Sunday September 8, 2019 Pancho Harrison

Theme: "Oh, It's You Again" - O is replace by U in each theme entry.

23. Kiss during a nature walk?: TRAIL BUSS. Trail boss.

35. Window installer's course of instruction?: PUTTY TRAINING. Potty training.

38. Jam component?: STUCK CAR. Stock car.

54. Charles Goodyear, notably?: RUBBER BARON. Robber baron.

 
70. Eccentric who has status in the community?: NUT WITHSTANDING. Notwithstanding.

88. Big galoot serving as first mate?: CAPTAIN'S LUG. Captain's log.

  
104. Dent in the hockey arena's protective shield?: PUCK MARK. Pockmark.

106. Cesar Millan specialty?: PUP PSYCHOLOGY. Pop psychology.

 
124. Measure of complacency?: SMUG INDEX. Smog index.

Total 9 entries, 7 with first word conversions. 2 with last word changes. So no-odd man out.

I must have caught something at the VA clinic or the big VA hospital on Thursday/Friday. Been sleeping a lot, still feeling lousy. Short write-up today.

Across:

1. "Righteous!" in the '90s: PHAT.

5. Capital of Turkey: LIRA. Sunday clue. Currency.

9. Speed deterrents: BUMPS.

14. Like cried-over milk: SPILT.

19. Apiece: EACH.

20. Fever with chills: AGUE. Poor Boomer is having the awful side effects of the Zometa infusion again. Chills being one of them.

21. Caver's cry?: UNCLE. One who caves.

22. Vaughan of jazz: SARAH. One of the favorite vocalists of Wendy's husband.

25. Showy parrot: MACAW.

26. Muse for Shelley: ERATO.

27. Protein-building acid: AMINO.

28. Matter basics: ATOMS.

30. First-year law student: ONE L. I read this book years ago. Exhausting read.

32. Has __: knows someone: AN IN.

33. Optimist's words: I CAN.

42. Creator of Horton the Elephant: SEUSS.

43. __ Paulo: SAO.

44. Life's work: CAREER.

45. Largish chamber group: OCTET.

47. Part-time player: SEMI-PRO.

51. __ standstill: AT A.

52. Rich kid in "Nancy" comics: ROLLO. The other "Nancy" character we see occasionally is SLUGGO.

57. Breather: LUNG.

59. Hurled weapons: BOLAS.

61. Breaks down: ROTS.

62. LiMu ___: bird in Liberty Mutual TV ads: EMU.

63. Tiny dividers: AMOEBAE.

65. Strikes lightly: TAPS ON. Like your apps.

68. Soothes: EASES.

74. Quaker in the woods: ASPEN.

77. Like most pretzels: SALTED.

78. Porcupines and prairie dogs: RODENTS.

82. Arthur of "The Golden Girls": BEA.

83. Thriller writer Hoag: TAMI.

85. Four-door, usually: SEDAN.

87. Court filing: SUIT.

93. Site of Hercules' first labor: NEMEA. He slew the lion there.

95. Self-esteem: EGO.

96. Promising young actress: STARLET.

97. Café container: TASSE.

99. Narrow shard: SLIVER.

101. Its Jun. 2019 additions include "bae" and "yeesh": OED. We see BAE from time to time. Baby.

102. Cook-off dish: CHILI.

111. Linguist Chomsky: NOAM.

112. Deposed Iranian despot: SHAH. We also have 16. Tabriz native: IRANI.

113. Quod __ demonstrandum: ERAT.

114. Daggers of old: SNEES.

116. Shore thing for a sailor?: LEAVE.

120. Hanna-Barbera's __ Doggie and Doggie Daddy: AUGIE.

122. Cybercurrency: E CASH.

126. Cornered, in a way: TREED.

127. British county: SHIRE.

128. Domus Aurea builder of 64-68 AD: NERO.

129. Not mad: SANE.

130. Flippant: SASSY.

131. Calcutta wraps: SARIS.

132. Good name for a tuxedo cat: OREO.

133. Defib specialists: EMTS. Hence the clue for 115. Retired, as a prof.: EMER.

Down:

1. Animal rights gp.: PETA.

2. Damage: HARM.

3. Three-syllable berry: ACAI. Listen to this clip: ah-sah-ee.

4. Skating no-no: THIN ICE.

5. Black __: LAB.

6. Spiny lizard: IGUANA.

7. Auto body concern: RUST.

8. Greek fabulist: AESOP.

9. Misleading lead: BUM STEER. Sparkling fill.

10. Article in Spain's El Mundo: UNA.

11. Feud group: MCCOYS.

12. Infiltrators: PLANTS.

13. Betsy Ross, notably: SEWER.

14. Lincoln-to-Topeka dir.: SSE.

15. What "strikes deep," in Stephen Stills' "For What It's Worth": PARANOIA. Another great fill.

17. Language for the Masses?: LATIN.

18. Barely-there beachwear: THONG.

24. Gym storage: LOCKER.

29. Is required to: MUST.

31. Some beams: LASERS.

34. Circus swinger: ACROBAT.

36. "Swan Lake" skirt: TUTU.

37. Two-syllable foot: IAMB.

38. Milan's La __: SCALA.

39. Stride pianist Art: TATUM. Unfamiliar with "Stride" style.

40. Seventh planeta: URANO. Spanish or Italian?

41. Wad in a pocket: ROLL.

46. Formal jacket feature: COATTAIL.

47. Ready to proceed: SET.

48. JFK but not SFO: PRES.

49. "La Dolce Vita" setting: ROME.

50. Responsibility: ONUS.

53. MGM co-founder: LOEW.

55. Expands: BROADENS.

56. City on the Rhine: BONN.

58. Code carrier: GENE.

60. Satirist Mort: SAHL.

64. Carl's Jr. bread: BUN.

66. L.A. setting: PST.

67. Notre Dame figs.: STES.

68. Terminate: END.

69. A month of Sundays: AGES.

71. Schools of thought: ISMS.

72. Apothecary's weight: DRAM.

73. "Rhinoceros" playwright: IONESCO. Unknown to me.

74. Basics: ABCS.

75. Politician's pursuit: SEAT.

76. Bearded Smurf: PAPA.

79. New, in Nicaragua: NUEVA.

80. Clemson athlete: TIGER.

81. Baby carrier?: STORK.

83. Colorful tee: TIE-DYE.

84. Tiny farm worker: ANT.

86. Thought-provoking: DEEP.

89. Prizes on the mantel: TROPHIES.

90. Brewpub orders: ALES.

91. Gas or elec.: UTIL.

92. Rainy day wear: GALOSHES.

94. Acid neutralizer: ALKALI.

98. Symptom: SIGN.

100. Colossal: IMMENSE.

102. Cuban dance: CHA CHA.

103. Gasbag's bagful?: HOT AIR.

105. On the fence: UNSURE.

106. H.S. exams: PSATS.

107. "Star Trek" officer who famously kissed Kirk in 1968: UHURA.

