Theme: "Epicenters" - All 10 theme entries have odd-numbered letters so EPI falls exactly in the very center of each theme answer, hence perfect symmetry for the 10 EPI's.
34A. Bearded impressionist : CAMILLE PISSARRO
49A. Near East product : RICE PILAF. This looks like fried rice. What do you call that spoon?
65A. It may be a sign of chilling : GOOSE PIMPLE. I call them "Goose bumps".
82A. Swatch, e.g. : TIMEPIECE
98A. "Call me" : LET'S KEEP IN TOUCH
9D. Peter Sellers film that began production after his death : TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER
11D. Figure skate feature : TOE PICK. New term to me.
24D. "Capisce?" : GET THE PICTURE?
24D. "Capisce?" : GET THE PICTURE?
48D. TV prototypes : PILOT EPISODES
86D. Rock bottom : THE PITS
This puzzle reminded me of the "Middle Child" puzzle I did a while ago, where TOT falls exactly in the middle. It made me appreciate Paul's puzzle that much more.
Plus, his 10-themer grid design is beyond brilliant. Every theme answer intersects at least one more theme answer. And the middle Down intersects 3 Across theme entries. Notice how two EPI are located in the exact middle of the grid? And all the 10 EPI's are in perfect symmetry.
Across:
1. Band booster : AMP
4. Fig. that rarely exceeds 4 : GPA
7. "Drive for show, __ for dough": golf adage : PUTT. So true. A long drive is good for men's ego.
11. Steam whistle sound : TOOT
15. Fútbol cheer : OLE
18. Rapper Big __ : BOI. Of OutKast.
19. Sinuous swimmer : EEL
20. Cross letters : INRI
21. They may be even or long : ODDS
22. 106-Across rival, for short : UAL. 106. Atlanta-based airline : DELTA
23. Italian dressing herb : OREGANO
25. ESPN datum : STAT
26. James Joyce accessory : EYE PATCH. Our Misty wrote a couple books about James Joyce.
28. Nearly 40 inches : METER. I'm 5'4'' or 1.63 meters.
29. Masseur's bottleful : HOT OIL. Has anyone had hot oil massage?
31. End-of-missive extras, for short : PSS
32. Scope opening? : PERI. Periscope.
33. Fly, in fly-fishing : BAIT
37. "The Art of War" author : SUN TZU. Just spelled Sun Zi in Mandarin.
39. Montreal-based shoe retailer : ALDO
40. Mountaineer's tool : ICE AX
41. Mogul-dodging path : ESS. Everyone who reads this blog on Thursdays should nail it.
43. Brutal : HARSH
45. Evil-smelling : FUNKY
47. "Not interested" : I PASS
53. Poetic monogram : TSE. T. S. Eliot.
54. Evening affair : SOIREE
55. Sound-activated infomercial gadget : CLAPPER
56. It's a real knockout : ETHER. We've seen similar clues before.
58. Webmaster's code : HTML
59. __ circus : MEDIA
60. "__ Shoes": 2005 Cameron Diaz film : IN HER. Liked the movie.
61. Abstains from : LAYS OFF
64. Monet subject : PARC. Tricky crossing with RCMP (49D. Law gp. in red serge tunics).
68. O'Hara home : TARA
70. Construction site sights : DETOURS
72. Moon-related phenomena : TIDES
73. Postgame postmortem : RECAP. Tiny dupe with the clue in SUM (83D. "To recap ..." )
74. Gorbachev's land: Abbr. : USSR
75. Perfume, as at High Mass : CENSE
76. Parts of some baby splits : TWO PINS. 3-10 (or 2- 7 for lefties).
78. Laundry supply : STARCH
81. 2012 Stanley Cup champs, initially : LA K. LA Kings. Do they use LAK in scoreboards, Splyner?
84. Port of Crete : CANEA. Total stranger to me.
85. It can be used in dating : STAMP. Great clue.
87. Baseball teams : NINES. Boomer at our backyard yesterday. The Morneau shirt is sold by his fan club. I'm not sure it's legit for them to produce these shirts, TTP.
