefer ?

Across:

1. Colorist's concern: HUE.

4. Light brown pear: BOSC.

8. Hillary Clinton, née __: RODHAM.

14. Horace's "__ Poetica": ARS.  The Art of Poetry as written by Roman poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus

15. "The Mammoth Hunters" author Jean: AUEL. "Jean Marie Auel is an American writer who wrote the Earth's Children books, a series of novels set in prehistoric Europe that explores human activities during this time, and touches on the interactions of Cro-Magnon people with Neanderthals." - Wikipedia

16. Low-scoring tie: ONE ONE. Nil Nil would be a no-scoring tie.

17. Big wheel, briefly: VIP.

20. Wine lover's prefix: OENO.  Reds with boeuf.

22. Sport shown on TV Japan: SUMO.

23. Beer extraction gadget: TAP. 

27. Spanish lady: DONA.  Lucina explained the nuance of dama and doña to us about a week ago.

30. Acquire: GET.

31. Isle of Arthurian legend: AVALON.  And a Toyota.   Avalon is a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend, fitting it in with Toyota's tradition of naming their sedans the word for "crown" in various languages (Crown, Corona, Camry, Corolla), types of crowns (Tiara), or other things associated with royalty (Scepter). - Wikipedia.

33. Woodland deity: SATYR.

36. Developmental insect stage: LARVA.

39. Luau accessory: LEI.

43. A, in Augsburg: EIN.  Una, in Acapulco.

44. Small stores: SHOPS.

45. Rather nasty: SNIDE.

46. "__ Fideles": carol: ADESTE.


48. Corrode, with "away": EAT.

49. Macy's section, e.g.: Abbr.: DEPT.

57. "__ y Plata": Montana motto: ORO.   Gold and Silver.

59. Bit of talk show self-promotion: PLUG. 

60. Opal of the comics, to Earl Pickles: WIFE.

65. Deli salmon: LOX.

66. Philadelphia campus: TEMPLE. Temple University.  Their sports teams, like Rice, are the Owls.

67. Building lot unit: ACRE.

68. __-ray Disc: BLU.

69. Volkswagen family car: PASSAT.

70. Rough file: RASP.

71. Some ER cases: ODs.  Over Dose cases.

Down:

1. Wreaked condition: HAVOC.  Also, recently in the news from the folks at NASA:

Project Summary

2. One of the archangels: URIEL.

3. College sports channel: ESPNU.

4. Music majors' degs.: BAs. Bachelor of Art degrees.

5. First stage: OUTSET.

6. Blood bank supply: SERUM.

7. Upward trek: CLIMB.

8. Film genre prefix with com: ROM. Ranking the best RomComs of all time...

9. Words after work or sleep: ON IT.

10. "Gracias" response: DE NADA.  Thank you /  You are welcome.

11. Common people: HOI POLLOI.

12. Raggedy doll: ANN.

13. Eldest of the "Little Women": MEG.

19. Author of eerie stories: POE. Edgar Allen.

21. Delivery MD: OBGYN.

25. Least: MEREST.

26. Shankar on the sitar: RAVI.

28. Interminably: NO END.

29. Ouzo flavoring: ANISE.


32. Poughkeepsie campus: VASSAR.  One of the "Seven Sisters", Vassar became coed in 1969.

33. Place: STEAD. In his place...  in his stead...  

34. Put up with: ABIDE.

35. Symphonic stories: TONE POEMS.  Never saw this clue / answer when solving.  Looked it up. 13 Symphonic Poems Every Classical Music Lover Should Listen To

 36. British john: LOO.

37. European peak: ALP.

38. Dr. Jekyll creator's monogram: RLS. Robert Louis Stevenson at Britannica.com

41. "Burlesque" co-star: CHER. née Cherilyn Sarkisian, aka "The Goddess of Pop".

42. Being hauled to the garage: IN TOW.

47. Sundress features: STRAPS.

48. Lawn maintenance tools: EDGERS. My leaf blower broke the other day.  Had to replace it quickly.  So many leaves.  I can relate with Hondo about "chasing leaves."   Was surprised to learn that leaf blowers are banned in many localities in California.    

51. Maker of Cajun Shrimp nail polish: OPI.  Thank you perps.  Never heard of it.  A California company that was originally a dental supply company.  Since 2010, a subsidiary of Coty, Inc.

