Theme: Overheard at the Pub (SS → SH)
24A: Nearly matching outfit's problem?: A TOUCH OF CLASH (A Touch of Class)
47A: Wild zebra party?: STRIPED BASH (Striped Bass)
71A: Basket weaving operation?: MESHY BUSINESS (Messy Business)
94A: Ski house that rustles in the wind?: SWISH CHALET (Swiss Chalet)
118A: Washington nonsense?: POLITICAL BOSH (Political Boss)
3D: Frenzy over 1970s-'80s sitcom?: M*A*S*H HYSTERIA (Mass Hysteria)
67D: Assertive simians: BRASH MONKEYS (Brass Monkeys)
I like STRIPED BASH the most. SWISH CHALET is great too. Seeing DEE DEE (125D: Political pundit Myers) below POLITICAL BOSH made me laugh. Some of her views are indeed POLITICAL BOSH.
MESHY BUSINESS is partly transferred. I guess the constructor/editor needs an odd number 13- letter phrase at row #11 (the center theme in a grid has to have an odd number of letters). But they couldn't find a better one. Both MESHY DIVORCE and MESHY BEDROOM are one letter short. Maybe you can think of a better one?
I don't know the meaning of Brash Monkeys & Mass Hysteria. So the humor is lost on me there. My favorite clue today is DOC (12D: Dopey friend?). We had discussions on the 7 Dwarfs' names before. "Happy/Grumpy/Sleepy friend?" would be excellent too.
Tough struggle again. Too many unknowns for me. I felt like I was playing US Open with only 3 clubs in my bag: driver, 7-iron and putter. Some of the clues are tough. For example, OCT (54A: Natl. Pizza month). I would have got it if it were clued as "World Series month". Maybe not. The World Series month this year will extend to November.
Oh, I finally saw Bo Derk's TEN last night. And the RAVEL "Boléro" part kind of disappointed me. It's not as sexy as I had expected. Fun to see both TEN (5D: Perfection symbol) and RAVEL (55A: Tangle) in the grid though, though they are clued differently.
I found this similar themed puzzle in Jim's database. It has STRIPED BASH also.
Across:
1A: De Niro's "Raging Bull" role: LAMOTTA. Stumped immediately. Have never seen "Raging Bull". Not familiar with the boxer Jake LaMotta either. He is still alive. Wikipedia says he is also nicknamed "The Bronx Bull".
8A: Herod's fortress: MASADA. Hebrew for "fortress". Another stumper for me. See this picture. Did King Herod build it?
14A: "I can't be the only one thinking this": IS IT ME. Got it with the down help.
23A: Hustler's target: AMATEUR. I don't get this one. Why?
21A: Emcee's deliveries: INTROS
22A: "Sorry": NO SOAP. Did not come to me quickly. I've heard of this slang though.
23A: 32-Down player: COSTNER. And NESS (32D: Capone harasser). From "The Untouchables". Great movie.
26A: Repeat: ECHO
27A: Assimilate: ABSORB. And ATTUNE (83D: Adjust). Same first letter in one-word clue and one-word answer. I start to like this style now.
29A: Name in a B-29 lore: ENOLA. ENOLA Gay. Named after the pilot's mother.
30A: Play-__: DOH. You won't believe it. But really I've never heard of Play-DOH. I suppose the DOH is playing on "dough"?
31A: Sleep lab subject: INSOMNIAC
34A: Vibrations: TREMORS
40A: Zany Martha: RAYE. Very often COCA is clued as "Zany Imogene". Why "Zany" all the time"?
41A: Popular Apple: IMAC
43A: Inter __: ALIA. Among others. Et ALIA is "and others".
44A: Chooses not to accept: PASSED ON. Thought of OPTED OUT first.
50A: Terrestrial salamanders: EFTS. And newt. I learned both from doing Xword.
51A: Shade of gray: STEEL. Did not know STEEL can be a color.
60A: Muscular: TONED. Madonna is so thin now. Her arms are always very TONED. Notice the red string Cabala bracelet?
63A: Outcast: PARIAH
66A: Tonsillitis-treating MDS: ENTS. Trouble for me. I am used to the "Tolkien trees" clue. ENT is Ear, Nose, and Throat.
67A: Catch: BAG. Thought of NAB first.
70A: Brit. recording giant: EMI
75A: Play with robots: R.U. R. The Capek play where the word "robot" is introduced. I tanked. Might have got it if the clue were "Play about robots".
76A: Actor Stephen: REA. "The Crying Game" had a profound impact on me.
77A: Prefix with _ cardium: PERI. Pericardium is the membranous sac enclosing the heart. PERI is prefix "around", cardium denotes an organ/tissue associated with heart. New word to me.