108. Novelist's output: PAGES.

109. Pungent salad green: CRESS.

110. __ question: YES NO.

117. Rock's Queen + __ Lambert: ADAM. "America Idol" runner-up years ago.

118. Let off steam: VENT.

119. Former flames: EXES.

121. Big name in ice cream: EDY.

123. Indian title: SRI.

125. Half a musical doll?: GOO. The Goo Goo Dolls.

C.C.

Sunday Jan 7, 2018 Pancho Harrison

Theme:  "According to Your Résumé ... " Each noun phrase is rephrased as a verb phrase related to the applicant in the clue:

22A. "... you've repaired planes for civilian pilots, but can you __?" : SERVICE ACES

34A. "... you've made indie films, but can you __?" : DIRECT HITS

40A. "... you've made decorative bowls, but can you __?" : FASHION PLATES

69A. "... you've conned small-time dealers with your forgeries, but can you __?" : SNOW FENCES

74A. "... you've monitored planets with your telescope, but can you __?" : TRACK STARS
 
100A. "... you've coached gymnasts, but can you __?" : TRAIN SPOTTERS

107A. "... you've run dining rooms, but can you __?" : HANDLE BARS

125A. "... you've written non-theatrical prose, but can you __?" : SUPPLY LINES

Notice that the first nouns all become verbs, the second nouns all change meaning drastically: tennis shots become fighter pilots, bomb hits to movie hits, clotheshorses to dinner plates, etc. Very consistent.

Train spotters is a new word to me. Google shows they're just train buffs.

Across:     

1. Join the cast of : ACT IN

6. Apt. listing unit : BDRM (Bedroom)

10. Golden __ : AGER

14. Biblical verb : DOST

18. Bara of the silents : THEDA. Nicknamed "The Vamp".

19. Exonerate : CLEAR

20. Judicious : SAGE

21. Sundance's sweetie __ Place : ETTA

24. One guilty of disorderly conduct? : SLOB. Ha ha.

25. Slightly : A TAD

26. Quasimodo's love : ESMERALDA. Great fill.

27. Trendy greeting : CIAO. Why "trendy"?

29. "The Optimist's Daughter" Pulitzer winner Welty : EUDORA

31. Biblical beast : ASS

32. Some Miles Davis groups : OCTETS

36. Govt. loan agency : SBA

37. Web page standard : HTML. Woo hoo, Misty, you rock!

39. Game show host : EMCEE

46. Lightweight hats : PANAMAS

50. It may be restricted : AREA

51. Artsy Manhattan neighborhood : SOHO

52. Latin clarifier : ID EST

54. Desert trial : N TEST. Some old North Koreans still can't believe that Chinese eat rice any time we want. During the Great Leap Forward when tens of millions of people died of famine, many Chinese escaped to North Korea for food.

55. Derring-do, e.g. : DEEDS

57. Disciplined, in a way : FINED

59. Many a Prado painting : GOYA

61. Windy City rail initials : CTA. Chicago Transit Authority.

62. Longtime Pro Bowl site : OAHU

64. Closer's stat : SAVES

66. B vitamin used to treat high cholesterol : NIACIN

76. Sparkly strands : TINSEL

77. Rhone tributary : SAONE

79. Standstill : HALT

80. Theater chain letters : AMC

81. "__ bigger than a breadbox?" : IS IT

83. Sprain site : ANKLE. My grandma used to rub hot alcohol on sprained ankle.

86. Like some coincidences : EERIE

90. Fairway adjoiner : ROUGH

93. Nike competitor : ASICS. According to Wiki, the name is an acronym for the Latin phrase anima sana in corpore sano: which translates as "a healthy soul in a healthy body".

95. Lang. of Livorno : ITAL

97. Kind : SORT

98. Cilium, to the layperson : EYELASH. Cilium sounds like a drug.

103. Tuckered out : ALL IN

105. Like falling off __ : A LOG

106. Frat letters : NUS

111. Thickets : COPSES

114. Actor Daniel __ Kim : DAE

117. Was crazy about : ADORED

118. Greeted the judge : ROSE

120. Prospector's disappointment : FOOL'S GOLD. Another sparkly fill.

122. Actress Delany : DANA. She made a puzzle for the NYT a long while ago.

123. "Oh, nuts!" : DANG

127. Spellbound : AGOG

128. Early role for Ronny : OPIE

129. Takes the Black Friday plunge : SHOPS. Tried once. Not fun at all. So rushed.

130. Sorbonne enrollee : ELEVE

131. Melanie's "Working Girl" role : TESS

132. Drive, for one : GEAR

133. Catch a glimpse of : ESPY

134. Pittsburgh product : STEEL

Down:

1. Between ports : AT SEA

2. Fischer's forte : CHESS

3. Contract conditions : TERMS

4. "If only __ known ... " : I'D'VE

5. African capital on its own river : NAIROBI. Vibrant night lights.

6. Ice skate part : BLADE

7. Summer Olympics event : DECATHLON

8. Actress Charlotte : RAE

9. "Happy Days" mom, to Fonzie : MRS C

10. Very, in music : ASSAI

11. In quantity : GALORE

12. Id controller : EGO

13. The first Mrs. de Winter, in fiction : REBECCA. The second one has no name. That was a scary movie.

14. Tie : DEAD HEAT

15. 10th-century emperor : OTTO I. First of four Holy Roman Emperors. Then the House of Otto decided to move to Roman Forest, Texas!

16. Get cracking : START

17. "Yay me!" shouts : TADAs

19. Breton or Gael : CELT

23. Chocolate trees : CACAOS. I bought a bag of cocoa nibs out of curiosity. Then I ground them into cocoa powder.

28. Was in a jam? : IDLED

30. Sch. in Knoxville : U TENN

33. Penn, e.g.: Abbr. : STA

35. Insincere, as a promise : EMPTY

36. Sunny-day shapes : SHADOWS. Awfully cold the past two weeks, thankfully Sun has been visiting us daily.

38. Crete's highest elev. : MT IDA

40. Hula hoops, say : FAD

41. "__ we good?" : ARE

42. Spot : SEE

43. Party-pooperish : NO FUN

44. Honor society letter : PHI

45. "Turn the Page" rocker : SEGER. Also 60. "Diana" singer : ANKA

47. Hajji's destination : MECCA

48. Up and at 'em : ASTIR

49. Kenton and Getz : STANs

53. Cubs' all-time home run champ : SOSA. Shunned by the Cubs these days.

56. Burglar's challenge : SAFE

58. Exxon, formerly : ESSO

63. Prefix with port : HELI

65. Powerful engine : V TEN

67. Man, but not woman : ISLE. Isle of Man.

68. Swears to : ATTESTS

69. Rubberneck : STARE

70. Spock portrayer : NIMOY

71. Well-timed : ON CUE

72. Forensic detectives, for short : CSIs

73. Take the loss : EAT IT

75. Chintzy : CHEAP

78. Like Willie Nelson vocals : NASAL. Boomer listens to his "On the Road Again" often.

82. Indian title : SAHIB

84. Michael Jackson compilation album : KING OF POP

85. Many OCS grads : LTS

87. Salmon-to-be : ROE. I enjoyed TTP and Yellowrock's continued miso and miso soup discussions. Dashi too.

88. Discount abbr. : IRR

89. Some "X-Files" characters : ETs

91. Fancy threads : GLAD RAGS

92. Oscar winner Berry : HALLE

94. Unrefined : CRASS. My Dashi is very unrefined, just dried anchovies, but good enough to make a simple Ramen noodle broth. No appetite for miso soup these days.