52. Like the "funny bone" nerve: ULNAR.

53. Never, in Nogales: NUNCA.  Niemals, in Nuremberg.

54. "The Hobbit" hero: BILBO.  Baggins.  So much detail at Tolkien Gateway

55. Bluffed-out words, perhaps: I FOLD.

56. Connection: NEXUS.

58. Sooner St.: OKLA.  Boomer Sooners.  And a CSO to Anonymous -T and his eldest as collegians.

61. Car care brand: STP.  Lesser known as Scientifically Treated Petroleum, marketed in advertisements as "The Racer's Edge". 

62. Pot contents: TEA.

63. Police rank: Abbr.: DET.  Detective.

64. Weight-training unit: REP.  Repetition. 

Sunday September 16, 2018 Mark McClain

Theme: "Marked Down" - C is changed into D in each theme entry.

 22. Silo in a rural valley?: DELL TOWER. Cell tower. Tiny dupe with 104. Biological unit: CELL.

27. A+ for a struggling student?: AMAZING GRADE. Amazing Grace.

41. Neat places to get beers?: DANDY BARS. Candy bars.

46. Nightmare?: SOUR DREAM. Sour cream.

62. Terse Supreme Court decision for lions?: THE PRIDE IS RIGHT. The Price is Right.

80. Challenge from an ex-president?: OBAMA DARE. ObamaCare.

83. Southern tavern accents?: PUB DRAWLS. Pub crawl.

100. Wall Street bear?: SHARE DROPPER. Share cropper.

108. Classic audiophile's equipment, and a hint to eight long puzzle answers: CD CHANGER.

Some letter changes happen with the first letter of the first word, some first letter of the last word. Some in the middle, but no odd man out. A nice mix.

Also, Marks allows no straying C's in his theme entry choices. An extra layer of elegance.

Across:

1. Archaeologist's find: TOMB. Some of you have been to my hometown Xi'an and said hello to these terracotta warriors.

5. "Fire" crawlers: ANTS.

9. Cartoon explosion word: BLAM. Not WHAM.

13. Trickster: SCAMP.

18. Where the iris is: UVEA.

19. Country dance: REEL.

20. German camera: LEICA. Also 8. Camera initials: SLR. Olympus was the only brand used in my Pinkerton days.

21. Trilateral trade deal: NAFTA.

24. Allegro __: very fast, in scores: ASSAI.

25. Like some statues at night: UP-LIT.

26. Surrounded: ENCLOSED.

29. Opposing teams: FOES.

30. __ chin: CLEFT.

31. Like a sudoku solution: LOGICAL.

32. Allergic reaction: ACHOO.

35. "A Writer's Life" writer: TALESE.

37. What a red handset icon may end: CALL. This is sweet.

38. Ought to: SHOULD.

40. Humongous: VAST.

48. Authenticity on the street: CRED.

49. Pound or stone: UNIT.

50. Bier chiller: EIS. Beer. Ice.

51. Police dept. rank: SGT.

52. Place for an updo: SALON.

54. Ancient temple complex: KARNAK. And 47. 54-Across' land: EGYPT.

56. Grab the tab: TREAT.

59. Alma mater of Clinton and Ford, briefly: YALE LAW.

61. Marina sights: VESSELS.

65. House Speaker before Pelosi: HASTERT. Still in prison, right? Wiki says "Notwithstanding his conviction, Hastert continues to receive his congressional pension, which amounts to about $73,000 a year."

