Sunday, October 16, 2016 Matt McKinley

Theme: "Get With It" - You need to add "Get" to each clue to make sense of the answer.

23A. Away : EVADE THE POLICE. Get away.

42A. By : MAKE ENDS MEET. Get by.

50A. Hitched : TIE THE KNOT. Get hitched. This and 42A are solid "in the language" phrases.

68A. Wise : ACT ARROGANTLY. Get wise.

89A. On : JUMP ABOARD. Get on. "In the language" also.

96A. Even : AVENGE A WRONG. Get even.

 

118A. Ahead : ACHIEVE SUCCESS. Get ahead.

17D. Through : BECOME CLEAR. Get through. Two of the Down themers intersect two Aross entries. Nice.

 

67D. Over : RECOVER FROM. Get over. 

I grokked the gimmick immediately, having encountered Alex Boisvert's "Get It?" puzzle in my theme brainstorm a while ago.

This is basically a Definition puzzle with key part of the clue missing, so not all the phrases are idiomatic. But trust me, it's not easy to come up with a set of entries that work perfectly letter-wise and definition-wise.

Across:

1. Using currency : IN CASH. Lots of solid 6s in this grid.

7. Reacted to a late night out : SLEPT IN

14. Frozen dessert : SORBET. Sorbet/sherbet used to confuse me.

20. Snack chip : DORITO

21. Derogatory statement : CALUMNY. Not a word I use.

22. Puddy tat's quarry : TWEETY

25. Baggage porter : REDCAP

26. "__ difference" : SAME

27. Throat tissue : TONSIL

28. Org. associated with long lines : TSA

30. 2016 Olympics golf gold medalist Justin __ : ROSE. Met him & Adam Scott at the PGA long time ago. They had the same coach then.

31. Honey brand : SUE BEE. I just learned that drinking a cup of hot water with honey before bed helps sleep.

33. Something to soak in : TUB

36. "Recapping ... " : IN SUM

38. Blanc with many voices : MEL

41. Resort NE of Los Alamos : TAOS. Also 44. City south of Salem : EUGENE. Also 85. Russian city northeast of Kiev : OREL

 46. Pizza parlor lure : AROMA

48. "Duh!" evoker : NO BRAINER. Duh!

49. Stick in a parlor : CUE

54. Street __ : CRED. Not FAIR/FOOD.

55. Pond growth : ALGA

56. Hanging on by a thread : SEWN. I like this clue.

57. Vintage autos : REOs

58. Throbbed : ACHED, Sorry for the unpleasant experience on Thursday, Agnes!

60. Frozen drinks : ICEEs

61. Ounce : SCINTILLA

64. Patriot Silas : DEANE

65. Round fig. : CIR (Circle). Not EST.

73. In medias __ : RES

74. In full view : OVERT

76. Literary motto words : ONE FOR ALL. The Three Musketeers.

78. Securing strings : LACES

79. See 51-Down : GAGNE. And 51. With 79-Across, 2003 N.L. Cy Young Award winner : ERIC. One of the very few who wear glasses on the field.

82. Setting of Camus' "The Plague" : ORAN. Guilty of putting this in my own grids before.

83. Wind with keys : OBOE. Tricky clue.

87. Soon, in verse : ANON

88. One way to fly : SOLO. We also have 58. Unaccompanied : ALONE

 91. AFC South, e.g. : DIV (Division)

92. Typical fast-food offering : CHEAP MEAL. KFC was a luxury place in my college years. Xi'an had no McDonald's then.

95. Tossed in a chip : ANTED

 

98. Bedside toggle switch : AM/FM

101. Crafty : SLY

102. Fence pieces : RAILS

103. Case in Eng. class : OBJ (Objective)

104. Like some dress patterns : FLORAL. So pretty.

 

106. Only president who was also chief justice : TAFT. Learned a ton while making the  CHIEF JUSTICE puzzle with Big Easy.

