Theme: Unfinished B Movies - B is changed P in all the 11 movie titles (Added later: Letter- wise, P is an unfinished B).
23A. Film about an embarrassing fig leaf situation? : ADAM'S RIP. "Adam's Rib". Tracy & Hepburn. Watched it long time ago.
25A. Film about winning the chicken breeder's trophy? : SILVER PULLET. No idea. "Silver Bullet". Stephen King horror film.
30A. Film about great cornbread? : THE LOVELY PONES. "The Lovely Bones". Stanley Tucci is a great actor.
51A. Film about where to put Melba sauce? : ON THE PEACH. "On the Beach". Unknown to me. Melba peach.
54A. Film about clashing egos? : PRIDE WARS. "Bride Wars". Starring Kate Hudson & Anne Hathaway.
66A. Film about swabbing drudgery? : MARRIED TO THE MOP. "Married to the Mob". Michelle Pfeiffer.
85A. Film about Milo's pal Otis? : A PUG'S LIFE. "A Bug's Life". Pixar animated film.
87A. Film about a tick at a kennel club event? : PEST IN SHOW. "Best in Show". Clear Ayes might know this movie.
102A. Film set in a sty? : PIG MOMMA'S HOUSE. "Big Momma's House". Another unknown to me.
114A Film about a celebrity golf tournament? : STARS AND PARS. "Stars and Bars". Starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Not on my radar.
116A. Film about V-chip users? : PORN FREE. "Born Free". Hello Elsa!
Very theme-heavy. We often see 7-9 theme entries in a Sunday grid. 11 are tough to maneuver around.
Great LA Times debut by Chris A McGlothlin, who had a NY Sunday puzzle earlier this year.
Across:
1. Words preceding a pronouncement : I DOs
5. 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Newton : CAM. First overall pick by the Panthers. Lots of sports talk about this guy.
8. Novel digits : ISBN
12. Trig function : ARCSINE. Hated math.
19. Guy : MALE
20. In the style of : ALA
21. Popeye's __' Pea : SWEE
22. Sentence alterations : PAROLES. Prison sentences.
27. Toast triangle topper : CAVIAR. Yummy!
28. Link letters : URL. You should definitely subscribe to Paul's free "Word of the day". Full of nuggets.
29. Most prone to brooding : MOPIEST
35. Buffy's love : ANGEL. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".
38. Simpson judge : ITO. He must know that Simpson did it.
39. Tallow source : SUET
40. Scrub over : REWASH
45. Italian mine : MIO. "O Sole Mio". My sun.
46. Walk pompously : STRUT
48. Strip : PEEL
50. Bassoon relative : OBOE
57. Catholic college near Oakland : ST. MARYS. No idea. We've got a St Mary's here in MN too.
58. 45 players : HI-FIs.
