Theme: Argot - Ar got. Add R to a common English word and form a two-word new phrase where the same R-following letter string in the first word also starts the second word. Then contract the two.
23A. Width of a freeway exit? : RAMP 'AMPLITUDE. Did this tip you off the theme gimmick immediately?
25A. Collection of complaints? : RANT 'ANTHOLOGY
39A. Apartment party? : RENT 'ENTERTAINMENT
50A. "I slept about eight hours"? : REST 'ESTIMATE.
53A. Indifference to Dr. Dre? : RAP 'APATHY. I was wondering if Dr. Dre knows how famous he is in Xword world.
69A. Mai tai decoration? : RUM 'UMBRELLA
89A. Slam dunk component? : RIM 'IMPACT
92A. CBer's handle? : RIDE 'IDENTITY
99A. Like permissive dog owners? : ROVER 'OVERINDULGENT
121A. Lazy time for Huck Finn? : RAFT 'AFTERNOON
123A. Idiot driving a semi? : RIG 'IGNORAMUS
I don't quite get the title "Argot". Am I right in understanding the "ar got" gimmick? Argyle thinks so.
The title reminded me of Henry Hook's "Element 18" puzzle where letter Rs are deleted from all the answers. Element 18 is Argon ( R Gone) in periodic table.
I had a tough time getting into the constructor's mindset. The theme concept is quite unique. Also, no cheater square in the whole grid.
Not fond of the IN repeats in the grid, though I do understand the difficulty in avoiding the little duplications in a giant 21*21:
57A. Bamboozled : TAKEN IN
32D . __ town: recently arrived : NEW IN
74D. Entered : WENT IN
79D. Fill, as another's shoes : STEP INTO
101D. Up __: indignant : IN ARMS
Across:
1. Tot's call : MOMMY
6. LAX listings : ARRS
10. Cabbage with crinkly, curled leaves : SAVOY. It's Savoy Cabbage. Not savoy alone.
15. Knopf, e.g.: Abbr. : PUBL. Publication. Not a familiar abbr. to me.
19. Domingo solos : ARIAS
20. No, to Nureyev : NYET. Russian for "No". Alliteration.
21. Adler who outwitted Sherlock Holmes : IRENE. Drew a blank.
22. Capital on Upolu island : APIA. Samoan capital.
27. Ad writer's award : CLIO
28. Treacherous place : MINE FIELD. Treacherous indeed.
30. Flips : UPENDS
31. Potentially offensive, in a way : UN PC
33. TV chef Martin : YAN. Great personality.
34. Venerable one : ELDER
36. Movie buff's collectible : POSTER. See "Metropolis". Over half a million. Nuts.
45. Covert maritime org. : ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence)
46. Use a towel on : WIPE
48. Old pros : VETS
49. Bradley in uniform : OMAR
56. "O patria __": "Aida" aria : MIA. Literally "Oh, my dear country".
58. Deck out : DRESS
60. No more than : MERELY
62. Seine views : ILES
63. Navigable connection : STRAIT
65. In concert : AS ONE
67. Measure out : ALLOT
72. Scroogean look : SCOWL
76. Former jockey Smith who was married to Fred Astaire in the '80s : ROBYN. First encounter with this lady. She looks pretty.
78. Online exchange : EMAILS
80. Surveyor's measure : AREA
81. Writer Leonard : ELMORE. Have any of you read his "Get Shorty"?
84. Below, in verse : 'NEATH
86. Finished : AT AN END
88. Damone of song : VIC. What's his famous song?
94. Qatar bigwig : EMIR
96. Wine opener? : OENO. Prefix for "wine".
97. Listening to every word : RAPT
98. Completed : DID
105. Historic Honolulu palace : IOLANI. The palace where their last king lived. Had difficulty spelling the name. So many vowels.