108. Norse war god : TYR. Learned from doing crosswords. Tuesday god.

110. Algonquin kin : OJIBWA. I use OJIBWE.

112. "Exodus" novelist : URIS

116. Land, say : ARRIVE. Verb "Land".

122. Metaphor for the good life : CLOVER. In clover.

123. Explorer of new territory : PIONEER

124. Connecticut town on Long Island Sound : DARIEN. No idea. What's it famous for?

125. Hits involving trots : HOMERS. Home run trot.

126. Leading position : TOP SPOT

127. Bergman and Borg : SWEDES

 

Down:

 

1. Middle March : IDES

2. Smoked salmon : NOVA. Kind of lox.

3. Compensate for prior laziness, perhaps : CRAM. Simple in retrospect.

4. Hill workers : AIDES

5. Sault __ Marie : STE

6. It may be herbal : HOT TEA. Mine is always hot, even in summer.

7. Discomfiting displays : SCENES. I just realize the clue is not "Discomforting".

8. Oversight : LAPSE

9. Fair-haired sci-fi race : ELOI. It's back!

10. Soda can feature : PULL TAB

11. "That's more than enough!" : TMI

12. Business issue : INC.  The magazine.

13. Natasha's no : NYET. Don't think Trump understands the clue.

14. Broken down, say : STRANDED

15. Must pay : OWE

16. "The Shining" word with two mirror-image letters : REDRUM. "Murder" spelled backwards.

18. T-storms may delay them : ETAs

19. Sort : TYPE

24. Bindle carrier : HOBO

29. Broke a Commandment : SINNED

32. "Point Break" FBI agent Johnny : UTAH. Aleppo moment. No idea.

34. Former 37-Down : UKR. And 37. Abbr. on Cold War maps : SSR

35. Vacation spot : BEACH

38. Shoes may be left on them : MATS

39. Lake that anagrams 43-Down : ERIE. And 43. Land that anagrams 39-Down : EIRE

40. Movie mogul Marcus : LOEW

42. Clever remark : MOT

 

45. Kids : TEASES

47. Ozarks, e.g.: Abbr. : MTNs

48. Polite refusal : NO SIR

52. Lane co-worker : KENT. Lois Lane. See also 72. Lois' "Superboy" counterpart : LANA

 

53. "It's __ good sign" : NOT A

55. Golfer's thrill : ACE

59. Put behind bars : CAGE

60. Country poem : IDYL. I use IDYLL.

62. Scratching post users : CATS

63. Dianetics creator Hubbard : L. RON. Lawrence Wright talked in depth about him and Scientology a few years ago.

 65. Piña __ : COLADA

66. "Terrible" tsar : IVAN IV

69. On the bad side (of) : AFOUL

70. Expected result : NORM

71. Deceitful lure : TRAP

75. Stimpy's chum : REN

77. Bird on Canada's dollar coin : LOON

79. Give some slack, with "on" : GO EASY. Slight GO dupe with 81. Relinquish amateur status : GO PRO

80. What there oughta be : A LAW

84. Nocturnal mammals : BATS

86. Hot tub feature : EDDY

88. Stray caretakers : SHELTERS. The Ottos' in Texas.

89. Spree : JAG

90. Auburn rival, familiarly : BAMA

92. Cinematic FX : CGI

93. Criminal element, with "the" : MOB

94. Legally prohibits : ENJOINS

97. Indigenous : NATIVE

98. Uncle in a McCartney hit : ALBERT. Unfamiliar with the song.

99. Trims the lawn : MOWS

100. Phonies : FRAUDS

104. McGarrett's force, familiarly : FIVE-O

105. Immoral profit : LUCRE. I need the "Filthy" hint.

106. Dash instrument : TACH

107. Woody's son : ARLO

109. Absorbed : RAPT

111. "Go Anywhere. Do Anything" vehicle : JEEP

113. Senate minority leader : REID (Harry)

114. "Of course" : I SEE

115. Tax form IDs : SSNs

117. Bible transl., e.g. : VER. Version?

119. 1955 labor merger gp. : CIO

120. I follower : HOP. Not BET or KID.

121. Cry close to the ears : CAW. Corn. Nice clue also.

Happy Birthday to our CrossEyedDave & Blue Hen! Thank you for the fun, laughter and various life hacks you two have brought to our blog. Soaking Porcini/Shiitake in stock instead of water has made my mushrooms extra tasty, Blue Hen!

Sunday October 9, 2016 Matt Skoczen

 Theme: "Big Time" - The first word can follow "Big".

 23A. Breakfast order : CHEESE OMELETTE. Big cheese. I use the OMELET spelling. You?

36A. Fruity pastry shop purchase : APPLE TURNOVER. Big Apple.

51A. Unite : BAND TOGETHER. Big Band.

78A. Wedding acquisition, perhaps? : BROTHER- IN- LAW. Big brother.

95A. Stab : SHOT IN THE DARK. Big shot.

111A. 1949 Crosby film set in Ireland : TOP O' THE MORNING. Big top. Unfamiliar with the film.