96. Remote : LONELY

99. Iditarod team member : SLED DOG. This race might end soon.

101. Winter Games org. : IOC

102. Grapples : TUSSLES. Next year I'm getting the flu shot.

104. Whence Aslan : NARNIA

107. Went after : HAD AT

108. Saw : ADAGE

109. Taboos : NO-NOs

110. NFL commissioner Goodell : ROGER. Powerful guy.

112. Flanders Fields flower : POPPY

113. Beethoven's fifths? : SOLs. Got via crosses.

114. Beneficiary : DONEE. Spell check does not like this word.

115. Naproxen brand : ALEVE. Heal quickly, Chairman Moe!

116. Ford finned flop : EDSEL. All alliterative.

119. In __: existing : ESSE

121. Snazzy coating : GILT

124. Barbary beast : APE

126. Hesitant speaker's sounds : UHs

Thursday July 27th 2017 Pancho Harrison

Theme: Beau Knows (and so do Jeff, Dorothy and Lloyd)

14A. *Billboard entry : POP SONG. Sometimes known as the middle eight, the bridge usually follows the second chorus in a pop song and forms a stylistic break. Many great examples could be referenced, but let's go with "Born To Run" from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. The bridge follows the great Clarence Clemons and his sax solo at around the 2:10 mark

20A. *Upright instrument in a bluegrass band : BASS FIDDLE. There's the bridge in the middle with the strings crossing it:

36A. *Place to land when there's no land in sight : AIRCRAFT CARRIER

On a traditional vessel, the bridge spans the superstructure from port to starboard. Due to the fact that you can't put a bridge on the flight deck, the bridge is off to one side.

49A. *LensCrafters products : EYE GLASSES. The bit in the middle that kids break and repair with a band-aid for maximum nerdiness.

and the reveal:

61A. Hollywood family name ... and what the answers to starred clues have in common : BRIDGES. Brothers Beau and Jeff and parents Lloyd and Dorothy.

Nice theme here and some tricky Thursday-level cluing to keep us on our toes. I made couple of missteps in the northwest that slowed me up, but once I gave them a second thought it all fell into place up there. Let's see what jumps out.

Across:

1. "Dawn of the Dead" (1978) director : ROMERO. Thank you, crosses.

7. Street, in Stuttgart : STRASSE

16. "S'pose so" : I RECKON

17. First of a film series about Damien Thorn : THE OMEN. Scared the living daylights out of me, as did the Exorcist. No more horror movies for me after that. I don't do scary.

18. Cultural environments : MILIEUS

19. Marines NCO : S/SGT Staff Sergeant.

22. Head of Hollywood : EDITH. Lots of Hollywood and movie references today.

24. Switchback feature : ESS. Bends.

25. Bordeaux wine : CLARET. The English name for the classic Bordeaux blends; pick two or more varietals from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec and mix. Winemakers in the US produce a similar blend known as Meritage, usually mispronounced with a long "a" at the end. It is "merit-idge" not "merit-arge"

28. Hankering : ITCH

30. Mauna __ : LOA. Could be KOA. Wait for the cross.

33. 19-Across boss : LOOIE. Slang for lieutenant. Pronounced left-tenant in the UK for no good reason I can see.

34. Conniption : FIT

35. "Oh, crud!" : DANG!

40. Span. miss : SRTA. Senorita.

41. "U R 2 funny!" : LOL' Laugh Out Loud in text-speak.

42. Goosebump-inducing : EERIE. See The Omen, above.

43. Neptune's realm : SEA

44. Hot state : RAGE

45. Irritating inconvenience : HASSLE

46. Post-Manhattan Project org. : A.E.C. Nice logo:

47. Selling points? : SHOPS. Nice clue.

53. Grouch : CRAB

57. "Let's talk in my office" : NOT HERE

58. Word in many hymns : REJOICE

60. "Inka Dinka Doo" singer : DURANTE. More crosses, thank you.

62. Son of Clytemnestra : ORESTES. Complicated family. His mother killed his father, then Orestes killed his mother to avenge the deed. All kinds of complications ensued.

63. Campaign ugliness : SMEARS

Down:

1. Official accts. : RPTS. Reports. Not a fan of this one.

2. Sounds of amazement : OOHS. Tried WOWS, didn't work.

3. Compressed video file format : MPEG. Moving Picture Experts Group? Really? Who knew?

4. Abstruse knowledge : ESOTERICA

5. Com can follow it : ROM. Once I took out my first try DOT here and thought twice about WOWS things started to come together in this area. It was my last section to finish.

6. At all : ONE BIT

7. "The Urbz: __ in the City": video game : SIMS. Guesswork. I knew the game Sim City, I didn't know this title.

8. Long-odds bet : TRIFECTA. One-two-three in the race. I won a quite sizable sum of money at Santa Anita when I hit a trifecta. It was a complete fluke, I was looking at the next race in the Racing Form when I picked my numbers.

9. It's often put on a dog : RELISH. Nice clue again. Relish, mustard. No ketchup, ever.

10. Litmus reddeners : ACIDS. Alkalis turn litmus paper blue, if chemistry lesson memory serves me correct. Or was that Universal Indicator Paper? It's been a while since science class.

11. Short itinerary? : SKED.

12. Motown music : SOUL

13. First word of Massachusetts' motto : ENSE. Quite a mouthful, this motto:

"Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" Usually translated as "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty".

15. Pest in a swarm : GNAT

21. Lazy : SHIFTLESS

23. Stag, for one : DEER

25. Elegance : CLASS

26. French wine valley : LOIRE. France has some beautiful countryside, including the quite stunning Loire Valley. Did you see the Tour de France this last three weeks? Plenty of aerial shots of the French countryside. Beautiful.

