google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Sunday

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Showing posts with label Sunday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sunday. Show all posts

Jun 7, 2020

Sunday June 7, 2020 Mark McClain

Theme: "Case in Point" - Each familiar phrase is humorously clued as if it's law-related.

23A. Bailiff who keeps the jury in stitches?: COURT JESTER.

34A. Music played between attorneys' arguments?: BRIEF INTERLUDE.

52A. Polite argument on behalf of the accused?: CIVIL DEFENSE.

76A. Cartoon dialogue introduced as evidence?: TRIAL BALLOON.

93A. Satisfaction for a prosecuting attorney?: GUILTY PLEASURE.

109A. Action brought by a cowardly plaintiff?: CHICKEN SUIT.
 
15D. High-hat challenge of a conviction?: SNOB APPEAL

69D. Magistrate who specializes in agricultural litigation?: FIELD JUDGE.

Solid punny theme from Mark. I bet our regulars can come up with more sentence/hearing candidates.

Great grid design as well. Theme entries are spread everywhere. And you won't find strange Abbrs or words in Mark's grids.

Across:

1. Jouster's wear: ARMOR.

6. Language of 100,000+ Canadians: CREE. Winnipeg is Cree for "muddy water".

10. "Waterloo" group: ABBA.

14. Jr. challenge: PSAT.

18. Early "Masterpiece Theatre" host Alistair: COOKE.

19. Got the news: HEARD.

21. Champagne word: BRUT.

22. Toy owner in "Toy Story" films: ANDY. Saw lots of Buzz Lightyear toys at our flea market over the years.


25. Hotel unit: ROOM.

26. Egg-white omelet's lack: YOLK.

27. Close friends, say: DEAR ONES.

28. Dramatic technique: IRONY.

30. "The Sandbox" playwright: ALBEE.

31. Frigg's spouse: ODIN. Or Frigga (Rene Russo).


32. Parade features: FLOATS.

33. Bull alligator sounds: ROARS. Really?

39. Faithful spring?: LEAP. Leap of faith.

40. Pal played her in early films: LASSIE. Pal the dog.


41. Invitation encl.: SASE. Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope.

42. First of an alley's 10: HEADPIN. Bowling alleys here have been reopened. 25% of the capacity only. 

45. Tribute creator: ODIST.

46. Palm species: ACAI.

48. Home of the Big 12's Cyclones: AMES.

50. Actress Ward: SELA.

51. "The Great" detective of kid-lit: NATE.

56. Ins. giant: AIG. Founded in Shanghai in 1919. AIA is a subsidiary of AIG.

57. Bar group: DRINKERS.

59. Toyota logo shape: OVAL.

60. Chaucer works: TALES.

62. Prompts on stage: CUES.

63. Steam up: ANGER.

65. Vanishing act word: POOF. PFFT too.

67. Send (to): REFER.

70. Do the crawl, e.g.: SWIM.

71. Cause of ruination: DOWNFALL.

75. Action film shooter: UZI.

81. Garfield's foil: ODIE.

82. Place for a nest: TREE.

84. Vishnu's quartet: ARMS. Can you imagine life with four arms? I'll be so confused.


85. Solemn promise: OATH.

86. Get a hard copy: PRINT.

87. Persian hunting dogs: SALUKIS. Wiki says they hunt "primarily by sight rather than scent".


89. Sing the praises of: LAUD.

91. Turn into cash: REDEEM.

92. Scott in an 1857 case: DRED.

97. Mustard town: DIJON.

99. __ Fables: AESOP'S.

100. Plate crossings: RUNS.

101. Blow a gasket: ERUPT.

102. Justice Kagan: ELENA.

103. Aggressive stingers: FIRE ANTS.

107. __ one's time: wait: BIDE.

108. Tennis great Steffi: GRAF. Happy couple.


112. Links org.: USGA.

113. In __: unmoved: SITU.

114. Spot cost: AD FEE.

115. "Neon" fish: TETRA.

116. After that: THEN.

117. Scientist __ deGrasse Tyson: NEIL. He was the classmate of constructor Andrea Carla Michales at Harvard.


118. Alan in old films: LADD.

119. "My bad, Francesca": SCUSI.

Down:

1. Clemson's NCAA div.: ACC.

2. Large cross: ROOD.

3. Pouty face: MOUE.

4. Often-fried veggie: OKRA.Tastes great with bonito flakes.


5. Upgrade technologically: RETROFIT.

6. __ blanc: Loire Valley wine: CHENIN. Not familiar to me. Not a wine drinker.


