Theme: Vintage Humor - One word in each common phrase is replaced by a wine term.
24A. Wearing a suit made of white-wine labels? : CHABLIS DRESSED. Shabblily dressed.
39A. Traditional time to bottle wine? : WHEN THE VAT LADY SINGS. When the fat lady sings.
66A. Present from a winery? : THE GIFT OF CAB. The gift of gab.
72A. Listing on a winery inventory? : SIXTEEN TUNS. Sixteen Tons.
75A. French wineries' regulations to assure quality? : CRUS CONTROLS. Cruise controls.
100A. Reds handed down from winery founders? : THE ZINS OF OUR FATHERS. The sins of our fathers.
118A. Winery owner's autobiography? : ME AND MY CHATEAU. Me and My Shadow.
Hmm, a puzzle for Marti. She loves wines and puns. Punning is quite subjective. It could bring a giggle, a groan or a grin.
One noticeable feature of this grid is the overlapping of three theme entries in the middle. Very rarely do we see this stack, as too many pre-filled slots limits constructor's choices. 67D, for example, with ENS?? in place, his only option is ENSUE. You want as many options as possible for any slot. I feel today's entries around that overlapping area are quite smooth. Good job!
I think this is Jim Leeds' first LAT Sunday. Congratulations!
Across:
1. Hawthorne title septet : GABLES. "The House of the Seven Gables".
7. Frankenstein's milieu : LAB
10. Taken in a con : HAD. "I've been had!"
13. "Yikes!" : OH GOSH
19. Green : UNRIPE
20. Amos Oz, for one : ISRAELI
22. Oil-rich peninsula : ARABIA
23. 106-Downs : STADIA. Plural of stadium. And 106. Sphere of activity : ARENA.
26. "Shoop Shoop Song (It's in __ Kiss)" : HIS. The tune sounds very familiar.
27. __-Magnon : CRO
29. Organic compound : ENOL
30. Most slush pile responses : NOs. Slush pile refers to those unsolicited manuscripts.
31. Brest beast : BETE. "La Belle et la Bete".
32. 23rd Greek letter : PSI
34. Dernier __: latest fashion : CRI. Do you like this fashion Santa brought to our attention a while ago?
36. More risky : DICIER
38. Abates : EASES
43. Mass of people : HORDE
44. "On the Road" narrator Paradise : SAL
45. Herbal tea : TISANE. Rose, mint, orange, etc.
46. They make tasty rings : ONIONS
48. Tom, Dick and Harry : NAMES. And 68D. Peter and Paul, but not Mary : TSARS. Both good clues.
51. Washed up, in a way : ASHORE
56. "Yes, Captain!" : AYE
57. Mai __ : TAI
59. Anatomical pouch : SAC
60. Prefix with culture : API. Prefix for "bee".
63. Post-Thanksgiving Muzak fare : CAROL
64. Neo- ending : PHYTE. Neophyte. Every puzzle has a few undesirable fill. Well done is rare in crossword.
69. Mint family herb : SAGE
74. Not feral : TAME
77. Heads up : SOARS
79. Colorful marble : AGATE
80. Implied part of ESL : AS A. English as a Second Language.
81. Ump's call : OUT
83. Crowd, in Cremona : TRE. Three's a crowd.
84. Chill (out) : VEG
87. Dolts : MORONs
89. Move furtively : SNEAK
91. "Griffin & __": 1991 best-seller : SABINE. Not familiar with the book. What's it about?
