Sunday June 27th, 2021 Ed Sessa

Theme:  "At the Anger Management Session ... " - Each "angry" phrase is punnily rephrased, fitting the fictional character in each clue.

27. ... Rudolph was __: SEEING RED.

29. ... Elsie was __: HAVING A COW.

42. ... Humpty Dumpty was __: DRIVEN UP A WALL.

64. ... Herbie the "Love Bug" was __: BLOWING A GASKET.

73. ... Santa Claus was __: HITTING THE ROOF.

98. ... Puff the Magic Dragon was __: BREATHING FIRE.

114. ... Bugs Bunny was __: HOPPING MAD.

117. ... Mr. Bubble was __: IN A LATHER.

And the lower right:

111D Jack Frost's advice to his angry clients?: CHILL.

So I was writing this post, then read D-Otto's post on LastPass. Poor Tom!

There's always a sense of elegance and tightness in Ed's puzzles. I'll never forget this ALL FALL DOWN puzzle. So simple. So original. So much fun. Average constructors would have been happy with a set of "angry" phrases. But Ed went extra and added an extra layer of characters in the clue.

Across:

1. Where many a promise is made: ALTAR. I do!

6. Slugger's stats: RBIS. Also 31. MLB blasts: HRS. And 2D. Frozen rope, in baseball: LINER. 76. Pine __: dugout supply: TAR. Never saw a guy like Shohei Ohtani, who has more home runs than any other pitcher.

10. Lectric Shave competitor: AFTA.

14. CNN alternative: MSNBC.

19. With 38-Across, Beethoven oeuvre with 35 works: PIANO. 38. See 19-Across: SONATAS.

20. Apiece: EACH.

21. Seal site: BERG.

22. Pong creator: ATARI.

23. IGTV company, briefly: INSTA. Instagram. I've only watched some Instagram stories. Never TV.
Wiki says "IGTV is a standalone video application by Instagram for Android and iOS smartphones. It allows for longer videos compared to Instagram feeds. While IGTV is available as a stand-alone app, basic functionality is also available within the Instagram app and website.". What is a stand-alone app, Anon-T/D-Otto/TTP?

24. On the safer side: ALEE.

25. Hebrides hill: BRAE.

26. Assigned a grade: RATED.

32. Fat substitute: OLESTRA. Calorie-free.

34. Type of type that shows stress: ITALIC.

35. Gave a thumbs-up: OK'ED.

36. Hung over?: EAVED. Lots of nice clues in this grid.

46. "Storm" seabird: PETREL.

47. Went by train: RODE.

48. "Fresh Air" airer: NPR. Hosted by Terry Gross.

49. "His Dark Materials" protagonist: LYRA. Lyra Belacqua. Played by Dafne Keen. Unknown to me.

52. "__ welcome": YOU'RE.

53. Marx Brothers film setting: OPERA.

55. Beatles nonsense syllables: OB- LA. Di. Ob-la-da.

59. Gp. using caps and crowns: ADA. Also 58. Crown or plaque: AWARD.

61. Touch of frost: NIP.

62. Bayou music style: ZYDECO. A few more music answers: 82A. Jimmy Eat World genre: EMO. 15D. How dotted notes should be played: STACCATO. 80D. Musical score mark: SLUR. 104D. One putting words to music: SINGER.

69. Mano a mano: AT IT.

71. "Words have consequences," e.g.: ADAGE.

72. Singer Anthony: MARC. One of J Lo's exes.

78. Hardest to find: RAREST.

83. Korean car company: KIA. Partially owned by Hyundai,

84. Movie physician with a two-letter name: DR NO.

85. Playground problem: BULLY. The bully boy was mild when I met him years later.

86. Lou Grant portrayer: ASNER (Ed)

89. Oil filter brand: FRAM. Unfamiliar to me.

92. Walgreens rival: CVS.

95. It has an apt number of letters in its name: FOUR. Four letters.

96. Barely made a sound: PEEPED.

103. Clothes lines: STRIPES.

105. __ Moore: canned stew brand: DINTY. Hormel brand.