27. Main artery : AORTA. Not the 405 or the 101 in this neck of the woods.

29. It may be nervous : TIC

30. Hibernation spots : LAIRS

31. NBC newsman Roger : O'NEIL. Nailed it. Finally got this name set in my head.

32. Come to terms : AGREE

35. Specification regarding threads : DRESS CODE. Great clue.

37. Like many steakhouse menus : A LA CARTE. Just steakhouses?

38. London bank? : FOG. The legendary and notorious London fogs are a thing of the past since the introduction of the Clean Air Act and the phasing out of coal fires for heating homes. The air is still pretty bad, mainly from emissions from diesel engines (taxis and buses).

39. Harvest : REAP

44. Give in : RELENT

45. Unmannerly sorts, in Canadian slang : HOSERS. We had a discussion about this a couple of months ago when it appeared in another Thursday puzzle.

46. Turkish honorifics : AGHAS. That middle "H" seem to make me stumble.

48. Window box plant : HERB. I've got basil in mine.

49. Opposite of exo- : ENDO-

50. Part of FYI : YOUR. For Your Information.

51. Raison d'__ : ETRE. Reason for being, literally.

52. Witnesses : SEES

54. Latvian capital : RIGA

55. Taiwan-based computer giant : ACER. I thought until recently this company had gone out of business, but no.

56. Gershwin heroine : BESS

59. Parsons of "Hidden Figures" : JIM

Wow, that went quickly. So here's the grid, and I'm done!

Steve

Sunday May 28, 2017 Pancho Harrison

Theme: "Subtly Seasoned"- Various seasonings are hidden in each theme entry.

23A. Poem title following "Gin a body meet a body" : COMIN THRO' THE RYE. Mint. Herb.

34A. Brahms and Clara Schumann, by most accounts : PLATONIC LOVES. Clove. Key ingredients in Chinese Five-Spice Powder.

51A. Paid informants : NEWS AGENCIES. Sage. Herb.

70A. Axioms : UNIVERSAL TRUTHS. Just salt.

94A. Dietitian's recommendations : HEALTHY MEALS. Thyme. CrossEyedDave just linked a clip of a chef using fresh thyme for egg rolls. The sauce does look amazing, Dave!

109A. Hospital emergency units : TRAUMA CENTERS. Mace. Nutmeg spice.

125A. In danger of being towed : PARKED ILLEGALLY. Dill.

Ah, a well-seasoned puzzle for all the foodies on our blog, esp Steve, who grinds his own spices.

Notice how the seasonings consistently span across each theme entry? Pancho's choices are very limited. Not many herbs/spices are hide-able. Seven entries with 95 theme squares are quite manageable. My very comfort zone: 94/95.

Across:

1. Bambinos : TOTS

5. Kaput : SHOT. Not DEAD.

9. Workout set : REPS

13. Emergency : PINCH. Seasoning amount as well.

18. Plugging away : AT IT

19. Show impatience : SIGH. We normally get PACE.

20. Go off : ERUPT

22. End of __ : AN ERA

26. Three-star mil. officer : LT. GEN

27. Nancy Drew series author : KEENE (Carolyn)

28. Hawk's home : AERIE

29. Read carefully (over) : PORE

31. Like many Ariz. residents : RET'D. Lucina grew up here. I remember a survey said that most Americans actually live within 50 miles of where they grew up. Are you one of them?

32. Retained : KEPT

37. Film noir hat : FEDORA

40. Underground systems : METROS

41. Indian author Santha Rama __ : RAU. Never read her book. RAU seems to be a popular Indian name. I just learned that it means "Beloved".

42. What may replace you? : ONE. Oh, you may not like this clue. ONE may not like this clue.

43. Gp. with arms : NRA

45. MS. enclosures : SAES. Self-Addressed Envelope. Sometimes we get SASEs.

47. Optimistic : UPBEAT

56. No longer used : OBSOLETE

58. Replaceable tire part : TREAD

59. Privy to : IN ON

60. Early U.S.'s Northwest __ : TERR

62. One with convictions : FELON. I was thinking of belief "convictions".

63. Oil source : SOYBEAN. High in Omega-6, which is bad. I was told. But I can't live without soy milk and soy sauce.

65. Chopper : AXE

67. Modernists, for short : NEOs

69. Pose : SIT

75. Yank's foe : REB

78. Sticky situation : MESS

79. Madre's hermana : TIA

80. House-warming buys : HEATERS. Literally "warming".

84. Film with a saloon : OATER. Got via crosses.

87. Brood : STEW

89. Actress Kunis : MILA

91. Fellow "I can't be torn apart from," in a 1964 #1 hit : MY GUY. Unfamiliar to me.

92. Mona Lisa, e.g. : BRUNETTE. Such an unexpected clue.

97. GM navigation system : ONSTAR

98. Give off : EMIT

100. Retired NBA big man Ming : YAO. Owner of Shanghai Sharks, where he first started.

101. Solstice mo. : DEC

102. Flamenco shout : OLE

103. 1987 Beatty/Hoffman flop : ISHTAR. I forgot. We had this before.

106. Demands it : SAYS SO

114. Gillette Mach3 predecessor : ATRA

115. One who'd like to forget, maybe : RUER

116. Takeout : TO GO

117. Lured (in) : ROPED

119. Earthy pigment : UMBER

123. Mideast ruling family name : ASSAD. Heartless.

128. Cheap cigar : STOGY. Or STOGIE.

129. Company name that aptly begins with a periodic table symbol : ALCOA. Great observation.

130. It meant nothing to Ravel : RIEN

 

131. Descriptive dance : HULA

132. Really pushes : HYPES. Got via crosses.

133. Lester's bluegrass partner : EARL. Earl Scruggs & Lester Flatt.

134. Head set? : EARS. Cute clue.

135. Memphis middle name : ARON. Elvis.

Down:

1. Epitome of sharpness : TACK

2. Platte River people : OTOE

3. What's up at the end of an exam? : TIME. Drew a blank. Nice clue.

4. Snockered : STINKO

5. Droop-nosed flier : SST

6. Cymbals with a foot pedal : HI-HAT

7. Brute : OGRE

8. 1912 Olympic legend : THORPE (Jim). Astonishing career.

9. Practice lines : REHEARSE

10. Before, poetically : ERE

11. Goal : PURPOSE

12. Watch using bugs : SPY ON. Another great clue.

13. Good buddy : PAL

14. Needing assistance, maybe : IN TROUBLE. Boomer got hit by a guy at the stop light on Thursday. The back bumper assembly of our car needs to be replaced. Boomer said the guy was not drunk. Probably just distracted. Hope the insurance claim goes smoothly.