61. Bridge supports : TRUSSES
62. "... the whites of __ eyes" : THEIR
63. TV intro opening : HERE'S
64. With 115-Down, wrinkly pooch : SHAR. 115. See 64-Across : PEI. Shar =Sand. Pei = Skin.
65. Computer add-on : ESE. Computerese. Great clue.
71. Some four-yr. degrees : BSS (Bachelor of Social Science).
74. Really could use : NEED
75. Afterward : LATER
76. Bribable : VENAL. Don't confuse it with Venial (Venial sin).
80. Moves back : RECEDES
82. "Kills 99.9% of bacteria" product : LYSOL
83. Lennon classic : IMAGINE. My brother loves this song.
89. Colorado River feeder : GILA
90. __ bene : NOTA
92. Am : EXIST
93. First name in despotism : IDI (Amin)
94. Run fast : GALLOP
97. Team-player liaisons: Abbr. : AGTs
99. Saucer contents? : ETS. Flying saucer.
100. Setting for "Starry Night Over the Rhone" : ARLES. Loved van Gogh's yellow and blue.
106. Trapped : UP A TREE. Nice answer.
109. Opener's target : CAN
110. Prepared for baking, as flour : SIFTED
118. "The Kids Are All Right" Oscar nominee Bening : ANNETTE
119. Art Deco designer : ERTE
120. Clampett patriarch : JED
121. The Auld Sod : EIRE
122. Painters' plasters : GESSOES. Always a challenging word for me.
123. Pastoral poem : IDYL
124. Madrid Mrs. : SRA
125. Way out : DOOR
Down:
1. All-in-one Apple : iMAC
2. Word from a crib : DADA
3. Norwegian royal name : OLAV. Hi there, Lord Magnus Shadrack of 64th Street.
4. Hebrew, e.g. : SEMITE
5. Writer John le __ : CARRE
6. Rhyming fighter : ALI. Clued as "Poetic boxer" in Gareth Bain's March puzzle.
7. Tourist's aid : MAP
8. Disputed point : ISSUE
9. Ice cream lines : SWIRLS
10. Bankrupt : BELLY-UP
11. Harry Reid's st. : NEV. He always seems so gloomy.
12. Cook's protector : APRON
13. Fast-talking performer : RAPPER
14. Princess jaunt : CRUISE. Princess Cruises.
15. It's always underfoot : SOLE
16. Troubles : ILLs
17. Bygone Nair competitor : NEET
18. D.C. setting : EST
24. Satirist Mort : SAHL
26. Drama queen, e.g. : EMOTER
31. Some Millers : LITEs
32. Neither esta nor esa : OTRA (other). Neither this nor that.
33. One with backing : VOUCHEE
34. Friends, in slang : PEEPS
35. "__ Wanted Man": 2008 novel : A MOST
36. Amendment dealing with unenumerated rights : NINTH. I forgot all I learned during the Citizenship exam.
37. "You win" : GOT ME
41. Amazes : WOWS
42. Belittle : ABASE
43. Tender spots : SORES
44. "Steppenwolf" author : HESSE (Hermann)
46. Watch secretly : SPY
47. Lead-in following a second point : THIRDLY
49. Supple : LITHE
52. Corey of "The Lost Boys" : HAIM
53. Going concerns? : ERRANDS. Nice clue.
55. Apothecary's weight : DRAM
56. Old VW camper : EUROVAN
59. Greek cheeses : FETAs. I came to the US when I was 30, how about your Greek wife, Husker Gary? I'm guessing Barry G's wife (Tianjin, China) and Jayce's wife (Hongkong) arrived here at a slightly earlier age.
60. Carbon-14, e.g. : ISOTOPE
63. Buried : HID
64. NASDAQ unit : SHR (Share)
67. Projection booth item : REEL
68. Common conifer secretion : RESIN
69. Fax forerunners : TELEXES
70. Cribbage pieces : PEGS
71. Fayetteville fort : BRAGG. Fort Bragg.
72. Tone of the Kansas sequences in "The Wizard of Oz" : SEPIA
73. Oar : SCULL
77. It meant nothing to Nero : NIHIL
78. Battery current entry point : ANODE
79. Comedian Black : LEWIS
81. It's the same in Paris : EGAL. Literally "the same".
82. "Unhand me!" : LET GO
83. "__ Easy": Guns N' Roses song : IT'S SO. The constructor did not have much choices here, with ?T??O arrangement.
84. Charles River sch. : M.I.T.
86. Got all bubbly : FOAMED
88. Jedi adversary : SITH. "Star Wars".
91. Payment option : ATM CARD
95. Decides one will : OPTS TO
96. Somalian menace : PIRATE. Brutal!
98. Wisenheimer : SMARTY
100. Speller's clarification : AS IN. Q as in queen. People always want to add an U after my Q.
101. Made calls, in a way : REFFED. Ref can be a verb?
103. They're found in pools : GENES
104. Photographer Adams : ANSEL
105. Fed. nutritional no. : US RDA
106. __ Reader : UTNE
107. "Only the credits held my attention" et al. : PANS. I don't get this pan.
108. Greek war god : ARES
111. Crosby, Stills & Nash, e.g. : TRIO
112. Architect Saarinen : EERO
113. A few bucks? : DEER. Cute clue.
114. Lose support : SAG
116. Short sleepers? : PJs
117. Anthem contraction : O'ER.
Answer grid.
