Theme: Location, Location, Location or rather YOU ARE HERE (109A. Mall map phrase, and a homophonic hint to this puzzle's theme) - The first word of each common phrase starts with U, and the second word starts with R. Thus, U R HERE.
21A. Alternative media magazine since 1984 : UTNE READER. Named after the founder Eric Utne. Just a reprint of various articles. I've got no idea on how to pronounce Utne. You?
26A. City improvement program : URBAN RENEWAL
43A. Moving option : U-HAUL RENTAL
50A. "Song of the South" storyteller : UNCLE REMUS. Nice to see a complete name.
63A. Den controller : UNIVERSAL REMOTE
77A. Consumer Reports feature : USER REVIEW. Easy guess.
85A. Score after a 22-Down, usually : UNEARNED RUN
98A. Rot : UTTER RUBBISH
In addition to UNEARNED RUN, we also have:
116A. D.C. team : NATS. Nationals.
118A. League divisions : EASTS. And ARAB (92A. __ League). League clecho (clue echo).
22D. Diamond flaw? : ERROR. Think baseball whenever there's a question mark besides diamond.
Fun puzzle. When I first read the title, I thought of "under", "over", "beneath", you know, those positional prepositions. Got most of the U beginning theme answers, but did not grok the theme until I reached the unifier.
Total 19 Us in the grid. I mentioned before that unlike A, E or other vowels, U is a bit tough to place in the grid. So, there had to be some shuffling around of several theme answers to make the grid work smoothly. Of course, Jeff loves You! Who could forget his last *ULUS?
Congratulations to Jeff on his Sunday debut! Nine theme entries, great start. Do tell us how the theme was developed and what were some of the challenges you faced in constructing this first 21*21.
Across:
1. Game with triples and doubles : DARTS. Was picturing baseball.
6. Strike out : OMIT. Thought of baseball again.
10. Rogen of "Knocked Up" : SETH. Have never seen "Knocked Up". Sounds goofy.
14. Singer's syllable : TRA
17. On the ball : ALERT
18. Composer of the "Brandenburg" concertos : BACH. Got it via crosses.
19. Virile : MACHO
20. Scold, with "out" : CHEW
23. Woolf's "__ of One's Own" : A ROOM
24. Overhaul : RE-DO
25. Consequence of selfish acts, some say : BAD KARMA. Great fill.
29. Pulitzer category : DRAMA
31. Napa prefix : OENO. Prefix for "wine".
32. Old commercial prefix with mat : FOTO
33. Tabasco, por ejemplo : ESTADO. "State". I was thinking of the hot sauce.
37. Sully : SOIL
39. Gazed amazedly : MARVELED
46. Place : SITE
47. One way to swing : FRO. To and fro.
48. Driving __ : RANGE. Golf.
49. Swimming cap brand : VOIT. Unknown to me.
53. Food scrap : ORT. Also OAT (38D. Feedbag morsel).
54. Secure in a harbor : MOOR
55. Monopoly buys: Abbr. : AVES
56. Go with the flow : ADAPT
57. They're often not on the menu : SPECIALS. Some are.
60. Fluish feeling : AGUE. Learned from doing word.
61. Terse negation : IT ISN'T
66. Coke collectible : BOTTLE. It has become a huge industry, all kinds of Coke collectibles.
68. Cajun vegetable : OKRA. Have you tried fresh okra? Not so mushy at all.
69. Desert menaces : RATTLERS
73. Indian dignitary : RANEE
74. Calendar col. : TUES. And NOV (28. Calendar pg.). Calendar clecho. Click here and thumb up the definition, if you have not voted. We also have AUG (36D. What "8" may represent: Abbr.). In calendar too.
75. Short smokes? : CIGS. Cigarettes.
76. Droid : BOT
80. School in Durham : DUKE. Coach K & the lacrosse scandal are all I know about Duke.
81. Feudal lord : LIEGE
83. Rose-rose-rose-rose connector : IS A. Gertrude Stein. "Rose is a rose is a rose..."
84. Distillery vessels : VATS
87. "No prob!" : NOT AT ALL
90. Herr's partner : FRAU
91. Patterned marbles : AGATES
93. Bibliographic abbr. : ET AL
95. It eats shoots and leaves : PANDA. I've yet to read "Eats, Shoots and Leaves".
102. Recites effortlessly : REELS OFF
107. Quarter, e.g. : COIN
108. Like a stadium full of cheering fans : AROAR
111. Capital NNW of Santiago : LIMA. Harvested a few precious lima beans this year.
112. Illegal lending tactic : USURY
113. Chapter 11 issue : DEBT
114. Allied (with) : SIDED
115. Black and tan half : ALE. According to Wiki, Black and Tan is "a drink made from a blend of pale ale and a dark beer such as a stout or porter".