15. More than half of Israel : NEGEV

16. Whence Icarus fled : CRETE

17. Poker holdings : HANDS

21. Garr of "Young Frankenstein" : TERI

24. __-do-well : NE'ER

25. Pinball problem : TILT

30. Tan shades : ECRUS. Spell check does not like the plural form.

33. Stabbing feeling : PANG

35. Wedding reception highlight : TOAST. So happy for Melissa!

36. __ luxury : LAP OF

37. Typeface choices : FONTS

38. Diciembre follower : ENERO

39. 1944 loser to FDR : DEWEY. I knew Dewey Defeats Truman headline. Unaware that he also ran for president four years earlier.

40. "Death in Venice" author : MANN

44. Put back into the company, as profits : RE-INVEST

46. More painful : SORER

48. Congers : EELS

49. French possessive : A TOI

50. Clearing house? : TENT. I don't get it. Does it mean TENT for clearance sale?

52. "A Tiger Walks" star : SABU. Only associated him with "Elephant Boy".

53. Yemeni seaport : ADEN

54. Sandpaper descriptor : COARSE

55. "What You Need" rockers : INXS

57. Hullabaloo : BROUHAHA. Same letter count as FOOFARAW


61. Involve : ENTAIL

64. Draw a bead on, with "at" : AIM

66. Chow down : EAT

68. Fr. holy woman : STE

71. First name in skin care : ESTEE. Forbidding price. This serum.

72. Andean capital : LIMA

73. Founding member of pro soccer's Washington Freedom : HAMM. Guessable.

74. Eye sore : STYE

75. "__Cop" : ROBO

76. Bring in : EARN

77. A/C units : BTUs

81. "Zounds!" : EGADS

82. Makes a judicial decision : RULES

83. Food service giant : SYSCO. I think this is the company Jeannie used to work for. Still remember her? She's a fantastic cook.

85. Retinue : ENTOURAGE. And 95. Otherworldly : ETHEREAL. Sparkly one-word fill.

86. Kingdom : REALM

88. Bridge ancestor : WHIST

90. Space travel meas. : LT-YR

93. Spring for lunch, say : TREAT

 

96. Royals manager Ned : YOST

99. One of the Balearic Islands : MINORCA. Or MENORCA. Same letter count as MAJORCA.

104. Stepped (on) : TROD

105. Seek ambitiously : ASPIRE

107. Cut __: dance, in old slang : A RUG

108. Steinway competitor : YAMAHA

109. Pan, in filmdom : TRASH. Many other places too.

110. Impaired from disuse : RUSTY

111. Legendary fabulist : AESOP

112. Nightclub of song : COPA

113. The same, in Paris : EGALE

114. Holmes adversary Irene : ADLER

118. Director Kazan : ELIA. I bought this book at the flea market. Plenty mention of Elia Kazan. Best Hepburn book I've read. A. Scott Berg's "Kate Remembered" is great too.

120. Run together : BLUR. Got via crosses.

121. Eliza's greeting : 'ELLO

122. House Speaker after Boehner : RYAN (Paul)

124. Prefix with functional : DYS

126. Yellow Sea peninsula: Abbr. : KOR (Korean). Here is a great map. There is also a Yellow River, mother river of China.  It's actually the 6th longest in the world. 3,395 miles.

127. Nav. rank : ENS

C.C.

Sunday May 29, 2016 Pancho Harrison

Theme: - "Pool Party" - The last word can precede "pool".

25A. Try : GIVE IT A WHIRL. Whirlpool.

31A. Track runner? : TROLLEY CAR. Carpool. Great clue.

46A. Removable engine : OUTBOARD MOTOR. Motorpool. Same as "carpool", isn't it?

63A. Pickup spot : BOX OFFICE. Office pool.

79A. Undeveloped ability : RAW TALENT. Talent pool.

96A. Certain trait carrier : RECESSIVE GENE. Gene pool.

110A. Pond prohibition : NO SWIMMING. Swimming pool.

121A. Unscrupulously competitive : DOWN AND DIRTY. Dirty pool.

Basic theme. The key word meaning in the original phrase mostly remains unchanged when pool is added. We don't often see words that precede/follow theme type on Sundays. They're mainly the early week domain. Not easy to get a "Go ahead" from Rich with this type.
 
So nice to see Pancho Harrison back. He was the very first constructor when we shifted to the L.A Times Daily Crossword. He and Barry Silk will always have a special place in my heart. Hopefully Barry will come back to us in a few months.

 

Pancho Harrison (XWord Info photo)

 Across: 

1. Keystone officer : KOP

4. Judicial seat : BANC

8. Frat house letter : SIGMA. Not DELTA, KAPPA or THETA.

13. Lowers oneself : STOOPS

19. Org. with a caduceus in its logo : AMA. Wiki says caduceus is "a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings." Hermes's staff.

20. 1847 novel with the chapter "What Happened at Hytyhoo" : OMOO. Easily guessable.

21. Rocking the stadium : AROAR

22. Chinese restaurant offering : HOT TEA. Chinese seldom drink iced tea, unless you're in Hong Kong, where Iced Lemon Tea is hugely popular.

23. Lacking benefits, perhaps : PART TIME. I thought this might be a theme entry.

27. Pakistani language : URDU

28. Collars : ARRESTS

30. "Spellbound" malady : AMNESIA. About this old movie?

34. Graduation hanger : TASSEL

36. Took a verse alone : SOLOED. OK, sang alone.

37. Travesty : FARCE

39. Romance novel emotion : LUST. Not LOVE, Splynter! Hope love finds you in the summer.

43. Mostly shaved style : MOHAWK. Hair style. Still remember the "Mohawk Guy"?

50. Oklahoma native : OTO

51. "Sorry, you __ me" : LOST

54. Suffix with proto- : ZOA

55. Minuscule part of a min. : NSEC

56. Mont. neighbor : IDA

57. Arcade pioneer : ATARI

59. Lowest points : NADIRS

61. MTV's parent company : VIACOM

 

65. Old auto named for an explorer : DE SOTO

69. Purina rival : IAMS

70. Pacino title role : SERPICO. I should watch the movie again.

72. Germinates : SPROUTS

74. Kipling's Rikki-Tikki-__ : TAVI

77. "Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it's __": Anthony Bourdain :  A START. 6-letter partial.

 

83. Like some surprise endings : IRONIC

85. Sweater pattern : ARGYLE. Hi there, Santa!

87. Mythical servant : GENIE. Got via crosses.

88. Young Skywalker's nickname : ANI

89. Pickup at a stand : FARE

92. Rapa __: Easter Island : NUI

93. One of TV's Mavericks : BRET. Also via crosses.

95. Dockworker's org. : ILA

100. President, e.g. : LEADER

102. "Modern Family" daughter : ALEX. Gimme for Bill G, probably.

103. More agreeable : NICER

104. Sportscaster Ahmad : RASHAD

107. Bunch : PASSEL

114. "We're headed for overtime!" : IT'S A TIE

117. Really cool : AWESOME. Oh, TTP/PK, the lilies Boomer bought from Walmart are indeed not Tiger Lilies. They're Asiatic lilies. Your wife rocks, TTP!

