Theme: Stuffed - The end letter(s) of each Thanksgiving Day food item is left out. You're too stuffed to eat the whole thing, a la Santa.
23A. Thursday meat : TURKEY WINGS AND DRUM STI(CKS)
35A. Thursday veggie : MASHED POTATOES WITH GRA(VY)
55A. Thursday condiment : HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUC(E)
77A. Thursday veggie : CANDIED YAMS WITH MARSHM(ALLOWS)
91A. Thursday dessert : PUMPKIN PECAN PIE A LA MOD(E)
111A. This weekend's fridge contents, probably, and what's missing from five long puzzle answers? : THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS
Different number of letters are left out in each theme entry. I presume the rationale is just to get a perfect 21 in each entry? Or does CKS, VY, E, ALLOWS & E together anagram to something meaningful?
Very seldom do we see 6 grid spanners in a Sunday puzzle. Tough to pull it off. No to mention a pangram and no cheater. Low word/block count as well. Amazing.
The clue for TAIPEI (71D. Southeast Asian island metropolis) is incorrect. It's East Asian. China, Japan, North/South Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan/Hongkong/Macau all belong to East Asia.
As usual, I've green-highlighted John's signature clechoes.
Across:
1. Insect catchers : WEBS. Had NETS.
5. Something blown before a fight? : FUSE. And BURN (3D. Blow a 5-Across).
9. Seize by force : USURP
14. Monkees' jacket type : NEHRU. Always associated it with the Beatles. And TITLE (72. Jacket line). Book jacket.
19. Marine hue : AQUA. Dennis, I can see dark blue from Minnesota!
20. Exalt : LAUD
21. Long time follower? : NO SEE. Great clue.
22. Allium plant : ONION. Unaware of this fact.
27. Singing hindrance : TIN EAR. I just can't sing.
28. Net weight factors : TARES. And ENMESH (15D. Catch, as in a net)
29. Early Greek Cynic : DIOGENES. Not familiar with this dude. Maybe Argyle the Modern Cynic knows.
30. Sweeping matter : SOOT
32. Curse : OATH
34. __-relief : BAS
45. Bruins' sch. : UCLA
46. Lays eggs in water : SPAWNS
47. Jalisco hundred : CIEN. Spanish for "hundred".
48. Fleur de __: sea salt : SEL. Just "salt" in French. Poivre = Pepper.
49. They're raised at bars : SHOTS. Sure was not thinking of drinks. Also SAKE (4D. Sushi bar drink). Rice wine.
51. Connecting symbol between musical notes : TIE. And READ (62A. Decipher, as music)
52. Auto for Otto, maybe : AUDI. Nice sounding clue.
53. Arch opening? : MATRI. Opening of the word Matriarch.
60. Half an attention-getter : YOO. "Yoo -hoo".
61. Concur : AGREE
63. Everlasting, to the bard : ETERNE. Eternal.
64. Jenny's sound : BRAY. Jenny = She donkey.
65. Vise feature : JAW
66. Certain fed : NARC. Shouldn't "fed" be capitalized?
67. Secretary of state under Reagan : SHULTZ (George)
70. Try : STAB
74. Lyricist Gershwin : IRA. See also LIZA (103D. Gershwin title girl who can make "all the clouds ... roll away"). Had L in place, wanted LOLA.
81. Mountain spine : RIDGE
82. Postnatal bed : CRIB
83. AQI monitor : EPA
84. "... __ down in green pastures" : TO LIE. No idea. From Psalm 23.
85. Alias : AKA
86. __-garou: werewolf : LOUP. French for werewolf. Loup = Wolf. Lupus is Latin for wolf. Learning moment for me.
87. Flaws : FAULTS
90. "Death in Venice" author : MANN (Horace) (Correction: The author is Thomas Mann. Thanks, Dodo.)
