Theme: End of the Road
23A: Device using pulleys: BLOCK AND TACKLE (Roadblock)
39A: 1957 novel with the working title "The Strike": ATLAS SHRUGGED (Road Atlas)
47A: Plan likely to fail: HOUSE OF CARDS (Roadhouse)
64A: Dance, facetiously: TRIP THE LIGHT FANTASTIC (Road Trip)
83A: Break in: SHOW THE ROPE (Roadshow)
90A: Though not yet in force, one was adopted by the UN in 1996: TEST BAN TREATY (Road-test)
112A: One who's halfway home?: RUNNER ON SECOND (Roadrunner)
Nice theme title. I thought of roadkill, road rage & roadwork. What else can you think of?
The name BLOCK AND TACKLE is new to me, though I did know the device itself. Have never heard of TRIP THE LIGHT FANTASTIC. Wikipedia says the phrase means "to dance nimbly or lightly, or to move in a pattern to musical accompaniment."
Harder than last Sunday's puzzle, but very enjoyable. Some of the clues are so refreshing. Some are tricky. Plenty of V-8 moments for me.
Across:
1A: Window treatment: DRAPE
6A: Beat walkers: COPS. And ARRESTS (51A: Takes in) & TASE (69D: Stun, as a perp). I like multiple references in a puzzle.
10A: Pen pal?: PIG. "Pen" here refers to pigpen, the sty.
19A: Causing goose bumps: EERIE
20A: Came down: ALIT
21A: Tide alternative: ALL. Not familiar with ALL detergent. We use Tide.
22A: 1959 Steiger title role: CAPONE. The answer revealed itself.
26A: Self-conscious question: IS IT ME
27A: Carrere of "Wayne's World": TIA. New name to me. Wikipedia says she was born in Hawaii. Of Filipino descent.
28A: Cuarenta winks: SIESTA. "Guarenta" means "forty" in Spanish. I did not know that.
31A: Tale spinner: LIAR. Nice clue.
32A: Like most light bulbs: SCREW-IN
35A: Peruvian pack animal: LLAMA
37A: Publisher __ Nast: CONDE. I like Vogue the most.
38A: Ming 2-Down: VASE. And RELIC (2D: Artifact).
42A: Arid Israeli area: NEGEV. Wikipedia says NEGEV is from the Hebrew root denoting "dry". In the Bible the word NEGEV is also used for the direction "south".
45A: Windblown soil: LOESS. Loamy deposit.
46A: Crew tool: OAR. Crew on a ship/boat.
55A: Net grazer: LET. Tennis term. Also ILIE (66D: First name among '70s netmen) Nastase & TENNIS (95D: Court sport).
57A: Like some boots: STEEL TOED
59A: Film involving stage scenes: OATER. Struggled with this answer.
71A: Log variety: YULE. And DEC (59D: 71-Across mo.)
72A: Preminger et al: OTTOS
73A: Averse: LOATH. The verb is LOATHE.
74A: Puts dividends to work: REINVESTS. Good strategy. I prefer to have a higher stock price than a higher dividend.
79A: Previously: AGO
82A: Takes umbrage at: RESENTS
88A: Actress Davis: GEENA. She is a Mensa member.
89A: Lies next to: ABUTS. I was thinking of cuddling & spooning.
97A: They're not behind you: ANTIS. My favorite clue.
98A: Pie __: CHART. Wrote down CRUST.
99A: Pushes back, as a deadline: EXTENDS
103A: Hair line: PART
104A: Like a good loser? THIN. Lose weight. Excellent clue.
105A: Fuel rating: OCTANE
108A: Yves' yes: OUI. OUI, mon chéri, je t'aime.
110A: Actor Estevez: EMILIO. Son of Martin Sheen.
116A: Evangelist's admonition: REPENT
118A: '70s pinup name: LONI. LONI Anderson? She does not look that pretty.
119A: Jousting pole: LANCE. And STEED (123A: Jouster's ride).
120A: Two-handed hammer: SLEDGE
121A: Driver's gadget: TEE. Golf.