88. Ducked down, say : HID
89. Some IRAs : ROTHs
91. Some hieroglyphic squiggles : ASPS
94. Top parts : CROWNS
102. "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" singer : DION (Céline)
103. Grimm menace : OGRE
104. Maple yield : SAP
105. Plays guitar chords, in a way : STRUMS. For Bill G. Don't miss this cute clip he linked a few days ago.
107. Sandwich order : PASTRAMI
109. Flimsy : THIN
110. Biweekly stub, perhaps : PAYSLIP
112. Somme summer : ETE
113. "Sometimes you feel like __ …" : A NUT
114. Let use for now : LEND
115. Fruity quencher : ADE. Hello Charlotte!
116. Post-op stop : ICU
117. Retreat : DEN
118. Welcome center offerings : MAPS
119. Work measures : ERGs
120. Go-ahead : NOD
121. Talk Like a Pirate Day mo. : SEP
Down:
1. Los Alamos test subjects, informally : A-BOMBS
2. Wells' island doctor : MOREAU. Dr. Moreau.
3. Baker's container : PIE TIN
4. Transmission selection : GEAR
5. Pocket protector insert : PEN
6. Tropical hi : ALOHA
7. Flower part : PISTIL
8. Not yet shared : UNTOLD
10. Spine line : TITLE
12. Epic with a trip home to Ithaca : ODYSSEY
13. Texas oil city : ODESSA
14. Kitchen meas. : TSP
15. Where to catch the sound of music? : OUTER EAR. Got me.
16. Game with meshed sticks : LACROSSE
17. Pre-coll. : EL-HI. Yeah, yeah, I know it's not a good fill. Compromises are made in every puzzle.
27. Busy time for a CPA : APR
30. __ Steaks : OMAHA
34. Nobelist of 1903 and 1911 : CURIE
35. Missing person? : PINER. I like this clue also.
36. Universally accepted principles : AXIOMS
38. "Valley Girl" co-songwriter Frank or Moon : ZAPPA
42. Toronto-to-D.C. dir. : SSE
44. 35mm shooter : SLR
46. They're often email addresses : USER IDS
50. "The Life __": "Mary Poppins" tune : I LEAD
51. Leadership nucleus : CADRE
52. Swamps : FENS
54. Cause of eyelid redness : STYE
57. What one may be taken for? : THE TEAM. Take one for the team.
58. "I'm sorry, Dave" speaker of sci-fi : HAL
60. Moths with colorful eyespots on their hind wings : IOS. I wonder if those Apple guys are aware of these moths.
61. CD precursors : LPs
62. Prima __ case : FACIE. I got it. But I don't know what it means, Hahtoola/Lemonade.
63. Euro forerunner : FRANC
65. Spout : GUSH
66. Boston Garden legend : ORR (Bobby)
67. Convene : MEET
69. Cathedral part : APSE
71. Nominees for them are announced in January : OSCARs
73. Rodeo performer : ROPER. I wanted RIDER.
75. Brooch fastener : CLASP
76. Texter's "Don't go there!" : TMI (Too Much Information)
77. Barmaid, to the Bard : WENCH
78. Learning ctr. : SCH
79. Pickup feature : TAILGATE
80. Guam Air Force base : ANDERSEN. Named after General Andersen who died in a aircraft accident in 1945, says Wiki.
85. Anger : STEAM UP
90. 1994 Olympic gold medalist skater Baiul : OKSANA. Got via crossings. Sounds Japanese.
92. Piano part : STRING
93. Hits with force : POUNDS
95. Award-winning sci-fi writer Connie : WILLIS. Wiki said "She has won eleven Hugo Awards and seven Nebula Awards for particular works —more "major awards" than any other writer". I feel bad not knowing her.
96. Perceive : NOTICE
97. Buy quickly : SNAP UP
99. Vietnamese holiday : TET
100. Basketry fiber : ISTLE. Classic crosswordese.
101. Place to follow politics : C-SPAN
103. Page with sentiments : OP-ED
106. Applied henna, e.g. : DYED
108. Colorado State athlete : RAM
111. Bustle : ADO
