Sun, Jul 22, 2018 Roger & Kathy Wienberg

Theme: "Antics" - ANT is added to each theme entry.

23A. Polite but unyielding statement?: MADAM, I'M ADAMANT. Madam I'm Adam.
  

33A. Caulking crew?: SEALANT TEAM. SEAL team.

37A. Building where things are taken back?: RECANT CENTER. Rec center.

52A. Sign on an available boutique?: SHOP VACANT. Shop-Vac.

67A. Serf surrounded by whales?: PEASANT IN A POD. Peas in a pod.

87A. Fort Bragg lodger?: BASE TENANT. Base ten.
  

99A. Director Oliver to the rescue?: GALLANT STONE. Gallstone. The only one-word base phrase.

101A. Never-used part of the house?: DORMANT ROOM. Dorm room.

118A. Godzilla and friends solemnly recite?: MONSTERS INCANT. Monsters, Inc.

Lovely grid from Roger & Kathy Wienberg. Judging by the byline order, you can see Roger came up with the theme idea (constructor who dreams up the theme often enjoys the first byline). Then they brainstormed together for the theme entries. Then they shared the filling and cluing responsibilities.
 
I think they're the only husband and wife constructor teams for our LA Times Daily Crosswords. Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon write a puzzle for the Boston Globe every two weeks.

Total 9 theme answers and 104 theme squares in a 140-word grid. And the fill is so clean. Amazing.

Across:

1. Crunch beneficiaries: ABS.

4. Agnus __: DEI. "Lamb of God".

7. Rustic dwelling: A-FRAME.

13. Using a passport, say: ABROAD.

19. Newman song that mentions Santa Ana winds: I LOVE LA. Heard often at Dodger Stadium.

21. Decisive point: CLIMAX.

22. Persuasive sort: COAXER.

25. Stimulate: EXCITE.

26. Petroleum source: SHALE.

27. Legendary rock guitarist: BECK. Jeff Beck.

28. 2018 Pyeongchang org.: IOC.

30. Author Ferber: EDNA.

31. Bolt of lightning?: USAIN. Great clue. Usain Bolt.

42. Within reach: NEAR.

43. How some dares are made: ON A BET.

44. Major arteries: AORTAS.

46. Impressive groupings: ARRAYS.

49. Seed cover: ARIL. Pomegranate seeds are called arils.

50. Flier's choice: AISLE.

55. Braun competitor: NORELCO. Philips.

57. Director DuVernay: AVA.

59. Comply: OBEY.

60. Joint for jumping: KNEE.

61. __-Cat: SNO.

62. "Yikes!": OH NO.

64. Empathetic comment: I CARE.

66. More than wondered: ASKED. Picard asked about "Moo shu pork" and "Moo shi pork" differences last time. See here. Personally I've only seen "Moo shu".

71. Leaves painfully: JILTS.

75. Wonder's "My Cherie __": AMOUR.

76. __ game: HOME. So glad you settled nicely in your new home, Dave!

77. Chemicals giant: DOW.

80. Colorful fish: OPAH.

81. Levee: DIKE.

83. Org. that often strikes: PBA. PBA50 is the highlight of Boomer's summer.

85. Holiday candle holder: MENORAH.

90. Crèche figure: ANGEL.

92. Swelter: BAKE.

93. Bit of information: DETAIL.

94. Avis rival: DOLLAR. Bad experience with them two years ago. We like Payless.

96. Former Disney CEO: EISNER (Michael).

98. One of a cube's 12: EDGE.

106. It's stunning: TASER.

107. Denny's competitor: IHOP. Fooled me with their name change gimmick.

108. "__ who?": SEZ.

109. Bowls over: AWES.

111. Capital of France: EUROS. Not PARIS.

115. Recovered from a knockout: CAME TO.

122. Did away with: ERASED.

123. Taft-Hartley Act subject: UNIONS.

124. Prurient material: EROTICA. Also 126. One who's really hot: SEXPOT.

125. Dinged: DENTED.

127. Inexperienced: RAW.

128. Iditarod segment: LEG.

Down:

1. Zeroes in: AIMS.

2. Uninspired: BLAH.

3. Common mixer: SODA. Pop in our house. And only Pepsi.

4. Land adjoining a manor house: DEMESNE. This is a new word to me.

5. Wearer of a "Y" sweatshirt: ELI.

6. Like most sonnets: IAMBIC.

7. "High Voltage" band: AC/DC.

