Sunday, June 30, 2024, Pam Amick Klawitter

 Theme:  "Watching With the Sound Off" 

The long entries in today's puzzle are slight variations on well known movie titles.  A few letters are added to, dropped from, or changed in each title to create a "sounds like" phrase fitting the clue.  So we're looking at movies, but the SOUND is slightly OFF.

22A. Movie about one who defies authority and gets absolutely no credit for it?: REBEL WITHOUT APPLAUSE.

Rebel Without A Cause was a 1955 movie starring James Dean, adapted from psychologist Robert M. Lindner's 1944 book, Rebel Without a Cause: The Hypnoanalysis of a Criminal Psychopath.  Twenty-four year old Dean died in a car crash the same year the movie was released.


38A. Movie about life with a hockey dad?: GOAL MINDERS DAUGHTER.

Coal Miner's Daughter was a 1980 movie about the life of country singer Loretta Lynn, played by Sissy Spacek, who won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance.

55A. Movie about a major problem at a croquet tournament?: ABSENCE OF MALLETS.

Absence of Malice was a 1981 movie thriller starring Paul Newman and Sally Field.  An innocent man has been maligned in the press.  Can the reporter claim Absence of Malice as a defense to libel? Will they have to play croquet without MALLETS?

86A. Movie about playing baseball during a downpour?: SWINGIN IN THE RAIN.

Singin' in the Rain was a 1952 American musical starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. It depicts Hollywood in the late 1920s, with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to "talkies." Modestly successful at the time, and now critically acclaimed as one of the greatest films ever made.

98A. Movie that captures the arc of conception through the delivery room?: FROM HERE TO MATERNITY.

From Here to Eternity was a 1953 war drama based on the 1951 novel of the same name by James Jones. It follows three United States Army soldiers, played by Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, and Frank Sinatra, stationed in Hawaii in the months leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor.  It won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.  It even dealt with issues of MATERNITY.

118A. Movie exposing the truth behind a cloning experiment?: THE SCIENCE OF THE LAMBS.

The Silence of the Lambs was a 1991 horror film adapted from Thomas Harris's 1988 novel of the same name. It stars Jodie Foster as an FBI trainee hunting a serial killer who skins his victims. She seeks advice from the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer. Doesn't that sound great? It won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It was the only horror film ever to win Best Picture.  I would prefer a documentary about the SCIENCE of baby animals.  The cloning of the lambs would be an interesting bit.

And now for the rest of our Sunday test:

Across:

1. Fleet: FAST.

5. Campaign bane: LEAK.

9. Crimean resort city: YALTA.  I've heard of the Yalta Conference in 1945, but never realized that Yalta is a seaside resort.

14. High poker pair: ACES.

18. R&B's India.__: ARIE.  India Arie Simpson (sometimes styled as india.arie) is an American singer and songwriter.  I am not up to date with popular music!  This rang a bell, but I needed perps.

19. Ski resort near Salt Lake City: ALTA.

20. "Inside the NBA" analyst Shaquille: ONEAL.

21. Nanny's nightmare: BRAT.

22. [Theme clue]

26. Mountain formation: MASSIF.   "Massif" comes from the French for "massive," and refers to a large mountain mass, or a compact group of mountains forming a portion of a range.  A massif results from movement of the earth's crust, and tends to be internally stable.  

The Mont Blanc Massif straddles France, Italy, and Switzerland.

27. Yearly record: ANNAL.

28. Wind dir.: ESE.  One of several possible directions for the wind! Once you have ES_, it has to be ESE.

29. "Can do": YEP.

31. Wish to take back: RUE.

33. Indigenous people of Canada: CREE.

Cree family, Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada, June 1895

35. Small scrap: TUSSLE.  Oh, that kind of scrap.  Scuffle.  Dustup.

38. [Theme clue]

44. Puts in the overhead bin: STOWS.  On Southwest Airlines, passengers vie for early boarding, not just because there are no assigned seats, but because early boarders find space to STOW their carry-on luggage overhead.

46. Section in a poetry anthology, perhaps: ODES.

47. Jenga loser: TOPPLER.  In the game Jenga, players take turns removing one block at a time from a tower constructed of 54 blocks.  If you make the tower topple, you're the loser!