7. Take exception to: RESENT.

8. Digs in: EATS.

9. Prior to, in verse: ERE.

10. Out of the country: ABROAD.

11. Literary Yorkshire family name: BRONTE.

12. Channel markers: BUOYS.

13. Drive-thru device: ATM.

14. Truckers' cargoes: PAYLOADS.

16. Freud disciple: ADLER (Alfred)


17. Little shavers: TYKES.

20. Goes for oil: DRILLS.

24. Foster with Oscars: JODIE. I've only seen one of her movies.

29. Bounder: ROUE.

30. Tiler's calculation: AREA.

32. Sickly: FRAIL.

34. Flaxen, as hair: BLOND.

35. Speed gauge: RADAR.

36. Question in Matthew: IS IT I.

37. Heart and soul: ESSENCE.

38. Morales of TV's "Titans": ESAI.


39. Not as much: LESS.

42. Female lobster: HEN.

43. "Would __ to you?": I LIE.

44. Pesters: NAGS.

46. Refreshes, with "out": AIRS.

47. Walgreens rival: CVS.

48. Way over yonder: AFAR.

49. Filmmaker Gibson: MEL.

52. So-so mark: CEE.

53. Firm belief: DOGMA.

54. Genesis matriarch: EVE.

55. Town across the Thames from Windsor: ETON.

58. Composer Weill: KURT. Known for "Mack the Knife", which Boomer loves.

61. Makes available to: AFFORDS.

63. Hole-making tools: AWLS.

64. Pen part: NIB.

65. Milne creation: POOH.

66. Control: OWN.

67. Wagon road features: RUTS.

68. Biblical scribe: EZRA.

70. "Cheers" bartender: SAM.

71. URL element: DOT.

72. "Ta-ta, Thierry!": ADIEU.

73. Big ship: LINER.

74. "I can do that": LET ME. I finally planted daikon radishes this year. Hope mine can be as good as these ones in a few months'.


77. Carefully timed operation: RAID.

78. E-file org.: IRS.

79. Awkward sorts: LOUTS.

80. Title for Gaga: LADY.

83. Pole, for one: EUROPEAN. Nice clue.

86. Farm workers of old: PEASANTS.

88. Canterbury's county: KENT.

89. Companion of Dorothy: LION.

90. Camel cousin: ALPACA.

91. O'Connor who played Gabrielle on "Xena": RENEE. Learning moment for me.


93. Italian treats: GELATI.

94. Handy: USEFUL.

95. Selling for, with "at": PRICED. Grape prices are finally down here. Been $3.99/lb for a few months.

96. Waited in hiding: LURKED.

97. First appearance: DEBUT.

98. "Fighting" Indiana team: IRISH.

99. Lofty home: AERIE. So many sticks.



103. World Cup org.: FIFA.

104. Tiny bit of a min.: NSEC.

105. Ballet attire: TUTU.

106. Titles of respect: SIRS.

108. "Family Feud" reruns channel: GSN.

110. "Good" cholesterol initials: HDL.

111. Mai __: TAI.

C.C.




May 31, 2020

Sunday May 31, 2020 MaryEllen Uthlaut

Theme: "I Had a Bad Day" - Each verbal phrase is humorously clued as if it's a failed action of the subject in the clue.

23. My crayon __: DREW A BLANK.

28. My ruler __: FAILED TO MEASURE UP.

56. My needle __: DIDN'T COME THROUGH.

70. My belt __: BUCKLED UNDER THE STRAIN.

93. My cake __: FELL DOWN ON THE JOB.

117. My knife __: COULDN'T MAKE THE CUT.

128. And my champagne __: FIZZLED OUT. Love how this entry ends the theme set.

It's good to see MaryEllen Uthlaut back. I always associate her name with Sunday puzzles, probably because the first few puzzles she made for the LA Times were all Sunday grids.

Great title! Husker Gary-eque!
 
Across:

1. Swahili boss: BWANA. Literally 'boss" in Swahili.

6. Canasta combination: MELD.

10. Cockatoo feature: CREST.

15. Boring tools: AWLS.

19. Many a surfer: AOLER. Rich is one.

20. Others, in Latin: ALII. ALIA also.

21. Vigor: OOMPH.

22. Acquire, as an advantage: GAIN.

25. Pay television: CABLE

26. Designated space: AREA. The chaos have spilled into our area. Quite a few stores are vandalized. Targets and Walmarts are all closed right now. Curfew in place the past two nights. 

27. Four-wheeler, briefly: ATV.

31. Step on it when you need to step on it: THE GAS.

33. Carnival city: RIO.

34. Applies henna to, say: DYES. Amazing work.


35. Mink cousin: OTTER.

38. Sack lead-in: KNAP. Knapsack.

41. Mount north of Redding, California: SHASTA.

46. Golf course rental: CART. Boomer needs it for his Monday morning 9-hole round.

49. Blunted sword: EPEE.

51. Text sent with x's and o's: I LUV U. And 65. Spanish 51-Across: TE AMO.

54. Cultural character: ETHOS.

55. Felt remorse for: RUED.

59. Quacked company name: AFLAC.

61. Computer instructions: CODE. Anon-T's forte.

62. Courtyard: PATIO.

63. Dramatic offering: PLAY.

64. Mediterranean capital: BEIRUT.

66. Tats: INK.

68. One of this puzzle's 144: CLUE. Maximum entries allowed for a Sunday is 144.

79. Ground cover: TARP.

80. "Yess!": YAY.

