Theme: Them's Fightin' Words - Part of a common phrase is punnily replaced by a similar sounding fightin' word.
23A. Protective gear for public disorder? : RIOT GUARD. Playing on Right Guard, the deodorant brand.
28A. Condiments aisle dispute? : CATSUP BATTLE. Catsup Bottle. We just call it catchup.
43A. Looker in a free-for-all? : THE BELLE OF THE BRAWL. The Belle of the Ball.
67A. Hostility between pinky wrestlers? : FINGER FEUD. Finger Food.
69A. Couple that's always at it? : CLASHMATES. Classmates. Then John gives us BRA (120A. Uplifting garb) and a consecutive ASSES (121. Boobs). He's deviously DF.
90A. Grammar class skirmishes? : PREPOSITIONAL FRAYS. Prepositional phrases.
106A. Table game for tusslers? : SCUFFLE BOARD. Shuffleboard.
117A. Pasta before an affaire d'honneur? : DUEL CARBS. What is this playing off? Dual Carb(buretors)? I've never heard of it before. Affaire d'honneur ="Affair of honor".
I liked how 67A & 69A are placed side by side in Row 11 (very central row) of the grid, separated by a black square it the middle. Technically you can place 23A & 117A in that row too, separated by a group of three squares. Won't look as pretty though.
Fun theme and fun clues, which all have some sort of skirmish words as hints.
Pangram. And no helper/cheater squares. Really takes time and effort to accomplish these two goals. Lower than average block count and word count too. As usual, I green-highlighted all the terrific clue echos.
Just mentioned yesterday that E is the most common vowels in crossword. This one has 52. I think R & S & T are the mostly common consonants. 37 R's in this grid.
Across:
1. Stop at sea, with "to" : HEAVE. New expression to me.
6. CD changers, at times : DJS
9. Tossed in : ADDED
14. Seasonal flue shouts : HO HOS. From Darling Santa. Nice play on "seasonal flu shots".
19. "The Wizard of Oz" tunesmith : ARLEN (Harold)
20. __ race : RAT.Crossing DRAG (6D.__ race). Fill-in-the-blank clues can't get better than this.
21. NPR host Hansen : LIANE. Of "Weekend Edition Sunday". Wife of Neal Conan, host of "Talk of the Nation" (NPR).
22. Critic with an influential thumb : EBERT (Roger). Film critic.
25. Crossword components : GRIDS. Sweet!
26. Roger Bannister, notably : MILER
27. Handlers in a bucket : ICE TONGS. I was picturing a person rather than a tool "handler".
30. Slip : ERR
31. "Evita" role : CHE. The narrator.
32. Certain dancer's hope : RAIN. Why? A reference to "Singin' in the Rain"?
33. Ending with Japan : ESE. Japanese.
34. Poking tool : AWL
37. Talk turkey? : GOBBLE. Lovely clue.
40. Diet guru Jenny : CRAIG
42. Worry : FRET
47. __ avail : TO NO
48. Monogram pts. : LTRS. And R.E.L. (41D. Confed. monogram). R. E. Lee. Confederate. Wicked clue.
49. Lecture site : HALL
50. Dagger handles : HAFTS
54. Knotty situation? : NODUS. New word to me. Nodus is Latin for "knot".
56. Solid alcohol : STEROL. What? There's solid alcohol?
58. Bookplate words : EX LIBRIS. Bookplate inscription. Never know how to spell the words libris correctly. It means "library", right?
61. Dogsledding gear : PARKA
63. Like some Byzantine art : ICONIC. Most are icons.
65. Bodybuilder's target, briefly : LAT. I wanted ABS. And FLAB (42D. Bodybuilder's target). And HE-MAN (14D. Bodybuilder). Shout-out to our MOREL guy Dennis.
66. Rep. : AGT
72. Eroded, with "away" : ATE
73. Bit of baloney : LIE. Tasty clue.
74. Flap-doored homes : TEPEES
76. Redder inside : RARER. Meat.
77. Agate and jasper : QUARTZES. Super scrabbly. And TIGER'S EYE (52D. Agate relative).
80. "m" and "n" sounds : NASALS
82. Like 2-Down : NORSE. Cross-referenced with ERIC (2D. "The Red" guy). Eric the Red.
84. Binge : SPREE
85. Broadway successes : HITS
87. Pro follower : RATA. Pro rata = proportionately.
89. Some fuel suffixes : ANES. Hydrocarbon suffixes. Plural of an chemical suffix is never desirable.
95. Drama opening? : MELO. Melodrama.
98. Main blood line : AORTA
99. Golfer's "flat stick" : PUTTER. Most putters actually have some degree of loft.
100. Baseball's Durocher : LEO. Hall of Famer. More famous as a manager than a player.
101. Botanist Gray : ASA
102. Gardner that sounds like a peer : ERLE. And EARL (91D. Peer that sounds like a Gardner). Erle Stanley Gardner. We also have STREET (18D. Mason's assistant).