Jenga Toppler

48. Pick or file: TOOL.

49. Recipe direction: STIR.

50. Soap characteristic: SCENT.

52. Surrender: YIELD.

55. [Theme clue]

59. Mentally acute: KEEN.

60. Sandwich option: RYE TOAST.

61. Indigo dye: ANIL.  Anil is a plant native to the American tropics, all the way south to Argentina.  It is a source of blue dye, especially indigo blue.

62. Paddle kin: OAR.

64. Assam export: TEA.

65. Fa follower: SOL. I'm familiar with Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, but didn't know these were from Solfège, a system of memorizing notes and sight reading music.  In the movie, The Sound of Music, the notes were:

Doe, a deer, a female deer

Ray, a drop of golden sun

Me, a name I call myself

Far, a long, long way to run

Sew, a needle pulling thread

La, a note to follow Sew

Tea, a drink with jam and bread

That will bring us back to Do

66. Spanish seasoning: SAL.  Salt.

68. Smallest Canadian prov.: PEI.  Prince Edward Island is an island province off the east coast of Canada.

70. Periodic table suffix: IUM.

72. __ and cheese: MAC.  I was searching for something fancier.

75. Recent prefix: NEO.

77. Ventimiglia of "Heroes": MILO.

Milo Ventimiglia, heartthrob of "This is Us"

79. Unexpected boons: GODSENDS.

84. Merriness: GLEE.

86. [Theme clue]

89. Bird skilled at mimicry: MYNAH.  Usually spelled Myna.

I took this photo of a Myna on the Big Island of Hawaii in 2021.

91. On and on: NO END.

92. __ Field: Queens stadium: CITI.

93. Sicilian hiking destination: ETNA.

94. Pollen holders: STAMENS.

96. Townshend of The Who: PETE.

97. Shutterbug's setting: FSTOP.

98. [Theme clue]

103. Study again: REREAD.

104. Texter's "Gimme a reason": Y NOT.

105. Confession topic: SIN.

106. Fabric store meas.: YDS.

107. Feeling queasy: ILL.

110. Bank of America's virtual assistant: ERICA.  DNK (Did Not Know).  Relied on perps, and it makes sense, too, as it's the Bank of amERICA.

113. Capital of the Bahamas: NASSAU.

DH did not love our trip to Nassau in 2005.  Too many kids going too many directions, too many close calls, and one rusty nail through my foot.  I was pretty chill.

118. [Theme clue]

123. Light as can be: AIRY.

124. Aquafina rival: EVIAN.  Bottled water.

125. [look on the back]: OVER.

126. Japanese beef city: KOBE.  Heard of Kobe beef, but didn't know it was a city.  

127. Dean's list figs.: GPAS.

128. Cold brew style: NITRO.

129. Closely guarded IDs: SSNS.

130. "Zounds!": EGAD.

Down:

1. Stable setting: FARM.  Stable the noun, not the adjective.

2. Blueprint calculation: AREA.

3. Luke and Leia, e.g.: SIBS.

Luke and Leia of Star Wars are siblings, and twins!

4. Course pegs: TEES.

5. Permissible: LAWFUL.

6. "Knock Knock" filmmaker Roth: ELI.  For those of you who loved The Silence of the Lambs, here's a "splatter film" (horror genre) director for you.  DNK.

7. Flour ground in a chakki: ATTA.  Atta is whole wheat, ground to flour in a chakki.  DNK.

  Indian woman grinding ATTA in a chakki.

8. Actress Madeline: KAHN.

9. "Name please?": YOU ARE.  Hello ... and you are ...?

10. Buck's defense: ANTLER.  A four footed buck.  Not a dollar bill.

11. Grassy expanse: LEA.  Meadow, pasture ...

12. Box sealer: TAPE.

13. Salzburg setting: ALPS.

14. Gp. of lawyers: ABA.  Group of lawyers:  American Bar Association.  The answer is abbreviated, just like the clue.

15. Grand __: wine classification: CRU.  Grand cru is literally "great vineyard" in French.  Only applicable to selected vineyards in certain regions of France.

16. Life of affluence: EASY STREET.  Are we there yet?

17. Anastasia of "Fifty Shades of Grey": STEELE.  Couldn't read the book because it was so poorly written; no patience for watching a movie of same.  Anastasia Steele is the main female character.

Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele and Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey

23. Ankara coins: LIRAS.

24. Like most software, once: ON CDS.  First it came on floppy disks, then on CDs, and now via online download.

25. Subside: LET UP.  Stop or become less intense.

30. Pricing word: PER.

32. Overdoes it on stage: EMOTES.  Emote means to portray emotion, especially in acting.  When did it become overacting?  On stage, one makes broad gestures to be understood in the balconies, but in filmmaking, small gestures are easily captured.  In a movie, emoting could be too much.  But on stage?  Overacting is also called "chewing the scenery."

34. Getty of "Golden Girls": ESTELLE.

Estelle Getty played Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls (1985–92)

36. Like eyesores: UGLY.  Not sores on your eye, but things you find ugly.  I guess they make your eyes feel sore.

37. Arab patriarch: SHEIK.

38. Chaser chosen by a head tap, in a kid's game: GOOSE.

I played Duck, Duck, Goose in elementary school.

39. Big-eyed babies: OWLETS.

40. "__ Guides": how-to series: IDIOTS.

DNK there was a Complete Idiot's Guide 

to Crossword Puzzles & Word Games

41. Foam dart maker: NERF.

42. Fully cooked: DONE.

43. Likely will, with "is": APT TO.

44. Pentagram shape: STAR.

45. Country Music Hall of Famer Keith: TOBY.  Toby Keith passed away in February 2024.  I liked his songs "I Wanna Talk About Me" (2001) and "Beer for My Horses" (2002), a duet with Willie Nelson.  I was going to share the lyrics of the latter with you, but it seems to be pro-lynching.  At the time, I only understood: 

We'll raise up our glasses against evil forces,

singing: whiskey for my men, beer for my horses.

49. Climbs, as a rock wall: SCALES.

One of our daughters does this.

Because life isn't hard enough already.

50. __ Diego: SAN.

51. Pre-tied tie: CLIP ON.

53. Big name in denim: LEE.

54. Crime lab material: DNA.

56. Start of p.m.: NOON.  "Post" fit, but did not work with the perpendicular entries (perps).

57. Slander: MALIGN.

58. Greeted: SAID HI.

63. Scheme: RUSE.

67. Request from a whistleblower: AMNESTY.  Someone who "blows the whistle" by exposing government or corporate wrongdoing might request amnesty, or freedom from prosecution.

69. Light: IGNITE.

71. Least noticeable: MEREST.

72. Studio whose logo says "Ars gratia artis": MGM.  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

73. Gymnast Raisman: ALY.  Wikipedia says:  "Alexandra Rose Raisman (born May 25, 1994) is an American retired artistic gymnast and two-time Olympian. She was captain of both the 2012 "Fierce Five" and 2016 "Final Five" U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics teams, which won their respective team competitions."  Did Not Remember!  All perps.

Aly Raisman

74. Removing books from a library, say: CENSORSHIP.

76. Pet tag info: OWNER.

78. To-go cup top: LID.

80. Grown-up pups: OTTERS.

81. Well put together: NATTY.  Dapper, dashing, sharp, slick, or stylish.

82. Natural history museum display, for short: DINO.  My father was a paleontologist interested in reptiles of the Permian Period, but some of his students became DINOsaur hunters, looking at the later Cretaceous Period.

Dinosaur skeletons at the Natural History Museum,

Los Angeles County

83. Pic: SNAP.

85. Wonderland cake directive: EAT ME.  From "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll.

87. Skye of "La Brea": IONE.  Ione Skye Lee is a British-American actress and the daughter of singer Donovan.   She's in a TV series called "La Brea."  All news to me.  Needed perps.

88. Rap great born Tracy Marrow: ICE T.  Didn't know his real name.  Took a Wild Ass Guess (WAG) that this was he.

90. "Funny!": HAHA.

95. Frontline doctor: MEDIC.

Medics on M*A*S*H (TV Series 1972–1983)

96. Barbecue spot: PATIO.

97. End-of-semester hurdle: FINAL.

98. Sizzle: FRY.

99. Marker for some sale items: RED TAG.

100. Smallish garage: ONE CAR.

101. First Latina EGOT winner: MORENO.  EGOT stands for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.  It's rare for anyone to win all four of these awards.  Rita Moreno won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1962 for "West Side Story"; a Grammy for a cast recording of the PBS children’s television show, "The Electric Company," in 1972; a Tony as Best Featured Actress in a Play for a Broadway show called "The Ritz" in 1975; and the 1977 Emmy for Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music for her single appearance on "The Muppet Show."  Good for her!  DNK.