81. Empower: ENABLE.

82. What may come to mind: IDEA.

86. Native New Zealander: MAORI.

89. Fix, as a toy: SPAY.

92. Sleep disorder: APNEA.

97. Shut (up): PENT.

98. South Pacific island group: SAMOA.

99. Parasite: LEECH.

100. Benefit: SAKE. Nice with sashimi.



101. Cookie with a Red Velvet variety: OREO. This red looks so artificial.


102. Attacks: ONSETS.

104. Climb, in a way: SHIN.

106. Direct attention: REFER.

108. Soften: EASE.

111. As we speak: NOW.

113. Beefy soup ingredient: OXTAIL. Thick. Almost stew.


125. Genetic material: DNA.

126. "Need anything __?": ELSE.

127. Fluffy-eared marsupial: KOALA.

130. Crossword-solving Simpson: LISA.

131. Celtic language: IRISH.

132. Trac II cousin: ATRA.

133. Walt Whitman volunteered as one during the Civil War: NURSE.

134. Title for fictional detective Peter Wimsey: LORD. Read more here.

135. Parachute fabric: NYLON.

136. Help grow up: REAR.

137. Printer cartridge contents: TONER.

Down:

1. Lacking talent for: BAD AT.

2. Deserving of: WORTH.

3. "All Day Strong" brand: ALEVE.

4. Not seen before: NEW.

5. Longtime PLO chairman: ARAFAT.

6. Mauritania neighbor: MALI.

7. Airline to Israel: EL AL.

8. Hard-hit batted ball: LINER.

9. Small antelope with an echoic name: DIK DIK. Look at her eyes!


10. First name in design: COCO.

11. Wander aimlessly: ROAM.

12. Reporter at the front: EMBED.

13. Spread outward: SPLAY.

14. Academic research papers: THESES.

15. Jellylike alga extract: AGAR. Essential for Fruit Jelly. Can't wait for the lychee season.


16. Goods suffix: WARE.

17. Stead: LIEU.

18. Start of a football play: SNAP.

24. Poured juices over: BASTED.

29. Bar mixer: TONIC.

30. Director in the theater?: USHER. Nice clue.

32. Approached nightfall: GOT DARK.

36. "Iliad," for one: EPIC.

37. Second chance: REDO.

39. Leaning to one side: ALOP. Have not seen this word for sometime.

40. Reebok rival: PUMA.

42. Resting upon: ATOP.

43. Jewish assembly site: SHUL.

44. Roman garment: TOGA.

45. Grayish: ASHY.

46. 19th-century diarist Henry __ Robinson: CRABB. Unfamiliar to me.


47. Pot-__: "on the fire" French stew: AU-FEU.  Partial. I'll talk more about it later.

48. Thing of the past: RELIC.

50. Lead to: END IN. 103. Finally registered: SANK IN. 115. Occupied: IN USE.

52. Twining plant: VETCH. Learned from doing crosswords. So pretty. Alas, D-Otto can't see the delicate colors.


53. Functional: UTILE.

57. Look after: TEND.

58. Legislative body: HOUSE.

60. Snake worshippers, e.g.: CULT. Never heard of snake worship.

67. Tab, say: KEY.

69. European erupter: ETNA.

71. Slow way of speaking: DRAWL.

72. Barely ahead: UP ONE.

73. Reckless: RASH.

74. Personality categories: TYPES.

75. Bond that promotes easy communication: RAPPORT.

76. Baseball's Doubleday: ABNER.

77. __ Woods, original voice of Disney's Cinderella: ILENE. Also new to me. Has a Norma Jean look.


78. "Groovy!": NEATO.

82. In that case: IF SO.

83. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Smith: DEAN. Wiki says he "coached for 36 years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Smith coached from 1961 to 1997 and retired with 879 victories".


84. Stately trees: ELMS.

85. Cream additive: ALOE. Skin cream.

87. Small deer: ROES.

88. Move bit by bit: INCH.

90. "When it's __": answer to a classic riddle: A JAR.

91. Symbol of bondage: YOKE.

94. So last year: DATED.

95. "To __ own self be true": "Hamlet": THINE.