117. Memorable periods : ERAS
Down:
1. Smear : DAUB
2. Resort near Snowbird : ALTA. See this map. Utah ski town. I forgot again.
3. Tear to pieces : REND
4. Tough journey : TREK
5. Equivocate : STRADDLE
6. He bested Clinton in 2008 : OBAMA. I like how it parallels MADAM (7. Speaker's title, perhaps).
8. Curling surface : ICE
9. Unlike a dead end, briefly : THRU
10. Kitchen wrap : SARAN
11. Field involving scarcity and elasticity : ECONOMICS. Not a familiar references. Nice rhyme.
12. Superhero based on a god : THOR. Norse thunder god.
13. "Smooth sailing from here!" : HOME FREE
14. Chaney title role : THE WOLF MAN. Was shocked I got it.
15. Unwanted letter of fiction : RED A. "The Scarlet Letter".
16. MP's quarry : AWOL
19. Silents actress Normand : MABEL. Can never remember her name.
20. Minotaur's island : CRETE
27. Agitate : ROIL
30. Moving about : ASTIR
33. Continental money : EUROS
34. Astute : SHARP
35. Oncle's spouse : TANTE. French for "aunt". Oncle is "uncle".
40. View from Nantucket: Abbr. : ATL. Tricky clue.
41. Burst : ERUPT
42. "__ thou know who made thee?": Blake : DOST
44. Develop slowly : EVOLVE
45. Rope loop : NOOSE
46. Look of disdain : SNEER
50. Throat projection : UVULA
51. "Something to Talk About" Grammy winner : RAITT (Bonnie). Nice song. To answer Husker Gary's questions: No, I've never heard of "Now or Never". And yes, Elvis is known in China, but definitely not as popular as Eminem or Jay-Z. Kids now rap nonsense everywhere.
52. Comet brand before it was reassigned to Mercury : EDSEL. Unknown trivia to me. Whatever, flop.
54. "You've got __" : MAIL. So so movie.
55. Gelling agents : AGARS
58. More adorable : CUTER
59. Lay to rest : INTER
60. Cockeyed : ASKEW
61. Diagnostic machine : IMAGER. No idea. Diagnostic of what?
62. Rug rats : TOTS
64. Lecherous sorts : ROUES. Pronounced as roo-EY.
65. Eleniak of "Baywatch" : ERIKA. First encounter with this lady.
66. Low man : BASSO. low voice. I was in the serf style low man direction.
67. Revolving door recommendation : ONE AT A TIME. Gorgeous entry.
70. Film critic Roger : EBERT
71. Scoundrel : ROGUE
72. British guns : STENS
73. Bankrupt : RUIN
74. Boxer's dream : TITLE BOUT. Is this like boxers's Superbowl?
75. Get ready to play, as a CD track : CUE UP
78. Noted WWII bride : EVA BRAUN. Hitler's bride. Got me.
79. Kilmer of "The Saint" : VAL
80. Chromosome component : DNA
81. Language involving fine print? : LEGALESE. Nailed it.
82. Wash. neighbor : IDA
85. www addresses : URLS
86. Four-time presidential candidate : NADER
88. Combat zone : ARENA. We often see ETO clued as DDE's arena.
89. Sailor : TAR
90. Godmother, at times : FAIRY
94. Uphill pullers : T-BARS
96. Curaçao neighbor : ARUBA
97. __-foot oil : NEATS. No idea. What's commonly used?
98. Winner of seven straight NCAA hoops championships : UCLA
99. Labor : TOIL
100. __ Minor : URSA
101. Fictional alter ego : HYDE. Jekyll's alter ego.
103. Sunni relative : SHIA. How they keep fighting each other is beyond me.
104. Weighty refs. : OEDS
105. Stew : FRET
106. Some raiders : FEDS. Was quite scared when conducting my first raid with Pinkerton.
110. Anthem preposition : O'ER
Answer grid.