96. Lip : RIM
97. Neil Diamond's "__ Said" : I AM I
98. King of rhyme : COLE. Old King Cole. Nursery rhyme.
99. Remain calm : STAY COOL
104. Succeed in : WIN AT
106. More's allegorical island : UTOPIA. Thomas More.
114. Azerbaijani neighbor : IRANI. Wow, what if the hard-to-spell Azerbaijani is the answer?
115. Gas that both protects and pollutes : OZONE
116. Hot rod rod : AXLE
117. Mounted on : ATOP
118. "Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon" author Robert : ROSE. Stranger to me.
119. Georgia gridders, familiarly : DAWGS. University of Georgia Bulldogs. Unknown to me.
120. Macho guy : STUD
121. Peephole feature, often : LENS
Down:
1. One with his name in lights? : WATT. James Watt I suppose.
2. Same: Pref. : EQUI
5. Trout fishing gear : FLY RODS
6. Detroit labor gp. : UAW
7. Fit perfectly : SUIT TO A TEE. Nailed it.
8. Flamboyant Dame : EDNA. Dame Edna.
9. Dethrones : UNSEATS
10. In order that : SO AS TO
11. JFK served in it : USN
12. Sly Foxx : REDD. Why "Sly"?
13. Foot at the head? : PEDI. Don't get the clue.
14. Chewy candy : NOUGAT
16. "__ Hers": 1994 Pulp album : HIS 'N". Another unfamiliar reference.
17. Learning style : ROTE
18. Colleges, Down Under : UNIs.
24. Lighten up : EASE
25. Pun, usually : GROANER
26. The American one is in the thrush family : ROBIN
31. Like an ant. : OPP (Opposite). Antonym.
33. Mother of Hector in the "Iliad" : HECUBA. Mother of Paris as well. I was stumped again.
35. Oozing schmaltz : MUSHY
36. Certain Dwarf's periodic outburst : ACHOO
37. NFL ref's aid : SLO-MO
38. Detest : HATE
39. Doubly : TWICE
40. Took up (with) : SIDED
41. Stream blocker : WEIR. River dam. New word to me. Only know golfer Mike Weir. He won Masters in 2003.
42. The sun, e.g. : G-STAR. Why isn't "sun" capitalized?
43. Show over : RERUN
44. Pulitzer winner Walker : ALICE
50. Smug sort : SMARTIE. Another new word. Reminded me of Smarty Jones.
52. Again : ANEW
53. "It's on me" : MY TREAT
54. "Be there in __" : A SEC
56. Riveted : AGAZE
57. Like Steven Wright's humor : DRY
58. Lawrence's men : ARABS. "Lawrence of Arabia".
59. King's domain : REALM
64. Sch. campus unit : BLDG
65. Doorway part : JAMB
66. Ultimate : NTH
67. Morsel : SCRAP
68. Narrowly defined verse : HAIKU
69. Allow to flow : UNDAM. A real word?
70. Waffle topper : SYRUP
72. Tilt skywards : TIP UP. Have never used this phrase before.
73. It's used for emphasis : ITALIC TEXT. True!
74. Faith of more than one billion : ISLAM. Don't really understand this religion.
75. African lumberer : RHINO
76. Alter, as an agreement : AMEND. OK, EMEND is "Alter, as a text".
78. Pest control brand : D-CON. Wanted RAID.
79. Making independent (from) : WEANING
80. "Arrivederci __" : ROMA
86. Stretches on the road : LIMOS. Nice clue.
87. Biblical hardships : FAMINES
88. Columbia Records jazz producer Macero : TEO. Is this guy very well-known?
89. Toasted : SALUTED
92. Hawthorne's "A" wearer : PRYNNE. In "The Scarlet Letter".
93. Begin to take effect : KICK IN
94. Cornfield chatter : CAWING
95. Mother of Apollo : LETO. Don't confuse her with "Mother of Helen" the swan lady LEDA.
99. Arouse : STIR
100. Via, old-style : THRO
101. Small batteries : AAAs
102. Prayer start : O GOD
105. Sadly : ALAS. Penned in BLUE. Grammatically wrong.
107. __ Office : OVAL
108. Ale brewer Slosberg : PETE. First encounter with this brewer.
109. Fe, in chemistry : IRON
110. Deadly slitherers : ASPS
112. Altar agreement : VOW
113. H1N1 virus, e.g. : FLU
Answer grid.