106. Lambs' cries: BAAS.

107. Offerer of free drinks and chips: CASINO. Great clue!

109. Put in danger: IMPERIL.

111. No. cruncher: CPA.

119. Quiet lake transport: CANOE.

120. Highlands native: GAEL.

121. Emoji, for one: ICON. Cute.

122. Birthplace of rapper Wyclef Jean: HAITI. Three-time Grammy winner.

123. Modify: ALTER.

124. Strauss' "__ Alpensinfonie": EINE.

125. Mineral removed from some baby powder: TALC.

126. Kate's TV mate: ALLIE. Kate & Allie.

127. Economic upsurges: BOOMS.

128. Supreme leader?: ROSS. Diana of the Supremes.

129. Big name in skin care: OLAY.

130. Upper body muscles, for short: DELTS.

Down:

1. Mighty silly: APISH.

3. Zaps: TASES.

4. Fighting: ANTI.

5. Virginia's so-called "Lost Colony": ROANOKE. Wiki says it "became known as the Lost Colony due to the subsequent unexplained disappearance of its population." Read more here. Learning moment for me also. 

6. Rose on hind legs: REARED UP.

7. Hayfield sights: BALES.

8. Summer cooler: ICED TEA. Hong Kong-style lemon tea is very popular in Guangzhou in summer days. Often black tea is used. 

9. Sow or doe: SHE.

10. Group honored at a Stockholm exhibit: ABBA.

11. With great enthusiasm: FERVIDLY.

12. Feature: TRAIT.

13. Gemini rockets: AGENAS.

14. Blues singer played by Viola Davis: MA RAINEY. In the movie "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom".

16. Brussels-based gp.: NATO.

17. Cold one: BREW.

18. El __: CID.

28. Close in theaters: GLENN. Another brilliant clue.

29. "__ Nagila": Israeli folk song: HAVA.

30. Unappetizing stuff: GLOP.

33. Cold and damp: RAW.

35. Shovel it in: OVER-EAT. I love pickled herrings and I can eat the whole jar.

37. Addition, maybe: ELL.

39. Animal part that trumpets: TRUNK. Elephant. Tiny clue/answer dupe with 90. Spare tires in trunks?: ABDOMENS.

40. Nest on a crest: AERIE.

41. Got some shut-eye: SLEPT.

42. TV physician with a two-letter name: DR OZ.

43. Viscous: ROPY.

44. Fingered: ID'ED.

45. "No __!": PROB.

50. Shoe polish applicator: RAG.

51. Garden guy: ADAM. Eden.

54. Part of a musical: ACT I.

56. Boring: BLAH. Called "Wuliao" in Chinese. Hao wuliao = so boring.

57. Word with stone or star: LODE.

60. Bacteriologist's material: AGAR.

63. Trough call?: OINK.  68. Places to pick up puppies?: SCRUFFS. Cute clues for both.

65. Hunchback of fiction: IGOR.  "Young Frankenstein".

66. Bright sign: NEON.

67. Graceful equine: ARAB.

70. End-of-week cry: TGIF.

73. Quite a lot: HEAPS.

74. "No more for me, thanks": I'M SET.

75. Printer supply: TONER.

77. Avenue __, Paris' widest street: FOCH. .Wiki again: The avenue runs from the Arc de Triomphe southwest to the Porte Dauphine at the edge of the Bois de Boulogne city park. It is the widest avenue in Paris and is lined with chestnut trees along its full length.

79. "The Time Machine" people: ELOI.

81. Item in a Brit's boot: TYRE.

87. "Divine Comedy," e.g.: EPIC POEM.

88. Changes the wall covering: RE-PAPERS.

91. Hosp. procedure: MRI.

93. Joie de vivre: VIBRANCY.

94. Creeping creature: SNAIL. This snail mucin is very popular in Asia.

97. First name in '50s TV comedy: DESI. "I Love Lucy".

99. Geraint's wife: ENID.

100. Bank convenience: ATM.

101. Not surprising: TYPICAL.

102. Holy Grail seeker: GALAHAD.

108. Marsh of detective fiction: NGAIO.  "Queens of Crime".

110. First name in B-29 history: ENOLA.

112. Little, in Lille: PETIT.

113. Sign of the Ram: ARIES.

114. Heavenly ring: HALO.

115. Aware of: ONTO.

116. Stout and porter: ALES.

118. Account: TALE.

119. City transport: CAB.

121. "Who am __ judge?": I TO.

Belated Happy 56th anniversary to Spitzboov and his wife Betty!

Happy 40th Anniversary to Canadian Eh! and her husband!

C.C.