Theme: Put the Finger on - ID(identification) is inserted in familiar phrases.
23A. Ella while scatting?: RAP(ID) SINGER. Ella Fitzgerald was noted for her scat singing.
29A. Bow-wielding Southern god?: DIXIE CUP(ID). Cupid is the love god. Dixie = Southern states.
36A. Cholesterol check?: LIP(ID) SERVICE. Lipid is rooted in Greek lipos, "fat/grease".
58A. Possible reply to a dentist's "Where does it hurt?": ON THE CUSP(ID). I just point the hurting tooth to him.
79A. Twisty hair style for active people?: SPORTS BRA(ID). Miley Cyrus probably should have worn a sports bra.
99A. Japanese sake, e.g.?: ASIATIC FLU(ID). Don't like the answer. ASIAN FLU yes. Asiatic sounds very archaic. Sake (SAH-kee) is Japanese rice wine, so is mirin.
104A. Candy, cookies and soda?: K(ID) RATIONS. Ancel Keys, who formulated K-ration, was also credited with first introducing the benefits of Mediterranean Diet to Americans.
117A. What Depp did, over and over, to acquire the auction item he so badly wanted?: JOHNNY REB(ID). Johnny Reb/Rebel is slang for the Confederate soldier.
Very clever theme. Adding/deleting letters has quickly become my favorite type.
Had several trouble spots today, esp in AQUINO (86A: Marcos's successor) & GDANSK area. I could picture AQUINO's face, couldn't remember how to spell her English name, very different from the Chinese translation that I was familiar with. She just died last month.
Across:
1. Denial on the base: NO SIR. Military base.
6. Smelling __: SALTS. Some people collect smelling salts bottles. Weird.
11. Hummus holder: PITA. Don't like chickpeas.
19. Get away from: ELUDE
20. "__ Ben Jonson": literary epitaph: ORARE. Latin for "pray". "Pray for Ben Jonson". S simply forgot. Saw identical clue before.
22. Nautilus captain: NEMO. From Jules Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" (Thanks, Martin).
25. 1939 Garland co-star: LAHR (Bert). Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz".
28. Singer Brewer: TERESA. Unknown to me. "Baby, Baby, Baby" sounds sweet.
31. River of Cologne: RHINE
35. Bull: Pref.: TAUR. As in tauridor (bullfighter). Taurus too.
40. Cockpit datum: AIRSPEED
44. Renée of silent films: ADOREE. Learned her name from doing Xword. French actress.
45. Uses as support: RESTS ON
47. Magnetic Field?: SALLY. Field is capitalized. Nice clue.
48. 17th-18th century British poet Nicholas: ROWE. Dramatist as well.
49. Anesthetize: DEADEN
55. Prayers are often said on them: KNEES
57. __ standstill: AT A. Wrote down ON A.
61. Orch. section: STR (String)
62. Mason's job?: CASE. D'oh, Perry Mason. Got me.
64. __ bit: slightly: A WEE
65. Lustrous fabrics: SATEENS. Cotton fabric. Used to think they are from silkworm too.
66. Condition that might bring you to tears?: BOREDOM. So true.
68. Lagged behind: TRAILED
73. Duds: TOGS
81. Free TV spot: PSA (Public Service Announcement)
82. Cork people: IRISH. Shout-out to Windhover's wife Irish. Cork is a county in Ireland.
84. Menlo Park middle name: ALVA. Thomas ALVA Edison, The Wizard of Menlo Park.
85. Open hearing, in law: OYER (OH-yer). New word to me. I do know OYEZ, often clued as "Court cry".
90. Oldest Little Leaguers: TEENS. Boy, some of them look too old to be teens.
92. Pants cuffs, to Brits: TURNUPS. Also new to me.
109. Lowlife, slangily: CREEPO
112. President between Harry and Jack: IKE. Nicknames in clue, nickname in answer.
119. Like Nash's lama, in verse: ONE L
121. Professeur's pupil: ELEVE: French for "student".
122. Running score: TALLY
123. Blubber: BAWL
124. Once, long ago: ERST. Root for erstwhile too.
125. Decisive times: D-DAYS
126. British submachine guns: STENS. The "Israeli submachine gun" is UZI.
Down:
2. Skin care brand: OLAY. I like Olay Total Effect eye cream.
3. The United States, e.g.: SUPER POWER. China too.
4. First name in dictators: IDI (Amin). Uganda.
5. Ocean phenomenon associated with wildlife mortality: RED TIDE. Caused by red algae I think.
7. ''Rule, Britannia'' composer: ARNE (Thomas)