C.C.
23A. Film about an embarrassing fig leaf situation? : ADAM'S RIP. "Adam's Rib". Tracy & Hepburn. Watched it long time ago.
25A. Film about winning the chicken breeder's trophy? : SILVER PULLET. No idea. "Silver Bullet". Stephen King horror film.
30A. Film about great cornbread? : THE LOVELY PONES. "The Lovely Bones". Stanley Tucci is a great actor.
51A. Film about where to put Melba sauce? : ON THE PEACH. "On the Beach". Unknown to me. Melba peach.
54A. Film about clashing egos? : PRIDE WARS. "Bride Wars". Starring Kate Hudson & Anne Hathaway.
66A. Film about swabbing drudgery? : MARRIED TO THE MOP. "Married to the Mob". Michelle Pfeiffer.
85A. Film about Milo's pal Otis? : A PUG'S LIFE. "A Bug's Life". Pixar animated film.
87A. Film about a tick at a kennel club event? : PEST IN SHOW. "Best in Show". Clear Ayes might know this movie.
102A. Film set in a sty? : PIG MOMMA'S HOUSE. "Big Momma's House". Another unknown to me.
114A Film about a celebrity golf tournament? : STARS AND PARS. "Stars and Bars". Starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Not on my radar.
116A. Film about V-chip users? : PORN FREE. "Born Free". Hello Elsa!
Very theme-heavy. We often see 7-9 theme entries in a Sunday grid. 11 are tough to maneuver around.
Great LA Times debut by Chris A McGlothlin, who had a NY Sunday puzzle earlier this year.
Across:
1. Words preceding a pronouncement : I DOs
5. 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Newton : CAM. First overall pick by the Panthers. Lots of sports talk about this guy.
8. Novel digits : ISBN
12. Trig function : ARCSINE. Hated math.
19. Guy : MALE
20. In the style of : ALA
21. Popeye's __' Pea : SWEE
22. Sentence alterations : PAROLES. Prison sentences.
27. Toast triangle topper : CAVIAR. Yummy!
28. Link letters : URL. You should definitely subscribe to Paul's free "Word of the day". Full of nuggets.
29. Most prone to brooding : MOPIEST
35. Buffy's love : ANGEL. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".
38. Simpson judge : ITO. He must know that Simpson did it.
39. Tallow source : SUET
40. Scrub over : REWASH
45. Italian mine : MIO. "O Sole Mio". My sun.
46. Walk pompously : STRUT
48. Strip : PEEL
50. Bassoon relative : OBOE
57. Catholic college near Oakland : ST. MARYS. No idea. We've got a St Mary's here in MN too.
58. 45 players : HI-FIs.
