Theme: "Sidelined" - DL is inserted into each common phrase, changing the long vowel sound into short vowel sound.
24A. Spoiled meat?: CUR(DL)ED HAM. Cured Ham. Isn't all ham cured? (Note from John Lampkin: Not all ham is cured. Fresh ham is sometimes served at Easter.)
25A. Equestrian nobleman?: MARQUIS DE SAD(DL)E. Marquis De Sade. Sadism is derived from his name. Marquis is ranked below a duke & above an earl.
43A. Sweet scent source?: CAN(DL)E SUGAR. Cane Sugar. Triple alliteration in the clue.
48A. "Oink oink" jokes?: PIGGYBACK RID(DL)E. Piggyback Ride.
62A. Con man's strategy with a lonely widow?: PEARLS BEFORE SWIN(DL)E. Pearls Before Swine, the comic strip. My favorite theme answer. A sad, short story is told in three words.
84A. Sells shorts?: HAN(DL)ES UNDERWEAR. Hanes Underwear. Another alliteration.
88A. Horse's headgear left out in the sun?: BAKED BRI(DL)E. Baked Brie. Have never had baked brie.
103A. Lanky crustaceans?: SPIN(DL)Y LOBSTERS. Spiny Lobsters. This DL is inserted in front of letter Y, all the others in front of letter E.
111. Sidelined by injury, in baseball lingo, and a hint to how this puzzle's theme puns are formed: PUT ON THE DL. DL = Disabled List.
What an ironic & fun theme for the start of a baseball season! Dan also gave us a few more baseball references:
32D. Batters' nos.: AVGS (Averages)
63D. Angels shortstop Aybar: ERICK. This is his rookie card. Not a player with national recognition.
106D. Buc or Phil: NLER (National Leaguer). The Pittsburgh Pirates (Bucs) and Phillies both belong to the National League.
Quintessential Dan Naddor, abetted by Rich Norris no doubt, humorous, entertaining & tricky clues abound.
Across:
1. Fanatical: RABID. Wanted MANIC.
6. Beatnik?: COP. Nice clue.
9. Great service providers: ACERS. Tennis service.
14. Epps of "House": OMAR
18. Be wild about: ADORE
19. "Strange to see __ good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody": Pepys: HOW A. Have never heard of this Samuel Pepys quote. Makes sense.
20. "D'oh" moment, slangily: BRAIN CRAMP. Great answer.
22. Men's ideals: DREAM GIRLS. What is your dream girl like, guys?
27. Looks the wrong way?: LEERS. And ASS (56. Jerk) & TEAT (107D. Suckling spot).
28. Arranged to pay later: RAN A TAB
29. __ Haute: TERRE. Literally "high land". This refers to Terre Haute, Indiana, right?
30. Wane: ABATE
34. Trouble: STATIC. New meaning of "static" to me.
38. "Big Love" airer: HBO. Have never seen "Big Love".
39. Psychedelic desk item: LAVA LAMP. Didn't come to me readily.
51. The Bee Gees, e.g.: TRIO
52. WWII vessel: LST (Landing Ship Tank)
53. 1964 Tony Randall title role: DR. LAO. From "Seven Faces of Dr. Lao" (1964 film).
54. Old Russian council: SOVIET. Literally "Council " in Russian. We also have SSRS (117. Cold war gp.). SSR = Soviet Socialist Republic.
57. Academic figure: EDUCATOR
60. Without warmth: ICILY
69. Skin care prefix: DERMA. Coconut oil is great for skin.
70. Flamenco clicker: CASTANET. No idea. The stuff in her hands. Spanish for "chestnut". I misread the answer as CAST A NET.
71. Singer DiFranco: ANI
72. One interested in spreads: BOOKIE
78. Skating event: PAIRS
79. OAS part: Abbr.: ORG. OAS = Organization of American States.
82. Donald, to his nephews: UNCA'. Blank spot for me. How many nephews does Donald Duck have?
90. Prized: ESTEEMED
91. Antique auto: REO
92. Equipped with machinery: TOOLED
95. Seed coverings: ARILS. The red fleshy stuff that surround the seeds.
96. Eccentric: LOOPY
98. Fashionable Manhattan eatery: ELAINE'S. I suffered from lethologica. Can never remember this restaurant name.
102. W.C. Fields persona: SOUSE
113. Nobel-winning Holocaust chronicler: ELIE WIESEL. Nice to see his full name.
114. Graph that influences bond buyers: YIELD CURVE
115. 100 Iranian dinars: RIALS
116. Delta preceder: GAMMA
118. Complete: UTTER
119. From Jan. 1 to now: YTD (Year to Date)
120. Bikini event: N-TEST
Down:
1. USN brass: RADM (Rear Admiral). Not familiar with this abbr.
2. Historic Spanish port: ADRA. No idea. Wikipedia says Adra was the last stronghold of the Moors in Spain.
3. Afrikaner: BOER
4. 1990 Kuwait invader: IRAQ
5. In an affectedly shy way: DEMURELY. Oh, I don't associate "demure" with "affectedly". To me, our JD (in light green) always looks demure.