8. Criticism: FLAK. Love Steve's Thursday disclaimer. 

9. Canyon part: RIM.

10. Doc bloc: AMA.

11. Wrestle suffix: MANIA. Never watched WrestleMania or any wrestling event.

12. Laud: EXTOL.

13. Untouched serve: ACE.

14. A penalty may be served in one: BOX. Hockey.

15. Triple Crown venues: RACETRACKS.

16. Rust, for example: OXIDE.

17. Insurance giant: AETNA.

18. Fantasy: DREAM.

20. Highly prized: VALUABLE. A mint condition 1952 Mantle card was sold for $2.88 million in April. Boomer sold his (also mint condition) for $200 in the 1980s.

24. Defender of Troy: AENEAS.

29. Cocktail hour nibble: CANAPE. I can link taro cakes every week. Taros look ugly, but so tasty.

32. Embassy employee: ATTACHE.

33. Arrange dinnerware on: SET. Oh, Boomer had a full set of 1952 Topps cards. RUE.

34. Time spans: ERAS.

35. Brazen: NERVY.

36. Fictional Civil War novel setting: TARA.

37. Colorful horses: ROANS.

38. Ill-fated Houston company: ENRON. Bankrupted Gary's uncle.

39. Capital on the Nile: CAIRO.

40. Mardi Gras acronym: NOLA.

41. Two-time British Open champ: TREVINO. Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player are regular guests at the 3M Championship. 3M must pay a ton to get them.

45. Fleeced: SHORN.

47. Civil War soldier: YANK.

48. Dagger of yore: SNEE.

51. New Rochelle campus: IONA.

53. Caribbean sorcery: OBEAH. Wiki says it's "a system of spiritual and healing practices developed among enslaved West Africans in the West Indies..."

54. Fictional newsman Baxter: TED.

56. Cuts short: LOPS.

58. Cause trouble: ACT UP.

63. Japanese seaport: OSAKA. Here is how it's written in Japanese. Three characters. The first character means "Big", the second means "Slope or Hillside", the last one "City".

65. Shot that misses everything: AIR BALL.

66. Gulf between Yemen and Somalia: ADEN.

68. Tweak, perhaps: AMEND.

69. Apple or pear: POME.

70. Dishes from a "station": OMELETS.

71. Assignment: JOB.

72. Tech debut of 2010: IPAD. Agnes uses her iPad for everything. No external keyboard either.

73. Operate using a beam: LASE.

74. Shakespeare play featuring Ariel: THE TEMPEST. Great fill.

77. Clog clearer: DRANO.

78. Like some buckets: OAKEN.

79. "__ Everybody Knows Your Name": "Cheers" theme song: WHERE.

81. Stoop: DEIGN.

82. Bays, e.g.: INLETS.

84. Compulsively neat, say: ANAL. I think this is the first time this word appears in LAT. Rich did not allow ANAL in the past.

86. Hamper: OBSTRUCT.

88. Cry with a flourish: TA DA. As I mentioned last Monday, I finally decided to just make two holes to remove the stains permanently. Weird spots, but better than yellow stains.

89. Neighbor of Ghana: TOGO.

91. Kitchen gadget: GRATER. Oh, does anyone other than Steve own a Microplane? I don't use zest, but this will make mincing ginger easier.

95. Fast flight: LAM.

97. Understanding words: I SEE NOW.

100. Egypt's second president: NASSER.

101. Cut into cubes: DICED.

102. Chicago hub: O'HARE.

103. Type of numeral: ROMAN. Followed by104. Victim of Romulus: REMUS.

105. Atmospheric layer: OZONE.

109. 5 for B or 6 for C: AT NO. Atomic Number.

110. Jerry in the NBA logo: WEST.

112. Complain: RAIL.

113. Previously: ONCE. TTP mentioned a neat shortcut for searching any stuff in our blog. For example, if you want to know UKASE and its comments on our blog, just type in this in your Google search bar:  site:crosswordcorner.blogspot.com ukase

114. Unaccompanied: STAG.

116. Kickoff aid: TEE.

117. Abnormal: ODD.

119. Squelch: NIX.

120. Sponge (up): SOP.

121. Novelist Levin: IRA.

Maripro and some of you still have Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis as editors in your Sunday paper. I'll just copy and paste Rich's reply I put on the blog in 2010:

"Joyce was LA Times puzzle editor long before I arrived. I began working with her 10 years ago, at which time we shared editing responsibilities. She's now retired, though we do talk regularly about the puzzles. I do all the editing, and she's among the professionals who check my work. Her name remains on the byline in recognition of her years of service to the LAT Crossword."

