Theme: Swordplay - Parse it as S-Wordplay. S is added to the start of each common phrase & spelling of the word is changed. Sound remains the same.
23A. Bathtub ring with no discernible cause? : SCUM FROM NOWHERE. Come from nowhere.
37A. Schusser's name traced in the snow? : SKI SIGNATURE. Key signature.
60A. "Alas" and "Ah, me"? : SIGH OPENERS. Eye opener.
70A. Surveillance satellite? : SPY IN THE SKY. Pie in the sky.
92A. Make Oreos? : STUFF COOKIES. Tough cookies.
110A. What grumpy old men might experience? : SURLY RETIREMENT. Early retirement.
17D. Geckos that don't set their alarm clocks? : SLEEPIN' LIZARDS. Leapin' lizards.
46D. Pilots' milieu : SPHERE OF FLYING. Fear of flying.
Very consistent theme entries. Excellent choices. Love this puzzle.
Donna is bold in her grid edge words today, lots of 7-letter entries. Not an easy task.
Across:
1. Pastry preserver of the past : PIE SAFE. Not a familiar item to me. I'd prefer not to see this entry due to 70A.
8. "Johnny __": 1948 film : BELINDA. What's it about?
15. Dreads sporter : RASTA. Bob Marley.
20. What 100 is to 2, in the base 10 : ANTILOG. Wow, I don't think I even know the Chinese word for this.
21. Rampaging : ON A TEAR
22. Dole out : ALLOT
25. Martial arts-based regimen : TAE BO
26. Hoo-ha : TO-DO
27. Balkan portico : STOA. To me, it's just old Greek portico.
28. Actor Dillon : MATT. He's so good at "Crash". Handsome dude.
29. Like a porterhouse : BONE-IN
30. Augur's concern : OMEN
31. He gave Jackie her O : ARI
32. Nuclear age govt. org. : AEC (Atomic Energy Commission)
33. Gangster film extras : G-MEN
35. EMILY's List, e.g. : PAC. They support Pro-Choice female Democrats.
36. Lawyer's thing : RES. Just Latin for "thing".
40. Escalate : RISE
41. Orb's partner, in British iconography : SCEPTRE. Scepter in our spelling.
42. "Friends" Emmy winner : ANISTON (Jennifer). Gorgeous photo. Not a Jolie fan.
