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

Advertisements

Feb 2, 2014

Sunday February 2, 2014 Matt McKinley

Theme: "VW Showroom" - Each two-word theme entry starts with V & W.

23A. Sparkling French refreshment : VICHY WATER

29A. Pre-singing routine : VOCAL WARM-UP

45A. Lively European dance : VIENNESE WALTZ

 72A. Retiree's pursuit, perhaps : VOLUNTEER WORK

97A. "A Room of One's Own" author : VIRGINIA WOOLF

113A. Cellar prize : VINTAGE WINE

125A. Woman of letters : VANNA WHITE

38D. Competes against : VIES WITH

63D. "Okay" : VERY WELL

Simple theme. We've had this VM gimmick before, a more narrowly defined set of women's name only. Love Argyle's title there.

The theme entries 38D and 63D are shorter than a few non-theme entries. This does not happen often with LAT grids. We see longer non-theme answers when all theme entries are placed horizontally.  

I think the constructor chose this approach because he wanted theme intersection. Plus, the gimmick is quite self-evident that solvers won't have trouble locating theme entries.
 
Across:

1. Ottoman title : PASHA. Another Ottoman title we see in xwords is AGHA.

6. Orderly place?: Abbr. : HOSP. Nice clue.

10. Maleficent : BAD

13. __ of hands : A SHOW

18. Used for dinner : ATE ON

19. Within: Pref. : ENTO

20. Tarzan portrayer Ron et al. : ELYs

22. "Paint Your Wagon" composer : LOEWE (Frederick)

25. Small change : CENT

26. Seine tributary : MARNE. Needed crossing help. Quite a few 5-letter French rivers.

27. Dramatic words of accusation : ET TU

28. Thomas __ Edison : ALVA

31. Niagara ambience : MIST

33. Seriously impair : MAIM

35. "Something tells __ goofed" : ME I

36. Prefix meaning "bee" : API

37. Colorado NHL team, in headlines : AVS. Avalanche. Where does the S come from?

40. Unnamed degrees : NTHS

42. Snoopy persona : JOE COOL. Cool entry.

44. Required investment of a kind : ANTE

48. Key of Beethoven's Ninth : D MINOR

50. Word heard in the choosing process : EENY

51. Full of life : SPRY

52. Fading star : HAS-BEEN. Sad to see Justin Bieber in trouble again and again.

55. Maker of the Inspire Food Processor : OSTER

57. Draw a bead on : AIM AT

60. Letter before sigma : RHO

61. Barrel support : STAVE

65. Better informed : WISER

67. Formal promises : OATHS

69. Biased : ONE-SIDED.  And 88. King of hearts feature : TWO EYES

71. Tail fastener, in a party game : PIN. What game?

75. Arg. neighbor : URU

76. Lists : ITEMIZES

78. Migraine omens : AURAE

79. Onion roll : BIALY. How do you pluralize this word? Bialies or Bialys?



81. Daphnis' lover : CHLOE

82. It employs a movable mirror: Abbr. : SLR. Tough clue for me.

84. Buffalo hockey player : SABRE. I think Splynter roots for the Rangers. Or Islanders? I can't remember clearly.

86. Makes less tense : THAWS

91. Martin or swift : BIRD.  Another tricky clue. What came to your mind first?

93. Part of a staircase : STEP

94. "For shame!" : TSK TSK

101. Hurries : HIES

102. Homework shirker's lame excuse : I LOST IT

105. One might be in a pool : GENE. Gene pool.

106. Literary monogram : RLS. Robert Louis Stevenson. And ERB (70D). Tarzan creator's monogram).  Edgar Rice Burroughs. I think one monogram is enough for a grid.

107. Suffix with morph- : EME

108. Convent dweller : NUN

109. Stargazer's focus? : IDOL. Loved the clue.

111. Las Cruces or Las Vegas : CITY

117. Org. that investigated Alger Hiss : HUAC. House Committee on Un-American Activities.

119. Presley's middle name : ARON

123. Intestinal : ILEAC

124. Big fishhook : GAFF. I don't think any fishing term will stump Barry G.

127. Wallop : PASTE

128. Thereabout : OR SO

129. This, to Juanita : ESTA

130. __ society : HONOR

131. Misses overseas: Abbr. : SRTAs. Spanish.

132. Palme __: movie prize : D'OR. French.

133. Leicester lockup : GAOL. British English.

134. Teamed, as oxen : YOKED

Down:

1. Do roadwork : PAVE

2. Bickering : AT IT

3. Split-off group : SECT

4. Blah : HO HUM

5. At least one : ANY

6. Place for refreshment : HEALTH SPA. We have 4 9-letter long Downs. The other three are SERIOUSLY (41D. "You're kidding"),  SHOWERING (53D. Post-game activity) & ERIE CANAL (85D. Waterway engineered by Clinton). DeWitt Clinton.

7. Airing in prime time, say : ON TV

8. Boiling sign : STEAM

9. "__ favor" : POR

10. Turneth into : BECOMETH

11. George Smiley portrayer Guinness : ALEC

12. Live wire : DYNAMO

13. __ mater : ALMA

14. Fly high : SOAR

15. Author Hesse : HERMANN

16. Admit : OWN UP TO

17. Crying more : WEEPIER

21. Florida University named for a pope : ST LEO

24. Fails to recycle : WASTES

29. Six-stringed instrument, usually : VIOL

30. Dorian Gray creator : WILDE

32. Vacation stopover : INN

34. Steely Dan album : AJA. This is Jeannie's favorite album.

37. Chevy subcompact since 2004 : AVEO

39. Watchdog : SENTINEL

43. Industry VIP : CZAR

44. "__ a stinker?": Bugs Bunny line : AIN'T I

46. Bill and Louis : NYES

47. "Johnny Belinda" Oscar winner : WYMAN (Jane). Got me. She was Reagan's first wife.


49. Soldier's set : MESS KIT

54. Pro __ : BONO

56. Entertainment section staples : REVIEWS

58. "__ girl!" : ATTA

59. NATO founding member : THE US

62. Big fan : ADULATOR

64. College URL ending : EDU

66. "Frasier" role : ROZ

68. Some body fluids : SERA

71. Little shot? : PIC. "Little" in the clue suggests a shortened answer.

73. __ majesty: high treason : LESE

74. Temple leader : RABBI

77. "Nutrition that starts with apples" sloganeer : MOTT'S

80. "I see," facetiously : AH SO

83. Short turns? : REVS. Ah so!

87. Tanning nos. : SPFs

89. Authorizing : OKING

90. Replace for now : SIT IN FOR

92. 2008 Indy Japan 300 winner __ Patrick : DANICA

94. 1963 Burton/Taylor film : THE VIPS. Did anyone see this film?


95. Alike : SIMILAR

96. Most zealous : KEENEST

98. Midway attraction : RIDE

99. Classic muscle car : GTO

100. Not just damp : WET

103. Later, to Luis : LUEGO. "Hasta luego."

104. "Let's keep moving!" : ONWARD! Splynter's trademark.

110. Himalayan capital : LHASA. I saw several Free Tibet activiests at the flea market last year. They're selling pretty bracelets to raise money. Of course, I did not buy any since I don't support their cause.

112. Search giant : YAHOO

114. "So long" : TA TA

115. Breezes through : ACES

116. Assumption-to-conclusion segue : IF SO

118. Passé preposition : UNTO

120. Place for checking or saving : RINK. Ha ha, Santa!

121. Early Nebraskan : OTOE

122. Uncool sort : NERD

125. Laze about, with "out" : VEG

126. Wondering word : WHY

C.C.