96. Soil: BEFOUL. Not a word I use. Those rioters befoul our state. We're not "Minnesota Nice" any more.  

105. A stone's throw: NOT FAR. Our governor said 80% of the rioters are from other states.

107. Degree: EXTENT.

109. Apartment building unit: STORY.

110. Web message: EMAIL.

112. Harmless, as a lie: WHITE.

114. Add splendor to: ADORN.

116. "See ya": LATER.

117. Honeycomb compartment: CELL.

118. Miscellany: OLIO.

119. Cold War initials: USSR.

120. Play the first card: LEAD.

121. Besides that: ALSO.

122. Madeline of "Blazing Saddles": KAHN.

123. Poet Pound: EZRA.

124. Old Russian autocrat: CZAR.

129. Sonny and Cher, for one: DUO.

 
I wrote a short post on partials a while ago. You can read it here.

Suppose I have a ARA? slot and I can only use letter M or T. I normally choose T, so I'll have A RAT partial. It's easy to clue and easy for solvers. ARAM is not a common name and can stump some solvers.

Partials are not bad. Every editors allow them. Just make sure you don't have more than two for a 15*15 grid and your partials don't have more than 5-letters like A PLANT.

C.C. 

May 24, 2020

Sunday May 24, 2020 Pam Amick Klawitter

Theme: "Top to Bottom" - Definition puzzle with a "Down" layer. Each theme entry defines the second part of each clue.

4D. Downwind: KITE FLYING NECESSITY.

5D. Downgrade: KINDERGARTEN. No kindergarten when I grew up.

10D. Downplay: THE CRUCIBLE. It's an Arthur Miller play. Here, it's an example rather than defining PLAY.

19D. Downstream: YOUTUBE TRANSMISSION.

24D. Downward: JUNE CLEAVER'S HUSBAND

67D. Downcast: THEATER GROUP

70D. Downdraft: ORDER IN A PUB.

Pam seems to be fond of definition puzzle. We just had her "Get Going" earlier this month.

As I mentioned before, definition puzzles tend to have made-up entries. No "all caps" clues for this one. Just an extra "Down" element.

Across:

1. Dodge a conviction: WALK. And 58. Help the bad guys: ABET.

5. Kin kin: KITH.

9. Amazon review rating units: STARS. Alas, still no umeboshi for me. Amazon has another glitch.

14. Gathered dust: SAT.

17. Morlock prey: ELOI.

18. Logical opening: IDEO. Ideological. And 85. Prefix with cortical: ADRENO. 123. Gator tails?: ADES. 26. New start?: NEO. 55. Surgery opening?: NEURO.

19. Swift's brutish race: YAHOOS.

20. Backing: PRO.

21. Easter precursor: LENT.

22. What's expected: NORM. I finally caved in and went to the local Asia store for my salt kelp,  umeboshi, fermented tofu, etc. Sadly lots of stuff are out of stock. There are just not enough planes to fly from Asia to the States.

23. Kind of lead a closer often has to protect: ONE-RUN. And 8. One that usually leaves the park: HOMER.

24. Hop on the bandwagon: JOIN.

25. People's 2019 Sexiest Man Alive: LEGEND (John)


27. Drop-down item: MENU.

29. Grammy channel: CBS.

30. Patient person?: NURSE. Nice clue.

31. Sense: FEEL.

33. Copter topper: ROTOR.

35. Tarnished: TAINTED.

37. More than just asks: IMPLORES.

41. Dawn: SUN UP.

43. "Now __ heard it all!": I'VE.

44. Austin __: Tennessee university: PEAY. Wiki says "the university was established in 1927 and named for then-sitting Governor Austin Peay, who is further honored with "Governors", the name of the university's athletic teams.


45. Conquest for Caesar: GAUL.

47. Osso __: BUCO.

48. Court break point: RECESS.

52. 1971 New York prison riot site: ATTICA.

54. Phil Collins' longtime band: GENESIS.

56. First name in student loans: SALLIE. Mae.

57. Big 12 Cowboy's rival: SOONER.

59. Buzz creator: BEE.

61. Twilights, in verse: EENS. Twilight is plurable?

62. Vocalist: SONGSTER.

64. Long border range: URAL.

66. Dives into, as a workload: ATTACKS.

69. Dundee denials: NAES.

70. Speak with style: ORATE.

71. Makeshift weapon: SHIV.

72. Luray attraction: CAVERNS.

75. Burgundy and Weasley: RONS.

76. Landed with a line: REELED IN.

80. Novelist Waugh: ALEC.

81. Ref. whose recent updates include "chillax" and "whatev": OED. Oxford English Dictionary.

83. Ward of "FBI": SELA.

86. College URL ending: DOT EDU.

89. Madison in "Splash," e.g.: MERMAID.

91. Acorn coats: TESTAE. No idea. Plural of "testa".


92. Thumbs-ups: YESSES.

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

94. Foreshadow: BODE.

96. Cut down: HEWN.

97. "Told you so!": SEE.

