Sunday April 7, 2024 John Michael Currie

 

Theme: "Amendment Needed" - The circled letters orderly spell out "THE FIFTH". And each circled letter is the 5th letter in the theme entry. 

25. *Accidentally scorch the appetizers?: CHART A COURSE.

31. *"You can't wrestle a chimney sweep and come out clean," e.g.?: SOOTH SAYING.

44. *Mission of the Blue Origin rockets carrying William Shatner and Michael Strahan?: STARES INTO SPACE.

56. *Finish a crossword with a spelling error?: GO OFF THE GRID.

82. *Say no to a date?: PASSION FRUIT.

92. *Run-ins with soft cheese?: BRIEF ENCOUNTERS.

108. *Exhale in a game of hide-and-seek?: SIGHT UNSEEN.

115. *Florists who specialize in purple bouquets?: IRISH SETTERS.

Reveal:

130. With this puzzle's circled letters, exercise a certain constitutional right, and how to answer each starred clue: TAKE.

Our blog tag shows this is John's first Sunday puzzle. Congrats, John!

After reading the reveal clue and strung together the message, I still did not get into the 5th letter aspect. Talk about layers. Amazing.

Across:

1. Oldest Simpson kid: BART.

5. Casino convenience: ATM.

8. Model plane wood: BALSA.

13. Motor City pro: PISTON. Detroit Pistons.

19. State with an astronaut on its quarter: OHIO. An early "Happy Birthday" to Jeff of Pepper Pike, Ohio!

20. Aunt, in Acapulco: TIA.

21. Lures: BAITS.

22. "Knock, knock!": I'M HERE.

23. Tactful one: DIPLOMAT. And 93. 23-Across's base: EMBASSY. My former boss James, now a diplomat. Do you like my hair then?

 

James & C.C.

27. Basket maker, e.g.: SCORER.

29. Gibbs of "The Jeffersons": MARLA.

30. Stomped (on): TROD.

36. D.C. VIPs: POLS.

37. Typeface word: SANS.

38. Displace: UPROOT.

39. 3D ring shape: TORUS.

41. Amarillo-to-Austin dir.: SSE.

43. Very small: ITTY.

51. Unknown degree: NTH.

52. Burn soother: ALOE. Was trying to reach a bag of dried white fungi from the cupboard over our stove last week. The hot pot burned my belly button. Ouch. But the soup was good.

54. "Only Time" artist: ENYA.

55. Fervency: ARDOR.

61. "The Hangover" role for Ed Helms: STU.

63. "Eureka!" elicitor: IDEA.

64. Golden Fleece seeker: ARGONAUT.

65. Colleague: PEER.

66. Drawbacks: CONS.

67. Unlikely to be discussed: TABOO.

69. Classic Ford, familiarly: T-BIRD.

71. Takes turns?: SPINS.

73. Credit: CITE.

74. Airbnb alternative: VRBO. Vacation Rentals by Owner. 

77. Twice-monthly shoreline occurrence: NEAP TIDE.

80. Minnesota representative Ilhan: OMAR. 49. "True Grit" filmmakers: COENS. They grew up in
St. Louis Park, MN.

81. Aquaman's domain: SEA.

86. Arctic seal refuges: BERGS. Hello cutie.

88. __'acte: ENTR.

90. Lamb mamas: EWES.

91. Package opening?: PRE. Prepackage.

97. Watery defense: MOAT.

98. "Srsly!?": OMG.

99. Corp. hierarchy modification: RE-ORG.

100. Like: AKIN TO.

102. Fitbit unit: STEP.

106. Darlin': BABE.

111. Posh: LUXE.

112. Not just once: AGAIN.

114. Pan-fries: SAUTES.

119. Took control of, as a competition: BLEW OPEN.

123. Olympic projectile: DISCUS.

124. Sarnia's lake: HURON.

125. Simu of "Barbie": LIU. He was born in Harbin, China.

126. Hostile: UGLY.

127. Tangible thing: ENTITY.

128. Sewing kit item: SPOOL.

129. Mo. before May: APR.

Down:

1. Figure, casually: BOD.

2. Pacific tuna: AHI. Want some?

3. Paper problem: RIP.

4. "War and Peace" novelist: TOLSTOY.