17D. Fan of Pat and Vanna, familiarly : WHEEL WATCHER. Big wheel.

60D. Ones not at home on the range : CITY SLICKERS. Big city.

Simple theme. I mentioned before that Rich prefers this type of "words that can follow/precede" theme on weekdays, unless the theme really excites him to warrant a Sunday.

Impressive chunks of white spaces in upper left & lower right corners. Themeless look. This is very hard to pull off with sparkly and clean fill.

Across:

      

1. Suffered a setback : RELAPSED

9. Shared spirit : ETHOS. We also have PATHOS (63. Pity-evoking quality)

14. Bit by bit : SLOWLY

20. Swimwear option : ONE PIECE

21. "High waving heather __ stormy blasts bending": Emily Brontë : 'NEATH

22. Tie up : TETHER

25. Writ word : HABEAS. Habeas corpus.

26. NFL lineman-turned-actor Alex : KARRAS. Is he a gimme to you?

27. Powder first marketed as Hudson's Soap : RINSO

28. Burned in a thurible : CENSED

29. Spanish liqueur : ANIS

30. Rolled __ : OATS. I've been having overnight oats every morning since March 31. Pomegranates are now in season. So good with overnight oats.

32. Garage event : SALE

33. Directed : LED

35. Abbr. for old dates : BCE

41. Twistedly funny : WRY. PK is having problem with her iMac, Irish Miss. Hopefully her computer guy fixes her glitch soon.

42. "Absolutely!" : YES SIREE

44. __ bread : RAISIN. Not BANANA or GARLIC.

45. Still-life subject : VASE. I tried EWER first. It showed up later at  76. Still-life subject : EWER

46. Tabasco, por ejemplo : ESTADO

47. Illusions in an act : MAGIC

49. Foppish neckwear : ASCOT

55. Yokels : HICKS

58. Drag, e.g. : RACE. Got via crosses.

61. Delete : ERASE

62. What X may mean : TEN. Also 88. M, on many forms : MALE

 

64. Bird: Pref. : AVI

65. Bernadette et al.: Abbr. : STES

66. Tammany Hall Tiger artist : NAST (Thomas)

68. U.K. country : ENG

69. Kugel ingredient : POTATO. Never had Kugel before.

71. Middle of Christmas? : ESS

74. Spa feature : SAUNA

76. Part of Q.E.D. : ERAT

77. First name in dance : TWYLA (Tharp). Not ADELE.

81. Work for : SERVE

83. Court tie : DEUCE. Oh, tennis.

84. Trypanosome transmitter : TSETSE. The fly is back.

 

90. Energy output : EFFORT. Did not come to me easily.

92. Concepts : THEORIES

94. 2001 boxing biopic : ALI

98. Richie's dad, to the Fonz : MR. C

99. F1 neighbor on PCs : ESC

100. U. of Maryland player : TERP

101. "No problem" : EASY. And  103. "No problem" : OK BY ME

 

102. Sandra Denton, in a hip-hop trio : PEPA. Salt-N-Pepa. Got me.

105. Rapper __ Shakur : TUPAC

108. Kitchen gadget : PEELER. D-Otto brought his potato peeler to Florida when he visited his sister. His legendary potato dumplings need serious prep work.

110. Louisiana cuisine : CREOLE

114. Set : HARDEN

115. Stirred : AWOKE

116. Scolds severely : RIPS INTO

117. Newspaper ad, commonly : INSERT

118. Baltimore's __ Harbor : INNER. Aleppo moment.

119. Least seasoned : GREENEST. Also 3. Most skeptical : LEERIEST

Down:

1. "__ baby ... " : ROCK-A-BYE. Got via crosses.

2. Adds value to : ENHANCES

 

4. Mimes : APERS. Noun "Mimes".

5. Italian coastal city : PISA

6. Understands : SEES

7. Friendly front? : ECO. Eco-friendly.

8. JFK, e.g. : DEM

9. Sign up : ENLIST

10. Many a senior : TEEN. Also 19. Jr. and sr. : YRS

11. They may be tipped : HATS

12. "The Simpsons" bus driver : OTTO. And our Meals on Wheels driver as well. D-Otto volunteers for several causes.  