107. Sri __ : LANKA
108. Latin word of affection : AMO. Te amo.
109. Author __ Morrow Lindbergh : ANNE
110. Andean beast : ALPACA
113. Removed with a chisel : GOUGED OUT
117. Generational disconnects : GAPS
125. Long sentence : LIFE. Prison sentence. Awesome clue.
126. Force : MIGHT
127. "Law & Order: SVU" actor : ICE-T
128. Oak-to-be : ACORN
129. Remnants : ORTS. Classic crosswordese.
130. Final word : SAY SO
131. Vat sediment : LEES
132. Kids : TYKES
Down:
1. French grape-skin brandy : MARC. No idea. Pomace brandy.
2. Hard exam : ORAL. Why is it hard?
3. "La Bohème" heroine : MIMI. Easy guess.
4. Plan : MAP OUT
5. Maker of the fragrance Opium : YSL. I am using Opium.
6. Silly bit : ANTIC
7. Record-setting miler Jim : RYUN. Nope. Another stranger.
8. Aptly named flight : RED-EYE
9. Edberg of tennis : STEFAN. Swedish.
10. Paddock parent : SIRE
11. Disappearing sea : ARAL. In Central Asia.
12. Family feud : VENDETTA. Great word.
13. N.Y. neighbor : ONT
14. Violinist Menuhin : YEHUDI. Well, one more foreign name to me.
15. Sicilian seaport : PALERMO. Capital of Sicily.
16. Soon after : UPON
17. Cowboys' city, familiarly : BIG D. Dallas.
18. Attacks, with "into" : LAYS
24. In the first place : IMPRIMIS. New word to me also.
26. In full bloom : OPEN
29. Mtge. payment part : INT
35. Make it : LAST
36. "The quality of mercy is not strained" speaker : PORTIA. The girl in "The Merchant of Venice".
37. Common soccer score : ONE ALL. Tied. One to One.
38. Ebert's longtime co-host : SISKEL (Gene)
39. On a pension: Abbr. : RET
40. Gabor and others : EVAS
41. Exercise units : REPS
42. Single-named supermodel : EMME. Always want EMMA.
43. Get the goods on : NAIL
44. Cafeteria staple : TRAY
47. Storage site : PANTRY
51. Pizarro's treasure : TESORO. No idea. It's Spanish for "treasure".
52. Party cheese : EDAM
53. Back off : RETREAT
54. Med. care provider : HMO
55. Hungers : YENS. I've got the yen for pickled herring.
59. Pick on : RIB
61. Eat one's words : RECANT
64. Clear out : RUN
65. Boxing biopic : ALI. Will Smith.
66. Lipton alternative : SALADA
68. Unit of pressure : TORR. Mystery answer. It's named after Italian physicist Torricelli, who invented barometer.
70. Hwy. mishap respondent : EMT
71. 1939 Garland co-star : LAHR (Bert). Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz".
73. Steam n' Mash maker : ORE-IDA
75. Bride of July '81 : LADY DI
77. "__ Mir Bist Du Schoen": 1937 hit : BEI. Can never remember the song. "To Me, You're Beautiful".
81. Sometime : EVER
82. Oscar night rental : LIMO
83. Twice DLII : MCIV. 1104.
84. TV alien's word : NANU. Nanu Nanu. From "Mork & Mindy'.
85. Green's sci. : ECOL
87. Composer Bruckner : ANTON. No idea. Sounds Russian.
90. Abbey resident : MONK
91. Teaching : PEDAGOGY. Perfect consonant & vowel arrangement.
93. First NYC subway : IRT
95. Tells : RELATES
100. Streak : RACE
102. Skit part : GAG
103. "Farm to Fork" author : EMERIL (Lagasse). "Bam!".
104. Curt refusal : NO DICE
106. What you will : LEGACY. Nice clue.
109. Pittypat and Polly : AUNTS. Who's Aunt Pittypat?
110. Alice's chronicler : ARLO. "Alice's Restaurant".
111. Cub's place : LAIR
112. Up-in-smoke sound : PFFT
114. Shows amazement : OOHS
115. "Do __ others ..." : UNTO
116. Architectural S-curve : OGEE
118. Crazily : AMOK
119. Unadulterated : PURE
120. Office IDs : SSNS
122. Long on screen : NIA. Nia Long. Gorgeous clue, with Long in the beginning.
124. Stinker : RAT
Answer grid.