98. Laundry cycle: RINSE.

100. Furthered the development of: NURTURED.

102. Eager beaver's demand: ME FIRST.

106. Leading airplane features?: NOSES.

108. Farm gatherings: EGGS.

109. Red-carpet honorees: ELITE.

110. Thurman of "Pulp Fiction": UMA.

112. Maker of BILLY bookcases: IKEA. Looks nice.


114. Outback offering: RIB-EYE.

118. Small craft: DORY.

119. Acknowledge the general: SNAP TO.

121. Folksy Guthrie: ARLO.

124. "Great" primate: APE.

125. Post-Christmas event: RETURN.

126. "Forbidden" perfume: TABU.

127. One of a seagoing trio: Niña. 68. 127-Across feature: TILDE.

128. Beethoven's "__ Adieux" Sonata: LES.

129. Horses originally developed in a desert climate: ARABS.

130. Sty feed: SLOP.

131. He played Ricky in early TV: DESI. "I Love Lucy".

Down:

1. Competently: WELL.

2. Sheltered, at sea: ALEE.

3. Time-consuming: LONG.

6. Sworn statement: I DO. And 37. Bridge call: I PASS.

7. Stint: TERM.

9. __ Salvador: SAN.

11. Simple choice: A OR B.

12. Haul out of bed: ROUST. And 15. Crop up: ARISE.

13. Phishing target, briefly: SSN.

14. Wear with pride: SPORT.

16. Fit as a fiddle: TONED.

28. Cardinals, e.g.: Abbr.: NOS. Numbers.

30. Skin care brand: NIVEA.

32. Field: LEA.

34. Heavy burden: ONUS.

36. What some put on to feel better about themselves: AIRS.

38. Anti-harassment movement: ME TOO.

39. Anti-apartheid author Alan: PATON. He wrote "Cry, the Beloved Country".


40. Cube makeup: SUGAR.

42. Prepare for a selfie: POSE.

46. Syr. neighbor: LEB.

49. TVA output: ELEC.

50. Descend: SINK.

51. House mtg.: SESS. Session.

53. "Dog Whisperer" Millan: CESAR.

60. Simplify: EASE.

63. Canadian gas: ESSO.

65. Very confused: AT SEA.

72. Suffragist Elizabeth __ Stanton: CADY. Learning moment for me also.


73. Skin soother: ALOE.

74. November honorees: VETS. We're going to the big VA hospital on June 5th. A bit nervous to be there for a few hours. The blood draw area is always a zoo. But we have the KN 95 masks Spitzboov kindly sent to us.

76. Home detector target: RADON.

77. Block: DETER. Our Asia store has this sign.


78. Blown away: IN AWE.

79. Interminably: NO END.

82. Part of FEMA: Abbr.: EMER.

84. Rights movement shorthand: LIB.

87. Maker of Zero-Turn mowers: DEERE.

88. Functions: USES.

90. City that aptly rhymes with "casino": RENO.

95. Word on a bill: DUE.

99. What a mouse may evoke: EEK. Boomer just set up a trap two days ago. We have a troublemaker in the basement.

101. __ Fridays: TGI.

102. Podium handout: MEDAL.

103. Bolt to tie the knot: ELOPE.

104. Sends packing: FIRES.

105. One working on pitches: TUNER. Don G is one.

107. There aren't quite enough of them in musical chairs: SEATS. I don't get this clue.

111. Hari of espionage: MATA.

113. Sea devastated by irrigation projects: ARAL.

115. Actress Falco: EDIE.

116. Urges: YENS.

117. Morales of "Jericho": ESAI.

119. Span. title: SRA.

120. __-80: old computer: TRS.

122. Bit of Wall St. news: LBO.



May 17, 2020

Sunday May 17, 2020 Adam Vincent

Theme: "Illegal Tender" -  Phrases are humorously rephrased as "what money".

22. Mad money?: STEAMED CLAMS. Fit for Jim Cramer.

28. Grant money?: WISHBONES.
 
40. Hot money?: BUFFALO BILLS. Hot money "is capital that investors regularly move between economies and financial markets to profit from highest short-term interest rates", according to Investopedia.

52. Ransom money?: SPRING ROLL.

76. Old money?: STALE BREAD.

87. Paper money?: EDITOR'S NOTES.
 
100. Bad money?: SOURDOUGH. What is bad money?

109. Smart money?: SHARP CHEDDAR.

Looks like this Adam's debut Sunday. Congratulations! A sparkly 140-worder to boot.

We've seen various money theme over the years, like this CASH UPFRONT puzzle. Adam added an extra complexity and difficulty to clues, which are all in- the-language "what money".


Across:

1. "Please stay": DON'T GO. And 19. "I swear!": NO LIE. 60. "What else could it be?!": DUH. 83. "What are you gonna do about it?!": SUE ME. Quite a few spoken phrases.