93. 4:00 p.m. service, maybe : TEA SET
97. Emeril catchword : BAM. "Kick it up a notch!". He makes crowd happy.
99. West Pointer : CADET
105. Redder inside : RARER
107. Chicago L, for one : LOOPER
108. Vegas opening : LAS
109. Dress (up) : TOG
110. Julia played her in 2000 : ERIN. " Erin Brockovich".
111. Kitty plaint : MEW
112. Slick-talking : GLIB
114. Org. with a "Popular Baby Names" Web page : SSA. Was ignorant of this fact.
116. Jazz job : GIG. Hi Ron!
122. Bright with light : ABLAZE
124. Like mosaic stones : INLAID
125. Seriously shocks : APPALLS
126. Faithful servants : YEOMEN
127. Drapery ornament : TASSEL
128. Ltr. add-ons : PSS
129. Observe : SEE
130. Most clever : SLYEST
Down:
1. Spew : GUSH
2. Call-and-response singing : ANTIPHONY. Two nice 9's here.
3. Relaxed, upscale restaurant : BRASSERIE. I've never thought of it as upscale.
4. Eye cover : LID
5. The "Iliad," e.g. : EPIC
6. Revealer of hits : SEARCH. I don't get this clue. (I'm a dummy, needed Splynter to explain it to me. Our blog gets many hits a day since people are searching for crossword answers.)
7. DMV card : LIC (License)
8. U.S. Open stadium : ASHE
9. Ex-German chancellor Willy : BRANDT. No idea. This guy won Nobel Peace in 1971.
10. Shrews : HELLCATS
11. Baba with magic words : ALI. "Open Sesame".
12. Walt and Roy : DISNEYs
13. Rows : OARS
14. 1,000-yr. realm : HRE
15. Blowhard : GASBAG
16. Get hung-up (on) : OBSESS
17. Veintiuno ÷ tres : SIETE. Let's see, 21 ÷3 = 7.
18. Where the Styx flows : HADES
21. Seething : ABOIL
25. Backs, in anatomy class : DORSA
28. Tram loads : ORES
33. Prefix with Chinese : INDO. Indo-Chinese.
35. "Terrible" ruler : IVAN. Ivan the Terrible.
37. Despotic Amin : IDI
38. "Romanian Rhapsodies" composer : ENESCO (Georges). Any comment, Jayce?
39. Silver stopper : WHOA. Lone Ranger's horse.
40. Back nine opener : TENTH. Husker Gary is nuts about golf, playing 36 holes a day so often.
41. "What a shame" : ALAS
42. Having three sharps, musically : IN A
47. Boss's prerogative : SAY SO
49. San __, California : MATEO
50. French for "rung" : ECHELON. Good to know. And excellent answer with 3 fixed letters already penned in from the theme placement (??HEL??).
52. Sword handles : HAFTS
53. Ocean predator : ORCA
54. "Home on the Range" word : ROAM. "Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam..."
55. Hamburg's river : ELBE. Into the North Sea.
58. Turner autobiography : I, TINA. Here is the cover. Look for Jazzbumpa to say I, RON again next time IRON comes up.
60. FBI employee : AGT
61. Any of 12 popes : PIUS
62. Backup plan lead-in : IF NOT
64. Green sauce : PESTO. Try it on toast, Bill G.
65. Phone no. go-withs : EXTs
67. Follow : ENSUE
69. Swindle : SCAM
70. Legendary Greek ship : ARGO
71. Legume whose gum is used as a thickening agent : GUAR. Guar gum.
73. Sung syllable : TRA
76. Hoops big man : CENTER
78. Be moved, say : REACT
82. Dana's "forbidden fragrance" : TABU
84. Arcade attraction : VIDEO GAME. Another two 9's here.
85. Stimulates : ENERGIZES
86. Obtains : GETS
88. "__ me!" : SEZ
89. Temporary solutions : STOPGAPS. Great answer too.
90. Marx who's much older than Harpo : KARL. Love this clue.
92. Bangkok bread? : BAHT. Thai has no plural form. So, no Bahts there.
94. Choreographer Alvin : AILEY
95. Peak experience? : SNOWCAP. Mountain peak.
96. That, in Tijuana : ESO
98. Some lit. degrees : MFAs
100. Matters for courts : TRIALS
101. Salon rinses : HENNAS
102. __ draft: was chilled : FELT A. The only partial in the grid, right?