102. West Coast gridders: NINERS.  The San Francisco 49ers, a football team.  The lines on the field look like a gridiron, or cooking grate.

108. Security claim: LIEN.

109. Big name in denim: LEVI.  Levi Strauss & Co. patented rivets on work pants in 1873, touching off 150 years of blue jeans as the most popular way to dress your lower half.

111. Budget execs: CFOS.  Chief Financial Officers.

112. Off-rd. rides: ATVS.  All-Terrain Vehicles are designed for use off the road.

114. For old times' __: SAKE.

115. Brown sky cause: SMOG.

116. Swedish supergroup: ABBA.  Responsible for "Dancing Queen," "Fernando," and "Take a Chance on Me."  My dad used to call this genre "bubblegum pop."  I didn't realize ABBA had actual bubblegum wrappers.

117. Like many textbooks: USED.  A textbook is less expensive if purchased used, but publishers make it hard for students by issuing new editions with new page numbers.  It's tough to follow the professor's reading list without the latest version of the book.

119. New __: cap brand: ERA.  New Era makes caps with visors sporting team logos.  Who knew?  Perps.

120. Pt. of GPS: SYS.  Part of Global Positioning System?  An abbreviated clue requires an abbreviated answer.

121. Picker's problem?: NIT.  Cute.  I'm a nit picker.

122. 1-Down layer: HEN.  A farm "layer" is a female chicken, or hen, that lays eggs.

The completed grid:

I was impressed with Pam's "sound off" movie titles.  Very clever!

And you?

-- NaomiZ

Sunday November 5, 2023 Pam Amick Klawitter

Theme: - "Make Mine a Double" - An extra letter is added to the start of the second word. This letter is the same as the last letter of the first word.

22A. Curmudgeonly professor?: ACADEMIC CRANK. Academic rank.

38A. Sign of sadness from Dumbo?: ELEPHANT TEAR. Elephant ear.

70A. Pilot's scheduling concern?: SPEED OF FLIGHT. Speed of light.

100A. Sign of wedding-day jitters?: SMOKING GROOM. Smoking room.

117A. Consequence of a Midwest cold snap?: FREEZING GRAIN. Freezing rain.

13D. Golf rental with a sponsorship deal?: GRAPHIC CART. Graphic art.

14D. Method of tracking down Ben-Hur?: CHARIOT TRACE. Chariot race.

62D. Collectible earthenware?: CLASSIC CROCK. Classic rock.

70D. Under a log or in a pile of wet leaves?: SNAIL'S SPACE. Snail's pace.

The doubled letters are all consonants of course. 70A is the only one with a 3-word pattern. I do like it though.

Heavy theme. 9 entries. So not many long fill. Only two 8's.

Across:

1. Like bad fried food: GREASY. My favorite fried food: sesame balls.

 

 

7. Recipe smidgen: DASH.

11. Wrinkly faced dog: PUG.

14. "60 Minutes" airer: CBS.

17. Pumpkin seed: PEPITA. Just "pumpkin seed" in Spanish, right?

18. Sentimental sort: SOFTIE.

20. Airport board datum: Abbr.: ARR.

21. "__ do you do it!?": HOW.

24. Snake River st.: IDA.

25. Period: AGE.

26. Fashion designer Kate: SPADE.

27. Asks for a meal to be delivered to the penthouse, say: ORDERS UP.

29. Wish one hadn't: RUE.

30. Knock hard: RAP.

33. Rose fruit: HIPS. Pretty. 

35. Sorceress jilted by Jason: MEDEA.

36. Lift: HOIST.

42. San Fernando Valley community: ENCINO.

44. Tomato __: PUREE.

45. Otto in "A Man Called Otto," for one: GRUMP.

46. A-mews-ing memes?: LOLCATS. Ha.

48. Blue man group?: SMURFS.

50. College domain: EDU.

51. Once cost: WAS.

53. Some accent marks: ACUTES.

55. Car roof option: T TOP.

57. Wood stove buildup: SOOT.

59. In real trouble: UP A TREE. Do you know what this tree is? I took it yesterday at the Shingle Creek trails.

60. Carve one's initials, say: ETCH. Just learned "arborglyph" last Sunday.

63. Verdi opera: AIDA.

66. Panache: FLAIR.

68. __ beef: ROAST.