8. Doesn't keep up: LAGS
9. Dissertation: TREATISE
11. __ sci: POLI
12. Big-screen format: IMAX
13. South Pacific vacation mecca: TAHITI. Mecca for Gauguin.
14. Overdue thing: ARREAR. Often in plural form.
15. Never before topped: UNSURPASSED
17. Present opening?: OMNI. Omnipresent. Nice clue.
24. Had a feeling about: SENSED
32. New staff member: HIREE
34. Sponsor's urging: ACT NOW
36. Small songbirds: LARKS. Tits too.
37. Rare altar reply, fortunately: I DON'T. Shouldn't it be "unfortunately"?
38. Like steamy films: R-RATED. Like the porn scenes in "Love Actually". Nice movie though.
39. Hindu scripture: VEDA. Sankrit for "sacred lore/knowledge".
40. Egyptian symbol of life: ANKH. The cross with a loop.
41. Take the honey and run: ELOPE. Lovely clue.
42. Impish: ELFIN
43. Groups of two: DYADS
46. Blender brand: OSTER. Forgot again.
50. Slips past: EASES BY. Can you make a sentence for me?
52. Sammy Davis Jr. autobiography: YES I CAN. I have the book.
53. Italy's La __: SCALA. The opera house in Milan.
56. "Ivanhoe" author: SCOTT. Sir Walter SCOTT. See the bookcover.
59. New Jersey team: NETS
60. Wombs: UTERI
63. Schoolyard retort: ARE SO
64. Paris possessive: A MOI
66. Informal eatery: BAR AND GRILL. Good fill.
67. Japanese city known for its beer: OTARU (AW-tah-roo). Looks pretty. Have never had OTARU beer. Beer is just so filling.
69. Hockey stat: ASSIST
70. H.S. juniors' exams: PSATS
71. Words after cop: A PLEA. Cop a plea.
74. Polish city where Solidarity was founded: GDANSK (guh-DAHNSK). Also new to me. What a strange name, full of consonants.
76. Capable of being scattered: DIFFUSIBLE
77. Japanese immigrant: ISSEI. Literally, "first generation".
81. Insect stage: PUPA. Larva, PUPA and imago, three stages.
83. Remington product: RIFLE
87. Stop dramatically, as smoking: QUIT COLD. More familiar with quit cold turkey.
88. Live in: OCCUPY
91. Ward of "Sisters": SELA. She is in "The Fugitive".
93. Tellers?: RATS. Nailed it.
95. In some respects: OF SORTS
97. Like English, to most Americans: NATIVE
98. Publishing VIP: EDITOR. The clue is asking for an abbreviated answer.
100. Cara and Castle: IRENES
105. New York college whose team is the Gaels: IONA. This has become a gimmie.
107. Table scraps: ORTS. One of the earliest crosswordese I learned.
108. Russian refusal: NYETS
110. Ostrich relative: RHEA. Flightless.
113. Potter's oven: KILN
114. Slow Churned ice-cream brand: EDY'S. Marketed under Dreyer's in the west coast.
117. "The Beverly Hillbillies" dad: JED. Would not have obtained without the Across answers.
Answer grid.
C.C.
23A. Ella while scatting?: RAP(ID) SINGER. Ella Fitzgerald was noted for her scat singing.
29A. Bow-wielding Southern god?: DIXIE CUP(ID). Cupid is the love god. Dixie = Southern states.
36A. Cholesterol check?: LIP(ID) SERVICE. Lipid is rooted in Greek lipos, "fat/grease".
58A. Possible reply to a dentist's "Where does it hurt?": ON THE CUSP(ID). I just point the hurting tooth to him.
79A. Twisty hair style for active people?: SPORTS BRA(ID). Miley Cyrus probably should have worn a sports bra.
99A. Japanese sake, e.g.?: ASIATIC FLU(ID). Don't like the answer. ASIAN FLU yes. Asiatic sounds very archaic. Sake (SAH-kee) is Japanese rice wine, so is mirin.
104A. Candy, cookies and soda?: K(ID) RATIONS. Ancel Keys, who formulated K-ration, was also credited with first introducing the benefits of Mediterranean Diet to Americans.
117A. What Depp did, over and over, to acquire the auction item he so badly wanted?: JOHNNY REB(ID). Johnny Reb/Rebel is slang for the Confederate soldier.
Very clever theme. Adding/deleting letters has quickly become my favorite type.
Had several trouble spots today, esp in AQUINO (86A: Marcos's successor) & GDANSK area. I could picture AQUINO's face, couldn't remember how to spell her English name, very different from the Chinese translation that I was familiar with. She just died last month.
Across:
1. Denial on the base: NO SIR. Military base.
6. Smelling __: SALTS. Some people collect smelling salts bottles. Weird.
11. Hummus holder: PITA. Don't like chickpeas.
19. Get away from: ELUDE
20. "__ Ben Jonson": literary epitaph: ORARE. Latin for "pray". "Pray for Ben Jonson". S simply forgot. Saw identical clue before.
22. Nautilus captain: NEMO. From Jules Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" (Thanks, Martin).
25. 1939 Garland co-star: LAHR (Bert). Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz".
28. Singer Brewer: TERESA. Unknown to me. "Baby, Baby, Baby" sounds sweet.
31. River of Cologne: RHINE
35. Bull: Pref.: TAUR. As in tauridor (bullfighter). Taurus too.
40. Cockpit datum: AIRSPEED
44. Renée of silent films: ADOREE. Learned her name from doing Xword. French actress.
45. Uses as support: RESTS ON
47. Magnetic Field?: SALLY. Field is capitalized. Nice clue.
48. 17th-18th century British poet Nicholas: ROWE. Dramatist as well.