7. Fallopian tube neighbor: OVARY.

12. __ Beta Kappa: PHI.

15. Just peachy, in old slang: OKE. Never heard of Boomer uses this slang.

18. Tool for winter fishing: ICE SAW.

20. Royal problem?: PAIN. Royal pain.

21. Superhero sound effect: POW.

24. Lingerie brand: OLGA. The malls here will be reopened next Monday.

25. Chapter in history: ERA.

26. Close-knit team: CADRE.

27. Navel type: OUTIE.

30. Takes too much, briefly: ODS. Overdoses.

31. The OED's 21,728, e.g.: PAGES.

33. Australian rockers __ at Work: MEN.


34. Shoot for: AIM AT.

35. Voice below soprano: ALTO.

36. French toppers: BERETS.

39. NFL pass rushers, as a unit: D LINE. Defensive line.

45. They're used for emphasis: ITALICS.

47. Olympian Bolt: USAIN.



48. Bit of info: DATUM.

49. Nasty type: MEANIE.

50. Social media pic that may go viral: MEME.

51. Intrinsically: PER SE. Also the pricey restaurant.

56. Amtrak track: RAIL.

57. Talk Like a Pirate Day word: ARR.

58. Undoing: BANE.

61. Go head to head: VIE.

62. From sunup to sundown: ALL-DAY.

64. Afterwords: EPILOGS.

67. Greek goddess of wisdom: ATHENA.

69. Hawaiian staple: POI. I miss taro. Will venture out to that big Asian store once things get better here.



70. Gamer's complaint: LAG.

72. Arrived at, as a conclusion: DREW.

73. BuzzFeed reaction button: LOL.

75. Wears on: IRKS.

79. Dishes out incautiously: SLOPS. These umeboshi will be in my mouth next Saturday, hopefully.

81. Sister of Rachel: LEAH.

82. Mercedes-Benz sedan line: E CLASS.  Dennis' car. Not sure what class his is. We also have 17. Discarded old PCs, say: E WASTE.

84. Put on: STAGE.

85. Should really: HAD BEST.

89. Type of drum or dance: CONGA.

90. Cassock wearer: PRIEST.

92. Long, long time: AEON.

93. Heavenly body?: ANGEL. Great clue.

94. Bear in Baja: OSO.

95. Seder staple: MATZO.

97. Pres. when Sputnik was launched: DDE.

103. Hindu teacher: SWAMI.

105. Rumble in the Jungle setting: ZAIRE.

107. Celtic Sea land, to the IOC: IRL. Ireland.

108. Hard end?: WARE. Hardware. TTP's domain.

111. Wonderland drink: TEA.

112. "I would consider __ honor": IT AN.

113. Backwoods type: YOKEL.

114. Self-referential "Don't you think?": AREN'T I.

115. Fizzy prefix: AER.

116. Flyers' org.: NHL.

117. Witherspoon of "Wild": REESE.

118. African pest: TSETSE. Hey, full name.

Down:

1. '70s music genre: DISCO.

2. Pie slices, often: OCTAD.

3. Water and air, e.g.: NEEDS. Really dislike the hard water here in Minnesota. But the air is so clean. I often take pretty cloud pictures and make my friend Lesley jealous.