Down:
1D: Possible result of big losses: DEBTS. Financial loss. I thought of UPSET in sports.
3D: Like heavy surf: AROAR
4D: Photo: PIC
5D: "A mouse!": EEK
6D: Mutt, e.g.: CANINE
7D: __ English Bulldogge: OLDE. Not familiar with this breed of dog at all.
8D: Refueling places: PITS
9D: ASAP relative: STAT. Doctor's ASAP.
10D: Ind. neighbor: PAK. India. I was thinking of Indiana.
11D: "No thanks": I'LL PASS
12D: Ocular signs of planning?: GLEAMS. Why?
15D: Final words: EPILOG. Final word in a book.
16D: Overly attentive: DOTING
25D: Sent (for): CALLED
30D: City SSE of Islamabad: LAHORE. The second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi.
34D: Signaled from across the room, say: WAVED AT
36D: Colleen: LASS. Colleen is from an Irish word meaning "girl".
37D: Big name in skin care products: CUREL. I use Olay.
40D: Rocky peak: TOR. Pure crossword word.
41D: Hardly well done: RARE
42D: Red Wings' org.: NHL. Hmm, no tribute to the Penguins?
43D: Want ad letters: EOE (Equal-Opportunity Employer). Never know when to put EOE and when to put EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity)
44D: Kind of feeling: GUT
48D: Inaugural event: OATH. Ha ha, I wrote down GALA.
49D: Head for the hills: FLEE. Not familiar with the phrase "Head for the hills". Thought of WHIP, kind of head for the Capitol Hill.
50D: Tire-kicking areas: CAR LOTS
51D: Took advantage of the buffet: ATE A LOT. Mine was OVERATE.
53D: Suit basis: TORT. Law suit.
54D: Org. probing for outer-space life: SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence)
57D: Copperstone abbr.: SPF
59D: Starts the bidding: OPENS
60A: U.S. Army E-5: SGT. And STRIPE (92D: Indication of rank).
61D: Funny Margaret: CHO
64D: Norse god of war: TYR. Tuesday is named after him. Thursday is named after Thor, god of thunder.
68D: Role in the musical "Two by Two": NOAH. Well, who else could it be?
70D: Draw: ATTRACT
75D: Words of action: VERBS. So simple. I was stymied.
76D: Grammy-winning New Ager: ENYA. Have not seen ENYA for a long time.
77D: Big stink: STENCH
78D: Musical place, briefly: B'WAY. The OBIE (OB) Award is for Off-Broadway shows.
79D: "The Simpsons" Kwik-E-Mart operator: APU. Learned from doing Xword.
81D: CIA forerunner: OSS (Office of Strategic Services). 1942-1945.
83D: Ball user, maybe: SEER. D'oh, crystal ball.
84D: Patricia of "Everybody Loves Raymond": HEATON. She looks amazing. It's exciting to go bra-less once in a while.
85D: Hudson Bay prov.: ONT
86D: An orchestra tunes to one: OBOE. Oh, I thought orchestra tunes to piano.
88D: Fine particle: GRANULE
90D: Gets to the point: TAPERS. Great clue.
91D: Painter's choice: ENAMEL
93D: Having status, in a way: TITLED. Like the British Sir I suppose.
94D: Desire: THIRST
96D: Lets go: AXES
100D: Dismal turnout?: NO ONE. Dismal indeed.
101D: Blockhead: DUNCE
102D: Threw in (with): SIDED. They are not synonymous to me.
104D: Shopper's convenience: TOTE
106D: Texting device: CELL. We call cell phone "mobile phone" in China.
107D: Where Helen was taken: TROY. Helen of TROY.
108D: Top-shelf: A ONE. I still can't believe the word tops is an adjective.
111D: __ Direct: online bank: ING. I like this new clue. Tired of "Gerund's end".
113D: Science guy Bill: NYE. "Bill NYE, the Science Guy".
114D: High trains: ELS. In Chicago. Poor Ernie ELS. Missed the Masters & US Open cut, and now is deserted by David W. Cromer.
115D: Jazz fan: CAT. I miss Ed Bradley. He was a real cool CAT.
Answer grid.