44. Defames : BASHES
47. Brings up : REARS
50. Birth name of Smallville's most famous resident : KALEL, Superman.
53. Let loose, in a way : UNPEN
54. Garden party? : EVE. Adam and Eve. Garden of Eden.
56. Wacky : NUTS
58. Chevron feature : STRIPE. Not the Chevron I have in mind.
59. Giggle : TEHEE
63. Former Pakistani president : ZIA. You've got to commit this to your memory.
64. Prayer conclusion : AMEN
65. The __ Store : UPS. Just for our Saturday sherpa Splynter.
66. Suffix with Israel : ITE
67. Doce meses : ANO. 12 months.
68. Edinburgh girl : LASS
69. "Neither snow, __ rain ..." : NOR
73. Beginning : BIRTH
74. Truck capacity : ONE-TON
76. Many a saga : TOME
77. Word with garden or party : TEA
78. Soup scoop : LADLE
79. Arrowsmith's first wife : LEORA. No idea.
80. Pied-à-__: part-time residence : TERRE. This stumped some last time.
82. Blasphemes : CURSES
83. Lamborghini rival : FERRARI. Dennis is nuts about this stuff.
87. Dr. Scholl's products : INSOLES
90. It isn't right : LEFT
95. "Survivor" network : CBS
98. Home of the Braves: Abbr. : ATL
99. Rating for many "Simpsons" episodes : TV PG
100. Consume : EAT
101. Ltr. container : ENV
102. Astronomer Sagan : CARL
103. Satisfies a debt : PAYS UP
105. Vitamin also known as PABA : B-TEN. Ignorant of PABA. Need Al.
107. Deceptive hockey maneuver : DEKE. Hey eddy!
108. "Typee" sequel : OMOO
109. Senior Saarinen : ELIEL. Father of EERO.
113. Disneyland usually has long ones : LINES
114. You or me : PRONOUN. Nice clue too.
115. Failed school curriculum that was the subject of the 1973 book "Why Johnny Can't Add" : NEW MATH. Alien to me.
116. Tau preceder : SIGMA
117. "It's __ guess" : ANYONE'S
118. Lubricates : GREASES
Down:
1. Leader of the flock : PASTOR. Flock seldom refers to sheep in Xword.
2. It might be unearned : INCOME. Is Powerball win unearned income?
3. Musical technique builders : ETUDES
4. Simple guy : SIMON. Simple Simon.
5. Franklin's 1936 foe : ALF (Landon)
6. Deserts : FORSAKES
7. Bit of self-aggrandizement : EGO TRIP
8. __ fide : BONA
9. Ambient music pioneer : ENO (Brian)
10. Tin star wearers : LAWMEN
11. Home of Odysseus : ITHACA
12. Erstwhile depilatory : NEET
13. One may be used to bring down an elephant : DART GUN. To tranquilize the elephant.
14. Is for two? : ARE. Nice clue.
15. Expose : RAT ON
16. Astronaut Shepard : ALAN
18. "This Boy's Life" author Wolff : TOBIAS. Have heard of the book, not the author.
19. Medical stat? : AT ONCE. Neat to see STAT as a clue rather than an answer.
24. Damp : MOIST
29. Apiphobe's fear : BEES. Apiphobe is a new word to me. Apis is Latin for "honey bee". Apiphobia is also called "Melissaphobe", since Melissa is "honeybee" in Greek.
32. "A Death in the Family" author : AGEE
34. Diagnostic pic : MRI
37. Public spectacle : SCENE
38. Like some "as is" mdse. : IRREG
39. Sampling : TASTE
40. Certain king's proclamation? : ROAR. Lion, king of the jungle.
41. Luster : SHEEN
43. NYC Theater District discount booth : TKTS. Ticket booth is just called ticket there?
44. Experimental biofuel : BUTANOL. This word looks so wrong.
45. Windflower : ANEMONE
48. "__ Day in Paradise": Phil Collins #1 hit : ANOTHER. Very moving song.
49. Mumbai money : RUPEE
51. Formal letter : EPISTLE
52. Walking aids : LEASHES. Not in the dog walking direction.
54. Catch a glimpse of : ESPY
55. Drop in : VISIT
57. Part of a mongoose's diet : SNAKE. Snakes are regarded as good food for men, at least in south China and some Southeast Asian countries.
58. Happy letters for an angel : SRO (Standing Room Only). Financial backer for a movie or a Broadway show is called an "angel".
61. Blackjack demand : HIT ME
62. Singer born Eithne Patricia Ni Bhraonáin : ENYA
65. "Moesha" network : UPN
68. They're not true : LIARS. To me, lies are not true. Liars are not telling the truth.
70. Go through the roof, as prices : SOAR
71. "__ you were the last one on earth!" : NOT IF
72. Shorthand pro : STENO
73. Muddy Waters genre : BLUES
75. Deduction for waste : TRET
81. Real card : RIOT. Card is a person who's amusing. New definition to me.
82. More shrewd : CLEVERER
84. Invitation letters : RSVP
85. Netmen's gp. : ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals)
86. Rec room scrape : RUG BURN. New term to me. How do you get rug burn?
88. Summer Olympics sport : SKEET
89. Pen pals' exchange? : OINKING
90. Often-satin tuxedo features : LAPELS
91. And others, to Pliny : ET ALII. Masculine plural. ET ALIA = Mixture. ET ALIAE = Femine plural.
93. __ pain: be numb : FEEL NO
94. Gorge : CANYON
95. Was costumed to look like : CAME AS
96. Literary family name : BRONTE
97. Arboreal rainforest denizens : SLOTHS
99. Oklahoma city : TULSA
102. Signal to pause : COMMA. Sigh, I drew a blank. Dummy!
104. Look : SEEM
106. "Iliad" setting : TROY
107. Cozy rooms : DENS
110. Thalassotherapy site : SPA. Thalassotherapy is sea water therapy.
111. Regret : RUE
112. Woolly mama : EWE
Answer grid.