103. Kid : TOT
104. Double-digit sign? : VEE. Good clue.
110. Ice cream order : ONE SCOOP. I don't eat ice cream.
115. It's trolled at Christmas : CAROL
116. Like fall air, often : NIPPY. Fleeting summer here.
118. Bizet work : OPERA. "Carmen".
119. Some jazz combos : TRIOS
122. Principle : TENET
123. Skillful : ADEPT
124. Nile snake : ASP
125. Not a good way to come up : SHORT. Come up short.
Down:
1. Spy name : HARI. Mata Hari.
3. Burn balm : ALOE
4. Stingray, e.g., for short : 'VETTE
5. Swallow greedily : ENGORGE
7. Honey holders : JARS. I love honey.
8. Part of EST: Abbr. : STD
9. Pool owner's concern : ALGAE
10. Tabloid fodder : DIRT
11. Speaker's platform : DAIS
12. Like minor hardships : ENDURABLE. Didn't come to me readily.
13. Very blue state : DESPAIR. Was thinking of California.
15. Ultimate words? : OBIT. Terrific clue. And OR ELSE (17. Ultimate words).
16. With 55-Down, Beatles song with the line "You may be a lover but you ain't no dancer" : HELTER. And SKELTER (55. See 16-Down). Helter Skelter. Not a familiar song to me.
24. Open, as a scroll : UNROLL
28. Toque wearer : CHEF. Was surprised that toque stumped some in Donna's hat pun last time.
29. Anaheim stadium nickname : BIG A. The Big A. Probably hard for non-baseball fans.
31. Shaved to the max : CLOSE-CUT. I wanted an EST-ending word.
34. Env. directive : ATTN
35. Celebrate in a big way : WHOOP IT UP
36. Listen : LEND AN EAR. Two great multi-words in a row.
38. Alphabetical orders? : BLTS. I figure it can't be BCDE cluster, the real "Alphabetical orders". Also RODENTIA (57. Mouse order). Composed of rodents. Another new word. I was thinking of computer mouse order: click.
39. Jeeves's boss __ Wooster, in Wodehouse novels : BERTIE. No idea. I bet Lemonade knows.
40. Communion cups : CHALICES
44. Village : BOURG. Thought it means "town". Confused it with burg.
45. Tele- ending : THON. Telethon.
46. "Song of Myself" poet : WHITMAN
51. Like the Elks : FRATERNAL
53. Ret. fliers : SSTS
59. T-shirt orders : XLS
60. "If I Were King of the Forest" singer : LAHR (Bert). Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz".
62. McCain's st. : ARIZ
64. Empty, as a desk : CLEAR OUT
67. Online sidebar headings : FAQS. FAQ = Frequently Asked Question.
68. Charge card charge : FEE. Triple alliteration.
70. Like italics : ASLANT. And AROAR (71. Cheering in a big way). Two consecutive A words.
75. Tense time? : PAST. Past tense.
78. Taken-back auto : REPO
79. Curlew or plover : SHOREBIRD
81. Ballpark figure : STAT. And OR SO (112. Ballpark figure follower). Different ballparks.
83. Old U.S. gas : ESSO
86. Violin add-on : IST. Violinist.
88. Brit's school exam : A-LEVEL. No idea. Taken by whom? For what?
92. Italian cornmeal dish : POLENTA
93. Apple product : IPOD
94. Citrus drinks : FRESCAS. Coca-Cola.
95. Smokey Bear, e.g. : MASCOT
96. Beach book genre : ESCAPE
97. Polo designer : LAUREN (Ralph)
102. Key of four Beethoven piano sonatas : E-FLAT. I peeked at the answer sheet.
103. Lovers' liaison : TRYST
105. It's disposable online : E-CASH. Do you call PayPal money e-cash?
107. Shout after a hook, maybe : FORE. Or after a slice. Golf.
108. Andy's kid : OPIE. "The Andy Griffith Show" kid.
109. Per : A POP
110. Nuptial pronoun : OURS
111. Twice-monthly tide : NEAP
113. Fräulein's upper : OBER. I only know UBER (over).
114. Sibilant signal : PSST
117. Corp. alias : DBA (Doing Business As)
Answer grid.
Here is a link to Gunghy's Meteor Crater shots from his Picaca Web Album. Click on each one, his wonderful captions will show up. Man, he's a great photographer, don't you think?