C.C.
23A: Device using pulleys: BLOCK AND TACKLE (Roadblock)
39A: 1957 novel with the working title "The Strike": ATLAS SHRUGGED (Road Atlas)
47A: Plan likely to fail: HOUSE OF CARDS (Roadhouse)
64A: Dance, facetiously: TRIP THE LIGHT FANTASTIC (Road Trip)
83A: Break in: SHOW THE ROPE (Roadshow)
90A: Though not yet in force, one was adopted by the UN in 1996: TEST BAN TREATY (Road-test)
112A: One who's halfway home?: RUNNER ON SECOND (Roadrunner)
Nice theme title. I thought of roadkill, road rage & roadwork. What else can you think of?
The name BLOCK AND TACKLE is new to me, though I did know the device itself. Have never heard of TRIP THE LIGHT FANTASTIC. Wikipedia says the phrase means "to dance nimbly or lightly, or to move in a pattern to musical accompaniment."
Harder than last Sunday's puzzle, but very enjoyable. Some of the clues are so refreshing. Some are tricky. Plenty of V-8 moments for me.
Across:
1A: Window treatment: DRAPE
6A: Beat walkers: COPS. And ARRESTS (51A: Takes in) & TASE (69D: Stun, as a perp). I like multiple references in a puzzle.
10A: Pen pal?: PIG. "Pen" here refers to pigpen, the sty.
19A: Causing goose bumps: EERIE
20A: Came down: ALIT
21A: Tide alternative: ALL. Not familiar with ALL detergent. We use Tide.
22A: 1959 Steiger title role: CAPONE. The answer revealed itself.
26A: Self-conscious question: IS IT ME
27A: Carrere of "Wayne's World": TIA. New name to me. Wikipedia says she was born in Hawaii. Of Filipino descent.
28A: Cuarenta winks: SIESTA. "Guarenta" means "forty" in Spanish. I did not know that.
31A: Tale spinner: LIAR. Nice clue.
32A: Like most light bulbs: SCREW-IN
35A: Peruvian pack animal: LLAMA
37A: Publisher __ Nast: CONDE. I like Vogue the most.
38A: Ming 2-Down: VASE. And RELIC (2D: Artifact).
42A: Arid Israeli area: NEGEV. Wikipedia says NEGEV is from the Hebrew root denoting "dry". In the Bible the word NEGEV is also used for the direction "south".
45A: Windblown soil: LOESS. Loamy deposit.
46A: Crew tool: OAR. Crew on a ship/boat.
55A: Net grazer: LET. Tennis term. Also ILIE (66D: First name among '70s netmen) Nastase & TENNIS (95D: Court sport).
57A: Like some boots: STEEL TOED
59A: Film involving stage scenes: OATER. Struggled with this answer.
71A: Log variety: YULE. And DEC (59D: 71-Across mo.)
72A: Preminger et al: OTTOS
73A: Averse: LOATH. The verb is LOATHE.
74A: Puts dividends to work: REINVESTS. Good strategy. I prefer to have a higher stock price than a higher dividend.
79A: Previously: AGO
82A: Takes umbrage at: RESENTS
88A: Actress Davis: GEENA. She is a Mensa member.
89A: Lies next to: ABUTS. I was thinking of cuddling & spooning.
97A: They're not behind you: ANTIS. My favorite clue.
98A: Pie __: CHART. Wrote down CRUST.
99A: Pushes back, as a deadline: EXTENDS
103A: Hair line: PART
104A: Like a good loser? THIN. Lose weight. Excellent clue.
105A: Fuel rating: OCTANE
108A: Yves' yes: OUI. OUI, mon chéri, je t'aime.
110A: Actor Estevez: EMILIO. Son of Martin Sheen.
116A: Evangelist's admonition: REPENT
118A: '70s pinup name: LONI. LONI Anderson? She does not look that pretty.
119A: Jousting pole: LANCE. And STEED (123A: Jouster's ride).
120A: Two-handed hammer: SLEDGE
121A: Driver's gadget: TEE. Golf.
Down:
1D: Possible result of big losses: DEBTS. Financial loss. I thought of UPSET in sports.