4. Peter the Great, e.g.: TSAR.

5. Strategy: GAME PLAN.

6. Be indebted to: OWE.

7. As expected: ON CUE.

8. Battery count: VOLTS.

9. Jai __: ALAI.

10. Ancient mariner's story, e.g.: RIME.

11. Positive answer: YES.

12. Besties: PALS.

13. Runner's __: HIGH.

14. Unfavorably: IN A BAD LIGHT. Partner with 63. Tina Fey's boss on "30 Rock": ALEC BALDWIN.

15. Feature of club nights for comic wannabes: OPEN MIC.

16. Main cast of "Parasite," e.g.: KOREANS. Just won Best Picture this year.


20. Finer-tipped: POINTIER.

23. Well-intentioned humanitarian: DO-GOODER.

28. Like a bairn: WEE.

29. Fried foods, vis-à-vis baked ones: OILIER. Popular breakfast fast when I grew up. Jayce loved You Tiao also.




32. Georgia airport code: ATL.

33. Dash in a spice rack?: MRS. Mrs. Dash.

35. Word rarely used without "far": AFIELD.

36. Living symbol of happiness: BLUEBIRD. "Blue birds singing a song. Nothing but blue skies from now on."

37. State tree of Massachusetts: ELM.

38. No-nonsense: STAID.

40. Undeserved punishments: BUM RAPS.

41. Rely heavily on: USE A LOT.

42. Hermanos, primas, etcétera: FAMILIA. Family. We also have 89. Bolivian bungalow: CASITA.

43. Ballet-inspired workout method: BARRE.

44. Oft-mispunctuated word: IT'S.

46. Time Person of the Year et al.: ANNUALS.

49. Compressed file format: MPEG.

51. Accounts __: PAYABLE.

52. Ski slope apparel: SNOWSUIT. Thought of Marti.

53. Stuff oneself silly: OVEREAT.

54. Connection: LINKAGE.

55. Pet control aids: LEASHES.

59. Tavern mugful: ALE.

65. Devices made largely obsolete by smartphones: PDAS.

66. NFL ref's review aid: SLO-MO.

68. Multinational hotel chain: HILTON. Hilton Xi'an.


71. Understand: GRASP.

74. Like many La Scala productions: OPERATIC.

77. Bookkeeper's book: LEDGER.

78. Ovarian hormone: ESTROGEN.

80. Rent: LET.

83. '60s protest gp.: SDS. Students for a Democratic Society.

84. Big bores: SNOOZERS.

85. Special guest, perhaps: HONOREE.

86. Like many Cubist paintings: ANGULAR.

87. Fair-hiring inits.: EEO.

88. "__ me!": SEZ.

91. Sorta cousin: ISH.

95. Former fillies: MARES.

96. More than enough: AMPLE.

97. "__ We Almost Have It All": DIDN'T.

98. Mildly annoyed cries: DRATS.

99. Unnerving: EERIE.

101. Swear words?: OATH.

102. River through Orsk: URAL.

103. Pump, e.g.: SHOE.

104. Aftermath: WAKE.

106. "Zip-__-Doo-Dah": A-DEE.

109. Home of many 2010s refugees: Abbr.: SYR.

110. Magician's source of surprises: HAT.

C.C.



May 10, 2020

Sunday May 10, 2020 Paul Coulter

Theme: "Trade School" - X is orderly changed into letters S/T/U/D/E/N/T.

 23. This year's hatchlings?: NEST GENERATION. Next generation.
 
37. Chopin virtuoso's self-assurance?: ETUDE CONFIDENCE. Exude confidence.
 
50. Greek cross in a company logo?: CORPORATE TAU. Corporate tax.

58. Opinion surveys on text changes?: EDIT POLLS. Exit polls.

80. Time to honor an aircraft manufacturer?: BOEING DAY. Boxing Day.

91. Shark's interim appendage?: TEMPORARY FIN. Temporary fix.

97. Ripening of a Mediterranean fruit?: OLIVE COMPLETION. Olive complexion.

Reveal:

120. Pupil with a phonetic beginning that hints at what the circled letters comprise: X CHANGE STUDENT.

BOEING DAY and OLIVE COMPLETION changes are amazing, long and unexpected.

No straying X'es, so all's good. Paul probably had plenty of theme choices. But once Rich OK'ed the final set, he had to grid the entries in the strict order. Not much gridding flexibility.
 
Across:

1. Noble, unselfish sort: GALAHAD. Son of Lancelot.

8. Copy: PARROT.

14. Language of the Quran: ARABIC.

20. Magnetite, e.g.: IRON ORE.

21. Port N of Pittsburgh: ERIE PA. N hints at an Abbr.

22. Examine in detail: PERUSE.

25. Influential groups: ELITES.

26. Quelques-__: a few, in French: UNES. 119. East, in Essen: OST.  And two Spanish references: 33. Acapulco aunt: TIA. And 34. Mayo is found in it: ANO.

27. One in a shell: TURTLE.

28. ER workers: RNS.

30. "Bellefleur" author: OATES. Wiki says Joyce Carol Oates has 58 novels published. Stunning.



31. Half a tuba sound: PAH.

32. Scrips: MEDS.

35. Quarterback Manning: ELI.

45. Highland hillsides: BRAES.

47. Attorney general after Sessions: BARR. He and Roseanne. Not many cluing options.
 
48. Tummy muscles: ABS.

49. Coal carrier: HOD. Looks heavy.


54. Exist: ARE.

55. Diva deliveries: SOLI. Plural of solo.

56. Formally commend: CITE.

57. Ancient assembly areas: AGORAS. Alliterative all the way.

60. Extend People: RENEW.

62. Santa feature: BEARD.

64. Kids' song refrain: E I E I O.

65. Some QB protectors: RGS. Right guards.

68. Alpine peasant dress: DIRNDL. Consonant-rich.


70. Sealed: UNOPEN. I use "unopened".

73. Animal house: DEN.

74. Skateboarding move: OLLIE.

76. Peak: CREST.

78. Lover of Silvio in "Pagliacci": NEDDA. We had this before. I forgot.

83. Jeered: HOOTED.

85. Buckwheat noodle: SOBA. Plenty in our local grocery stores. But no udon.


89. U.K. honors: OBES. OBE = Order of the British Empire.

90. Faller of 2001: MIR.  De-orbited in March 2001.

93. Bug: TAP.

94. Knock: RAP.

95. Q.E.D. word: ERAT.

96. Hoists: HEFTS.

103. UFO crew, in theory: ETS.

104. "One Mic" rapper: NAS.