C.C.
23A. Bathtub ring with no discernible cause? : SCUM FROM NOWHERE. Come from nowhere.
37A. Schusser's name traced in the snow? : SKI SIGNATURE. Key signature.
60A. "Alas" and "Ah, me"? : SIGH OPENERS. Eye opener.
70A. Surveillance satellite? : SPY IN THE SKY. Pie in the sky.
92A. Make Oreos? : STUFF COOKIES. Tough cookies.
110A. What grumpy old men might experience? : SURLY RETIREMENT. Early retirement.
17D. Geckos that don't set their alarm clocks? : SLEEPIN' LIZARDS. Leapin' lizards.
46D. Pilots' milieu : SPHERE OF FLYING. Fear of flying.
Very consistent theme entries. Excellent choices. Love this puzzle.
Donna is bold in her grid edge words today, lots of 7-letter entries. Not an easy task.
Across:
1. Pastry preserver of the past : PIE SAFE. Not a familiar item to me. I'd prefer not to see this entry due to 70A.
8. "Johnny __": 1948 film : BELINDA. What's it about?
15. Dreads sporter : RASTA. Bob Marley.
20. What 100 is to 2, in the base 10 : ANTILOG. Wow, I don't think I even know the Chinese word for this.
21. Rampaging : ON A TEAR
22. Dole out : ALLOT
25. Martial arts-based regimen : TAE BO
26. Hoo-ha : TO-DO
27. Balkan portico : STOA. To me, it's just old Greek portico.
28. Actor Dillon : MATT. He's so good at "Crash". Handsome dude.
29. Like a porterhouse : BONE-IN
30. Augur's concern : OMEN
31. He gave Jackie her O : ARI
32. Nuclear age govt. org. : AEC (Atomic Energy Commission)
33. Gangster film extras : G-MEN
35. EMILY's List, e.g. : PAC. They support Pro-Choice female Democrats.
36. Lawyer's thing : RES. Just Latin for "thing".
40. Escalate : RISE
41. Orb's partner, in British iconography : SCEPTRE. Scepter in our spelling.
42. "Friends" Emmy winner : ANISTON (Jennifer). Gorgeous photo. Not a Jolie fan.
