Theme: Low and Behold - Part of each common phrase is replaced by a sound-alike cow related term.
27A. Farm vet's reference? : GRAZE ANATOMY. Grey's Anatomy,
51A. Milkmaid? : THE UDDER WOMAN. The other woman.
89A. Calf's folks? : MA AND PA CATTLE. Ma and Pa Kettle.
112A. Where orphans go while their adoptive moms give milk? : DOGIE DAYCARE. Doggy daycare, right?
14D. Santa's backup bovines? : SLEIGH BULLS. Sleigh bells. Hope Argyle returns to his seat tomorrow. I love when he's around.
16D. Expensive cuts? : HIGH STEAKS. High stakes.
67D. Bovine hitmen? : COWS OF DEATH. Cause of death.
73D. Easy listening in the pasture? : MOOED MUSIC. Mood music.
John sure loves nature & all its creatures. This is his third animal related theme we've encountered. Remember this delightful "Pet Food"?
27A. Farm vet's reference? : GRAZE ANATOMY. Grey's Anatomy,
51A. Milkmaid? : THE UDDER WOMAN. The other woman.
89A. Calf's folks? : MA AND PA CATTLE. Ma and Pa Kettle.
112A. Where orphans go while their adoptive moms give milk? : DOGIE DAYCARE. Doggy daycare, right?
14D. Santa's backup bovines? : SLEIGH BULLS. Sleigh bells. Hope Argyle returns to his seat tomorrow. I love when he's around.
16D. Expensive cuts? : HIGH STEAKS. High stakes.
67D. Bovine hitmen? : COWS OF DEATH. Cause of death.
73D. Easy listening in the pasture? : MOOED MUSIC. Mood music.
John sure loves nature & all its creatures. This is his third animal related theme we've encountered. Remember this delightful "Pet Food"?
Again, no cheater square, elegant looking grid. The clues are fantastic, as we always expect from John. Clechos & word associations abound. Just look at this consecutive clue pair:
84A. "The Way We __" : WERE. Loved the movie.
86A. The way we word : SYNTAX.
Across:
1. Bovine milieu : RANCH. Bonus entry.
6. Pasture units : ACRES
11. Terrible twos types : TOTS
15. Crack in a lip : CHAP
19. Fine Japanese porcelain : IMARI. No idea. See here. Noisy colors.
20. The Pemaquid Point Light is on its state quarter : MAINE. See this picture John took last Labor Day weekend. He said "Remarkably, tourists in the reflection have to walk upside down to get to the lookout".
21. Throw : HURL
22. 1953 Original Music Score Oscar-winning film : LILI. Got via crosses.
23. Alluded to : GOT AT
24. Skirt : EVADE
25. Tribe affiliated with the Missouria : OTOE. One of the most popular tribes in Xword.
26. Long look at a looker : OGLE. Fun clue.
30. Wings choice : SPICY HOT. Don't eat chicken.
32. Elite : SELECT
33. Perp chaser, with "the" : LAW
34. New York city or county : OSWEGO. Was it also named after a tribe?
36. Where the bucket slops? : STY. Tried PEN first.
37. Pueblo people : HOPIs
39. __ Brasi, "The Godfather" hatchet man : LUCA. The guy who "sleeps with the fishes".