C.C.

Sunday Jul 15, 2018 Joe Kidd

Theme: "Watt's Happening"- W is added to each theme entry.

24A. Unsteady walk while using social media?: TWEETER TOTTER. Teeter-totter.

38A. Lowly short-order cook?: FRYING PAWN. Frying pan.

58A. Bawdier Bavarian britches?: LEWDER HOSEN. Lederhosen.

79A. Beefcake's breakfast: BRAWN FLAKES. Bran flakes.

98A. Return from a salamander farm?: NEWT PROFIT. Net profit.

116A. Drawback of the best place to watch the fight?: RINGSIDE SWEAT. Ringside seat.

3D. Dessert for a large legal firm?: TRIPLE-LAWYER CAKE. Triple-layer cake.

42D. Number for the weight-conscious?: LOW-CAL ANESTHETIC. Local anesthetic.

Can anyone explain the title to me? I don't get it.

We have a relative theme-heavy grid again. Total 100 theme squares. Themage under 95 probably won't cut it for Rich these days.

40 three-letter entries is a bit high. Rich prefers them to be in the low 30s.

Across:

1. Beginning: OUTSET. Apt start.

7. Arnold's Terminator, e.g.: CYBORG.

13. Arboretum feature: SHADE.

18. Some ski lodges: A-FRAMES.

20. Longhorn rivals: SOONERS.

22. __ Island: CONEY.

23. Pratt & Whitney helicopter engine with two power sections: TWIN-PAC. Learning moment for me.

26. Fuel for a lorry: PETROL.

28. Leslie Caron title role: LILI.

29. "Count me in!": I'M THERE.

30. Field in acting: SALLY.  Sally Field.

32. Detroit labor org.: UAW. United Automobile Workers. We also have 2D. Agric. labor group: UFW. United Farm Workers.

34. Prefix meaning "billionth": NANO.

36. In reserve, with "on": ICE.

37. It tops a deuce: TREY.

41. 24 minutes, in the NBA: HALF.

44. Tommy's kid brother on "Rugrats": DIL. Wiki says "The show focuses on a group of toddlers, most prominently Tommy, Chuckie, twins Phil and Lil, and Angelica, and their day-to-day lives..."

45. Marquis __: DE SADE.

46. Enjoy courses: EAT.

48. 1840s Rhode Island rebellion leader Thomas: DORR. Unknown to me.

50. In short order: ANON.

52. Nasty storm: NOR'EASTER.

56. Popeye's __'Pea: SWEE.

57. Victorious shout: I WON.

60. X x XXX: CCC. Fun clue.

61. Storage compartments: BAYS. New meaning to me.

62. Sandburg's "little cat feet" arrival: FOG.

63. Mauna __: KEA.

64. Trembling: ASHAKE. Not a word I use.

66. Intellectual: IDEAMONGER. Not a word I use.

70. Deficiencies: SHORTFALLS.

73. Words with a gift: FOR YOU. So in love with this cleansing balm.

74. Lambaste: RIP.

76. Yield as a return: PAY.

77. Fannie __: securities: MAES.

78. Frodo pursuer: ORC.

84. Ilsa __: "Casablanca" heroine: LUND. Such a sweet movie.

85. "... giant __ for mankind": LEAP.

87. Like top Michelin ratings: THREE-STAR. Never been to a Michelin-rated place. You?

88. Toondom's Le Pew: PEPE.

89. Flood barrier: DIKE.

90. "Ahem" relative: HEY.

91. Spoke: ORATED.

93. Maple extract: SAP. Santa loved their locally produced maple syrup.

96. Big top, for one: TENT.

102. Work unit: Abbr.: FT LB.

103. __ Bo: TAE.