78A: Currency exchange fee: AGIO. A word I keep remembering and keep forgetting.
79A: Zippo filler: BUTANE
82A: Taken for: SEEN AS
86A: Ice dams may form in them: EAVES. Have never heard of the term "ice dams".
91A: Full: SATED
93A: Cleft site: CHIN. I did not know there is a special term for this hollow area in the CHIN.
98A: Betrays, as a spouse: TWO-TIMES. Is there a THREE-TIME? I mean, it's not unusual for a man to cheat on his girlfriend also. By the way, what's your definition of "lovers"? Do they have to have a sexual relationship?
100A: "Fisherman with __": Bazille painting. A NET. Holy hot wick! Where is the fisherman? Where is the net?
102A: Dominican diamond family name: ALOU. Baseball diamond. Not the African diamond diamond. The last ALOU (Moisés ALOU) just retired from baseball.
105A: Sidekick played by Bruce Lee in '60s TV: KATO. From "The Green Hornet". I learned from doing Xword. His Lee has the same character (李) as the Li in Jet Li, just different spelling.
106A: "Romanoff and Juliet" playwright Peter: USTINOV. Nope. He does not look like a man with such a complicated surname. Have never heard of "Romanoff and Juliet" either.
108A: Bummed: SCROUNGED. I like this word. Lots of consonants.
111A: Stamp on a bad check: NSF
114A: Church law: CANON. I wonder where CANON Camera got its name.
116A: Point of maximum Earth-moon separation: APOGEE. Opposite perigee.
117A: Black & Decker rival: SKIL. I forgot this Bosche brand. It was clued as "Big name in tool" last time.
122A: Unlikely protagonist: NONHERO. My goodness. It's a real word.
126A: Web communications protocol: TELNET. No idea.
127A: Steak orders: RIBEYES. Want some?
128A: "Gunsmoke" star: ARNESS (James). His name escaped me this morning. I definitely googled him before. He was Marshal Dillon.
129A Ukrainian port: ODESSA
130A: Goes by: ELAPSES
Down:
1D: Tied: LACED. And LOOSES (103D: Unties).
2D: BP merger partner: AMOCO. Merged in 1998. BP is big in China, so is SHELL.
4D: "Airplane!" automatic pilot: OTTO. No idea. Not familiar with the movie "Airplane!". I can't find the name OTTO in this Wiki article. PILOT is also the answer for 81A: Light in the kitchen. But it's only 5 letter. Rich Norris says he will change if it's a long word (6-letter or more) dupe.
6D: Calendar abbr.: TUE. Too vague for me. I need a "Mon. follower" to get the answer.
7D: Rich tapestry: ARRAS
8D: Noxious influence: MIASMA. Metaphorical sense?
9D: Shakespeare title lover: ANTONY. "Antony & Cleopatra". Of course, Romeo came to me first.
10D: Levels: STORIES. British for floors, correct?
11D: Caribbean resort island: ARUBA. The Netherlands has had a strange reach in its history. It also ruled Taiwan from 1624 to 1662, hence the name Dutch Formosa.
13D: Tennis legend: ASHE
14D: Like current regulations: IN FORCE. Tough multiple word answer for me.
15D: Architectural column base: SOCLE. New word to me. Same as plinth?
16D: Capital ESE of Kabul: ISLAMABAD
18D: More, to Miguel: MAS. Know No MAS, No MAS.
19D: Bk. after Galatians: EPH. Before Philippians. I need to commit those Bible books and their order into memory.
25D: Ready in the keg: ON TAP
28D: Brunei's island: BORNEO. See this map. It's the world's third-largest island Island, after Green Land and New Guinea.
31D: Martinique, e.g.: ILE. I had no idea that Martinique belongs to France.
33D: Newspaper no. CIRC
36D: High ground: RISE. Not a familiar definition to me.
39D: Very, to Vivaldi: ASSAI. Allegro ASSAI, very quick.
42D: Two-part glove: MITTEN
44D: Sneeze inducer: PEPPERS
45D: Blazing: AFLAME
46D: Polo Grounds star: OTT (Mel). He played his entire career for NY Giant. HOFer of course.
48D: Where to see piggies: TOOTSIES. Had no idea that TOOTSIE is a slang for foot. Dictionary says it's also a slang for sweetheart/darling/prostitute. What a word!
49D: Prepare for the prom: DRESS UP. No prom in China.
52D: Modern bazaar: EBAY. I wanted MALL again.
53D: Rake over the coals: LAMBASTE. "Rake over the coals" is a new idiom to me.