69. Org. with Lightning and Flames: NHL. 86. Extra 69-Across periods, briefly: OTS.

73. Intel-gathering org.: CIA.

74. Bride follower: TRAIN.

76. Biological copy: CLONE.

77. In __ of: LIEU.

78. Tenant's payment: RENT.

79. Make clearer, hopefully: RESTATE.

81. Employee's incentive: PERK.

83. Sample: DEMO.

85. Private assent: YES SIR.

87. "Yada yada yada" abbr.: ETC.

90. "Cheers," for one: SITCOM.

94. Family member: SIBLING. Andy turned 48 yesterday. I showed him my butterfly. He said: "You're not a frog anymore. You're a dolphin."

96. "Invisible Cities" author Calvino: ITALO. Also 11. Italian chum: PAISANO.

98. Nick of "Blackout": NOLTE.

99. Wyoming city: CASPER.

102. Where to find much 1990s music: ON CDS.

104. Divided lunchbox: BENTO.

106. Kuwaiti leader: EMIR.

107. Soup with rice noodles: PHO.

108. Cheers, for one: BAR.

109. +: PLUS SIGN.

112. Direct jeers toward: BOO AT. 52. The slightest bit: AT ALL. And 54. Tuned to: SET AT.

115. Huge fuss: ADO.

116. Come down with something: AIL.

122. Open __ night: MIC.

123. Bookkeeping pro: CPA.

124. Like an ideal situation: WIN WIN.

125. Vinyl record feature: GROOVE.

126. Biblical construction: ARK.

127. Double curve: ESS.

128. Heron's home: NEST.

129. Pinstripes wearer: YANKEE. Yankee caps are very popular in Guangzhou. Probably because lots of Cantonese visit New York.

Down:

1. Report card no.: GPA.

2. "Parks and __": REC.

3. Green org. with a flower logo: EPA.

4. Lends a hand: AIDS.

5. Escalator unit: STEP.

6. Kawasaki rival: YAMAHA. Motorcycle.

7. "__ McStuffins": DOC.

8. Natural hairstyle: AFRO.

9. Planetarium display: STAR MAP.

10. Thwart: HINDER.

12. Pakistani language: URDU.

15. Fake: BOGUS.

16. "I like that!": SWEET.

18. British royal staff: SCEPTRE.

19. Just got (by): EKED.

23. Job for a bouncer: ID'ING.

28. Staggers: REELS.

30. Gym iterations: REPS.

31. Many a univ. donor: ALUM.

32. El Misti's land: PERU.

34. Hoop alternative: STUD.

37. Just going through the motions: ON AUTO.

39. Western Australian port: PERTH. And 41. Ostrich kin: EMUS.

40. Lift with effort: HEFT.

43. Applaud: CLAP.

47. Greets and seats: SEES IN. 89. "Hop aboard!": CLIMB IN. 100. Add with a spoon: STIR IN.

49. __ opera: SOAP.

51. "Law & Order" creator: WOLF. Dick. Boomer watched every episode of ""Law & Order".

56. Jigsaw unit: PIECE.

58. Buyer's proposal: OFFER.

59. Prodded: URGED.

60. Way in: ENTRY.

61. Good scores on par fours: THREES.

64. "The French Dispatch" actor Benicio __ Toro: DEL.

65. Bring home from an animal shelter: ADOPT.

67. Son of a son: III.

71. Dollar bills: ONES.

72. Color shades: HUES.

75. "You're not going to like this": IT'S BAD. I have a new neighbor. Quiet and no weedy smell. I'm so happy.  

78. Chopper part: ROTOR.

80. Journey: TRIP.

82. Low-carb diet: KETO. Can't imagine such a diet.

84. Basketball Hall of Famer Yao: MING. Chairman of Chinese Basketball Association.

86. Big brutes: OGRES.

88. Grab: TAKE.

91. Hoofbeat sound: CLOP.

92. Brief "However": OTOH.

93. Office dispatch: MEMO.

95. Awards for Charlie Jane Anders and N.K. Jemisin: NEBULAS. Here is Anders.

96. Coca of "Your Show of Shows": IMOGENE.

97. Bagel flavor: ONION.

101. Not quite awake: GROGGY.

102. President born in Hawaii: OBAMA.

103. Apex antonym: NADIR.

105. "Careful where you open this link" shorthand: NSFW. Not Safe for Work.