105. Stadium reaction: ROAR.

106. PC hookup: LAN.

107. Thai currency: BAHTS. They don't pluralize Baht in Bangkok. Ask Oo.

108. Easily bent: PLIABLE.

112. Kristen of "Bridesmaids": WIIG. She will be in the next "Wonder Woman".

114. Nullify: NEGATE. Also 125. Contradictory word: WASN'T.

119. Dispute decider: ARBITER.

122. En pointe, in ballet: ON TOE.

123. Give an oath to: SWEAR IN.

124. Enlarging, as a hole: REAMING.

126. Some Dadaist paintings: ERNSTS.

127. Brings honor to: GRACES.

Down:

1. Bit in a horse's mouth?: OAT. Spitzboov has oatmeal every morning.

4. In a reasonable manner: SANELY.

5. What "E" may mean: EMPTY.

6. Get emotional, with "up": TEAR.

7. Wisconsin winter hrs.: CST. D-Otto grew up in Marion, WI.

8. Distressed cry: YOWL.

9. Enola Gay manufacturer: BOEING.

10. Track circuit: ONE LAP.

11. Eye layer: RETINA.

12. M.A. seeker's hurdle: GRE.

13. Ben Nevis, e.g.: SCOTCH. Not familiar with the brand. 

14. Easily riled types: HOTHEADS. Boomer is one.

15. It's tossed into a pot: ANTE.

16. Road sign ruminant: DEER. We spot a deer roaming in Springbrook trails a few times. Haven't been there after Boomer tripped on a tree root and fell down a few weeks ago. Too many tree roots there.

17. Thornfield Hall governess: EYRE.

19. Searches carefully: SCOURS.

21. Indian term of respect: SRI.

25. "Didn't wanna know that!": TMI.

27. Bomb big-time: LAY AN EGG.

30. Like A/C in most cars: STD.

31. Radio host Shapiro: ARI. "All Things Considered" co-host.

33. Heiress, perhaps: WIDOW.

35. Have credit from: OWE TO.

38. Marshland: FEN.

39. Uncool one who lately is sort of cool: NERD. GEEK too.

40. Scot's nots: NAES. Also 51. Lack of influence: NO SAY.

43. Like Howdy Doody's face: FRECKLED.

45. Crime boss: DON. We also have 67. Crowd around: MOB.

47. Accord: TREATY.

49. Judge's announcement: RECESS.

53. Comics scream: EEK.

54. Warring son of Zeus: ARES. God of war.

55. Bygone Persian title: SHAH. Abejo worked in Iran for some time. Was the Amazon job too stressful, Abejo?

57. "Don't change anything!": I ADORE IT.

58. Actor Chaney: LON.

59. Disturbing bank msg.: NSF.

61. Like some closet doors: BI-FOLD. OK, like this.

62. Last down: FOURTH.

65. Exaggerate on stage: HAM UP.

68. Coastal raptor: ERNE.

69. Overflowing: RIFE.

71. Met regular: OPERA FAN. We have different kinds of operas in China. The most famous is Beijing opera. We also have local operas in Guangzhou and Xi'an. They sing in Cantonese and local Xi'an dialect.

72. Dorm VIPs: RAS.

75. Polite online letters: PLS.

80. "Two owls and __": Lear limerick line: A HEN.

81. More twisted: WRYER.

82. Suffix for fabric: ATOR. Just fabricator. Not a suffix that meaning "fabric".

83. Pope John Paul II's given name: KAROL. Forgot.

84. Went before: LED.

86. Big brass container?: PENTAGON. Another great clue.

88. Favored one: PET.

92. Karaoke performer's problem: TIN EAR.

94. PC key under Z: ALT.

95. "Masterpiece" airer: PBS.

97. Word processing function: TAB SET.

99. Humdinger: WOWSER. Same letter count as DOOZIE.

100. Formosa, now: TAIWAN. Jayce's old haunt. Taiwan has the best snacks. Guangzhou has the best food.

101. Buttinskies: PRIERS.

102. Bluebeard's last wife: FATIMA. Did not know the name. Read the story here. Quite scary.

104. Rooter for the Bulldogs: ELI.

107. Picture book pachyderm: BABAR.

108. Figurehead spot: PROW.

109. Director Wertmüller: LINA.

110. QBs' stats: INTS. Intersections. (Correction: Interceptions.)

111. Mag honchos: EDS.

113. Walk or trot: GAIT.

115. Norman on the links: GREG. "The Shark".

117. Girl in the pasture: EWE.

118. Shipping wts.: TNS.

120. Vegas-to-Denver dir.: ENE.

121. Some NFL linemen: RGS. Right guards.

Here is a selfie of Big Easy's grandson Joshua with the new Wimbledon Singles champion Angelique Kerber. The picture was taken a few months ago when Joshua met Kerber in Miami.