C.C.
23A. Protective gear for public disorder? : RIOT GUARD. Playing on Right Guard, the deodorant brand.
28A. Condiments aisle dispute? : CATSUP BATTLE. Catsup Bottle. We just call it catchup.
43A. Looker in a free-for-all? : THE BELLE OF THE BRAWL. The Belle of the Ball.
67A. Hostility between pinky wrestlers? : FINGER FEUD. Finger Food.
69A. Couple that's always at it? : CLASHMATES. Classmates. Then John gives us BRA (120A. Uplifting garb) and a consecutive ASSES (121. Boobs). He's deviously DF.
90A. Grammar class skirmishes? : PREPOSITIONAL FRAYS. Prepositional phrases.
106A. Table game for tusslers? : SCUFFLE BOARD. Shuffleboard.
117A. Pasta before an affaire d'honneur? : DUEL CARBS. What is this playing off? Dual Carb(buretors)? I've never heard of it before. Affaire d'honneur ="Affair of honor".
I liked how 67A & 69A are placed side by side in Row 11 (very central row) of the grid, separated by a black square it the middle. Technically you can place 23A & 117A in that row too, separated by a group of three squares. Won't look as pretty though.
Fun theme and fun clues, which all have some sort of skirmish words as hints.
Pangram. And no helper/cheater squares. Really takes time and effort to accomplish these two goals. Lower than average block count and word count too. As usual, I green-highlighted all the terrific clue echos.
Just mentioned yesterday that E is the most common vowels in crossword. This one has 52. I think R & S & T are the mostly common consonants. 37 R's in this grid.
Across:
1. Stop at sea, with "to" : HEAVE. New expression to me.
6. CD changers, at times : DJS
9. Tossed in : ADDED
14. Seasonal flue shouts : HO HOS. From Darling Santa. Nice play on "seasonal flu shots".
19. "The Wizard of Oz" tunesmith : ARLEN (Harold)
20. __ race : RAT.Crossing DRAG (6D.__ race). Fill-in-the-blank clues can't get better than this.
21. NPR host Hansen : LIANE. Of "Weekend Edition Sunday". Wife of Neal Conan, host of "Talk of the Nation" (NPR).
22. Critic with an influential thumb : EBERT (Roger). Film critic.
25. Crossword components : GRIDS. Sweet!
26. Roger Bannister, notably : MILER
27. Handlers in a bucket : ICE TONGS. I was picturing a person rather than a tool "handler".
30. Slip : ERR
31. "Evita" role : CHE. The narrator.
32. Certain dancer's hope : RAIN. Why? A reference to "Singin' in the Rain"?
33. Ending with Japan : ESE. Japanese.
34. Poking tool : AWL
37. Talk turkey? : GOBBLE. Lovely clue.
40. Diet guru Jenny : CRAIG
42. Worry : FRET
47. __ avail : TO NO
48. Monogram pts. : LTRS. And R.E.L. (41D. Confed. monogram). R. E. Lee. Confederate. Wicked clue.
49. Lecture site : HALL
50. Dagger handles : HAFTS
54. Knotty situation? : NODUS. New word to me. Nodus is Latin for "knot".
56. Solid alcohol : STEROL. What? There's solid alcohol?
58. Bookplate words : EX LIBRIS. Bookplate inscription. Never know how to spell the words libris correctly. It means "library", right?
61. Dogsledding gear : PARKA
63. Like some Byzantine art : ICONIC. Most are icons.
65. Bodybuilder's target, briefly : LAT. I wanted ABS. And FLAB (42D. Bodybuilder's target). And HE-MAN (14D. Bodybuilder). Shout-out to our MOREL guy Dennis.
66. Rep. : AGT
72. Eroded, with "away" : ATE
73. Bit of baloney : LIE. Tasty clue.
74. Flap-doored homes : TEPEES
76. Redder inside : RARER. Meat.
77. Agate and jasper : QUARTZES. Super scrabbly. And TIGER'S EYE (52D. Agate relative).
80. "m" and "n" sounds : NASALS
82. Like 2-Down : NORSE. Cross-referenced with ERIC (2D. "The Red" guy). Eric the Red.
84. Binge : SPREE
85. Broadway successes : HITS
87. Pro follower : RATA. Pro rata = proportionately.
89. Some fuel suffixes : ANES. Hydrocarbon suffixes. Plural of an chemical suffix is never desirable.
95. Drama opening? : MELO. Melodrama.
98. Main blood line : AORTA
99. Golfer's "flat stick" : PUTTER. Most putters actually have some degree of loft.
100. Baseball's Durocher : LEO. Hall of Famer. More famous as a manager than a player.
101. Botanist Gray : ASA
102. Gardner that sounds like a peer : ERLE. And EARL (91D. Peer that sounds like a Gardner). Erle Stanley Gardner. We also have STREET (18D. Mason's assistant).