68. Actress O'Hara: MAUREEN.

69. Position paper, e.g.: ESSAY.

73. Many have pins at one end: ALLEYS. Boomer's favorite places.

74. Kunta in "Roots": KINTE.

75. Prefix with warrior: ECO.

77. Animation letters: CGI.

78. In a trice: SOON.

79. Rides the bench: SITS.

86. Texas' __ Duro Canyon: PALO. One of our three T's might be there: Tom (TTP), Tom (D-Otto) and Tony.

88. Grimm girl: GRETEL.

89. Tied: EVEN.

90. Afghans' neighbors: TAJIKS. Scrabbly fill.

92. Inspected prior to a job: CASED.

93. Bellamy's sister on "The 100": OCTAVIA. Unknown to me.

97. Underworld figure: SATAN.

98. Military sch.: ACAD.

102. How Albee's "The Zoo Story" is written: IN ONE ACT.

106. Grammatical separator: COMMA.

107. Senator Hatch: ORRIN. Longest-serving Republican senator.

109. Adrien of cosmetics: ARPEL.

110. Misleading move: FEINT.

111. Greeting from Kermit: HI HO.

112. Marginal mark: DELE.

113. Good __: enjoyable books: READS. Hahtoolah reads and reviews. 

114. Fictional navigator Phileas: FOGG.

115. Negotiation obstacles: EGOS.

116. Note recipient, at times: SELF.

Down:

1. Arrogance, in slang: TUDE. Attitude.

2. Range feature: OVEN.

3. Sporty Spice, familiarly: MEL C.

4. Cause of a walk: BALL FOUR. I read this book at a card show ages ago.

5. Came up: AROSE.

6. Most recently made: NEWEST.

7. Aggravated, with "off": TEED.

9. "Take care!": BE SAFE.

10. "Hungarian Rhapsodies" composer: LISZT.

11. Palm tree berry: ACAI. Trade Joe's has acai puree pack. You can make your own acai bowl.

12. Most of Italy, to 14-Down residents: MAINLAND. 14. See 12-Down: CAPRI.

13. Warm and cozy: SNUGGLY.

15. Company with a quacking mascot: AFLAC.

16. Crete peak: Abbr.: MT IDA.

17. Pi __, "Life of Pi" hero: PATEL. Unknow to me also.

20. Least plausible: LAMEST.

23. Ineligible for kiddie rides: TOO OLD.

27. Bass et al.: ALES.

28. Miner's find: GOLD. And 30. Digger's find: CLAM.

32. Strength: ASSET.

33. Group in a loft: CHOIR.

34. Casino, to gamblers: HOUSE.

36. Gamer's game face: AVATAR. Nice "game face".

37. City near Le Havre: CAEN. OK, let's see.

39. MASH staff: DRS.

41. Nod off: DROWSE.

42. Pops, as a bubble: BURSTS.

43. Last Stuart queen: ANNE.

44. Iranian dough: RIAL. The only Iranian dough I know. Never had the real Iranian dough or any Iranian food. This looks delicious.

45. NYSE listings: STKS. Stocks. We also have 72. Investor's concern: YIELD.

48. Missouri senator McCaskill: CLAIRE. What a fast-changing word. Eric Greitens once was so promising. 

52. Most squad cars: SEDANS.

53. Alaskan native: ALEUT.

54. Stout container: KEG.

55. US Open stadium namesake: ASHE.

57. Make it to: ATTEND.

58. Unnamed persons: THEY.

60. Caps: LIMITS.

61. Ground cover plant also called periwinkle: VINCA. Gimme for our Master Gardener Katie (TTP's wife). I did not know this.

63. Hesitant sounds: ERS.

64. Nike rival: REEBOK.

65. Padlock hardware: HASP.

66. Matty with a .307 lifetime batting average: ALOU. Thank you, ALOU, A-ROD and SOSA.

67. Unkempt sort: SLOB.

70. Skedaddles: SCATS.

71. Match: AGREE.

74. Firing device: KILN.

76. Texter's "Holy cow!": OMG. I only learned that the other day that the two T's in Tostitos' logo stand for two people. The dot above the i is a bowl of salsa.

79. Really quit: SWEAR OFF.

80. "Chocolat" co-star: OLIN.

81. Mystical secrets: ARCANA.

82. Lost driver's disappointments: DEAD ENDS.

84. Exposes: REVEALS.

85. Intensely supportive: AVID.

86. Unmistakable: PATENT.

87. Cracked a bit: AJAR.

90. Sealing, as a package: TAPING.

91. Don Quixote's squire __ Panza: SANCHO.

93. Grumpy Muppet: OSCAR.

94. Task list entry: CHORE.

95. Buccaneers' home: TAMPA.

96. Dangerous companion?: ARMED. Armed and dangerous.

97. Thyme bit: SPRIG.

99. Pacific salmon: COHOS.

101. Nabisco bite: OREO.

102. "With ya so far": I DIG.