C.C.
21A. Alternative media magazine since 1984 : UTNE READER. Named after the founder Eric Utne. Just a reprint of various articles. I've got no idea on how to pronounce Utne. You?
26A. City improvement program : URBAN RENEWAL
43A. Moving option : U-HAUL RENTAL
50A. "Song of the South" storyteller : UNCLE REMUS. Nice to see a complete name.
63A. Den controller : UNIVERSAL REMOTE
77A. Consumer Reports feature : USER REVIEW. Easy guess.
85A. Score after a 22-Down, usually : UNEARNED RUN
98A. Rot : UTTER RUBBISH
In addition to UNEARNED RUN, we also have:
116A. D.C. team : NATS. Nationals.
118A. League divisions : EASTS. And ARAB (92A. __ League). League clecho (clue echo).
22D. Diamond flaw? : ERROR. Think baseball whenever there's a question mark besides diamond.
Fun puzzle. When I first read the title, I thought of "under", "over", "beneath", you know, those positional prepositions. Got most of the U beginning theme answers, but did not grok the theme until I reached the unifier.
Total 19 Us in the grid. I mentioned before that unlike A, E or other vowels, U is a bit tough to place in the grid. So, there had to be some shuffling around of several theme answers to make the grid work smoothly. Of course, Jeff loves You! Who could forget his last *ULUS?
Congratulations to Jeff on his Sunday debut! Nine theme entries, great start. Do tell us how the theme was developed and what were some of the challenges you faced in constructing this first 21*21.
Across:
1. Game with triples and doubles : DARTS. Was picturing baseball.
6. Strike out : OMIT. Thought of baseball again.
10. Rogen of "Knocked Up" : SETH. Have never seen "Knocked Up". Sounds goofy.
14. Singer's syllable : TRA
17. On the ball : ALERT
18. Composer of the "Brandenburg" concertos : BACH. Got it via crosses.
19. Virile : MACHO
20. Scold, with "out" : CHEW
23. Woolf's "__ of One's Own" : A ROOM
24. Overhaul : RE-DO
25. Consequence of selfish acts, some say : BAD KARMA. Great fill.
29. Pulitzer category : DRAMA
31. Napa prefix : OENO. Prefix for "wine".
32. Old commercial prefix with mat : FOTO
33. Tabasco, por ejemplo : ESTADO. "State". I was thinking of the hot sauce.
37. Sully : SOIL
39. Gazed amazedly : MARVELED
46. Place : SITE
47. One way to swing : FRO. To and fro.
48. Driving __ : RANGE. Golf.
49. Swimming cap brand : VOIT. Unknown to me.
53. Food scrap : ORT. Also OAT (38D. Feedbag morsel).
54. Secure in a harbor : MOOR
55. Monopoly buys: Abbr. : AVES
56. Go with the flow : ADAPT
57. They're often not on the menu : SPECIALS. Some are.
60. Fluish feeling : AGUE. Learned from doing word.
61. Terse negation : IT ISN'T
66. Coke collectible : BOTTLE. It has become a huge industry, all kinds of Coke collectibles.
68. Cajun vegetable : OKRA. Have you tried fresh okra? Not so mushy at all.
69. Desert menaces : RATTLERS
73. Indian dignitary : RANEE
74. Calendar col. : TUES. And NOV (28. Calendar pg.). Calendar clecho. Click here and thumb up the definition, if you have not voted. We also have AUG (36D. What "8" may represent: Abbr.). In calendar too.
75. Short smokes? : CIGS. Cigarettes.
76. Droid : BOT
80. School in Durham : DUKE. Coach K & the lacrosse scandal are all I know about Duke.
81. Feudal lord : LIEGE
83. Rose-rose-rose-rose connector : IS A. Gertrude Stein. "Rose is a rose is a rose..."
84. Distillery vessels : VATS
87. "No prob!" : NOT AT ALL
90. Herr's partner : FRAU
91. Patterned marbles : AGATES
93. Bibliographic abbr. : ET AL
95. It eats shoots and leaves : PANDA. I've yet to read "Eats, Shoots and Leaves".
102. Recites effortlessly : REELS OFF
107. Quarter, e.g. : COIN
108. Like a stadium full of cheering fans : AROAR
111. Capital NNW of Santiago : LIMA. Harvested a few precious lima beans this year.
112. Illegal lending tactic : USURY
113. Chapter 11 issue : DEBT
114. Allied (with) : SIDED
115. Black and tan half : ALE. According to Wiki, Black and Tan is "a drink made from a blend of pale ale and a dark beer such as a stout or porter".