57D: Somewhat wet: DAMPISH. Only know damp.
59D: Measuring device: GAUGE
62D: Fed. accident investigator: NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board). Created in 1975. I have trouble remembering this abbreviation also.
64D: Louse: HEEL
68D: Mame, to Patrick: AUNTIE. Blanked again. It's from AUNTIE Mame.
69D: Links targets: GREENS. Was thinking of the flags.
72D: Full house sign: SRO
73D: One with a take-out order: HIT MAN. "Take-out" means to murder. Great clue.
74D: New Rochelle college: IONA. See their logo GAELS. Makes great sense, since IONA is also a Scottish Island.
80D: Implied: TACIT
81D: Dust gun output: PESTICIDE. I did not know what a dust gun is.
86D: Birthright seller: ESAU. Often clued as "Biblical twin". Brother of Jacob.
87D: Botanical bristles: AWNS
88D: __: CONG: VIET. Vietnamese is so different in Chinese. I can't make sense of their language at all.
90D: Big bucks: ELKS. Great clue. ELKS are big. Those antlers make me headache.
95D: Buds: CRONIES. Always thought CRONY has a negative tone.
96D: Serious disorder: HAVOC
97D: Atlantic sport fish: TARPONS. Here is a big one. It's silvery. I wonder if the raw fish tastes good.
104D: "You __ Know": Alanis Morissette hit: OUGHTA. Here is the clip. Is it a very well-known song?
107D: The NBA's Archibald et al: NATES. Then NBA later appears as the answer for 123D: 123D: Wizards' grp.
109D: Coax, for instance: CABLE. Coax is short for coaxial. Coaxial CABLE. Hard for me.
110D: History or mystery: GENRE
112D: "Yes __!" SIREE
113D: Dentist's advice: FLOSS. New concept in China.
115D: Intl. alliance since 1949: NATO. Hmm, THE US is a NATO founding member. What a brutal fill the other day.
117D: George of the Jungle's pet elephant: SHEP. No idea. Have never head of "George of the Jungle". Thought it's a dog.
118D: Hi-tech organizer: PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). I am a low-tech dummy. Probably will never own a blackberry.
121D: Set the pace: LED. I like the tense ambiguity in set.
123D: "Starry Night", for example: OIL. Ah, have to show "Starry Starry Night" again. There is always yellow in Van Gogh's blue.
Answer grid.
C.C.
24A: Nearly matching outfit's problem?: A TOUCH OF CLASH (A Touch of Class)
47A: Wild zebra party?: STRIPED BASH (Striped Bass)
71A: Basket weaving operation?: MESHY BUSINESS (Messy Business)
94A: Ski house that rustles in the wind?: SWISH CHALET (Swiss Chalet)
118A: Washington nonsense?: POLITICAL BOSH (Political Boss)
3D: Frenzy over 1970s-'80s sitcom?: M*A*S*H HYSTERIA (Mass Hysteria)
67D: Assertive simians: BRASH MONKEYS (Brass Monkeys)
I like STRIPED BASH the most. SWISH CHALET is great too. Seeing DEE DEE (125D: Political pundit Myers) below POLITICAL BOSH made me laugh. Some of her views are indeed POLITICAL BOSH.
MESHY BUSINESS is partly transferred. I guess the constructor/editor needs an odd number 13- letter phrase at row #11 (the center theme in a grid has to have an odd number of letters). But they couldn't find a better one. Both MESHY DIVORCE and MESHY BEDROOM are one letter short. Maybe you can think of a better one?
I don't know the meaning of Brash Monkeys & Mass Hysteria. So the humor is lost on me there. My favorite clue today is DOC (12D: Dopey friend?). We had discussions on the 7 Dwarfs' names before. "Happy/Grumpy/Sleepy friend?" would be excellent too.
Tough struggle again. Too many unknowns for me. I felt like I was playing US Open with only 3 clubs in my bag: driver, 7-iron and putter. Some of the clues are tough. For example, OCT (54A: Natl. Pizza month). I would have got it if it were clued as "World Series month". Maybe not. The World Series month this year will extend to November.
Oh, I finally saw Bo Derk's TEN last night. And the RAVEL "Boléro" part kind of disappointed me. It's not as sexy as I had expected. Fun to see both TEN (5D: Perfection symbol) and RAVEL (55A: Tangle) in the grid though, though they are clued differently.
I found this similar themed puzzle in Jim's database. It has STRIPED BASH also.
Across:
1A: De Niro's "Raging Bull" role: LAMOTTA. Stumped immediately. Have never seen "Raging Bull". Not familiar with the boxer Jake LaMotta either. He is still alive. Wikipedia says he is also nicknamed "The Bronx Bull".