C.C.
23A. Thursday meat : TURKEY WINGS AND DRUM STI(CKS)
35A. Thursday veggie : MASHED POTATOES WITH GRA(VY)
55A. Thursday condiment : HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUC(E)
77A. Thursday veggie : CANDIED YAMS WITH MARSHM(ALLOWS)
91A. Thursday dessert : PUMPKIN PECAN PIE A LA MOD(E)
111A. This weekend's fridge contents, probably, and what's missing from five long puzzle answers? : THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS
Different number of letters are left out in each theme entry. I presume the rationale is just to get a perfect 21 in each entry? Or does CKS, VY, E, ALLOWS & E together anagram to something meaningful?
Very seldom do we see 6 grid spanners in a Sunday puzzle. Tough to pull it off. No to mention a pangram and no cheater. Low word/block count as well. Amazing.
The clue for TAIPEI (71D. Southeast Asian island metropolis) is incorrect. It's East Asian. China, Japan, North/South Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan/Hongkong/Macau all belong to East Asia.
As usual, I've green-highlighted John's signature clechoes.
Across:
1. Insect catchers : WEBS. Had NETS.
5. Something blown before a fight? : FUSE. And BURN (3D. Blow a 5-Across).
9. Seize by force : USURP
14. Monkees' jacket type : NEHRU. Always associated it with the Beatles. And TITLE (72. Jacket line). Book jacket.
19. Marine hue : AQUA. Dennis, I can see dark blue from Minnesota!
20. Exalt : LAUD
21. Long time follower? : NO SEE. Great clue.
22. Allium plant : ONION. Unaware of this fact.
27. Singing hindrance : TIN EAR. I just can't sing.
28. Net weight factors : TARES. And ENMESH (15D. Catch, as in a net)
29. Early Greek Cynic : DIOGENES. Not familiar with this dude. Maybe Argyle the Modern Cynic knows.
30. Sweeping matter : SOOT
32. Curse : OATH
34. __-relief : BAS
45. Bruins' sch. : UCLA
46. Lays eggs in water : SPAWNS
47. Jalisco hundred : CIEN. Spanish for "hundred".
48. Fleur de __: sea salt : SEL. Just "salt" in French. Poivre = Pepper.
49. They're raised at bars : SHOTS. Sure was not thinking of drinks. Also SAKE (4D. Sushi bar drink). Rice wine.
51. Connecting symbol between musical notes : TIE. And READ (62A. Decipher, as music)
52. Auto for Otto, maybe : AUDI. Nice sounding clue.
53. Arch opening? : MATRI. Opening of the word Matriarch.
60. Half an attention-getter : YOO. "Yoo -hoo".
61. Concur : AGREE
63. Everlasting, to the bard : ETERNE. Eternal.
64. Jenny's sound : BRAY. Jenny = She donkey.
65. Vise feature : JAW
66. Certain fed : NARC. Shouldn't "fed" be capitalized?
67. Secretary of state under Reagan : SHULTZ (George)
70. Try : STAB
74. Lyricist Gershwin : IRA. See also LIZA (103D. Gershwin title girl who can make "all the clouds ... roll away"). Had L in place, wanted LOLA.
81. Mountain spine : RIDGE
82. Postnatal bed : CRIB
83. AQI monitor : EPA
84. "... __ down in green pastures" : TO LIE. No idea. From Psalm 23.
85. Alias : AKA
86. __-garou: werewolf : LOUP. French for werewolf. Loup = Wolf. Lupus is Latin for wolf. Learning moment for me.
87. Flaws : FAULTS
90. "Death in Venice" author : MANN (Horace) (Correction: The author is Thomas Mann. Thanks, Dodo.)
96. Lip : RIM
97. Neil Diamond's "__ Said" : I AM I
98. King of rhyme : COLE. Old King Cole. Nursery rhyme.
99. Remain calm : STAY COOL
104. Succeed in : WIN AT
106. More's allegorical island : UTOPIA. Thomas More.
114. Azerbaijani neighbor : IRANI. Wow, what if the hard-to-spell Azerbaijani is the answer?
115. Gas that both protects and pollutes : OZONE
116. Hot rod rod : AXLE
117. Mounted on : ATOP
118. "Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon" author Robert : ROSE. Stranger to me.
