Theme: "Close Encounters" - ET is added to each theme answer.
24A. Pendant impervious to little hands? : CHILD-PROOF LOCKET. Childproof lock.
37A. Demonstrates anti-boxing sentiment? : PICKETS A FIGHT. Picks a fight. We also have 115D. Ref's decision : TKO
57A. iPod holders? : APPLE JACKETS. Apple Jacks.
79A. Pinocchio plug-in? : SOCKET PUPPET. Sock puppet.
98A. Cross between a hound and a zebra? : STRIPED BASSET. Striped bass.
114A. Nod off during cocktail hour? : SLEEP IN THE BUFFET. Sleep in the buff.
3D. Promote "Pudd'nhead Wilson"? : MARKET TWAIN. Mark Twain.
71D. Tussaud's tribute to the Bolshoi? : BALLET OF WAX. Ball of wax.
Another simple and elegant theme from Melanie, who's very fond of letter addition theme.
Her grids are very much like Gail's, super smooth and clean. Nothing splashy, and you won't encounter any unfair crossings.
Across:
1. Utmost reach : ACME. Shout-out to Andrea Carla Michaels.
5. AT&T Pebble Beach National, e.g. : PRO-AM. Started by Bing Crosby.
10. Ship that sailed to Colchis : ARGO
14. It can be baled : STRAW
19. Buyer's aid : LOAN. I was thinking of CART.
20. Icon on many romance novel covers : FABIO
21. Mess (up) : GOOF
22. Pitch with force : HEAVE
23. Clothesline, for one : CORD
27. Doctor with a losing plan : ATKINS. Atkins diet. What's hot now? Paleo?
29. Prominent periods : ERAS
30. Fades : WITHERS
31. Lamentation of Christ work : PIETA
32. Navy captain's insignia : EAGLE
35. Trial versions : BETAS
36. __ scan : PET
41. __-faced : TWO. And 101. Crab leg count : TEN. And 106A. Undivided : AS ONE.
44. Laborious effort : TRAVAIL
46. Pitman user : STENO. Got via crosses. No idea what Pitman is.
47. Bit of deception : TRAP
48. "Lady Jane Grey" playwright : ROWE. Got via crosses also. Nicholas Rowe.
50. Pretentious : ARTSY
52. Onetime : OLD
53. Enterprise helmsman, to Kirk : MR SULU
55. South American slitherer : ANACONDA. Great fill.
60. Descendant : SCION
61. Aching : SORE
63. Currency of Liechtenstein : FRANC
64. Book cover? : PEN NAME. Lovely clue also.
67. Sarah Palin's birthplace : IDAHO
69. It may be full of ash : WOOD BIN
74. Swiss cultural city : BASEL.Roger Federer's hometown.
76. Scoundrels : CURS
78. Dealer's offer : LEASE
84. Didactic stories : PARABLES
87. Gracious : POLITE
88. Wish undone : RUE
89. SeaWorld orca : SHAMU
91. Some are full-bodied : ALES. Been a long time since I had any ale.
92. Weekend Prep brand : IZOD. I already had ?ZOD in place.
93. Florida Aquarium city : TAMPA
95. Error remnant : ERASURE
97. Thing to rally over : NET. Tennis or badminton.
104. Low tide sight, often : SHOAL
105. Significant strides : LOPES
108. Kandahar currency : AFGHANI
111. Water sports equipment : SKIS
113. Beams : SHAFTS
119. Hostage situation acronym : SWAT
120. Guideposts co-founder : PEALE. Not familiar with Guideposts.
121. Made laboriously, with "out" : EKED
122. Buster? : NARCO
123. Chief greeting : HAIL
124. Manorial workers of old : SERFS
125. Shower supports : RODS
126. Put an ear to the door, say : SNOOP. Vivid image.
127. Semi bar : AXLE
Down:
1. Yokum family creator : AL CAPP. My very first fill. But the whole upper left corner was the last to fall.
2. Jazz trumpeter Williams : COOTIE. Stranger to me.
4. Break up : END IT. Wish we could live in the first month of courtship forever.
5. U.S. Army E-3s : PFCs
6. Sports crowd shout : RAH
7. Japanese closer : OBI
8. Feel wretched : AIL
9. One of 15 million made from 1908 to 1927 : MODEL T
10. Yamuna River city : AGRA
11. Zoo hoppers : ROOS
12. Gunk : GOO
13. U.S. Air Force Song opening : OFF WE GO. Got via crosses also.
14. Fired on : SHOT AT
15. Data recovery experts : TECHs
16. Leaves clearer : RAKE
17. Confidently say : AVER
18. Dips in water : WETS
25. Bear down : PRESS
26. Belarus neighbor: Abbr. : LITH
28. Valley whose welcome sign contains the words "bottled poetry" : NAPA. Easy guess.
32. Holiday cyber-message : E-CARD
33. Japanese dogs : AKITAS
34. Cream alternatives : GELS. Eye cream. Eye gel. Or other skin care products. I was thinking of butter cream.
35. Paper organizer : BINDER
38. One of the Karamazovs : IVAN
39. At the crest of : ATOP
40. Was taken in by : FELL FOR
41. Factual : TRUE
42. Cartoonist Kelly : WALT. Pogo.
43. Orchestra piece : OPUS
45. Some intel : RECON
47. "You're better than that!" : TSK
48. Hoarse sound : RASP
49. Start of a reminiscence : ONCE. When I met Harmon Killebrew long time ago, he said I looked cute in my Vikings cap. So I wear the cap every summer at the flea market. Harmon is gone. My cap is now 14 year old. Both of us are beaten by long hours of sun & dirt.
51. Place for a sale : YARD
53. Vaquero's hand : MANO
54. Longtime soft drink brand : RC COLA
56. How some risks are taken : ON A BET
58. Treaty subject : PEACE
59. Prattle : JAW
62. Valvoline circulator : OIL PUMP
65. Other half : MATE
66. Psychic's claim : ESP
68. Wickiups : HUTS. Got via crosses. I did not know the meaning of Wickiups.
70. Refuse admission to : DEBAR
72. Dawning words : I SEE
73. Capone nemesis : NESS
75. Pass abroad : EURAIL
77. Few and far between : SPARSE
79. Doctor's specialty? : SPIN. Spin doctor. Great clue.
80. Exude : OOZE
81. Thicken, as cream : CLOT
82. Barnyard youngster : KID
83. Skunk seeking amour : PEPE
85. Sock away : AMASS
86. Sneaky maneuver : RUSE
90. Goodly amount : HEAP
93. Stable VIP : TRAINER. Horse trainer.
94. Ignore the teleprompter : AD LIB
96. Jell-O is its official state snack : UTAH
98. Manipulates : SHAPES. Got via crosses as well. Can you give me an example on how they're equivalent?
99. Singer Braxton : TONI. Her "He Wasn't Man Enough" was blasted everywhere in Hong Kong in 2000.
100. Deck crew leaders : BOSUNS
102. Involve : ENTAIL
103. Settle snugly : NESTLE
104. __ life : SHELF
107. White House daughter : SASHA
108. Deadly reptiles : ASPS
109. Get out of Dodge : FLEE
110. Athlete's stuff : GEAR
111. Lose : SHED
112. Classic canvas shoe brand : KEDS. Endorsed by Taylor Swift.
113. Call it quits : STOP
116. It may oscillate : FAN
117. One way to sway : FRO
118. Prefix with hazard : ECO. Eco-hazard.
C.C.