13. Byron's "__ Walks in Beauty" : SHE

14. Mount named for a friend of George Vancouver : ST HELENS. I did not know who George Vancouver is. Now I know.

15. Not quite a ringer : LEANER. Drew a blank. Horseshoe score.

16. Wagering places: Abbr. : OTBs

 

18. Band heads : LEADERS

 

24. "Symphony in Black" artist : ERTE

28. Sturgeon delicacy : CAVIAR. This is how I first tried caviar. On sliced baguette.

30. Reveal in a poem? : OPE

31. Taproom quencher : ALE

32. Letters in the sand? : SOS. I like this clue.

34. Easter decorating supply : DYE

36. Opera that premiered in Cairo in 1871 : AIDA

37. Characterized by : PRONE TO

38. Impulse : URGE

39. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee the same year as Clapton and Taylor : RAITT. Got via crosses.

40. Wall recess : NICHE

43. Word from Tonto : SABE. Kemo Sabe.

45. Big name in sporting goods : VOIT. This stumped some last time.

47. Rap sheet routines: Abbr. : MOs. MO = modus operandi.

48. Turn gray, maybe : AGE

50. Rap (with) : CHAT. I did not know "Rap with" means  "Chat with". So I was rapping with Boomer. Told him that pumpkin pie should be called "squash pie". Pumpkin is too stringy. What you get in a can is mostly a mixture of various winter squashes.

52. Rap's Dr. __ : DRE

53. Shock source : TASER

54. Tedium : ENNUI

56. Hawaiian coffee district : KONA

57. U.S. Army E-6 : SSGT

58. Spellbound : RAPT

59. Swear to be true : AVOW

 

63. Hymnal that's often richly illustrated : PSALTER. Learning moment for me. 

65. Rating unit : STAR

67. Massachusetts cape : ANN

70. On the safer side : ALEE

72. "Ditto!" : SO DO I

73. Back on the ocean : STERN

74. Champagne word : SEC

75. "Odds __ ... " : ARE

 78. Sooner than : BEFORE

79. Sluglike "Star Wars" alien : HUTT. I only know Jabba the Hutt.

80. "Dilbert" intern : ASOK. Learned from doing crosswords.

82. Heated : VEHEMENT

85. Facebook feature : TIMELINE

86. Medusa's hair, after Athena got done with it : SERPENTS. Vivid clue.

87. Dish requiring special utensils : ESCARGOT. Had no idea how to eat these when I first tried.

88. Questel who voiced Betty Boop : MAE, Unknown figure to me.

89. Loser : ALSO-RAN

91. Data-uploading letters : FTP.  OK, File Transfer Protocol.

92. 6-pt. scores : TDs

93. Loft filler : HAY

95. Salon appliance : STYLER. Also the name of Sting's wife. I doubt Rich will ever use it though. A bit obscure.

96. Winter warmer : HEATER

97. Apiece : EACH

102. Secure, on a farm : PEN IN

104. Portend : BODE

105. College __ : TOWN

106. Conversant with : UP ON

107. Nose (around) : POKE

108. Vitalian, for one : POPE. Aleppo moment. Did not know Pope Vitalian.

109. Gaelic tongue : ERSE

110. See 111-Down : CHI. And 111. With 110-Down, Eastern discipline : TAI

112. Bit of work : ERG

113. Fallen space station : MIR. Fell to Earth in 2001.

Last Monday I met with Andrea Carla Michaels, the Monday Queen of NYT crosswords. We walked around Lake Harriet where Andrea grew up. She showed me her childhood home, which is gated now. Andrea now lives in San Francisco, but might move back to MN someday. She used to be a standup comedian and has so many interesting stories to tell. Wish you guys were walking along with us. Click here for a few more pictures.

Sunday, October 2, 2016 Thomas Bianchi & Patti Varol

Theme: "Beatles Mash-up" - Each theme entry is a mash-up of two Beatles' songs.

27A. Cold War defector's observation? : I'M A LOSER BACK IN THE USSR. I'm a Loser. Back in the USSR.  Defectors tend to have high esteem.

43A. Promise to the IRS? : WE CAN WORK IT OUT, TAXMAN. We Can Work It Out. Taxman.

67A. "Please take the van, dear"? : HONEY, DON'T DRIVE MY CAR. Honey Don't. Drive My Car.  Not familiar with "Honey Don't". But the mashup is fantastic.

90A. Agreement with a Scandinavian furniture maker? : LET IT BE NORWEGIAN WOOD. Let It Be. Norwegian Wood. The latter is also a very popular Japanese novel we all secretly read in high school. So mild by today's standards.

108A. Words from the brokenhearted? : TELL ME WHY YOU WON'T SEE ME. Tell Me Why. You Won't See Me. The latter is unknown to me.