40. Offend : HURT
42. Type : SORT
46. Casino roller : DIE
47. Berlin's "Call Me __" : MADAM
48. Procreates : BREEDS
54. Fish alternative? : CUT BAIT. So "Fish" is a verb here, right?
55. Fine fiddles : AMATIs. Always reminds me of "The Red Violin".
56. Sheet purchase : REAM
57. Email letters : AOL
58. Arcade game starter : SKEE
59. Guitar string choice : NYLON. Could also be?
60. Uni- + uni- + uni- : TRI. And 113D. Tetra- + tetra- : OCTA. Prefix for "eight".
62. Log processor : SAWMILL
65. Logical conclusion? : SUM. Cogito, ergo sum.
66. Loser's demand : RECOUNT. Election loser.
69. Ratings name : NIELSEN
71. Father of the bride's offering : ARM
74. Exactly correct : SO RIGHT
76. Pharm. receipts : RXs
77. Crier of Greek myth : NIOBE. This used to stump me.
81. B&B offering : ROOM
83. Colorless : WAN
87. Imprudent : FOOLISH
92. Nautical patron : ST ELMO. And 93A. Nautical maneuvers : TACKS. And 95A. Nautical storage : HOLD. Three in a row.
94. Avis output : OVA
96. Like heedless ears : DEAF
97. Stately trees : OAKS
98. Pang of conscience : QUALM
100. Improvise with the band : JAM. Jazzbumap might jam occasionally.
102. Jewel box : CD CASE
104. "__ House": 1970 CSNY hit : OUR
105. Like feet of no concern to a podiatrist? : IAMBIC. I don't get this clue, Clear Ayes!
110. Squad cars : CRUISERS
115. Revolutionary sewer : ROSS. And 43D. "Heavens to Betsy!" : OH MY.
116. River islets : AITs. Classical crosswordese.
118. Assertion of faith : CREDO
119. Filmmaker Welles : ORSON
120. Exude : EMIT
121. Tax evasion investigators : T-MEN
122. Jackson Hole's county : TETON. Grand Teton the big boobs.
123. Wet season events : RAINS
124. City on the Brazos : WACO. What does "Brazos" mean? Nothing bra-related I presume.
125. Rescuer, e.g. : HERO
126. AARP and NAACP : ASSNs
127. Meaning : SENSE
Down:
1. "Lethal Weapon" cop : RIGGS. Gibson's role. Got me.
2. Sardinian passion : AMORE. Love. "That's Amore".
3. Birth-related : NATAL
4. Fad : CRAZE
5. Like "CSI" procedures : HI-TECH
6. Call from the flock : AMEN
7. Supercilious : CAVALIER
8. Vaqueros' ropes : RIATAs. Or REATAs.
9. Provide with funding : ENDOW
10. Appear : SEEM
11. Small but : THO
12. Beat in an individual medley : OUTSWAM
13. Figure of speech : TROPE. Remember this stranger, Splynter?
15. Overdo the sweetness : CLOY
17. Distribute : ALLOT
18. Religious devotion : PIETY
28. Disagreeing like bookies? : AT ODDS. Does this clue amuse you?
29. "Way to go, bro!" : YOU DA MAN. Great answer.
31. Place to press a suit? : COURT. Law suit.
35. Scrutinize : SCAN
38. Graphic symbol : PIE
39. Asian teachers : LAMAs. I don't associate them with "teachers". Just monks.
41. CSA soldiers : REBs
42. Baseball's Musial : STAN. Stan the Man.
44. Down-to-earth : REAL
45. Aid for a struggling student : TUTOR. Hi Bill!
47. Curly poker : MOE. The Stooges. We've seen this clue before.
49. Godot's god : DIEU. French for God. Mon dieu!
50. Watch projection : STEM
52. Sups : DINES
53. Twist and squeeze : WRING
54. Helices : COILs
57. Green-card maker : AMEX. Not the green card for immigrants.
60. Numbers is part of it : TORAH. Not what I had in mind.
61. Trash : RUIN
63. Sent a message to, old-style : WIRED
64. "The Threepenny Opera" star : LENYA (Lotte)
68. Rapped with something flat : THWACKED. Always a crowd pleaser.
70. Climactic inning, often : NINTH
71. Barking sounds : ARFs
72. Tree anchor : ROOT
75. Hardwood trees : TEAKS
78. German aviation pioneer Lilienthal : OTTO. Well, maybe Dudley knows him. Not me.
79. Black eight, e.g. : BALL. Magic 8-Ball?
80. Struck (out) : EX'ed
82. Fr. miss : MLLE (Mademoiselle)
85. Some OR staffers : RNs (Registered Nurses)
86. Longest-serving current Supreme Court justice : SCALIA (Antonin)
88. Desktop models : iMACs
89. Serpico's biographer : MAAS (Peter). Another unknown. John might have clued it as farm calls related.
90. Covered with liberally, as a liquid : POURED ON
91. "The Barefoot Contessa" star Gardner : AVA
93. Browning gadget : TOASTER
98. Calms : QUIETS
99. City chiefs : MAYORS
100. Polo competitor : J. CREW
101. Scent : AROMA
103. Job that doesn't pay? : CRIME. But some are paid.
104. Shrek and Fiona : OGRES
106. Bluesy Carmen : McRAE. Any trouble this time, Barry G?
107. "__ Street Blues": Dixieland classic : BASIN
108. Fairway choices : IRONS. Golf clubs.
109. Burn sandalwood, say : CENSE
111. :, in analogies : IS TO
114. Family heads : DONs. Mafia.
117. Cone head? : SNO. Sno-cone.
Answer grid.
C.C.