C.C.
23A. Width of a freeway exit? : R
25A. Collection of complaints? : R
39A. Apartment party? : R
50A. "I slept about eight hours"? : R
53A. Indifference to Dr. Dre? : R
69A. Mai tai decoration? : R
89A. Slam dunk component? : R
92A. CBer's handle? : R
99A. Like permissive dog owners? : R
121A. Lazy time for Huck Finn? : R
123A. Idiot driving a semi? : R
I don't quite get the title "Argot". Am I right in understanding the "ar got" gimmick? Argyle thinks so.
The title reminded me of Henry Hook's "Element 18" puzzle where letter Rs are deleted from all the answers. Element 18 is Argon ( R Gone) in periodic table.
I had a tough time getting into the constructor's mindset. The theme concept is quite unique. Also, no cheater square in the whole grid.
Not fond of the IN repeats in the grid, though I do understand the difficulty in avoiding the little duplications in a giant 21*21:
57A. Bamboozled : TAKEN IN
32D . __ town: recently arrived : NEW IN
74D. Entered : WENT IN
79D. Fill, as another's shoes : STEP INTO
101D. Up __: indignant : IN ARMS
Across:
1. Tot's call : MOMMY
6. LAX listings : ARRS
10. Cabbage with crinkly, curled leaves : SAVOY. It's Savoy Cabbage. Not savoy alone.
15. Knopf, e.g.: Abbr. : PUBL. Publication. Not a familiar abbr. to me.
19. Domingo solos : ARIAS
20. No, to Nureyev : NYET. Russian for "No". Alliteration.
21. Adler who outwitted Sherlock Holmes : IRENE. Drew a blank.
22. Capital on Upolu island : APIA. Samoan capital.
27. Ad writer's award : CLIO
28. Treacherous place : MINE FIELD. Treacherous indeed.
30. Flips : UPENDS
31. Potentially offensive, in a way : UN PC
33. TV chef Martin : YAN. Great personality.
34. Venerable one : ELDER
36. Movie buff's collectible : POSTER. See "Metropolis". Over half a million. Nuts.
45. Covert maritime org. : ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence)
46. Use a towel on : WIPE
48. Old pros : VETS
49. Bradley in uniform : OMAR
56. "O patria __": "Aida" aria : MIA. Literally "Oh, my dear country".
58. Deck out : DRESS
60. No more than : MERELY
62. Seine views : ILES
63. Navigable connection : STRAIT
65. In concert : AS ONE
67. Measure out : ALLOT
72. Scroogean look : SCOWL
76. Former jockey Smith who was married to Fred Astaire in the '80s : ROBYN. First encounter with this lady. She looks pretty.
78. Online exchange : EMAILS
80. Surveyor's measure : AREA
81. Writer Leonard : ELMORE. Have any of you read his "Get Shorty"?
84. Below, in verse : 'NEATH
86. Finished : AT AN END
88. Damone of song : VIC. What's his famous song?
94. Qatar bigwig : EMIR
96. Wine opener? : OENO. Prefix for "wine".
97. Listening to every word : RAPT
98. Completed : DID
105. Historic Honolulu palace : IOLANI. The palace where their last king lived. Had difficulty spelling the name. So many vowels.
107. Sri __ : LANKA
108. Latin word of affection : AMO. Te amo.
109. Author __ Morrow Lindbergh : ANNE
110. Andean beast : ALPACA
113. Removed with a chisel : GOUGED OUT
117. Generational disconnects : GAPS
125. Long sentence : LIFE. Prison sentence. Awesome clue.
126. Force : MIGHT
127. "Law & Order: SVU" actor : ICE-T
128. Oak-to-be : ACORN
129. Remnants : ORTS. Classic crosswordese.
130. Final word : SAY SO
131. Vat sediment : LEES
132. Kids : TYKES
Down:
1. French grape-skin brandy : MARC. No idea. Pomace brandy.
2. Hard exam : ORAL. Why is it hard?
3. "La Bohème" heroine : MIMI. Easy guess.