Does anyone have a tip on how to get rid of a small yellow food stain on white pants? I tried baking soda, vinegar, even spray on with WD 40, the stain is still there. I don't even know how I got the stain. I don't eat curry or use turmeric in cooking.

C.C.

Sunday July 8th, 2018 Victor Barocas

Theme: "Straight A's" - What AAA is, to each of the four cross-referenced entries.

 

23A. One who has blown a gasket, perhaps: STRANDED MOTORIST.

39A. AAA, to a 23-Across: EMERGENCY SERVICE.

56A. Old recording accessory: VCR REMOTE.

58A. AAA, to a 56-Across, usually: BATTERY SIZE. Nice that the first two sets of theme entries are placed consecutively.

77A. North Carolina baseball team: DURHAM BULLS.

93A. AAA, for the 77-Across: MINOR LEAGUE LEVEL.

79A. Office builder?: MICROSOFT.

113A. AAA, for 79-Across: BOND CREDIT RATING.

We've seen many Definition type puzzles. None with this cross-referencing twist. Neat twist. 

Total 104 theme squares. Rich's minimum is 84. So, quite a lot to deal with. 

Most of you know Victor Barocas from our Minnesota Crossword Tournament, which was canceled this year. 

C.C., Tom Pepper, George Barany, Victor Barocas, Michael David & David Liben-Nowell

Across:

1. Derby town: EPSOM.

6. One of 256 in a gal.: TBSP.

10. Davis of "Dr. Dolittle": OSSIE. Ruby Dee's husband.

15. Pale tone: ECRU.

19. Bread in a Hillel sandwich: MATZO. Never had it.

20. Learn: HEAR.

21. __ William Scott of "American Pie" films: SEANN. Unfamiliar to me. Wiki says he was born in Cottage Grove, Minnesota.

22. Second person in Paris?: VOUS. Cute clue.
26. Top-notch: A-ONE.

27. Livestock identifier: EAR TAG.

28. Greek vowel: ETA.

29. Jay or A: ALER. American Leaguer. Gluey. Oh, but TTP, I was so impressed that you remember my old avatar. It's not Joe Mauer though. It's Justin Morneau. They were the hugely poplular M & M Boys when I started this blog.

30. Dr.'s hours, e.g.: SKED.

31. Soviet Union : Salyut :: USA : __: SKYLAB. I only know Mir.

33. Inventor Whitney: ELI.

35. Classic fruity drinks: NEHIS.

37. Living area in "The Martian," with "the": HAB. No idea, but happy for the new clue.

45. Chilly: ALOOF.

48. Cleveland's lake: ERIE.

49. One-time Jets home: SHEA.

50. Indiana Jones' real first name: HENRY. Learning moment.

51. "House" star Hugh: LAURIE. He also wrote this book. Great reviews on Amazon.

53. Friend to Tarzan: APE.

54. "Three and out" football play: PUNT.

55. Shell propeller: OAR.

62. Pre-op test: EKG.

63. Wrath: IRE.

64. Friend of Che: FIDEL.

65. Brontë sister: EMILY.

66. "The cookies are done!" sound: DING. Anyone tried these Danish cookies?

68. Religious acts: RITES.

69. Like some ukes: OVAL.

70. Baggy: LOOSE. I need to tell you about this crazy trend: upside down jeans. Look at the price tag.

72. First name in sci-fi: JULES.

73. School opening?: PRE. Preschool.

74. Faux __: PAS.

82. Convoy member: RIG.

83. Pop singer Brickell: EDIE.

84. Debtor's letters: IOU.

85. Adverb in the "Star Trek" intro: BOLDLY. "... to boldly go where no one has gone before..."

86. Rock with bands: AGATE. Drew a blank.

89. Put on a mission: SEND.

90. Wanton want: LUST

92. Like the center of attention: FOCAL.

97. Frehley of Kiss: ACE.

98. Dismal, poetically: DREAR.

99. Sgt.'s underling: PVT.

100. Stills, say: IMAGES.

103. Transit map dot: STOP.

105. 1003, to Tiberius: MIII.

108. Verdi's "__ tu": ERI. Meaning "It was you".

110. Copy illegally: PIRATE.

112. "Daily Planet" byline name: LANE.