105. Anaheim MLB team, in crawl lines: LAA. And 112. Baseball brother: ALOU. Korean baseball is on.


106. Meh: SO SO.

108. Film buff's channel: TCM.

111. Typical hole-in-one, e.g.: EAGLE.

113. Triage ctrs.: ERS.

114. Piggies' protector: BOOTIE.

117. "... __ saw Elba": ERE I.

118. White rat, e.g.: ALBINO.

123. Beach locales: COASTS. Lots of solid 6-worders in Paul's grid.

124. Bread maker: EARNER.

125. Heartfelt: EARNEST.

126. Most massive: HUGEST.

127. Heavy hammer: SLEDGE.

128. High houses: SENATES.

Down:

1. Generate: GIN UP.

2. Place to play: ARENA.

3. Become discouraged: LOSE HEART. Great fill.

4. Queen's offspring: ANTS.

5. Monopolize: HOG.

6. Mountain ridge: ARETE. Learned from doing crosswords.


7. Strip of vegetation: DENUDE.

8. Chipper: PERT.

9. Seriously shrunken sea: ARAL.

10. Baptism, for one: RITE.

11. Outdoor gear brand: REI. And 67. Item of camping gear: SLEEPING BAG.

12. Portugal's second-largest city: OPORTO.

13. Astringent in red wine: TANNIN. Also in tea.

14. "Tarzan" critter: APE.

15. Puts in more film: RELOADS.

16. French satellite launcher: ARIANE. No idea. Read more here.

17. Grabbed for a chat: BUTTONHOLED. Another great fill.

18. "Of course": I SEE. 42. "As if": I BET.

19. Prefix with pit: CESS.

24. At one time, at one time: ERST.

29. Apple browser: SAFARI.

32. Japanese soup: MISO. Just don't feel comfortable going to our Asian grocery stores. I really miss touching things that I don't intend to buy.

36. Sufferer healed by Jesus: LEPER.

38. Super, slangily: UBER.

39. Like some artifacts, thanks to radiocarbon: DATABLE.

40. Clear: ERASE.

41. French vineyard: CRU.

43. Border __: COLLIE.

44. Inventor of an early stock ticker: EDISON.

45. Discreetly send a dupe email to: BCC.

46. "Vive le __!": ROI.

51. Eastern royal: RANI.

52. New __: AGER.

53. Limo service vehicle: TOWN CAR.

54. Extend: ADD ONTO.

55. "... or __ thought": SO I.

58. Coastal flier: ERN. Sometimes it's ERNE.

59. Await judgment: PEND.

61. Sistine Chapel mural setting: EDEN.

63. Quaint coin-op eatery: AUTOMAT.

65. Surname in a 1983 Styx hit: ROBOTO.

66. Worldwide: GLOBAL. This picture is widely circulated in Chinese social media. The coronavirus is under control there. This is the price of victory.


69. Arid: DRY.

71. Equal: PEER.

72. Historic Icelandic work: EDDA.

75. "__ for Innocent": Grafton novel: I IS.

77. Sex educator Hite: SHERE.

79. So far: AS YET. My home town Xi'an has 12 million people. Total 123 coronavirus cases. 3 deaths.  No new cases for the past 10 weeks. But people still wear masks, fearing of second wave. You still have to have your temperature taken when you take a bus or go to a grocery store.

81. 2008 TARP beneficiary renamed Ally Financial: GMAC.

82. Simple radio antenna: DIPOLE.

84. Eye opener?: OPTI. And 92. Stat start: RHEO. And 101. Bone: Pref.: OSTE.

86. Like garage parking: OFF-STREET.

87. Modicum: BIT.

88. Reply to a ques.: ANS. Answer.

91. Bus. card info: TEL.

94. Is indignant about: RESENTS.

98. Carousel traveler: VALISE.

99. Funny brothers: MARXES.

100. Programming language named for a mathematician: PASCAL.

102. Sounds: NOISES.

107. Bristlelike parts: SETAE.

109. Perfume, as at High Mass: CENSE.

110. Hands, in slang: MITTS.

111. Apiece: EACH.

114. Boston or Chicago: BAND.

115. Blood type, briefly: O NEG.

116. Shrek, for one: OGRE.

117. "Giant" author Ferber: EDNA.

121. Charlemagne's domain: Abbr.: HRE. Holy Roman Empire.

122. Coffee hour vessel: URN.




Happy Mother's Day to all the moms on our blog!

C.C