Only 5 theme entries, but they're all very long, occupying a total of 101 theme squares. I mentioned before that somehow grid spanners for a 21*21 are tougher to deal with than spanners for 15*15.  19 & 20 are tricky too. 15 or under are friendlier.

Congratulations on your LAT debut, Thomas Bianchi! Are you this professor? The six characters on the podium says Ocean University of China, which is based in Tsingtao, famous for its beer.

Patti is Rich's assistant and editor for The Crossword Club. She taught me by example what a clean puzzle is. Don't miss this great interview. Patti is also a super fast solver. She probably nails every Sunday puzzle in 8 to 10 minutes, or even faster.

Across:

      

1. Really silly : APISH. Not a word I use.

6. All-__: high-end cookware : CLAD. Holy smokes, D-Otto/Steve/TTP, look at the price.

10. Scribble : JOT

13. Chows down : EATS

17. Looie's underling : NON-COM

19. Mata __ : HARI

20. Condo, say : UNIT

22. Work for a captain : CREW

23. Transfer, in a way : DECANT. Oh, wine.

24. "The Rachel Papers" novelist : AMIS (Martin)

25. Attorney general after William Barr : JANET RENO. We also have HARPER LEE (116. 1961 Pulitzer-winning novelist) and ANAIS NIN (89. "A Spy in the House of Love" novelist). Three full names. Wonderful. All women.

30. Physicist Mach : ERNST

31. Double-crosser : RAT

32. Pommes frites sprinkling : SEL

33. Shelf-filling bks. : OED (Oxford English Dictionary). 20 volumes.

34. Accident initials : EMS

37. Platform for Apple mobile devices : IOS

38. Disinclined : AVERSE. I used to think CenturyLink's 1 Gig package is ridiculous. Man, how time has changed!

41. Antique auto : REO

49. In a crowd of : AMONG

50. Cover up : HIDE

51. Have : OWN

52. "You got that right!" : AMEN

54. Colorful salamander : NEWT. Looks like a plastic toy.

55. Bias : SPIN

57. Dublin-born rocker/activist : BONO

59. "Fantastic!" : BRAVO

60. Facetious way to vote : OFTEN.  Not really "facetious" for All-Star fan voting. You can vote up to 30 times.

62. Volvo competitor : SAAB

64. Holiday evergreen : FIR

66. Entomologist's tool : NET

72. Netizen's guffaw : LOL

73. Agnus __ : DEI

74. Follow : HEED

75. "Gladiator" setting : ARENA

76. Traveler's aid : ATLAS. Today's kids probably will never touch a real atlas.

78. Druid, for one : CELT

80. Formerly, formerly : ERST

81. Pizza Quick sauce brand : RAGU. Staple in our house.

85. Layer of ore : VEIN

86. Beheld : SAW

87. Vehicle for hire : TAXI. And 56. Human-powered 87-Across : PEDICAB

89. Creator of a cocky hare : AESOP

96. In-flight info : ETA

97. Leans (on) : RELIES

98. Nashville awards org. : CMA

99. Storied abduction craft : UFO

100. Barely make, with "out" : EKE

103. Sign of a hit : SRO (Standing Room Only)

105. WWII female : WAC

106. Assume as fact : POSIT

117. Aspiring atty.'s exam : LSAT

118. Protective finish : ENAMEL

119. Many a folk song writer: Abbr. : ANON. Or many a blog commenter.

120. Hospital fluids : SERA

121. Forget about : OMIT

122. Highway postings : LIMITS

123. Van __, Calif. : NUYS. What's it famous for?

124. Gravel alternative : TAR

125. IRS auditor's requests : RCTS (Receipts)

126. Longship language : NORSE. Wiki says "Longships were a type of ship invented and used by the Norsemen for trade, commerce, exploration, and warfare during the Viking Age."

   

Down:

1. "The King __" : AND I

2. Work with a writer of its ilk contained in it : POEM. Can you explain this clue to me?

3. South American native : INCA

4. Deli sight : SCALE

5. In tribute to : HONORING

6. Meeting illustration : CHART

7. Moussaka meat : LAMB. Never had Moussaka. Wiki says it's eggplant-based.

8. The Habanera from "Carmen," e.g. : ARIA

9. Separate : DISCRETE

10. Self-defense method : JUJITSU. Which one do you use: Jujitsu, Jiu-Jitsu or Jujutsu? The Ju part is the same as the Ju in Judo, meaning "gentle". Jitsu means "technique".  Below is how Jujitsu & Judo are written out in Japanese/Chinese. Notice the first character Ju is exactly the same? The Do in Judo is the same as Chinese "tao", meaning "way".