3D: Like heavy surf: AROAR
4D: Photo: PIC
5D: "A mouse!": EEK
6D: Mutt, e.g.: CANINE
7D: __ English Bulldogge: OLDE. Not familiar with this breed of dog at all.
8D: Refueling places: PITS
9D: ASAP relative: STAT. Doctor's ASAP.
10D: Ind. neighbor: PAK. India. I was thinking of Indiana.
11D: "No thanks": I'LL PASS
12D: Ocular signs of planning?: GLEAMS. Why?
15D: Final words: EPILOG. Final word in a book.
16D: Overly attentive: DOTING
25D: Sent (for): CALLED
30D: City SSE of Islamabad: LAHORE. The second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi.
34D: Signaled from across the room, say: WAVED AT
36D: Colleen: LASS. Colleen is from an Irish word meaning "girl".
37D: Big name in skin care products: CUREL. I use Olay.
40D: Rocky peak: TOR. Pure crossword word.
41D: Hardly well done: RARE
42D: Red Wings' org.: NHL. Hmm, no tribute to the Penguins?
43D: Want ad letters: EOE (Equal-Opportunity Employer). Never know when to put EOE and when to put EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity)
44D: Kind of feeling: GUT
48D: Inaugural event: OATH. Ha ha, I wrote down GALA.
49D: Head for the hills: FLEE. Not familiar with the phrase "Head for the hills". Thought of WHIP, kind of head for the Capitol Hill.
50D: Tire-kicking areas: CAR LOTS
51D: Took advantage of the buffet: ATE A LOT. Mine was OVERATE.
53D: Suit basis: TORT. Law suit.
54D: Org. probing for outer-space life: SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence)
57D: Copperstone abbr.: SPF
59D: Starts the bidding: OPENS
60A: U.S. Army E-5: SGT. And STRIPE (92D: Indication of rank).
61D: Funny Margaret: CHO
64D: Norse god of war: TYR. Tuesday is named after him. Thursday is named after Thor, god of thunder.
68D: Role in the musical "Two by Two": NOAH. Well, who else could it be?
70D: Draw: ATTRACT
75D: Words of action: VERBS. So simple. I was stymied.
76D: Grammy-winning New Ager: ENYA. Have not seen ENYA for a long time.
77D: Big stink: STENCH
78D: Musical place, briefly: B'WAY. The OBIE (OB) Award is for Off-Broadway shows.
79D: "The Simpsons" Kwik-E-Mart operator: APU. Learned from doing Xword.
81D: CIA forerunner: OSS (Office of Strategic Services). 1942-1945.
83D: Ball user, maybe: SEER. D'oh, crystal ball.
84D: Patricia of "Everybody Loves Raymond": HEATON. She looks amazing. It's exciting to go bra-less once in a while.
85D: Hudson Bay prov.: ONT
86D: An orchestra tunes to one: OBOE. Oh, I thought orchestra tunes to piano.
88D: Fine particle: GRANULE
90D: Gets to the point: TAPERS. Great clue.
91D: Painter's choice: ENAMEL
93D: Having status, in a way: TITLED. Like the British Sir I suppose.
94D: Desire: THIRST
96D: Lets go: AXES
100D: Dismal turnout?: NO ONE. Dismal indeed.
101D: Blockhead: DUNCE
102D: Threw in (with): SIDED. They are not synonymous to me.
104D: Shopper's convenience: TOTE
106D: Texting device: CELL. We call cell phone "mobile phone" in China.
107D: Where Helen was taken: TROY. Helen of TROY.
108D: Top-shelf: A ONE. I still can't believe the word tops is an adjective.
111D: __ Direct: online bank: ING. I like this new clue. Tired of "Gerund's end".
113D: Science guy Bill: NYE. "Bill NYE, the Science Guy".
114D: High trains: ELS. In Chicago. Poor Ernie ELS. Missed the Masters & US Open cut, and now is deserted by David W. Cromer.
115D: Jazz fan: CAT. I miss Ed Bradley. He was a real cool CAT.
Answer grid.
C.C.