4. Plan : MAP OUT
5. Maker of the fragrance Opium : YSL. I am using Opium.
6. Silly bit : ANTIC
7. Record-setting miler Jim : RYUN. Nope. Another stranger.
8. Aptly named flight : RED-EYE
9. Edberg of tennis : STEFAN. Swedish.
10. Paddock parent : SIRE
11. Disappearing sea : ARAL. In Central Asia.
12. Family feud : VENDETTA. Great word.
13. N.Y. neighbor : ONT
14. Violinist Menuhin : YEHUDI. Well, one more foreign name to me.
15. Sicilian seaport : PALERMO. Capital of Sicily.
16. Soon after : UPON
17. Cowboys' city, familiarly : BIG D. Dallas.
18. Attacks, with "into" : LAYS
24. In the first place : IMPRIMIS. New word to me also.
26. In full bloom : OPEN
29. Mtge. payment part : INT
35. Make it : LAST
36. "The quality of mercy is not strained" speaker : PORTIA. The girl in "The Merchant of Venice".
37. Common soccer score : ONE ALL. Tied. One to One.
38. Ebert's longtime co-host : SISKEL (Gene)
39. On a pension: Abbr. : RET
40. Gabor and others : EVAS
41. Exercise units : REPS
42. Single-named supermodel : EMME. Always want EMMA.
43. Get the goods on : NAIL
44. Cafeteria staple : TRAY
47. Storage site : PANTRY
51. Pizarro's treasure : TESORO. No idea. It's Spanish for "treasure".
52. Party cheese : EDAM
53. Back off : RETREAT
54. Med. care provider : HMO
55. Hungers : YENS. I've got the yen for pickled herring.
59. Pick on : RIB
61. Eat one's words : RECANT
64. Clear out : RUN
65. Boxing biopic : ALI. Will Smith.
66. Lipton alternative : SALADA
68. Unit of pressure : TORR. Mystery answer. It's named after Italian physicist Torricelli, who invented barometer.
70. Hwy. mishap respondent : EMT
71. 1939 Garland co-star : LAHR (Bert). Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz".
73. Steam n' Mash maker : ORE-IDA
75. Bride of July '81 : LADY DI
77. "__ Mir Bist Du Schoen": 1937 hit : BEI. Can never remember the song. "To Me, You're Beautiful".
81. Sometime : EVER
82. Oscar night rental : LIMO
83. Twice DLII : MCIV. 1104.
84. TV alien's word : NANU. Nanu Nanu. From "Mork & Mindy'.
85. Green's sci. : ECOL
87. Composer Bruckner : ANTON. No idea. Sounds Russian.
90. Abbey resident : MONK
91. Teaching : PEDAGOGY. Perfect consonant & vowel arrangement.
93. First NYC subway : IRT
95. Tells : RELATES
100. Streak : RACE
102. Skit part : GAG
103. "Farm to Fork" author : EMERIL (Lagasse). "Bam!".
104. Curt refusal : NO DICE
106. What you will : LEGACY. Nice clue.
109. Pittypat and Polly : AUNTS. Who's Aunt Pittypat?
110. Alice's chronicler : ARLO. "Alice's Restaurant".
111. Cub's place : LAIR
112. Up-in-smoke sound : PFFT
114. Shows amazement : OOHS
115. "Do __ others ..." : UNTO
116. Architectural S-curve : OGEE
118. Crazily : AMOK
119. Unadulterated : PURE
120. Office IDs : SSNS
122. Long on screen : NIA. Nia Long. Gorgeous clue, with Long in the beginning.
124. Stinker : RAT
Answer grid.
C.C.
