Theme: "VW Showroom" - Each two-word theme entry starts with V & W.
23A. Sparkling French refreshment : VICHY WATER
29A. Pre-singing routine : VOCAL WARM-UP
45A. Lively European dance : VIENNESE WALTZ
72A. Retiree's pursuit, perhaps : VOLUNTEER WORK
97A. "A Room of One's Own" author : VIRGINIA WOOLF
113A. Cellar prize : VINTAGE WINE
125A. Woman of letters : VANNA WHITE
38D. Competes against : VIES WITH
63D. "Okay" : VERY WELL
Simple theme. We've had this VM gimmick before, a more narrowly defined set of women's name only. Love Argyle's title there.
The theme entries 38D and 63D are shorter than a few non-theme entries.
This does not happen often with LAT grids. We see longer non-theme
answers when all theme entries are placed horizontally.
I
think the constructor chose this approach because he wanted theme
intersection. Plus, the gimmick is quite self-evident that solvers won't
have trouble locating theme entries.
Across:
1. Ottoman title : PASHA. Another Ottoman title we see in xwords is AGHA.
6. Orderly place?: Abbr. : HOSP. Nice clue.
10. Maleficent : BAD
13. __ of hands : A SHOW
18. Used for dinner : ATE ON
19. Within: Pref. : ENTO
20. Tarzan portrayer Ron et al. : ELYs
22. "Paint Your Wagon" composer : LOEWE (Frederick)
25. Small change : CENT
26. Seine tributary : MARNE. Needed crossing help. Quite a few 5-letter French rivers.
27. Dramatic words of accusation : ET TU
28. Thomas __ Edison : ALVA
31. Niagara ambience : MIST
33. Seriously impair : MAIM
35. "Something tells __ goofed" : ME I
36. Prefix meaning "bee" : API
37. Colorado NHL team, in headlines : AVS. Avalanche. Where does the S come from?
40. Unnamed degrees : NTHS
42. Snoopy persona : JOE COOL. Cool entry.
44. Required investment of a kind : ANTE
48. Key of Beethoven's Ninth : D MINOR
50. Word heard in the choosing process : EENY
51. Full of life : SPRY
52. Fading star : HAS-BEEN. Sad to see Justin Bieber in trouble again and again.
55. Maker of the Inspire Food Processor : OSTER
57. Draw a bead on : AIM AT
60. Letter before sigma : RHO
61. Barrel support : STAVE
65. Better informed : WISER
67. Formal promises : OATHS
69. Biased : ONE-SIDED. And 88. King of hearts feature : TWO EYES
71. Tail fastener, in a party game : PIN. What game?
75. Arg. neighbor : URU
76. Lists : ITEMIZES
78. Migraine omens : AURAE
79. Onion roll : BIALY. How do you pluralize this word? Bialies or Bialys?
81. Daphnis' lover : CHLOE
82. It employs a movable mirror: Abbr. : SLR. Tough clue for me.
84. Buffalo hockey player : SABRE. I think Splynter roots for the Rangers. Or Islanders? I can't remember clearly.
86. Makes less tense : THAWS
91. Martin or swift : BIRD. Another tricky clue. What came to your mind first?
93. Part of a staircase : STEP
94. "For shame!" : TSK TSK
101. Hurries : HIES
102. Homework shirker's lame excuse : I LOST IT
105. One might be in a pool : GENE. Gene pool.
106. Literary monogram : RLS. Robert Louis Stevenson. And ERB (70D). Tarzan creator's monogram). Edgar Rice Burroughs. I think one monogram is enough for a grid.
107. Suffix with morph- : EME
108. Convent dweller : NUN
109. Stargazer's focus? : IDOL. Loved the clue.
111. Las Cruces or Las Vegas : CITY
117. Org. that investigated Alger Hiss : HUAC. House Committee on Un-American Activities.
119. Presley's middle name : ARON
123. Intestinal : ILEAC
124. Big fishhook : GAFF. I don't think any fishing term will stump Barry G.
127. Wallop : PASTE
128. Thereabout : OR SO
129. This, to Juanita : ESTA
130. __ society : HONOR
131. Misses overseas: Abbr. : SRTAs. Spanish.
132. Palme __: movie prize : D'OR. French.
133. Leicester lockup : GAOL. British English.
134. Teamed, as oxen : YOKED
Down:
1. Do roadwork : PAVE
2. Bickering : AT IT
3. Split-off group : SECT
4. Blah : HO HUM
5. At least one : ANY
6. Place for refreshment : HEALTH SPA. We have 4 9-letter long Downs. The other three are SERIOUSLY (41D. "You're kidding"), SHOWERING (53D. Post-game activity) & ERIE CANAL (85D. Waterway engineered by Clinton). DeWitt Clinton.
7. Airing in prime time, say : ON TV
8. Boiling sign : STEAM
9. "__ favor" : POR
10. Turneth into : BECOMETH
11. George Smiley portrayer Guinness : ALEC
12. Live wire : DYNAMO
13. __ mater : ALMA
14. Fly high : SOAR
15. Author Hesse : HERMANN
16. Admit : OWN UP TO
17. Crying more : WEEPIER
21. Florida University named for a pope : ST LEO
24. Fails to recycle : WASTES
29. Six-stringed instrument, usually : VIOL
30. Dorian Gray creator : WILDE
32. Vacation stopover : INN
34. Steely Dan album : AJA. This is Jeannie's favorite album.
37. Chevy subcompact since 2004 : AVEO
39. Watchdog : SENTINEL
43. Industry VIP : CZAR
44. "__ a stinker?": Bugs Bunny line : AIN'T I
46. Bill and Louis : NYES
47. "Johnny Belinda" Oscar winner : WYMAN (Jane). Got me. She was Reagan's first wife.
49. Soldier's set : MESS KIT
54. Pro __ : BONO
56. Entertainment section staples : REVIEWS
58. "__ girl!" : ATTA
59. NATO founding member : THE US
62. Big fan : ADULATOR
64. College URL ending : EDU
66. "Frasier" role : ROZ
68. Some body fluids : SERA
71. Little shot? : PIC. "Little" in the clue suggests a shortened answer.
73. __ majesty: high treason : LESE
74. Temple leader : RABBI
77. "Nutrition that starts with apples" sloganeer : MOTT'S
80. "I see," facetiously : AH SO
83. Short turns? : REVS. Ah so!
87. Tanning nos. : SPFs
89. Authorizing : OKING
90. Replace for now : SIT IN FOR
92. 2008 Indy Japan 300 winner __ Patrick : DANICA
94. 1963 Burton/Taylor film : THE VIPS. Did anyone see this film?
95. Alike : SIMILAR
96. Most zealous : KEENEST
98. Midway attraction : RIDE
99. Classic muscle car : GTO
100. Not just damp : WET
103. Later, to Luis : LUEGO. "Hasta luego."
104. "Let's keep moving!" : ONWARD! Splynter's trademark.
110. Himalayan capital : LHASA. I saw several Free Tibet activiests at the flea market last year. They're selling pretty bracelets to raise money. Of course, I did not buy any since I don't support their cause.
112. Search giant : YAHOO
114. "So long" : TA TA
115. Breezes through : ACES
116. Assumption-to-conclusion segue : IF SO
118. Passé preposition : UNTO
120. Place for checking or saving : RINK. Ha ha, Santa!
121. Early Nebraskan : OTOE
122. Uncool sort : NERD
125. Laze about, with "out" : VEG
126. Wondering word : WHY
C.C.