120. Naysayer : ANTI

123. Orchestrator, perhaps : ARRANGER

126. Maroon : ENISLE. Not a word I use.

127. Coffee maker brand : BRAUN

128. KOA patron : RV'ER

129. Night school subj. : ESL

130. Sights along old Route 66 : MOTELS

131. Gelatin garnish : ASPIC. My grandma always had fried Tofu in her aspic.

132. Many millennia : AEON

133. ACLU issues : RTS (Rights)

Down:

1. On the fritz : KAPUT

2. Astrologer Sydney : OMARR. Learned from doing crosswords.

3. NBC-affiliated announcer in nine different decades : PARDO (Don)

4. AI game competitor : BOT. AI =  Artificial Intelligence. I got via crosses also.

5. "__ dreaming?" : AM I

6. Deli order : NO MAYO

7. Compel by force : COERCE

8. Bacharach collaborator Carole Bayer __ : SAGER. Unfamiliar figure to me. She looks gorgeous.

9. Georgia O'Keeffe subject : IRIS

10. Bond issuer: Abbr. : GOVT

11. Podium tapper, at times : MAESTRO. I was picturing someone who's giving a speech.

12. D-backs, on scoreboards : ARI

13. Phonies : SHAMS

14. "Chinatown" screenwriter Robert : TOWNE. Also an unknown figure to me. Wiki says he also wrote the first two Mission Impossible films.

15. The lord in "O beware, my lord, of jealousy!" : OTHELLO

16. Soulful Redding : OTIS

17. Prefix with scope : PERI. Used to be clued as "Persian fairy" in our old Tribune days.

18. Room next to la cocina, maybe : SALA

24. Oral Roberts University city : TULSA

26. Electrode shooters : TASERS

29. Pricey watch : RADO. I fail  to see their appeal.

32. Reprobate : LOWLIFE

33. Nevada city on I-80 : ELKO. Not RENO.

35. Open __ of worms : A CAN

37. Former Calif. base : FT ORD

38. Belittles : ABASES

40. City near Syracuse : UTICA

41. Doomed Genesis city : SODOM. Also 43. Ancient Dead Sea kingdom : MOAB

42. Monorail transports : TRAMS

44. Conductor Klemperer : OTTO. Hello D-Otto!

45. Put-on : HOAX

47. Compact automatic weapon : UZI

48. Reverent : DEVOUT

49. Old AT&T rival : MCI

52. Salon sounds : SNIPS. Also 90. Did a salon job : RINSED

53. Implied : TACIT

58. Cellist's need : ROSIN

60. Twice penta- : DECA. Prefix for "ten".

62. Flier's option : AISLE. Boomer's choice.

64. Melee : FRACAS

66. Nimble : SPRY

67. Big name in dental care : ORAL B

68. Control __ : TOWER. Not FREAK.

71. Disneyland's county : ORANGE

73. Ring pair : TAG TEAM. Boxing ring. (Correction: Wresting ring. Thanks, Robert!)

74. Wonder Woman accessory : TIARA

75. Synthetic fiber : ARNEL. We see NYLON or ORLON more often.

76. NBC musical reality show, with "The" : VOICE

78. More accurate : TRUER

80. Geraint's wife : ENID

81. Shade of green : NILE

82. Go like crazy : TEAR

84. Consideration complications : IFs. Tricky clue for a little word.

86. __ mill : GIN

91. '60s pop singer Sands : EVIE

94. K thru 12 : EL-HI. Gluey entry.

97. Wide-open space : EXPANSE

98. Pastries made with choux dough : ECLAIRS

99. Switch add-on : EROO. Gluey entry. Hard to make clean Sunday puzzles.

101. Clio contender : AD MAN

105. Capital of Eritrea : ASMARA

106. Change course suddenly : SWERVE

108. To any extent : AT ALL

109. Trig ratios : SINES

110. Boy band with an acronymic name : NSYNC

111. Actress Stevens : INGER. Forgot. We had her before.

112. Explosive trial : N TEST

113. Lena Dunham HBO series : GIRLS

114. Footnote word : IDEM

115. __ avail : TO NO

116. Houlihan portrayer on "M*A*S*H" : SWIT (Loretta)

118. Finish shooting : WRAP

119. Decorative sewing case : ETUI. It's back!

122. Trade name letters : DBA (Doing Business As)

124. Classic roadster : REO

125. Prince Valiant's son : ARN. He's back too!

C.C.

Friday, October 17, 2014, Pancho Harrison

Theme: Picture these songs.

Well, a very enjoyable visual (rebus) puzzle from our first LAT constructor on the change (March 23, 2009). While Rich does not publish actual crossword rebus puzzles where multiple letters fit in one square, he does present these where you have to use your imagination to see the theme. I really had fun with this one; we have four down clues for songs where the title is scrambled with words missing. It really helps if you recall the exact song title. To make the clues work, you had to have  the theme in the downs, except the first which work across or down. Symmetry dictated the grid. For the many newbies or relative newbies, C.C. interviewed Mr. Harrison way back WHEN. We have another high word count Friday, with a few fun mid-range fill:AILMENT,  BATGIRL, BREWSKI,  DOORMAT,  SPUMONI,  TELECOM and some tricky/humorous clues. Lots of music here for the taking. Let's go.


4D. 1973-'74 Jim Croce hit, aptly : A TIME BOTTLE. ("Time IN 'A Bottle' ") The trickiest and most fun of the theme. If your brain started humming the song, and the IN A kept coming up, you can see the word TIME is inserted in the phrase A BOTTLE, hence the clue/fill. LISTEN. (2:29)

8D. 1964 Marvin Gaye/Mary Wells hit, aptly : ONCE A TIME. ("Once UPON a Time") I did not remember this SONG. (3:04)

27D. 1989 Bette Midler hit, aptly : MY WINGS WIND.("Wind BENEATH My Wings") LINK.(4:35). This is a simple picture of the placement of the words.

33D. 1936 Eddy Duchin hit, aptly : MOON MIAMI. ("Moon OVER Miami") LINK. We do have some lovely moons over the ocean here in SoFla. Also a straightforward visual.

Here we go again into the fray...

Across:
        
1. Pinky-side arm bone : ULNA. Cute way of saying the outside one of the pair of bones. Meanwhile, I can't believe they killed off another character on Bones. I wonder if the actor just demanded too much money or asked to leave to not play third fiddle and become a lead.

5. Vibrate : THROB. I like this word and how it sounds like it feels.

10. Lurking locale : BLOG. Well here we all are, I started as a lurker here, finding an answer I filled in but did not understand.