6. Una __: using the soft pedal: CORDA. Una corda is literally "one string" in Italian. Unknown musical term to me.
7. Barn babies: OWLET. Alliteration.
8. Volkswagen sedan: PASSAT. Derives from the German word for tradewind. Jetta derives from the jet stream. Kazie or someone else mentioned on the blog that Volkswagen used to name their vehicles after those winds.
9. Start of a tots' song: ABCD
10. Gunk: CRUD
11. 1970s-'80s bowling great __ Anthony: EARL. No idea. My husband said this guy won the most PBA tournaments until Walter Ray Williams passed him a couple of years ago.
12. Fair feature: RIDE. Alliteration.
13. TV show with recurring "Killer Bees" sketches: SNL. No idea.
14. Eschew cooking at home: ORDER OUT
15. "Politically Incorrect" host: MAHER. Outdated clue. I like the current "Real Time With Bill Maher".
16. 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year Stoudemire: AMAR'E. Nope. Not a NBA fan. Looks like A MARE to me.
17. Tach readings: RPMS
19. Boonies possessive: HIS'N
21. Glitterati: CELEBS
23. Supermodel Carangi: GIA. Played by Angelina Jolie in the movie.
26. Basic counters: ABACI. Yeah, I learned the basic counting by using abaci.
29. The ones right in front of us: THESE
30. Matterhorn, e.g.: ALP
33. Wrestling duo: TAG TEAM. Learned from doing Xword.
35. Smidgens: TADS
36. Prefix with Aryan: INDO. Indo-Aryan.
37. Caesar's 455: CDLV
40. DeGeneres's "Idol" predecessor: ABDUL (Paula)
41. Chagall and Anthony: MARCS
42. Graphic design school feature: PC LAB. Unfamiliar with this term.
44. Muumuu accessory: LEI. She looks beautiful (and demure) in her muumuu, sans lei though.
45. Last Supper cup: GRAIL. The Holy Grail, right?
46. Window alternative: AISLE. Airplane seat.
49. Petruchio's wife: KATE. From "The Taming of the Shrew".
50. Shakes setting: ROOF. Dictionary defines shake as "a shingle or clapboard formed by splitting a short log into a number of tapered radial sections with a hatchet". New word to me also.
55. Prong: TINE
58. Olive shade: DRAB
59. Bird of myth: ROC. The bird in the "Arabian Nights".
61. Site of many jewel cases: CD TOWER
62. Quaker St.: PENNA. Is this a common abbr.?
64. Criticizes: RAPS
65. Biblical birthright seller: ESAU
66. "Fear Street" series author: STINE (R. L.). No idea. Looks horrifying. Wikipedia says Stine is often called the Stephen King of Children's Literature.
67. Hospital sections: WARDS
68. Atlas blowup: INSET
69. Apply amateurishly: DAUB
73. "Now the fun starts!": OH BOY
74. Row: OAR
75. Heal, in a way: KNIT. The broken bone.
76. Meatloaf's "__ Anything for Love": I'D DO. Easy guess.
77. Spanish pronoun: ELLO. Spanish for "it". Any comment, Dennis?
80. Do followers: RE MI
81. Player of the field hockey-like sport shinty: GAEL. I've never heard of the Scottish hockey game shinty.
83. Sprays from cans: AEROSOLS
85. Caught congers: EELED
86. Transfer: REASSIGN
87. Fork sites: Abbr.: RDS. Road fork, not utensil.
89. Count (on): DEPEND
93. Queen of mystery: ELLERY. Ellery Queen.
94. Like a sunny room: DAY LIT
96. Justice Brandeis: LOUIS. Who knows? He died in 1941.
97. __ space: OUTER
99. 24-part epic: ILIAD. Oh, new trivia to me.
100. House-to-house number: NOEL. Tricky "number"!
101. "Charlotte's Web" monogram: E. B. W. (E.B. White).
102. 1974 Gould/Sutherland spoof: S*P*Y*S
103. Closed: SHUT
104. Smart-alecky: PERT
105. "... comin' __ baked a cake": old song lyric: I'D'VE. Here is a clip. Totally foreign to me.
108. Salinger title teenager: ESME. Salinger's "For Esme with Love and Squalor".
109. Radiation units: REMS. REM = Roentgen Equivalent Man. I only know the Rapid Eye Movement acronym.
110. Thin strip: SLAT
112. Ft. Worth campus: TCU (Texas Christian University)
Answer grid.
Happy Easter! And a belated Happy Anniversary to Haltool, who met her husband 28 years ago yesterday.