103. Kid : TOT
104. Double-digit sign? : VEE. Good clue.
110. Ice cream order : ONE SCOOP. I don't eat ice cream.
115. It's trolled at Christmas : CAROL
116. Like fall air, often : NIPPY. Fleeting summer here.
118. Bizet work : OPERA. "Carmen".
119. Some jazz combos : TRIOS
122. Principle : TENET
123. Skillful : ADEPT
124. Nile snake : ASP
125. Not a good way to come up : SHORT. Come up short.
Down:
1. Spy name : HARI. Mata Hari.
3. Burn balm : ALOE
4. Stingray, e.g., for short : 'VETTE
5. Swallow greedily : ENGORGE
7. Honey holders : JARS. I love honey.
8. Part of EST: Abbr. : STD
9. Pool owner's concern : ALGAE
10. Tabloid fodder : DIRT
11. Speaker's platform : DAIS
12. Like minor hardships : ENDURABLE. Didn't come to me readily.
13. Very blue state : DESPAIR. Was thinking of California.
15. Ultimate words? : OBIT. Terrific clue. And OR ELSE (17. Ultimate words).
16. With 55-Down, Beatles song with the line "You may be a lover but you ain't no dancer" : HELTER. And SKELTER (55. See 16-Down). Helter Skelter. Not a familiar song to me.
24. Open, as a scroll : UNROLL
28. Toque wearer : CHEF. Was surprised that toque stumped some in Donna's hat pun last time.
29. Anaheim stadium nickname : BIG A. The Big A. Probably hard for non-baseball fans.
31. Shaved to the max : CLOSE-CUT. I wanted an EST-ending word.
34. Env. directive : ATTN
35. Celebrate in a big way : WHOOP IT UP
36. Listen : LEND AN EAR. Two great multi-words in a row.
38. Alphabetical orders? : BLTS. I figure it can't be BCDE cluster, the real "Alphabetical orders". Also RODENTIA (57. Mouse order). Composed of rodents. Another new word. I was thinking of computer mouse order: click.
39. Jeeves's boss __ Wooster, in Wodehouse novels : BERTIE. No idea. I bet Lemonade knows.
40. Communion cups : CHALICES
44. Village : BOURG. Thought it means "town". Confused it with burg.
45. Tele- ending : THON. Telethon.
46. "Song of Myself" poet : WHITMAN
51. Like the Elks : FRATERNAL
53. Ret. fliers : SSTS
59. T-shirt orders : XLS
60. "If I Were King of the Forest" singer : LAHR (Bert). Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz".
62. McCain's st. : ARIZ
64. Empty, as a desk : CLEAR OUT
67. Online sidebar headings : FAQS. FAQ = Frequently Asked Question.
68. Charge card charge : FEE. Triple alliteration.
70. Like italics : ASLANT. And AROAR (71. Cheering in a big way). Two consecutive A words.
75. Tense time? : PAST. Past tense.
78. Taken-back auto : REPO
79. Curlew or plover : SHOREBIRD
81. Ballpark figure : STAT. And OR SO (112. Ballpark figure follower). Different ballparks.
83. Old U.S. gas : ESSO
86. Violin add-on : IST. Violinist.
88. Brit's school exam : A-LEVEL. No idea. Taken by whom? For what?
92. Italian cornmeal dish : POLENTA
93. Apple product : IPOD
94. Citrus drinks : FRESCAS. Coca-Cola.
95. Smokey Bear, e.g. : MASCOT
96. Beach book genre : ESCAPE
97. Polo designer : LAUREN (Ralph)
102. Key of four Beethoven piano sonatas : E-FLAT. I peeked at the answer sheet.
103. Lovers' liaison : TRYST
105. It's disposable online : E-CASH. Do you call PayPal money e-cash?
107. Shout after a hook, maybe : FORE. Or after a slice. Golf.
108. Andy's kid : OPIE. "The Andy Griffith Show" kid.
109. Per : A POP
110. Nuptial pronoun : OURS
111. Twice-monthly tide : NEAP
113. Fräulein's upper : OBER. I only know UBER (over).
114. Sibilant signal : PSST
117. Corp. alias : DBA (Doing Business As)
Answer grid.
Here is a link to Gunghy's Meteor Crater shots from his Picaca Web Album. Click on each one, his wonderful captions will show up. Man, he's a great photographer, don't you think?
C.C.