14. Ferrari parent company : FIAT. Hard to believe they produce both of these

15. Spanish royal : REINA. Queen.

16. Furnish anew : REDO.

17. "A Total Departure" hotel chain : OMNI. Is this still their marketing? I think it goes back a few years.

18. Put into effect : ENACT. Did you all watch how Governor Scott was 'enacting' at the debate Wednesday night? Not politics, just humor.

19. Took too much : ODED. This very serious term has become a catch all for overdoing anything.

20. Neapolitan kin : SPUMONI. Spumone, plural spumoni, is a molded Italian ice cream made with layers of different colors and flavors, usually containing candied fruits and nuts. Typically it is of three flavors, with a fruit/nut layer between them. Wikipedia

22. Massage beneficiary : EGO. Love this misdirection.

24. Sticky stuff : GOO.

25. Earth, in Essen : ERDE. Not in my limited German vocabulary.

26. Cold, for one : AILMENT.

28. Anchor man? : SWABBY. A fun clue especially after the Will Ferrell movies.

31. Occurring as an isolated instance : STRAY. I had trouble sussing this definition.

32. "Me too!" : SO DO I? I want some Ice Cream! Maybe some LINK.

33. Work hard : MOIL. I always put in toil and end up here.

34. Baylor Bears' home : WACO. The gave us RG III and now they are a top 5 team.

38. "My Honky Tonk History" album maker Travis : TRITT.

39. First note of a tuba solo? : OOM pah pah.

40. Kept from sticking : OILED.

41. On its way : SENT.

42. Pour affection (on) : DOTE. I dote on my Charlotte.

43. Catty : SNIDE. Not the definition I thought of at first.

44. Extremely foolish : LOONY. The Minnesota and Corner bird is the Loon.

46. Macbeth's "fatal vision" : DAGGER.

47. Sprint, for one : TELECOM. A portmanteau?

50. Minor players : COGS.

51. Color-coded EPA meas. : AQI. Air Quality Index.

52. Prefix with athlete : TRI. A nice view of differing ways to do three letter clues/fill.

53. Cold one : BREWSKI. hear? here? for beer.

57. Failure : BUST. I guess from poker where you lose all your money and go bust.

59. Shows up in time for : MAKES. Nice of you to make it to the Corner.

61. Sews up : ICES.

62. Athens apéritif : OUZO.

63. Dante's love : AMORE. Just the Italian word.

64. Dundee dissents : NAES. Scotland's NO, maybe a sub-theme? 67A. Villain named Julius : DR NO. How many were slowed by the name DRNO?

65. Bone: Pref. : OSTEoporosis for example.

66. Two sheets to the wind? : TIPSY. Three sheets and you are drunk.


Down:

1. Tabloid craft : UFOS.

2. It can result from favoring one side : LIMP.

3. Sitcom sign-off word : NANU. Rest well Mork.

5. All the rage : TRENDY.

6. 1932 Lake Placid gold medalist : HENIE. To our gone but not forgotten figure skater Clear Ayes and the others, this CHAMPION. (3:30).

7. River inlet : RIA.

9. Barbara Gordon's alter ego : BAT GIRL. Apparently there have been THREE in the movies.

10. Good buddy : BRO.

11. Window __ : LEDGE.

12. Ancient theater : ODEON. Lots of vowels, good for crossword building.

13. Title character absent from the cast : GODOT. We are still waiting.

21. Round trip? : ORBIT. Actually part of a round and round trip.

23. Suffix with pay : OLA. The SCANDALS are now ancient history.

28. Droop-nosed fliers : SSTS.

29. Sported : WORE.

30. Match point, maybe : AD IN. Tennis term where the server needs one more point to win the game.

31. Like a well-used chimney : SOOTY. Dick Van Dyke, anyone.

35. Sacha Baron Cohen persona : ALI G. This flame burned out rather quickly, now FXX is trying to bring about his REZURECTION.

36. Yield : CEDE.

37. Frankfurt's river : ODER. It also is the Polish/German border. One of many four letter European rivers you must know. Oder, Ider, Isar, Eder, Yser

40. Oklahoma native : OSAGE. The original natives. Two days in a row.  Clued very differently. Is it rarer to have fill two days in a row or in the LAT and NYT the same day? Owen?

42. Something that may hide a key : DOORMAT.

45. Canadian Thanksgiving mo. : OCT. They just celebrated this on Monday.

46. Big name in the Big Band Era : DORSEY. Tommy and Jimmy, listen LINK. (3:11).

47. Verboten : TABOO. What an appropriate clue to precede....

48. Shaffer play about a stableboy : EQUUS. The interesting but controversial 1973 play about a young man with a religious/sexual fixation on horses. The character is naked for much of the last part of the play, which created an extra dimension when it was revived with Daniel Radcliffe(Harry Potter) playing the role at 17.

49. Symphonic poem pioneer : LISZT. Talk about prolific, here is a LIST of LISZT.

50. Ones with "ears" on their trucks : CB'ERS. Is this a word?

54. Lasting mark : SCAR.

55. Finely honed : KEEN. Both a knife and a sense of humor.

56. "That __ last week!" : IS SO. So is this phrase.

58. Corn site : TOE. If you ever wondered, the name is from the Latin CORNU meaning horn. Not sure that helped.

60. Keystone lawman : KOP. Alliteration made these characters so much funnier. LINK. (3:31).

Well you do not get to see my pratfalls or silliness, just my words, but Mack Sennett would be proud. I hope you had a good time with this Pancho presentation, a fine Friday (thanks PH). Lemonade out.

Sunday August 31, 2014 Pancho Harrison

 Theme:  "Say Cheese" - Phrases with photographic term in are re-interpreted as if they're related to the specific photographer in each clue.

24A. The old-time photographer preferred the __ : NEGATIVE ASPECT. Now all digital.

31A. The IndyCar photographer used __ : ZOOM LENSES.  Zoom Zoom!

52A. The fashion photographer worried about __ : MODEL BEHAVIOR

66A. The dating service photographer was happy when __ : EVERYTHING CLICKED.

84A. The arctic photographer had to consider __ : EXPOSURE TIMES. Cold temperature exposure.

104A. The dessert photographer took a set of __ : JELLO SHOTS

112A. The stressed-out photographer __ : FINALLY SNAPPED. I like this as the final theme answer.

I know Lemonade remembers this fact: Pancho Harrison was our very first LA Times constructor when the Tribune Media dropped Wayne R. Williams edited daily crosswords.

 

Can you believe our local Star Tribune still carries the Williams puzzle? Same byline every day.

Across:   

1. Thingamajig : DOODAD. I even nailed OEN (3. Vintner's prefix). Constructing crosswords sure makes me a better solver.

7. Toronto team, familiarly : JAYS

11. Schnauzer of fiction : ASTA

15. Jack Jones' record label : KAPP. Never heard of it. EMI (38. U.K. record label) was a piece of cake.

19. Place for an ace? : SLEEVE

20. Sitting on : ATOP

21. Stock holder? : BARN. Also, STY or PEN.

22. Jai __ : ALAI

23. #1 hit song from "Flashdance" : MANIAC. Got via crosses.