Judo

11. "... roasting __ open fire" : ON AN

12. Salon supply : TINTS

13. Light brown : ECRU

14. Childish comeback : ARE SO

15. Needing a chill pill : TENSE

16. War metaphor : SWORD

18. Aptly named Vt. ski resort : MT. SNOW

21. Braves' All-Star pitcher Julio : TEHERAN. Easily obtainable via crosses. It's also the alternative spelling of Tehran, I think.

26. Fax predecessor : TELEX

28. "Put a tiger in your tank" brand : ESSO

29. Big name in corn syrup : KARO. Some Korean Hot Pepper Paste (Gochujang) have corn syrup. Some have rice syrup. I can't tell the difference. They're just delicious.

34. McGregor of "Trainspotting" : EWAN

35. Internet __: viral item : MEME

36. Garbage barge : SCOW

38. Analogous : AKIN

39. YouTube clip, for short : VID. I recently discovered this song. Lovely.

40. School for some princes : ETON

42. He played Yuri in "Doctor Zhivago" : OMAR

44. Composer Bruckner : ANTON

45. Savanna heavyweight : RHINO

46. Some bargains : TWOFERS

47. Freezer maker : AMANA

48. "When pigs fly!" : NEVER. Followed by NOT (53. Word in most Commandments)

55. Eye problem : STYE

57. Meter writer : BARD

58. Japanese sash : OBI

59. __ Mawr : BRYN

61. Agents of Uncle Sam : FEDs

62. Leave in, to an editor : STET

63. Sports drink suffix : ADE

65. "How __ Your Mother": CBS sitcom : I MET. Not a dupe of METS (114. 2015 National League champs). Patti's team.

67. Most of the RMS Queen Mary, now : HOTEL. Have any of you boarded that ship?

68. Skateboarding leap : OLLIE. We just had this a few months ago.

69. Red Wings' org. : NHL

70. Brazilian airline : VARIG. Total stranger to me.

71. Panama-born MLB Hall of Famer : CAREW (Rod). Used to bowl in Boomer's league.

72. Head, for short : LAV

77. Price of hand delivery? : ANTE. Oh, poker hand.

79. Decorative pitcher : EWER

80. They're no longer together : EXES. I really like Jennifer Aniston. She's so sweet and kind.

82. Not worth __: valueless : A SOU

83. Loaf, with "off" : GOOF

84. Beehive, e.g. : UPDO

86. Rubberneckers : STARERS

87. Like some pasta : TRICOLOR

88. Amaze : AWE

91. Caller ID? : IT'S ME. Fun clue.

92. When a ball may be dropped : NEW YEAR

93. "Challenge What's Possible" skin care brand : OLAY. Been using it since college.

94. Computer image : ICON

95. Dutch brewery : AMSTEL

100. "__ Frome" : ETHAN

101. Sandra's "Speed" co-star : KEANU

102. "The Jetsons" boy : ELROY

104. Young hooter : OWLET

106. Annie of "Ghostbusters" : POTTS. We just had her recently.

107. Día de San Valentín sentiment : TE AMO. It's these three characters in Chinese.

109. ICU caregivers : LPNs

110. Mount Olympus VIP : HERA. VIP made me think the answer might be abbreviated.

111. Letters at Camp Lejeune : USMC

112. "Stop right there!" : WAIT

113. Qatari chieftain : EMIR

115. "If all __ fails ... " : ELSE

C.C.

Sunday, September 25, 2016, C.C. Burnikel

TITLE: BRAND RECOGNITION

C.C., our leader here at Camp Crossword, has presented us with a lovely Sunday puzzle where nine theme entries are two word phrases where the first word starts with a T and the second with an M. Therefore her reveal also had this characteristic:

108. Corporate identifier whose symbol is common to nine other puzzle answers : TRADE MARK - with the themed TM on the symbol

Here are C.C.'s  nine TM entries

23. Alternative to Samoas : THIN MINTS - All right, Morgan, you know we're taking 5 boxes of THIN MINTS. What else ya got?

25. Model S automaker : TESLA MOTORS - Plug and go! Founded by 48. 25-Across CEO Musk : ELON

36. Where many races are run : TRACK MEET - Usain's going about 28 mph! He'd give that TESLA a race for a while!

54. Hunting guide of a sort : TREASURE MAP - You can buy a replica of the TREASURE MAP and the Emerald from Romancing The Stone online.