8A: Herod's fortress: MASADA. Hebrew for "fortress". Another stumper for me. See this picture. Did King Herod build it?
14A: "I can't be the only one thinking this": IS IT ME. Got it with the down help.
23A: Hustler's target: AMATEUR. I don't get this one. Why?
21A: Emcee's deliveries: INTROS
22A: "Sorry": NO SOAP. Did not come to me quickly. I've heard of this slang though.
23A: 32-Down player: COSTNER. And NESS (32D: Capone harasser). From "The Untouchables". Great movie.
26A: Repeat: ECHO
27A: Assimilate: ABSORB. And ATTUNE (83D: Adjust). Same first letter in one-word clue and one-word answer. I start to like this style now.
29A: Name in a B-29 lore: ENOLA. ENOLA Gay. Named after the pilot's mother.
30A: Play-__: DOH. You won't believe it. But really I've never heard of Play-DOH. I suppose the DOH is playing on "dough"?
31A: Sleep lab subject: INSOMNIAC
34A: Vibrations: TREMORS
40A: Zany Martha: RAYE. Very often COCA is clued as "Zany Imogene". Why "Zany" all the time"?
41A: Popular Apple: IMAC
43A: Inter __: ALIA. Among others. Et ALIA is "and others".
44A: Chooses not to accept: PASSED ON. Thought of OPTED OUT first.
50A: Terrestrial salamanders: EFTS. And newt. I learned both from doing Xword.
51A: Shade of gray: STEEL. Did not know STEEL can be a color.
60A: Muscular: TONED. Madonna is so thin now. Her arms are always very TONED. Notice the red string Cabala bracelet?
63A: Outcast: PARIAH
66A: Tonsillitis-treating MDS: ENTS. Trouble for me. I am used to the "Tolkien trees" clue. ENT is Ear, Nose, and Throat.
67A: Catch: BAG. Thought of NAB first.
70A: Brit. recording giant: EMI
75A: Play with robots: R.U. R. The Capek play where the word "robot" is introduced. I tanked. Might have got it if the clue were "Play about robots".
76A: Actor Stephen: REA. "The Crying Game" had a profound impact on me.
77A: Prefix with _ cardium: PERI. Pericardium is the membranous sac enclosing the heart. PERI is prefix "around", cardium denotes an organ/tissue associated with heart. New word to me.
78A: Currency exchange fee: AGIO. A word I keep remembering and keep forgetting.
79A: Zippo filler: BUTANE
82A: Taken for: SEEN AS
86A: Ice dams may form in them: EAVES. Have never heard of the term "ice dams".
91A: Full: SATED
93A: Cleft site: CHIN. I did not know there is a special term for this hollow area in the CHIN.
98A: Betrays, as a spouse: TWO-TIMES. Is there a THREE-TIME? I mean, it's not unusual for a man to cheat on his girlfriend also. By the way, what's your definition of "lovers"? Do they have to have a sexual relationship?
100A: "Fisherman with __": Bazille painting. A NET. Holy hot wick! Where is the fisherman? Where is the net?
102A: Dominican diamond family name: ALOU. Baseball diamond. Not the African diamond diamond. The last ALOU (Moisés ALOU) just retired from baseball.
105A: Sidekick played by Bruce Lee in '60s TV: KATO. From "The Green Hornet". I learned from doing Xword. His Lee has the same character (李) as the Li in Jet Li, just different spelling.
106A: "Romanoff and Juliet" playwright Peter: USTINOV. Nope. He does not look like a man with such a complicated surname. Have never heard of "Romanoff and Juliet" either.
108A: Bummed: SCROUNGED. I like this word. Lots of consonants.
111A: Stamp on a bad check: NSF
114A: Church law: CANON. I wonder where CANON Camera got its name.
116A: Point of maximum Earth-moon separation: APOGEE. Opposite perigee.
117A: Black & Decker rival: SKIL. I forgot this Bosche brand. It was clued as "Big name in tool" last time.
122A: Unlikely protagonist: NONHERO. My goodness. It's a real word.
126A: Web communications protocol: TELNET. No idea.
127A: Steak orders: RIBEYES. Want some?
128A: "Gunsmoke" star: ARNESS (James). His name escaped me this morning. I definitely googled him before. He was Marshal Dillon.
129A Ukrainian port: ODESSA
130A: Goes by: ELAPSES
Down:
1D: Tied: LACED. And LOOSES (103D: Unties).
2D: BP merger partner: AMOCO. Merged in 1998. BP is big in China, so is SHELL.