61. Bridge supports : TRUSSES
62. "... the whites of __ eyes" : THEIR
63. TV intro opening : HERE'S
64. With 115-Down, wrinkly pooch : SHAR. 115. See 64-Across : PEI. Shar =Sand. Pei = Skin.
65. Computer add-on : ESE. Computerese. Great clue.
71. Some four-yr. degrees : BSS (Bachelor of Social Science).
74. Really could use : NEED
75. Afterward : LATER
76. Bribable : VENAL. Don't confuse it with Venial (Venial sin).
80. Moves back : RECEDES
82. "Kills 99.9% of bacteria" product : LYSOL
83. Lennon classic : IMAGINE. My brother loves this song.
89. Colorado River feeder : GILA
90. __ bene : NOTA
92. Am : EXIST
93. First name in despotism : IDI (Amin)
94. Run fast : GALLOP
97. Team-player liaisons: Abbr. : AGTs
99. Saucer contents? : ETS. Flying saucer.
100. Setting for "Starry Night Over the Rhone" : ARLES. Loved van Gogh's yellow and blue.
106. Trapped : UP A TREE. Nice answer.
109. Opener's target : CAN
110. Prepared for baking, as flour : SIFTED
118. "The Kids Are All Right" Oscar nominee Bening : ANNETTE
119. Art Deco designer : ERTE
120. Clampett patriarch : JED
121. The Auld Sod : EIRE
122. Painters' plasters : GESSOES. Always a challenging word for me.
123. Pastoral poem : IDYL
124. Madrid Mrs. : SRA
125. Way out : DOOR
Down:
1. All-in-one Apple : iMAC
2. Word from a crib : DADA
3. Norwegian royal name : OLAV. Hi there, Lord Magnus Shadrack of 64th Street.
4. Hebrew, e.g. : SEMITE
5. Writer John le __ : CARRE
6. Rhyming fighter : ALI. Clued as "Poetic boxer" in Gareth Bain's March puzzle.
7. Tourist's aid : MAP
8. Disputed point : ISSUE
9. Ice cream lines : SWIRLS
10. Bankrupt : BELLY-UP
11. Harry Reid's st. : NEV. He always seems so gloomy.
12. Cook's protector : APRON
13. Fast-talking performer : RAPPER
14. Princess jaunt : CRUISE. Princess Cruises.
15. It's always underfoot : SOLE
16. Troubles : ILLs
17. Bygone Nair competitor : NEET
18. D.C. setting : EST
24. Satirist Mort : SAHL
26. Drama queen, e.g. : EMOTER
31. Some Millers : LITEs
32. Neither esta nor esa : OTRA (other). Neither this nor that.
33. One with backing : VOUCHEE
34. Friends, in slang : PEEPS
35. "__ Wanted Man": 2008 novel : A MOST
36. Amendment dealing with unenumerated rights : NINTH. I forgot all I learned during the Citizenship exam.
37. "You win" : GOT ME
41. Amazes : WOWS
42. Belittle : ABASE
43. Tender spots : SORES
44. "Steppenwolf" author : HESSE (Hermann)
46. Watch secretly : SPY
47. Lead-in following a second point : THIRDLY
49. Supple : LITHE
52. Corey of "The Lost Boys" : HAIM
53. Going concerns? : ERRANDS. Nice clue.
55. Apothecary's weight : DRAM
56. Old VW camper : EUROVAN
59. Greek cheeses : FETAs. I came to the US when I was 30, how about your Greek wife, Husker Gary? I'm guessing Barry G's wife (Tianjin, China) and Jayce's wife (Hongkong) arrived here at a slightly earlier age.
60. Carbon-14, e.g. : ISOTOPE
63. Buried : HID
64. NASDAQ unit : SHR (Share)
67. Projection booth item : REEL
68. Common conifer secretion : RESIN
69. Fax forerunners : TELEXES
70. Cribbage pieces : PEGS
71. Fayetteville fort : BRAGG. Fort Bragg.
72. Tone of the Kansas sequences in "The Wizard of Oz" : SEPIA
73. Oar : SCULL
77. It meant nothing to Nero : NIHIL
78. Battery current entry point : ANODE
79. Comedian Black : LEWIS
81. It's the same in Paris : EGAL. Literally "the same".
82. "Unhand me!" : LET GO
83. "__ Easy": Guns N' Roses song : IT'S SO. The constructor did not have much choices here, with ?T??O arrangement.
84. Charles River sch. : M.I.T.
86. Got all bubbly : FOAMED
88. Jedi adversary : SITH. "Star Wars".
91. Payment option : ATM CARD
95. Decides one will : OPTS TO
96. Somalian menace : PIRATE. Brutal!
98. Wisenheimer : SMARTY
100. Speller's clarification : AS IN. Q as in queen. People always want to add an U after my Q.
101. Made calls, in a way : REFFED. Ref can be a verb?
103. They're found in pools : GENES
104. Photographer Adams : ANSEL
105. Fed. nutritional no. : US RDA
106. __ Reader : UTNE
107. "Only the credits held my attention" et al. : PANS. I don't get this pan.
108. Greek war god : ARES
111. Crosby, Stills & Nash, e.g. : TRIO
112. Architect Saarinen : EERO
113. A few bucks? : DEER. Cute clue.
114. Lose support : SAG
116. Short sleepers? : PJs
117. Anthem contraction : O'ER.
Answer grid.
C.C.