44. Defames : BASHES
47. Brings up : REARS
50. Birth name of Smallville's most famous resident : KALEL, Superman.
53. Let loose, in a way : UNPEN
54. Garden party? : EVE. Adam and Eve. Garden of Eden.
56. Wacky : NUTS
58. Chevron feature : STRIPE. Not the Chevron I have in mind.
59. Giggle : TEHEE
63. Former Pakistani president : ZIA. You've got to commit this to your memory.
64. Prayer conclusion : AMEN
65. The __ Store : UPS. Just for our Saturday sherpa Splynter.
66. Suffix with Israel : ITE
67. Doce meses : ANO. 12 months.
68. Edinburgh girl : LASS
69. "Neither snow, __ rain ..." : NOR
73. Beginning : BIRTH
74. Truck capacity : ONE-TON
76. Many a saga : TOME
77. Word with garden or party : TEA
78. Soup scoop : LADLE
79. Arrowsmith's first wife : LEORA. No idea.
80. Pied-à-__: part-time residence : TERRE. This stumped some last time.
82. Blasphemes : CURSES
83. Lamborghini rival : FERRARI. Dennis is nuts about this stuff.
87. Dr. Scholl's products : INSOLES
90. It isn't right : LEFT
95. "Survivor" network : CBS
98. Home of the Braves: Abbr. : ATL
99. Rating for many "Simpsons" episodes : TV PG
100. Consume : EAT
101. Ltr. container : ENV
102. Astronomer Sagan : CARL
103. Satisfies a debt : PAYS UP
105. Vitamin also known as PABA : B-TEN. Ignorant of PABA. Need Al.
107. Deceptive hockey maneuver : DEKE. Hey eddy!
108. "Typee" sequel : OMOO
109. Senior Saarinen : ELIEL. Father of EERO.
113. Disneyland usually has long ones : LINES
114. You or me : PRONOUN. Nice clue too.
115. Failed school curriculum that was the subject of the 1973 book "Why Johnny Can't Add" : NEW MATH. Alien to me.
116. Tau preceder : SIGMA
117. "It's __ guess" : ANYONE'S
118. Lubricates : GREASES
Down:
1. Leader of the flock : PASTOR. Flock seldom refers to sheep in Xword.
2. It might be unearned : INCOME. Is Powerball win unearned income?
3. Musical technique builders : ETUDES
4. Simple guy : SIMON. Simple Simon.
5. Franklin's 1936 foe : ALF (Landon)
6. Deserts : FORSAKES
7. Bit of self-aggrandizement : EGO TRIP
8. __ fide : BONA
9. Ambient music pioneer : ENO (Brian)
10. Tin star wearers : LAWMEN
11. Home of Odysseus : ITHACA
12. Erstwhile depilatory : NEET
13. One may be used to bring down an elephant : DART GUN. To tranquilize the elephant.
14. Is for two? : ARE. Nice clue.
15. Expose : RAT ON
16. Astronaut Shepard : ALAN
18. "This Boy's Life" author Wolff : TOBIAS. Have heard of the book, not the author.
19. Medical stat? : AT ONCE. Neat to see STAT as a clue rather than an answer.
24. Damp : MOIST
29. Apiphobe's fear : BEES. Apiphobe is a new word to me. Apis is Latin for "honey bee". Apiphobia is also called "Melissaphobe", since Melissa is "honeybee" in Greek.
32. "A Death in the Family" author : AGEE
34. Diagnostic pic : MRI
37. Public spectacle : SCENE
38. Like some "as is" mdse. : IRREG
39. Sampling : TASTE
40. Certain king's proclamation? : ROAR. Lion, king of the jungle.
41. Luster : SHEEN
43. NYC Theater District discount booth : TKTS. Ticket booth is just called ticket there?
44. Experimental biofuel : BUTANOL. This word looks so wrong.
45. Windflower : ANEMONE
48. "__ Day in Paradise": Phil Collins #1 hit : ANOTHER. Very moving song.
49. Mumbai money : RUPEE
51. Formal letter : EPISTLE
52. Walking aids : LEASHES. Not in the dog walking direction.
54. Catch a glimpse of : ESPY
55. Drop in : VISIT
57. Part of a mongoose's diet : SNAKE. Snakes are regarded as good food for men, at least in south China and some Southeast Asian countries.
58. Happy letters for an angel : SRO (Standing Room Only). Financial backer for a movie or a Broadway show is called an "angel".
61. Blackjack demand : HIT ME
62. Singer born Eithne Patricia Ni Bhraonáin : ENYA
65. "Moesha" network : UPN
68. They're not true : LIARS. To me, lies are not true. Liars are not telling the truth.
70. Go through the roof, as prices : SOAR
71. "__ you were the last one on earth!" : NOT IF
72. Shorthand pro : STENO
73. Muddy Waters genre : BLUES
75. Deduction for waste : TRET
81. Real card : RIOT. Card is a person who's amusing. New definition to me.
82. More shrewd : CLEVERER
84. Invitation letters : RSVP
85. Netmen's gp. : ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals)
86. Rec room scrape : RUG BURN. New term to me. How do you get rug burn?
88. Summer Olympics sport : SKEET
89. Pen pals' exchange? : OINKING
90. Often-satin tuxedo features : LAPELS
91. And others, to Pliny : ET ALII. Masculine plural. ET ALIA = Mixture. ET ALIAE = Femine plural.
93. __ pain: be numb : FEEL NO
94. Gorge : CANYON
95. Was costumed to look like : CAME AS
96. Literary family name : BRONTE
97. Arboreal rainforest denizens : SLOTHS
99. Oklahoma city : TULSA
102. Signal to pause : COMMA. Sigh, I drew a blank. Dummy!
104. Look : SEEM
106. "Iliad" setting : TROY
107. Cozy rooms : DENS
110. Thalassotherapy site : SPA. Thalassotherapy is sea water therapy.
111. Regret : RUE
112. Woolly mama : EWE
Answer grid.
C.C.