119. Georgia gridders, familiarly : DAWGS. University of Georgia Bulldogs. Unknown to me.
120. Macho guy : STUD
121. Peephole feature, often : LENS
Down:
1. One with his name in lights? : WATT. James Watt I suppose.
2. Same: Pref. : EQUI
5. Trout fishing gear : FLY RODS
6. Detroit labor gp. : UAW
7. Fit perfectly : SUIT TO A TEE. Nailed it.
8. Flamboyant Dame : EDNA. Dame Edna.
9. Dethrones : UNSEATS
10. In order that : SO AS TO
11. JFK served in it : USN
12. Sly Foxx : REDD. Why "Sly"?
13. Foot at the head? : PEDI. Don't get the clue.
14. Chewy candy : NOUGAT
16. "__ Hers": 1994 Pulp album : HIS 'N". Another unfamiliar reference.
17. Learning style : ROTE
18. Colleges, Down Under : UNIs.
24. Lighten up : EASE
25. Pun, usually : GROANER
26. The American one is in the thrush family : ROBIN
31. Like an ant. : OPP (Opposite). Antonym.
33. Mother of Hector in the "Iliad" : HECUBA. Mother of Paris as well. I was stumped again.
35. Oozing schmaltz : MUSHY
36. Certain Dwarf's periodic outburst : ACHOO
37. NFL ref's aid : SLO-MO
38. Detest : HATE
39. Doubly : TWICE
40. Took up (with) : SIDED
41. Stream blocker : WEIR. River dam. New word to me. Only know golfer Mike Weir. He won Masters in 2003.
42. The sun, e.g. : G-STAR. Why isn't "sun" capitalized?
43. Show over : RERUN
44. Pulitzer winner Walker : ALICE
50. Smug sort : SMARTIE. Another new word. Reminded me of Smarty Jones.
52. Again : ANEW
53. "It's on me" : MY TREAT
54. "Be there in __" : A SEC
56. Riveted : AGAZE
57. Like Steven Wright's humor : DRY
58. Lawrence's men : ARABS. "Lawrence of Arabia".
59. King's domain : REALM
64. Sch. campus unit : BLDG
65. Doorway part : JAMB
66. Ultimate : NTH
67. Morsel : SCRAP
68. Narrowly defined verse : HAIKU
69. Allow to flow : UNDAM. A real word?
70. Waffle topper : SYRUP
72. Tilt skywards : TIP UP. Have never used this phrase before.
73. It's used for emphasis : ITALIC TEXT. True!
74. Faith of more than one billion : ISLAM. Don't really understand this religion.
75. African lumberer : RHINO
76. Alter, as an agreement : AMEND. OK, EMEND is "Alter, as a text".
78. Pest control brand : D-CON. Wanted RAID.
79. Making independent (from) : WEANING
80. "Arrivederci __" : ROMA
86. Stretches on the road : LIMOS. Nice clue.
87. Biblical hardships : FAMINES
88. Columbia Records jazz producer Macero : TEO. Is this guy very well-known?
89. Toasted : SALUTED
92. Hawthorne's "A" wearer : PRYNNE. In "The Scarlet Letter".
93. Begin to take effect : KICK IN
94. Cornfield chatter : CAWING
95. Mother of Apollo : LETO. Don't confuse her with "Mother of Helen" the swan lady LEDA.
99. Arouse : STIR
100. Via, old-style : THRO
101. Small batteries : AAAs
102. Prayer start : O GOD
105. Sadly : ALAS. Penned in BLUE. Grammatically wrong.
107. __ Office : OVAL
108. Ale brewer Slosberg : PETE. First encounter with this brewer.
109. Fe, in chemistry : IRON
110. Deadly slitherers : ASPS
112. Altar agreement : VOW
113. H1N1 virus, e.g. : FLU
Answer grid.
C.C.