117. MLBer with 696 home runs: A-ROD.

118. Fist fight fists: DUKES.

119. Soothing agent: ALOE. My aloe developed root rot problem. This plant is surprisingly fragile.

120. Prisoner's place, in an 1894 adventure novel: ZENDA.  "The Prisoner of Zenda"

121. Snowblower brand: TORO. Based here in MN.

122. Thus far: AS YET.

123. Are inclined: TEND.

124. Rye blight: ERGOT.

Down:

1. Common core?: EMS. Just the letters in Common.

2. Liver spread: PATE.

3. European Parliament meeting city: STRASBOURG. Madame Tussaud was born here. Wiki further states that "Strasbourg is one of the de facto capitals of the European Union (alongside Brussels and Luxembourg), as it is the seat of several European institutions, such as the Council of Europe".

4. Missouri's __ Mountains: OZARK.

5. "Spamalot" name: MONTY.

6. What's "afoot," to Holmes: THE GAME.

7. Home for a tulip: BED.

8. Likewise, with "the": SAME.

9. Doolittle, to Higgins: PROTEGEE.

10. Bear, in Barcelona: OSO.

11. Blood fluids: SERA.

12. Move easily: SAIL.

13. Lacking feeling: INSENSATE. Not a word I use.

14. Major course: ENTREE. Look at this dish Carmen emailed me.

15. Like many a politician's answers: EVASIVE.

16. Deep-fries: COOKS IN OIL. I mostly stir-fry.

17. Mystical character: RUNE.

18. Like many eBay products: USED.

24. Glen relative: DALE.

25. Cooper work: TALE. Does the clue refer to this Cooper?

32. Read the riot act to: BERATE.

34. Big-time: IN SPADES.

36. Title for Kate Middleton, briefly: HRH. Meghan Markle too.

37. Split in two: HALVE.

38. Shakespearean cry of woe: ALACK. Also 47. Shakespearean cry of disgust: FIE.

40. Ready to pick: RIPE.

41. Inclined channels: CHUTES.

42. Streisand title role: YENTL.

43. Nonsensical: CRAZY.

44. Charlotte's Jane: EYRE.

46. Bobby enshrined in a Toronto hall: ORR. Hockey Hall of Fame.

52. "The Monster" rapper: EMINEM.

57. Website suffix: ORG.

58. Small servings: BITES.

59. Surf music feature: REVERB.

60. Sumac of Peru: YMA.

61. RSVP part: SIL.

64. Topped off: FILLED UP.

66. Cry from Homer: D'OH.

67. "Love __ Battlefield": Pat Benatar hit: IS A.

68. Court decision: RULING.

69. Member of Sauron's army, in Tolkien: ORC.

70. Video game brother: LUIGI. Mario's brother.

71. Certain transplant need: ORGAN DONOR.

72. Where Herod reigned: JUDEA.

73. Pope during the French Revolution: PIUS VI. All crossing.

74. Offering downloadable content: PODCASTING. My iPoad went through 3 factory resets in the past few months.

75. Company with a duck in its logo: AFLAC.

76. Flair: STYLE.

77. Nip at a bar: DRAM.

78. "Stop fooling around!": BE SERIOUS. Nice fill.

79. Pouty face: MOUE.

80. Wind-knocked-out sound: OOF.

81. Cal Poly campus site, initially: SLO. OK, San Luis Obispo.

84. Behave cruelly towards: ILL- TREAT.

87. Sea battle weapon: TORPEDO.

88. "I kissed thee __ I killed thee": "Othello": ERE.

91. Trying to resist the rich dessert, say: TEMPTED.

94. Wavelength symbol: LAMBDA. See this explanation. That amplitude is half of what I thought it is. What then do you call the value between the very high to the very low?

95. Even once: EVER.

96. Retreat: LAIR.

101. Barely hit: GRAZE.

102. Food processor?: EATER. Not my BELLY.

103. Venetian blind part: SLAT.

104. Root for a luau: TARO. I made these iconic Singapore Yam Cake last week. I don't know why they call it Yam Cake:

1) It's made of taro root. Not yam.

2) It's steamed. Not baked

3) It's savory. Not sweet.

106. Black: INKY.

107. Output from Rodin's thinker?: IDEE. Just French for "idea".

109. Not in operation: IDLE.

111. Prefix with skeleton: ENDO.

114. Minn. winter hours: CST. Local shout-out.

115. Bromide particle: ION.

116. Gangster's piece: GAT.

C.C.