103. Tommie of the 1969 Miracle Mets: AGEE.

105. Not kosher: TREF. Learned from doing crossword. The Islamic equivalent HARAM, meaning not halal (kosher).

108. Role in "Evita": CHE.

So glad to hear AnonymousPVX and Jinx in Norfolk are safe and sound. Shout-out to Brad Niven, another faithful LAT crossword solver. Brad lives in Winston Salem. Looks like another day of  heavy rain and gusty wind in his area.

Happy Birthday to dear D-Otto, who has generously helped me and this blog over the years. I rely heavily on Tom for puzzle theme/fill feedback. It's always a good idea to discard ideas and entries if they don't fly with him, unless I'm really desper-C.C. I also turn to Tom for rants or life guidance. He has this amazing ability to make complicated things easy for me to understand, from computer program to supplemental policy to comfort height toilet. I can't imagine our little corner without your wicked humor, empathy and patience, Tom, thanks for being you!

D-Otto (Tom)

Sunday June 17th, 2018 Mark McClain

Theme: "Audible Sighs" - Different "Sigh" sounds start the second word in each them entry.

23A. Therapeutic specialty: CHILD PSYCHOLOGY.

41A. Geology, for one: EARTH SCIENCE.

68A. Antique tool hung on some pub walls: ENGLISH SCYTHE. New term to me. Looks like this.

94A. Clapboard: WOODEN SIDING. I thought this is a clapboard.

118A. Result of too much speed, perhaps: TRAFFIC CITATION.

36D. Span before a spin: RINSE CYCLE.

46D. Musical based on "Madama Butterfly": MISS SAIGON.

Such a comprehensive list of "Sigh" sounds. English is crazy at times. So many different spellings.

I don't think Mark missed any. Let us know in the Comments section if any other entry comes to your mind.

Across:

1. Criticize harshly: BASH. Not SLAM.

5. Literary captain: AHAB.

9. "Quo __": 1951 film: VADIS.

14. Dome opening?: ASTRO. Astrodome. Who hit the first home run there?

19. High school outbreak: ACNE.

20. 2017 Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Rebecca __: LOBO. Gimme for PK and Hondo.

21. Memoir featuring Ike: I TINA.

22. Sharpening tool: STROP.

26. Ageless pitcher Satchel: PAIGE. His secret was hot shower. Open the pores, D-Otto!

27. Keyed up: HYPER.

28. Cadillac SUV: ESCALADE.

29. Pulled without warning: JERKED.

30. Energy restoration source: NAP. Used to take naps in college days.

32. Moon goddess: SELENE.

33. Spares for Venus: RACKETS.

34. Balcony barrier: PARAPET.

38. Hamilton's prov.: ONT.

39. Clark of DC Comics: KENT.

40. See 83-Across: ALI. And 83. With 40-Across, boxer with a 24-0 lifetime record: LAILA.

45. "Let's get crackin'!": C'MON.

49. Feeling that may remind you of food: PANG. Hunger pang.

51. Seldom seen: RARE.

52. First name in cosmetics: ESTEE.

53. Actor in "Going in Style" (2017): CAINE (Michael). Unaware of the movie.

54. Balance sheet item: ASSET.

56. Have an objection: MIND.

58. Will beneficiaries: HEIRESSES. This was a best seller.

60. "Born Free" lioness: ELSA.

62. Come to the surface: ARISE.

65. Plops down: PARKS IT.

66. __ fly: RBI producer: SAC.

72. Leaky tire sound: SSS.

73. Watch cover: CRYSTAL.

75. Blue Grotto isle: CAPRI.

76. 1986 Starship chart-topper: SARA.

78. Entertainment icons: ROCK STARS.

81. Yuletide: NOEL.

86. Kate's TV mate: ALLIE. Kate and Allie.

87. '60s Van Dyke co-star: MOORE.‎ Mary Tyler Moore‎.

90. Potter's supply: CLAY.

92. "The Ghost of Frankenstein" role: YGOR.