73. It starts at love : TENNIS MATCH - Gotta love this clue! Omahan Andy Roddick's 150+mph serves got the match off love (zero) quickly!

90. Flier with striped wings : TIGER MOTH - Also see 21 Across below

105. Place for emoji : TEXT MESSAGE - Mom might have to look for an I'm Sorry emoji for her last entry

38. "Utopia" author : THOMAS MORE - Some say Sir Thomas's book of this mythical island was a prototype for a communist society with no private property or competition. Others think it was a satire of 16th century society.

43. "Now!" : THIS MINUTE - A handy parental phrase

Here is the rest of C.C.'s TRADEMARK sparkling fill:

Across

1. "I Am __": recent Jenner documentary : CAIT 

5. Parlor order : MALT

9. Home of Spaceship Earth : EPCOT - The ® means it is a registered ™

14. Choker part : CLASP

19. Hanging out, say : IDLE

20. Many a Jordanian : ARAB

21. Touches the clouds : SOARS - de Haviland's TIGER MOTH as it SOARS into the sky (alt. for 90 Across theme answer)

22. Constraint : LIMIT

27. Fights : GOES AT IT - There was a lot of pain for those who chose to GO AT IT with with 81. Legendary fighter : ALI

28. "__ do it!" : LET'S - I had to abandon Nike's JUST

29. Online handle : USER ID

30. Anxious med. condition : OCD 

31. Coffee shop amenity : FREE WIFI

33. Flower from the Greek for "star" : ASTER

35. Overtime causes : TIES

38. Vocal syllable : TRA

41. Madness may involve one : METHOD

44. Bread sometimes dipped in dal : NAAN - NAAN and Dal Nirvana

45. Hit the runway : LAND - Sully tells the story where the plane did LAND but, uh, not on LAND

46. China problem : CHIP

47. Cookout leftovers : ASHES

48. Gobbles up : EATS

49. Complete : END

50. Ice cream alternative, casually : FROYO

51. Mai __ : TAI

52. Snow house : IGLOO

57. Sound of disapproval : HISS - A melodrama staple

59. "Take your time" : NO HURRY - NO HURRY, Mom!

61. __ spray : NASAL

62. Versace headquarters : MILAN

64. Equine color patterns : ROANS

66. Tips that are often dropped : HINTS

67. Bathroom fixture : BIDET - Tired on waiting for my SIL, my BIL brushed his teeth using water from one in Assisi! 

68. "Four Quartets" poet : T.S. ELIOT

70. Blue books? : SMUT

77. "The Princess Bride" co-star : ELWES

79. Nebraska native : OTO - Bronze statues in Ft. Calhoun, NE commemorating the 1804 Council between Lewis and Clark and the OTO people

80. Flu symptoms : AGUES

82. Bass part : GILL

83. "We'll always have __": Rick, to Ilsa, in "Casablanca" : PARIS

85. Shame : PITY

86. Stud starter : ANTE - If you're gonna play stud poker for money, ya gotta ANTE!

87. Exercises on a path : JOGS

88. Holey bread : BAGELS

89. Dallas-to-Memphis dir. : ENE 

92. Barcelona-born surrealist : MIRO and 37. Bauhaus artist : KLEE - Artistic members of our group will immediately know which man painted Harlequin's Carnival

93. "King Kunta" rapper Kendrick __ : LAMAR - I googled the lyrics...

94. Reaction to an insult, maybe : ICY STARE

96. See 35-Down : ACT 35. With 96-Across, bad thing to be caught in : THE 

99. Remington of '80s TV : STEELE

102. "My Way" lyricist : ANKA - Paul said he was moved by the depth Elvis brought to this song

103. Newspapers, radio, etc. : OLD MEDIA - Now it's http://www.zip recruiter.com and others

109. Peace Nobelist Root : ELIHU 

110. Unexpected, in a way : EARLY

111. __ Alto : PALO

112. Click sources : MICE

113. Dished (out) : METED - In Thomas More's UTOPIA, all were METED out the same amount

114. Uses a keyboard : TYPES

115. Layered haircut : SHAG

116. Many are named for presidents : ERAS


Down

1. "Fueling Good" gas brand : CITGO

2. For a specific purpose : AD HOC

3. Ashamed admission : I LIED

4. Column of numbers : TENS

5. Bistro bigwig :  MAITRE D'   

6. __ Army: Palmer's fans : ARNIE'S

7. Starbucks offering : LATTE - It's not a MIRO or KLEE, but it looks pretty!

8. "Full Frontal With Samantha Bee" channel : TBS 

9. Gloria of pop : ESTEFAN

10. Like some justice : POETIC - In Shawshank Redemption, innocent Andy Dufresne escapes after 20 years in prison and gets the corrupt warden arrested for money laundering. Yay!