C.C.
24A. Spoiled meat?: CUR(DL)ED HAM. Cured Ham. Isn't all ham cured? (Note from John Lampkin: Not all ham is cured. Fresh ham is sometimes served at Easter.)
25A. Equestrian nobleman?: MARQUIS DE SAD(DL)E. Marquis De Sade. Sadism is derived from his name. Marquis is ranked below a duke & above an earl.
43A. Sweet scent source?: CAN(DL)E SUGAR. Cane Sugar. Triple alliteration in the clue.
48A. "Oink oink" jokes?: PIGGYBACK RID(DL)E. Piggyback Ride.
62A. Con man's strategy with a lonely widow?: PEARLS BEFORE SWIN(DL)E. Pearls Before Swine, the comic strip. My favorite theme answer. A sad, short story is told in three words.
84A. Sells shorts?: HAN(DL)ES UNDERWEAR. Hanes Underwear. Another alliteration.
88A. Horse's headgear left out in the sun?: BAKED BRI(DL)E. Baked Brie. Have never had baked brie.
103A. Lanky crustaceans?: SPIN(DL)Y LOBSTERS. Spiny Lobsters. This DL is inserted in front of letter Y, all the others in front of letter E.
111. Sidelined by injury, in baseball lingo, and a hint to how this puzzle's theme puns are formed: PUT ON THE DL. DL = Disabled List.
What an ironic & fun theme for the start of a baseball season! Dan also gave us a few more baseball references:
32D. Batters' nos.: AVGS (Averages)
63D. Angels shortstop Aybar: ERICK. This is his rookie card. Not a player with national recognition.
106D. Buc or Phil: NLER (National Leaguer). The Pittsburgh Pirates (Bucs) and Phillies both belong to the National League.
Quintessential Dan Naddor, abetted by Rich Norris no doubt, humorous, entertaining & tricky clues abound.
Across:
1. Fanatical: RABID. Wanted MANIC.
6. Beatnik?: COP. Nice clue.
9. Great service providers: ACERS. Tennis service.
14. Epps of "House": OMAR
18. Be wild about: ADORE
19. "Strange to see __ good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody": Pepys: HOW A. Have never heard of this Samuel Pepys quote. Makes sense.
20. "D'oh" moment, slangily: BRAIN CRAMP. Great answer.
22. Men's ideals: DREAM GIRLS. What is your dream girl like, guys?
27. Looks the wrong way?: LEERS. And ASS (56. Jerk) & TEAT (107D. Suckling spot).
28. Arranged to pay later: RAN A TAB
29. __ Haute: TERRE. Literally "high land". This refers to Terre Haute, Indiana, right?
30. Wane: ABATE
34. Trouble: STATIC. New meaning of "static" to me.
38. "Big Love" airer: HBO. Have never seen "Big Love".
39. Psychedelic desk item: LAVA LAMP. Didn't come to me readily.
51. The Bee Gees, e.g.: TRIO
52. WWII vessel: LST (Landing Ship Tank)
53. 1964 Tony Randall title role: DR. LAO. From "Seven Faces of Dr. Lao" (1964 film).
54. Old Russian council: SOVIET. Literally "Council " in Russian. We also have SSRS (117. Cold war gp.). SSR = Soviet Socialist Republic.
57. Academic figure: EDUCATOR
60. Without warmth: ICILY
69. Skin care prefix: DERMA. Coconut oil is great for skin.
70. Flamenco clicker: CASTANET. No idea. The stuff in her hands. Spanish for "chestnut". I misread the answer as CAST A NET.
71. Singer DiFranco: ANI
72. One interested in spreads: BOOKIE
78. Skating event: PAIRS
79. OAS part: Abbr.: ORG. OAS = Organization of American States.
82. Donald, to his nephews: UNCA'. Blank spot for me. How many nephews does Donald Duck have?
90. Prized: ESTEEMED
91. Antique auto: REO
92. Equipped with machinery: TOOLED
95. Seed coverings: ARILS. The red fleshy stuff that surround the seeds.
96. Eccentric: LOOPY
98. Fashionable Manhattan eatery: ELAINE'S. I suffered from lethologica. Can never remember this restaurant name.
102. W.C. Fields persona: SOUSE
113. Nobel-winning Holocaust chronicler: ELIE WIESEL. Nice to see his full name.
114. Graph that influences bond buyers: YIELD CURVE
115. 100 Iranian dinars: RIALS
116. Delta preceder: GAMMA
118. Complete: UTTER
119. From Jan. 1 to now: YTD (Year to Date)
120. Bikini event: N-TEST
Down:
1. USN brass: RADM (Rear Admiral). Not familiar with this abbr.
2. Historic Spanish port: ADRA. No idea. Wikipedia says Adra was the last stronghold of the Moors in Spain.
3. Afrikaner: BOER
4. 1990 Kuwait invader: IRAQ
5. In an affectedly shy way: DEMURELY. Oh, I don't associate "demure" with "affectedly". To me, our JD (in light green) always looks demure.