110. Kissers: LIPS.

111. "That's __ to me": NEWS.

113. Taj Mahal city: AGRA.

114. 1982 Disney sci-fi film: TRON.

118. Clearasil target: ZIT.

119. Jolly good: A-OK.

120. "Now __ seen everything!": I'VE.

121. Word between surnames: NEE.

C.C.

 

Sunday September 17, 2023 Pam Amick Klawitter

Theme: "Subtraction" - Parse it as Subtract ION.

21A. Court case brought by an upstanding citizen?: CLASS ACT(ION) LAWSUIT.

36A. Parade of lumber workers?: MILL(ION)MAN MARCH.

67A. "More than a million Earths can fit inside the sun," e.g.?: SPACE STAT(ION).

96A. Searching for that one lost shoe after a night on the town, e.g.?: AWKWARD QUEST(ION).

115A. Printer-ready manuscript with a signature?: AUTOGRAPHED EDIT(ION).

14D. Failure to use tact in a delicate situation?: DIPLOMATIC MISS(ION).

45D Much-loved member of a D.C. squad?: MOST FAVORED NAT (ION)

 

We had this same theme a while ago. No surprise about the title repeat, as it's just perfect. 

Have not seen Mike's Sunday byline for a while. He used to be very active when I started solving the L.A. Times crosswords. Pam was also active then.

Across:

1. Face of technology: EMOJI. So wild in WeChat.

6. __ squad: PEP. And 57. Support squad: ALLIES. One more neighbor has joined our fight. She called the cops last Sunday about gunshots from 5501. No idea what happened later. The cops never updated us on who killed the previous 5505 renter two years ago.

9. TV monitor: FCC.

12. Gave up: CEDED.

17. Fathered: SIRED.

18. Shaker fill: SALT.

19. Preppy pullover: POLO.

20. Walled Spanish city: AVILA.

24. Compensate: REPAY.

25. Prince in "Frozen": HANS. The cruel prince.

26. Filmmaker Ephron: NORA.

27. Tall concert instrument: HARP.

28. Be convincing: SELL IT.

29. Barely beat: EDGE.

30. Half of 9-Down: TWO. 9. Twice 30-Across: FOUR. 99. Twice 9-Down: EIGHT.

31. Filmmaker Brooks: MEL.

32. Pacers of the 1970s, e.g.: AMCS.

34. "I See Rainbows" artist Yoko: ONO.

35. Deli choice: RYE.

39. Sign: OMEN.

40. Used (up): ATE.

41. Name on a Chicago cap: SOX. I like A.J. Pierzynski. Colorful guy.

42. Marathoner's asset: STAMINA. Sumdaze!

44. "Gotta go!": I'M LATE.

47. __ one's time: BIDES.

50. Words to live by: TENETS.

52. Since: AS OF.

53. Joan of __: ARC.

55. Silent actors: MIMES.

59. "Miracle on Ice" losing team: Abbr.: USSR.

60. Title said with a curtsy, perhaps: MA'AM.

62. Feed and protect: NURTURE.

64. __-Magnon: CRO.

65. Booking.com quotes: RATES.

69. Florida host of the ReliaQuest Bowl: TAMPA. Unfamiliar to me.

71. "Who's a good boy?" reply: ARF.

72. Frito-Lay puffs: CHEETOS.

74. Drywall support: STUD.

76. Santa Monica landmark: PIER.

77. Yellow Teletubby: LAA LAA.

79. Spread here and there: STREW.

81. __ on the side of caution: ERR. And 89. Badly mistaken: OFF BASE.

82. Phishing fodder: Abbr.: SSNS.

83. Turns inside out: EVERTS.

85. Skating legend Sonja: HENIE. Norwegian.Wikipedia says she was also a big film star.

87. Most fresh: NEWEST.

91. Presidential advisory gp.: NSC.

93. Bro counterpart: SIS. Andy just calls me "Jie", meaning "sis" in Chinese.

94. Civil suit cause: TORT.

100. Gym cushion: MAT.

103. World Cup cheer: OLE.

104. Latin years: ANNI.

105. Home work letters?: DIY. Great clue.

106. Spanish aunt: TIA.

107. Miffed: SORE.

108. Stark patriarch: EDDARD. Ned. "Game of Thrones". Played by Sean Bean.

110. "All of Me" singer Legend: JOHN. And 112. Rapper Snoop __: DOGG.