4D: "Airplane!" automatic pilot: OTTO. No idea. Not familiar with the movie "Airplane!". I can't find the name OTTO in this Wiki article. PILOT is also the answer for 81A: Light in the kitchen. But it's only 5 letter. Rich Norris says he will change if it's a long word (6-letter or more) dupe.
6D: Calendar abbr.: TUE. Too vague for me. I need a "Mon. follower" to get the answer.
7D: Rich tapestry: ARRAS
8D: Noxious influence: MIASMA. Metaphorical sense?
9D: Shakespeare title lover: ANTONY. "Antony & Cleopatra". Of course, Romeo came to me first.
10D: Levels: STORIES. British for floors, correct?
11D: Caribbean resort island: ARUBA. The Netherlands has had a strange reach in its history. It also ruled Taiwan from 1624 to 1662, hence the name Dutch Formosa.
13D: Tennis legend: ASHE
14D: Like current regulations: IN FORCE. Tough multiple word answer for me.
15D: Architectural column base: SOCLE. New word to me. Same as plinth?
16D: Capital ESE of Kabul: ISLAMABAD
18D: More, to Miguel: MAS. Know No MAS, No MAS.
19D: Bk. after Galatians: EPH. Before Philippians. I need to commit those Bible books and their order into memory.
25D: Ready in the keg: ON TAP
28D: Brunei's island: BORNEO. See this map. It's the world's third-largest island Island, after Green Land and New Guinea.
31D: Martinique, e.g.: ILE. I had no idea that Martinique belongs to France.
33D: Newspaper no. CIRC
36D: High ground: RISE. Not a familiar definition to me.
39D: Very, to Vivaldi: ASSAI. Allegro ASSAI, very quick.
42D: Two-part glove: MITTEN
44D: Sneeze inducer: PEPPERS
45D: Blazing: AFLAME
46D: Polo Grounds star: OTT (Mel). He played his entire career for NY Giant. HOFer of course.
48D: Where to see piggies: TOOTSIES. Had no idea that TOOTSIE is a slang for foot. Dictionary says it's also a slang for sweetheart/darling/prostitute. What a word!
49D: Prepare for the prom: DRESS UP. No prom in China.
52D: Modern bazaar: EBAY. I wanted MALL again.
53D: Rake over the coals: LAMBASTE. "Rake over the coals" is a new idiom to me.
57D: Somewhat wet: DAMPISH. Only know damp.
59D: Measuring device: GAUGE
62D: Fed. accident investigator: NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board). Created in 1975. I have trouble remembering this abbreviation also.
64D: Louse: HEEL
68D: Mame, to Patrick: AUNTIE. Blanked again. It's from AUNTIE Mame.
69D: Links targets: GREENS. Was thinking of the flags.
72D: Full house sign: SRO
73D: One with a take-out order: HIT MAN. "Take-out" means to murder. Great clue.
74D: New Rochelle college: IONA. See their logo GAELS. Makes great sense, since IONA is also a Scottish Island.
80D: Implied: TACIT
81D: Dust gun output: PESTICIDE. I did not know what a dust gun is.
86D: Birthright seller: ESAU. Often clued as "Biblical twin". Brother of Jacob.
87D: Botanical bristles: AWNS
88D: __: CONG: VIET. Vietnamese is so different in Chinese. I can't make sense of their language at all.
90D: Big bucks: ELKS. Great clue. ELKS are big. Those antlers make me headache.
95D: Buds: CRONIES. Always thought CRONY has a negative tone.
96D: Serious disorder: HAVOC
97D: Atlantic sport fish: TARPONS. Here is a big one. It's silvery. I wonder if the raw fish tastes good.
104D: "You __ Know": Alanis Morissette hit: OUGHTA. Here is the clip. Is it a very well-known song?
107D: The NBA's Archibald et al: NATES. Then NBA later appears as the answer for 123D: 123D: Wizards' grp.
109D: Coax, for instance: CABLE. Coax is short for coaxial. Coaxial CABLE. Hard for me.
110D: History or mystery: GENRE
112D: "Yes __!" SIREE
113D: Dentist's advice: FLOSS. New concept in China.
115D: Intl. alliance since 1949: NATO. Hmm, THE US is a NATO founding member. What a brutal fill the other day.
117D: George of the Jungle's pet elephant: SHEP. No idea. Have never head of "George of the Jungle". Thought it's a dog.
118D: Hi-tech organizer: PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). I am a low-tech dummy. Probably will never own a blackberry.
121D: Set the pace: LED. I like the tense ambiguity in set.
123D: "Starry Night", for example: OIL. Ah, have to show "Starry Starry Night" again. There is always yellow in Van Gogh's blue.
Answer grid.
C.C.