5. Tops: AT MOST.

6. Pageant crown: TIARA.

7. Chum on a boat?: MATEY.

8. Telly channel: BBC.

9. Apt rhyme for spa: AAH.

10. Youngest Hemsworth brother: LIAM. Liam, Chris and Luke.

11. Gets ready for a ride: STRAPS IN.

12. Space City pro: ASTRO. Tony's team.

13. Cubism pioneer: PICASSO.

14. Texter's qualifier: IMO.

15. Closes: SHUTS.

16. Earth, in some sci-fi: TERRA.

17. Director Welles: ORSON.

18. Cries out for: NEEDS.

24. Calle __: street in Miami's Little Havana: OCHO. Learning moment for me.

26. "You're in good hands" sloganeer: ALLSTATE.

28. EGOT winner Moreno: RITA.

31. Taking to court: SUING.

32. Decide one will: OPT TO.

33. Gardening brand: ORTHO.

34. Neither companion: NOR.

35. Ph.D. seeker's test: GRE.

40. Cheaper, perhaps: USED.

42. Hockey great Tikkanen: ESA. Finnish hockey player.

 

44. West End district: SOHO.

45. Many a YA hero: TEEN.

46. Where Ferrari is RACE: NYSE. Very cool.

47. Like business vis-à-vis coach: PRICIER.

48. Extra option: ADD ON.

50. Historical chapters: ERAS.

52. Prefix with futurism: AFRO.

53. Newsom and Hochul, once: Abbr.: LT GOVS. Kathy Hochul, the New York governor.

57. Jeweler to the Romanovs: FABERGE. 96. Many pieces by 57-Down: EGGS.

58. Spanish cat: GATO.

59. Spice mixture: RUB.

60. Turner memoir: I TINA.

62. Bearlike: URSINE.

65. Smartphone precursors, for short: PDAS.

67. Proctor's tool: TIMER.

68. Nintendo rival: ATARI.

70. Hi-__ audio: RES.

72. Many e-forms: PDFS.

73. __ salad: COBB. Do you guys like microgreens?

75. Come back to the table: RE-ENGAGE.

76. Judge's seat: BANC.

78. Fishing spot: PIER.

79. Helps to water-ski: TOWS.

82. Leith of "The Great British Baking Show": PRUE.

83. Barely leading: UP ONE.

84. Seeing red: IRATE.

85. "Grand" peak: TETON.

87. Airport near San Jose, Calif.: SFO.

89. Did exceedingly well: TORE IT UP. Great fill.

94. Many stats: NOS.

95. TNT start: TRI.

97. Skip an epic party, say: MISS OUT.

100. Filmmaker with a distinctive style: AUTEUR.

101. Was sure: KNEW.

102. Playground feature: SLIDE.

103. Italy's first capital: TURIN.

104. Be: EXIST.

105. Joe of "Bupkis": PESCI.

107. Jacuzzis, e.g.: BATHS.

109. "Se __ español": HABLA.

110. Spring bloom: TULIP. So pretty.

113. Fictional sleuth Wolfe: NERO.

116. Modest digs: HUT.

117. Down Under hopper: ROO.

118. NBC skit show, for short: SNL.

120. Tour gp.: PGA.

121. Large deer: ELK.

122. Bill for education?: NYE. Bill Nye.

Some of you might still remember the friendly challenge Splynter and I had back in January. He'd like to lose 10lbs by Easter and I wanted to swim fly for a lap sans fins.

I was able to swim only a length last month and I have not even tried once since then.

Splynter has lost 6lbs so far, He actually lost 8, but gained 2 more back. The most important thing is that he joined CrossFit and he now goes there regularly. So proud of your achievement, Splynter!

Splynter