93. Argued, as a case: PLED.

97. O'er and o'er: OFT.

98. High hair style: POUF.

99. Letters before F?: TGI.

100. Signs a new lease for: RE-RENTS. Also 121. Fix, as laces: RE-TIE.

102. Rain and snow: WEATHER.

106. Lopped: PRUNED.

109. Wye follower, in Wye: ZED. Wiki points to Wye, Kent. Never heard of it.

110. Frills: EXTRAS.

111. Quarantines: ISOLATES.

113. Little rows: TIFFS. We just had RAISE A RUCKUS.

117. Farm units: ACRES.

120. Queen of France: REINE.

122. Dig it: HOLE.

123. One of Chekhov's "Three Sisters": OLGA. The other two are Masha and Irina.

124. Blind parts: SLATS.

125. Like items in potpourri: Abbr.: ASSTD. Assorted.

126. Retired slugger, familiarly: A-ROD. The couple is J-Rod. Also 25. MLB's Angels, in sportscasts: HALOS.

127. Sore throat sign: RASP.

Down:

1. "Goldberg Variations" composer: BACH.

2. In some pain: ACHY.

3. Little cut: SNIP.

4. Capital near the Great Divide: HELENA. Never been to Montana.

5. The Zugspitze, e.g.: ALP.

6. Swindle, in slang: HOSE.

7. Deep space: ABYSS.

8. Italian ball game: BOCCE. Or BOCCI.

9. Reason for an R rating: VIOLENCE.

10. Legendary island: ATLANTIS. Sunk into the Atlantic Ocean, right?

11. Simple semiconductor: DIODE.

12. "Bus Stop" playwright: INGE.

13. For example: SAY.

14. Point of view: ASPECT.

15. Desolate: STARK.

16. Tot's transport: TRIKE.

17. Name synonymous with synonyms: ROGET.

18. Slanted columns: OP-EDS.

24. Hang loosely: DRAPE.

29. Lily's "Grace and Frankie" co-star: JANE. Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda.

31. Fruit cocktail fruit: PEAR.

33. Requirement for many returns: RECEIPT. Gift return.

34. Storybook bear: PAPA.

35. Start of a sad tale: ALAS.

37. Mine car: TRAM.

39. Support for a proposal: KNEE.

42. Court event: TRIAL. Boomer has seen all episodes of "Law & Order".

43. Matisse at an easel: HENRI.

44. Ordinal suffix: ETH.

45. Ale vessel: CASK.

47. "__ the loneliest number": ONE IS.

48. Pads in trees: NESTS.

50. Gooey stuff: GEL.

53. Breakfast in a box: CEREAL. Classic American invention. I was stunned by the cereal aisle when I first came here.

55. African threat: TSETSE.

57. __ golf: DISC.

59. Pep squad syllables: RAHS.

61. Med. school class: ANAT.

63. Doo-wop syllable: SHA.

64. "Baseball Tonight" network: ESPN.

66. Abandon, as a plan: SCRAP.

67. On __: hot: A ROLL.

69. Women's magazine since 1939: GLAMOUR.

70. Spring bloomers: CROCI. Right now, you can see Yellow Rocket in the open fields near where we live. We once tried to move some to our garden, but the ground was too hard.

71. Investor's concern: YIELD.

74. Factory platform: SKID.

77. Charles of R&B: RAY.

79. Overhead expense?: ROOF. Cute clue.

80. Landscaper's supply: SOD.

82. Home in the woods: LAIR.

84. Golf club spec: LOFT.

85. Theater and dance: ARTS.

88. Update equipment, in a way: RETROFIT.

89. Swamped: ENGULFED.

91. Santa __ Valley: California wine region: YNEZ.

94. Things to worry about: WOES.

95. Asian peninsula: SINAI.

96. Scacchi of cinema: GRETA. Learning moment for me.

98. Full moon and terrible twos: PHASES.

101. Daily bigwig: EDITOR.

102. Sports: WEARS.

103. Stand out in a field: EXCEL.

104. Central courtyards: ATRIA.

105. Reznor of Nine Inch Nails: TRENT.

106. H.S. exams: PSATS.

107. __ Sketch: ETCH A.

108. Indoor design: DECOR.

111. Ticks off: IRES. Not a word I use.

112. Corn Belt sight: SILO.

114. Nike competitor: FILA. This pair looks quite comfy.

115. Obfuscates: FOGS.

116. Button alternative: SNAP. Cookie.

118. Refrain syllable: TRA.

119. Generic Guy in "Dilbert": TED.

C.C.