117. Memorable periods : ERAS
Down:
1. Smear : DAUB
2. Resort near Snowbird : ALTA. See this map. Utah ski town. I forgot again.
3. Tear to pieces : REND
4. Tough journey : TREK
5. Equivocate : STRADDLE
6. He bested Clinton in 2008 : OBAMA. I like how it parallels MADAM (7. Speaker's title, perhaps).
8. Curling surface : ICE
9. Unlike a dead end, briefly : THRU
10. Kitchen wrap : SARAN
11. Field involving scarcity and elasticity : ECONOMICS. Not a familiar references. Nice rhyme.
12. Superhero based on a god : THOR. Norse thunder god.
13. "Smooth sailing from here!" : HOME FREE
14. Chaney title role : THE WOLF MAN. Was shocked I got it.
15. Unwanted letter of fiction : RED A. "The Scarlet Letter".
16. MP's quarry : AWOL
19. Silents actress Normand : MABEL. Can never remember her name.
20. Minotaur's island : CRETE
27. Agitate : ROIL
30. Moving about : ASTIR
33. Continental money : EUROS
34. Astute : SHARP
35. Oncle's spouse : TANTE. French for "aunt". Oncle is "uncle".
40. View from Nantucket: Abbr. : ATL. Tricky clue.
41. Burst : ERUPT
42. "__ thou know who made thee?": Blake : DOST
44. Develop slowly : EVOLVE
45. Rope loop : NOOSE
46. Look of disdain : SNEER
50. Throat projection : UVULA
51. "Something to Talk About" Grammy winner : RAITT (Bonnie). Nice song. To answer Husker Gary's questions: No, I've never heard of "Now or Never". And yes, Elvis is known in China, but definitely not as popular as Eminem or Jay-Z. Kids now rap nonsense everywhere.
52. Comet brand before it was reassigned to Mercury : EDSEL. Unknown trivia to me. Whatever, flop.
54. "You've got __" : MAIL. So so movie.
55. Gelling agents : AGARS
58. More adorable : CUTER
59. Lay to rest : INTER
60. Cockeyed : ASKEW
61. Diagnostic machine : IMAGER. No idea. Diagnostic of what?
62. Rug rats : TOTS
64. Lecherous sorts : ROUES. Pronounced as roo-EY.
65. Eleniak of "Baywatch" : ERIKA. First encounter with this lady.
66. Low man : BASSO. low voice. I was in the serf style low man direction.
67. Revolving door recommendation : ONE AT A TIME. Gorgeous entry.
70. Film critic Roger : EBERT
71. Scoundrel : ROGUE
72. British guns : STENS
73. Bankrupt : RUIN
74. Boxer's dream : TITLE BOUT. Is this like boxers's Superbowl?
75. Get ready to play, as a CD track : CUE UP
78. Noted WWII bride : EVA BRAUN. Hitler's bride. Got me.
79. Kilmer of "The Saint" : VAL
80. Chromosome component : DNA
81. Language involving fine print? : LEGALESE. Nailed it.
82. Wash. neighbor : IDA
85. www addresses : URLS
86. Four-time presidential candidate : NADER
88. Combat zone : ARENA. We often see ETO clued as DDE's arena.
89. Sailor : TAR
90. Godmother, at times : FAIRY
94. Uphill pullers : T-BARS
96. Curaçao neighbor : ARUBA
97. __-foot oil : NEATS. No idea. What's commonly used?
98. Winner of seven straight NCAA hoops championships : UCLA
99. Labor : TOIL
100. __ Minor : URSA
101. Fictional alter ego : HYDE. Jekyll's alter ego.
103. Sunni relative : SHIA. How they keep fighting each other is beyond me.
104. Weighty refs. : OEDS
105. Stew : FRET
106. Some raiders : FEDS. Was quite scared when conducting my first raid with Pinkerton.
110. Anthem preposition : O'ER
Answer grid.
C.C.