11. Mama of pop : CASS

12. Magic, on sports tickers : ORL

13. PreCheck org. : TSA - With TSA Pre√, you can avoid this

14. Place for skeletons? : CLOSET - They won't stay there if you run for office!

15. Fanta size : LITER

16. Don Juan's love : AMOR

17. Microsoft : Cortana :: Apple : __ : SIRI

18. Combat vet's affliction : PTSD - It was probably Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that greatly changed my  grandfather after service in France in WWI 

24. Family members? : MAFIOSI

26. Not bright, as colors : MUTED

28. Istanbul coins : LIRAS

32. Serena Williams has been its year-end #1 player since 2013 : WTA TOUR - Women's Tennis Association Tour

33. Name on the range : AMANA

34. Ships : SENDS

39. Saudi money : RIYAL - A Whopper meal costs SR20.00 in Jeddah

40. Per unit : A POP

41. "Do the __!" : MATH

42. Morales of "Criminal Minds" : ESAI

44. Lye, in the lab : NAOH - Sodium Hydroxide or NaOH

46. Wave parts : CRESTS

50. "Social Studies" author Lebowitz : FRAN

53. Pesky swarm : GNATS - They've been terrible this summer and seem to like OFF

54. Odor source : TRASH

55. Ex-Cub Sandberg : RYNE

56. Get together : UNITE - Haley Mills sang Let's Get Together in the cheesy Disney movie Parent Trap in 1961. I had such a crush on her!

58. Oscar winner Poitier : SIDNEY

60. Campus cadets' org. : ROTC

63. Fragrant necklaces : LEIS

65. Where to see runners : SLEIGHS

66. Call of the wild : HOWL

67. Get going : BEGIN - The hardest part of some projects

69. Societal problems : ILLS

71. Elec., e.g. : UTIL - I wonder what Clark Griswold's Elec. Util. bill is in December

72. Eighty-six : TOSS - There are many fun ideas about the origin of this phrase

73. Crime scene barrier : TAPE

74. Comics read vertically : MANGA - Japanese comic form traditionally read right to left. Now found all over the world.

75. Crop in a lab, say : ALTER

76. Stadium section : TIER

78. "Oh, puh-leeze!" : SPARE ME

82. Prankster's cry : GOT 'YA

84. "A long time __ in a galaxy ... " : AGO

86. Rock singer Mann : AIMEE

87. Burdens for horses : JOCKEYS - This is where you guys get off!

88. Spaniel, for one : BIRDDOG - Also a fun song by the Everly Brothers

90. Yeshiva reference : TALMUD

91. Work the crowd : MINGLE

92. Youngest ever Nobel Prize laureate __ Yousafzai : MALALA - If you need a hero, may I offer this young woman who stood up to the Taliban in Pakistan for the right to educate women

93. Underworld river : LETHE - A tributary for the Styxx?

95. Yeshiva reference : TORAH

96. Storied firefighter Red : ADAIR

97. Roughly : CIRCA

98. Viewpoints : TAKES - Brilliant SNL parody

99. Cherry throwaway : STEM

100. Cast lead-in : TELE

101. Way out : EXIT

102. Group concerned with aging : AARP

104. Palindromic plus-size model : EMME - EMME Aronson

106. Prepared : SET

107. For example : SAY

108. Pulls a Charmin shenanigan, briefly : TPS

Feel free to contribute to the electronic TOWN MEETING that is TAILOR MADE for wit and wisdom

Notes from C.C.

1) Thanks for the fantastic wrap-up, Gary! You added so much sparkle.

2) Boomer and I met with long-time blog reader Jim Bordoni and his lovely wife Diane yesterday. It's fun talking with Jim about our blog and the regulars. Jim keeps track of his solving time for each LAT puzzle. He has met Garlic Gal and Chickie in person. Chickie knows Diane's mother, small world! 

Jim used to have his own winery and gifted me and Boomer this special bottle of wine. Now he coaches high school cross country running. Their son (graduate student at Georgia Tech) was here in Minneapolis running the Roy Griak Invitational (cross country meet). Both Jim and Diane are avid runners. Diane runs 5 times (3 miles minimum) a week!