6. Una __: using the soft pedal: CORDA. Una corda is literally "one string" in Italian. Unknown musical term to me.
7. Barn babies: OWLET. Alliteration.
8. Volkswagen sedan: PASSAT. Derives from the German word for tradewind. Jetta derives from the jet stream. Kazie or someone else mentioned on the blog that Volkswagen used to name their vehicles after those winds.
9. Start of a tots' song: ABCD
10. Gunk: CRUD
11. 1970s-'80s bowling great __ Anthony: EARL. No idea. My husband said this guy won the most PBA tournaments until Walter Ray Williams passed him a couple of years ago.
12. Fair feature: RIDE. Alliteration.
13. TV show with recurring "Killer Bees" sketches: SNL. No idea.
14. Eschew cooking at home: ORDER OUT
15. "Politically Incorrect" host: MAHER. Outdated clue. I like the current "Real Time With Bill Maher".
16. 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year Stoudemire: AMAR'E. Nope. Not a NBA fan. Looks like A MARE to me.
17. Tach readings: RPMS
19. Boonies possessive: HIS'N
21. Glitterati: CELEBS
23. Supermodel Carangi: GIA. Played by Angelina Jolie in the movie.
26. Basic counters: ABACI. Yeah, I learned the basic counting by using abaci.
29. The ones right in front of us: THESE
30. Matterhorn, e.g.: ALP
33. Wrestling duo: TAG TEAM. Learned from doing Xword.
35. Smidgens: TADS
36. Prefix with Aryan: INDO. Indo-Aryan.
37. Caesar's 455: CDLV
40. DeGeneres's "Idol" predecessor: ABDUL (Paula)
41. Chagall and Anthony: MARCS
42. Graphic design school feature: PC LAB. Unfamiliar with this term.
44. Muumuu accessory: LEI. She looks beautiful (and demure) in her muumuu, sans lei though.
45. Last Supper cup: GRAIL. The Holy Grail, right?
46. Window alternative: AISLE. Airplane seat.
49. Petruchio's wife: KATE. From "The Taming of the Shrew".
50. Shakes setting: ROOF. Dictionary defines shake as "a shingle or clapboard formed by splitting a short log into a number of tapered radial sections with a hatchet". New word to me also.
55. Prong: TINE
58. Olive shade: DRAB
59. Bird of myth: ROC. The bird in the "Arabian Nights".
61. Site of many jewel cases: CD TOWER
62. Quaker St.: PENNA. Is this a common abbr.?
64. Criticizes: RAPS
65. Biblical birthright seller: ESAU
66. "Fear Street" series author: STINE (R. L.). No idea. Looks horrifying. Wikipedia says Stine is often called the Stephen King of Children's Literature.
67. Hospital sections: WARDS
68. Atlas blowup: INSET
69. Apply amateurishly: DAUB
73. "Now the fun starts!": OH BOY
74. Row: OAR
75. Heal, in a way: KNIT. The broken bone.
76. Meatloaf's "__ Anything for Love": I'D DO. Easy guess.
77. Spanish pronoun: ELLO. Spanish for "it". Any comment, Dennis?
80. Do followers: RE MI
81. Player of the field hockey-like sport shinty: GAEL. I've never heard of the Scottish hockey game shinty.
83. Sprays from cans: AEROSOLS
85. Caught congers: EELED
86. Transfer: REASSIGN
87. Fork sites: Abbr.: RDS. Road fork, not utensil.
89. Count (on): DEPEND
93. Queen of mystery: ELLERY. Ellery Queen.
94. Like a sunny room: DAY LIT
96. Justice Brandeis: LOUIS. Who knows? He died in 1941.
97. __ space: OUTER
99. 24-part epic: ILIAD. Oh, new trivia to me.
100. House-to-house number: NOEL. Tricky "number"!
101. "Charlotte's Web" monogram: E. B. W. (E.B. White).
102. 1974 Gould/Sutherland spoof: S*P*Y*S
103. Closed: SHUT
104. Smart-alecky: PERT
105. "... comin' __ baked a cake": old song lyric: I'D'VE. Here is a clip. Totally foreign to me.
108. Salinger title teenager: ESME. Salinger's "For Esme with Love and Squalor".
109. Radiation units: REMS. REM = Roentgen Equivalent Man. I only know the Rapid Eye Movement acronym.
110. Thin strip: SLAT
112. Ft. Worth campus: TCU (Texas Christian University)
Answer grid.
Happy Easter! And a belated Happy Anniversary to Haltool, who met her husband 28 years ago yesterday.
C.C.