113. Memo heading: IN RE.

114. "Won't you let me?": CAN'T I.

118. Colorful marble: AGATE.

119. Coll. hotshot: BMOC. Big Man on Campus.

120. Hart of wrestling: BRET. Nicknamed "The Hitman". Boomer knew lots of wresting personalities and their ring names.

121. Tequila plant: AGAVE.

122. Bouquet bit: PETAL.

123. Large primate: APE.

124. Pentagon VIP: GEN.

125. "Twilight" author Stephenie: MEYER. More women: 15. Sitcom friend of Jerry and George: ELAINE. 40. Actress Woodard: ALFRE. 44. "Insecure" creator/star: ISSA RAE. 48. "Out of Africa" writer Isak: DINESEN.

Down:

1. Artist M.C. whose work inspired the art of the game Monument Valley: ESCHER. OK, more men: 4. Williams of "Grey's Anatomy": JESSE. 13. First name in stunts: EVEL. 61. Rhys who plays Perry Mason: MATTHEW.

 

2. Title said with a curtsy, perhaps: MILADY.

3. Apt county for Tangerine, Florida: ORANGE. Interesting trivia.

5. Passports, e.g.: IDS.

6. Makes the rounds: PATROLS.

7. R&B singer __ Mai: ELLA.

8. School support org.: PTA.

10. Ready-made digital graphics: CLIP ART.

11. Camp bed: COT.

12. Gives a hoot: CARES. Oh, I put tights in the bag I mentioned last week. I also have this bag for my fins, kick board, etc.

16. Ohio home of the Wright Brothers: DAYTON.

18. Grouchy look: SCOWL.

19. Song of worship: PSALM.

22. Civil War battle site in Western Maryland: ANTIETAM. Wikipedia says this "remains the bloodiest day in American history, with a combined tally of 22,727 dead, wounded, or missing".

23. Timely question: WHEN.

28. Bagel spread: SCHMEAR. I don't eat cream cheese, can I call my peanut butter "schmear"?

31. Saw: MAXIM.

33. MD-to-be's exam: MCAT.

36. NYC subway org.: MTA.

37. Unruly bunch: MOB.

38. Maintains: ASSERTS.

39. New law student: ONE L.

43. Fjord, e.g.: INLET.

46. Clear data from: ERASE.

49. Aussie flock: EMUS. Scary looking.

51. Snake: SERPENT.

52. Ear-related: AURAL.

54. Superhero wardrobe staples: CAPES.

56. Say aloud: STATE.

58. Heads up: SOARS.

63. Risky maneuver on a busy highway: U-TURN.

66. Frosty accessory: SCARF. We had 89.7 inches of snow last winter. Brutal.

68. Workout focus: CORE.

70. Church niches: APSES.

73. Stetson decor: HATBAND. And  75. Equestrian event: DRESSAGE.

78. Took off: LEFT.

80. Suitable for kite flying, say: WINDY.

84. Like ready-to-use planks: SAWN.

86. Law firm abbr.: ESQ.

88. Cleverness: WIT.

90. Winter Olympics ramp: SKI JUMP.

92. Start carving, as a watermelon: CUT OPEN. Boomer and I used to buy a big watermelon every week in the summer time.

94. Work boot feature: TOECAP.

95. Gerontology focus: OLD AGE.

97. Specialized, committee-wise: AD HOC.

98. Nose adornment: RING.

100. Weekend follower: MONDAY.

101. Make it big: ARRIVE.

102. Have trouble balancing: TEETER.

104. Winter of "Modern Family": ARIEL. Very pretty.

107. Long-lasting battle: SIEGE.

109. Flour for naan and chapati: ATTA.

111. Great Plains people: OTOE.

112. Take a chance: DARE.

115. Atty.'s group: ABA.

116. SCOTUS member from 1993 to 2020: RBG.

117. Lake Mead creator: DAM.

C.C.