49. Anesthetize: DEADEN
55. Prayers are often said on them: KNEES
57. __ standstill: AT A. Wrote down ON A.
61. Orch. section: STR (String)
62. Mason's job?: CASE. D'oh, Perry Mason. Got me.
64. __ bit: slightly: A WEE
65. Lustrous fabrics: SATEENS. Cotton fabric. Used to think they are from silkworm too.
66. Condition that might bring you to tears?: BOREDOM. So true.
68. Lagged behind: TRAILED
73. Duds: TOGS
81. Free TV spot: PSA (Public Service Announcement)
82. Cork people: IRISH. Shout-out to Windhover's wife Irish. Cork is a county in Ireland.
84. Menlo Park middle name: ALVA. Thomas ALVA Edison, The Wizard of Menlo Park.
85. Open hearing, in law: OYER (OH-yer). New word to me. I do know OYEZ, often clued as "Court cry".
90. Oldest Little Leaguers: TEENS. Boy, some of them look too old to be teens.
92. Pants cuffs, to Brits: TURNUPS. Also new to me.
109. Lowlife, slangily: CREEPO
112. President between Harry and Jack: IKE. Nicknames in clue, nickname in answer.
119. Like Nash's lama, in verse: ONE L
121. Professeur's pupil: ELEVE: French for "student".
122. Running score: TALLY
123. Blubber: BAWL
124. Once, long ago: ERST. Root for erstwhile too.
125. Decisive times: D-DAYS
126. British submachine guns: STENS. The "Israeli submachine gun" is UZI.
Down:
2. Skin care brand: OLAY. I like Olay Total Effect eye cream.
3. The United States, e.g.: SUPER POWER. China too.
4. First name in dictators: IDI (Amin). Uganda.
5. Ocean phenomenon associated with wildlife mortality: RED TIDE. Caused by red algae I think.
7. ''Rule, Britannia'' composer: ARNE (Thomas)
8. Doesn't keep up: LAGS
9. Dissertation: TREATISE
11. __ sci: POLI
12. Big-screen format: IMAX
13. South Pacific vacation mecca: TAHITI. Mecca for Gauguin.
14. Overdue thing: ARREAR. Often in plural form.
15. Never before topped: UNSURPASSED
17. Present opening?: OMNI. Omnipresent. Nice clue.
24. Had a feeling about: SENSED
32. New staff member: HIREE
34. Sponsor's urging: ACT NOW
36. Small songbirds: LARKS. Tits too.
37. Rare altar reply, fortunately: I DON'T. Shouldn't it be "unfortunately"?
38. Like steamy films: R-RATED. Like the porn scenes in "Love Actually". Nice movie though.
39. Hindu scripture: VEDA. Sankrit for "sacred lore/knowledge".
40. Egyptian symbol of life: ANKH. The cross with a loop.
41. Take the honey and run: ELOPE. Lovely clue.
42. Impish: ELFIN
43. Groups of two: DYADS
46. Blender brand: OSTER. Forgot again.
50. Slips past: EASES BY. Can you make a sentence for me?
52. Sammy Davis Jr. autobiography: YES I CAN. I have the book.
53. Italy's La __: SCALA. The opera house in Milan.
56. "Ivanhoe" author: SCOTT. Sir Walter SCOTT. See the bookcover.
59. New Jersey team: NETS
60. Wombs: UTERI
63. Schoolyard retort: ARE SO
64. Paris possessive: A MOI
66. Informal eatery: BAR AND GRILL. Good fill.
67. Japanese city known for its beer: OTARU (AW-tah-roo). Looks pretty. Have never had OTARU beer. Beer is just so filling.
69. Hockey stat: ASSIST
70. H.S. juniors' exams: PSATS
71. Words after cop: A PLEA. Cop a plea.
74. Polish city where Solidarity was founded: GDANSK (guh-DAHNSK). Also new to me. What a strange name, full of consonants.
76. Capable of being scattered: DIFFUSIBLE
77. Japanese immigrant: ISSEI. Literally, "first generation".
81. Insect stage: PUPA. Larva, PUPA and imago, three stages.
83. Remington product: RIFLE
87. Stop dramatically, as smoking: QUIT COLD. More familiar with quit cold turkey.
88. Live in: OCCUPY
91. Ward of "Sisters": SELA. She is in "The Fugitive".
93. Tellers?: RATS. Nailed it.
95. In some respects: OF SORTS
97. Like English, to most Americans: NATIVE
98. Publishing VIP: EDITOR. The clue is asking for an abbreviated answer.
100. Cara and Castle: IRENES
105. New York college whose team is the Gaels: IONA. This has become a gimmie.
107. Table scraps: ORTS. One of the earliest crosswordese I learned.
108. Russian refusal: NYETS
110. Ostrich relative: RHEA. Flightless.
113. Potter's oven: KILN
114. Slow Churned ice-cream brand: EDY'S. Marketed under Dreyer's in the west coast.
117. "The Beverly Hillbillies" dad: JED. Would not have obtained without the Across answers.
Answer grid.
C.C.