27. Foals' fathers : SIRES

29. Last Supper question : IS IT I? God I'm sure glad this question was asked. Very crossword-friendly combo.

30. A dog, or a little hoarse : HUSKY

35. Unassertive type : DOORMAT

39. Stuffed : SATED

40. Chorus : REFRAIN

41. "Suits" network : USA

44. Sea dog : SALT

46. Article 1, Section 3 constitutional subject : SENATE. Did you learn this in school?

48. Fair subject : SCIENCE. Subject clue echo.

50. Play area : THEATER

56. When tripled, and so on : YADDA

57. Smack, maybe : KISS

59. __ tai : MAI

60. Ortega's "other" : OTRO. No OTRO/OTRA confusion this time.

61. Stan Lee superheroes : X-MEN

63. Support bar : RAIL

64. Some coins : TOKENS

71. Finally : AT LAST

73. The last Mrs. Chaplin : OONA

74. "I'm buying!" : ON ME.  We also have A MOI (125. Michel's "mine")

75. Gardener's choice : LOAM

76. Here-there connection : NOR. Neither here nor there.

77. Dazzles : WOWS

79. Star athlete in Archie Comics : MOOSE. Also new to me.

89. Lao-tzu followers : TAOISTS

91. Meat-filled pastry : RISSOLE. I forgot. We had this before. Wiki said it's just small croquette.

92. "Help me out here, bud" : BE A PAL

94. ER command : STAT

95. Single : ONE

 96. Barenboim is its current music director : LA SCALA. Easy crosses. I have no idea who their music director is.

100. Modesto vintner : GALLO

102. Prior to, in poems : ERE

103. Peso part : CENTAVO

106. Arcade pioneer : ATARI

109. Mead milieu : SAMOA. Margaret Mead. Not the drink. Speaking of drinks, look what Steve sent to me.  I never had Rooibos or the other 7 teas before (Jasmine is my go-to tea). I'm now like a kid at toy stores. Different tea every morning.

111. Computer acronym : ASCII

116. Passionate : ARDENT

120. Envelope abbr. : ATTN

121. Canter, for one : GAIT

122. Garr of "Tootsie" : TERI. Who's your favorite actress, D-Otto?

123. In layers : TIERED

124. Investment factor : RISK

126. Norse god of war : ODIN

127. Pope works : ESSAYS. Not Alexander Pope. Pope Francis, correct?

Down:

1. Mil. decoration : DSM

2. Motor extension? : OLA. Motorola.

4. Ben Franklin's belief : DEISM

5. Is of use : AVAILS

6. Downward movement : DECREASE

7. Star of TV's "The Fugitive" : JANSSEN (David). Thanks crosses. I've only seen Harrison Ford's "The Fugitive".

8. Supped : ATE

9. Hindu mystics : YOGIS

10. White-robe providers : SPAS. Marti told me she prefers massages over facials. How about you?

11. Not much : A BIT OF

12. Oskar Schindler, to many : SAVIOR. Indeed.

13. Half of sei : TRE

14. California's Santa __ Mountains : ANA

15. Done for : KAPUT

16. Pub offerings : ALES

17. Prepare for a trip : PACK

18. "That's rough" : PITY

25. Word with pool or table : TIDE

26. Twain of country : SHANIA

28. Shift neighbor : ENTER KEY. Of course I looked at my keyboard.

31. Piquant : ZESTY

32. Fred Astaire's birthplace : OMAHA. I thought he was born somewhere in Kansas, Gary/ Avg Joe.

33. Quieted, in a way : OILED

34. Dutch cheeses : EDAMS

36. Bulldoze, in Bath : RASE

37. St. comprised of two peninsulas : MICH. I had ???H earlier on and I knew it's not UTAH.

40. Cab in a bottle, say : RED. Wine.

41. Southwest competitor : UNITED. Steve's airline.

42. Disdain : SCORN

43. AHL's Iowa Wild, when they were in Houston : AEROS. Iowa Wild is an affiliate of the Minnesota Wild. They were called Houston Aeros before 2013.

45. Skosh : TAD

47. Set-__: arguments : TOs

49. Bring to mind : EVOKE. I tried to mimic Argyle, but I forgot he really reached out for Mr. John Deere.

Minnesota State Fair, August 26, 2014

Spitzboov & Argyle, Washington County Fair, August 23, 2014

 51. Makes serious demands on : TAXES. Not an easy clue.

53. Webzine : EMAG

54. Not of the cloth : LAIC

55. Puff up in the breeze : BILLOW

58. Chant : INTONE

62. "Rocky III" actor : MR T

63. Genetic letters : RNA

64. Airer of many RKO films : TCM

65. Vermont ski resort : OKEMO. I can only think of STOWE.

66. Slip by : ELAPSE

67. Luis' "Let's go!" : VAMOS. Learning moment for me.

68. Laugh-a-minute : HOOT

69. Calvary inscription : INRI

70. Prepares for use, as software : INSTALLS

71. 1999-2004 Olds : ALERO

72. Snake venom, e.g. : TOXIN

77. Like an Aberdeen newborn : WEE

78. Siouan language : OSAGE

80. Grafton's "__ for Outlaw" : O IS

81. Bone: Pref. : OSTEO

82. Get underway : START

83. Bass-baritone Simon : ESTES. Never heard of the guy.

85. Cirque du __ : SOLEIL

86. __ Bator : ULAN. The Chinese for Ulan Bator sounds very pretty.

87. Staff notation : REST

88. G.W. Bush is the only president who earned one : MBA

90. Dole out : ALLOCATE

93. Old TV's "knight without armor in a savage land" : PALADIN. "Have Gun, Will Travel" . I drew a blank.

97. Othello's lieutenant : CASSIO

98. Forward, to Fellini : AVANTI

99. __ Linda, Calif. : LOMA

101. Underworld god : OSIRIS. Isis's husband/brother. Do you know who his father is? Nut!

103. Ill-tempered type : CRANK

104. Made fun of : JAPED

105. Conceals : HIDES

106. At a distance : AFAR

107. South American monkey : TITI

108. Farm workers : ANTS. Ant farms.

110. Vision: Pref. : OPTO

113. NYC traveler's option : LGA

114. Holiday veggie : YAM

115. Verdi's "__ tu" : ERI

117. Victorian __ : ERA

118. Marshal under Napoleon : NEY. Wish Bob Ney still served in the Congress. We'd have a good clue for NEY. He was once so powerful, but so corrupted.

119. NFL scores : TDs

C.C.