103. Bay windows : ORIELS. Here is one.
104. Appraisers' reports : ASSAYS
105. Use PayPal : REMIT
111. CCLV x X : MMDL. 255 x 10= 2, 550.
113. Barn bundle : BALE. So, Spitzboov & Argyle grew up on a farm, anyone else? Grumpy?
115. One raised with Cain : ABEL
117. Chap : GENT
119. Metal-shaping block : DIE
120. Some printers: Abbr. : HPs. Meg Whiteman is their new CEO.
121. Employ : USE
123. Powell partner in "Thin Man" films : LOY (Myrna)
Answer grid.
C.C.
24A. Wearing a suit made of white-wine labels? : CHABLIS DRESSED. Shabblily dressed.
39A. Traditional time to bottle wine? : WHEN THE VAT LADY SINGS. When the fat lady sings.
66A. Present from a winery? : THE GIFT OF CAB. The gift of gab.
72A. Listing on a winery inventory? : SIXTEEN TUNS. Sixteen Tons.
75A. French wineries' regulations to assure quality? : CRUS CONTROLS. Cruise controls.
100A. Reds handed down from winery founders? : THE ZINS OF OUR FATHERS. The sins of our fathers.
118A. Winery owner's autobiography? : ME AND MY CHATEAU. Me and My Shadow.
Hmm, a puzzle for Marti. She loves wines and puns. Punning is quite subjective. It could bring a giggle, a groan or a grin.
One noticeable feature of this grid is the overlapping of three theme entries in the middle. Very rarely do we see this stack, as too many pre-filled slots limits constructor's choices. 67D, for example, with ENS?? in place, his only option is ENSUE. You want as many options as possible for any slot. I feel today's entries around that overlapping area are quite smooth. Good job!
I think this is Jim Leeds' first LAT Sunday. Congratulations!
Across:
1. Hawthorne title septet : GABLES. "The House of the Seven Gables".
7. Frankenstein's milieu : LAB
10. Taken in a con : HAD. "I've been had!"
13. "Yikes!" : OH GOSH
19. Green : UNRIPE
20. Amos Oz, for one : ISRAELI
22. Oil-rich peninsula : ARABIA
23. 106-Downs : STADIA. Plural of stadium. And 106. Sphere of activity : ARENA.
26. "Shoop Shoop Song (It's in __ Kiss)" : HIS. The tune sounds very familiar.
27. __-Magnon : CRO
29. Organic compound : ENOL
30. Most slush pile responses : NOs. Slush pile refers to those unsolicited manuscripts.
31. Brest beast : BETE. "La Belle et la Bete".
32. 23rd Greek letter : PSI
34. Dernier __: latest fashion : CRI. Do you like this fashion Santa brought to our attention a while ago?
36. More risky : DICIER
38. Abates : EASES
43. Mass of people : HORDE
44. "On the Road" narrator Paradise : SAL
45. Herbal tea : TISANE. Rose, mint, orange, etc.
46. They make tasty rings : ONIONS
48. Tom, Dick and Harry : NAMES. And 68D. Peter and Paul, but not Mary : TSARS. Both good clues.
51. Washed up, in a way : ASHORE
56. "Yes, Captain!" : AYE
57. Mai __ : TAI
59. Anatomical pouch : SAC
60. Prefix with culture : API. Prefix for "bee".
63. Post-Thanksgiving Muzak fare : CAROL
64. Neo- ending : PHYTE. Neophyte. Every puzzle has a few undesirable fill. Well done is rare in crossword.
69. Mint family herb : SAGE
74. Not feral : TAME
77. Heads up : SOARS
79. Colorful marble : AGATE
80. Implied part of ESL : AS A. English as a Second Language.
81. Ump's call : OUT
83. Crowd, in Cremona : TRE. Three's a crowd.
84. Chill (out) : VEG
87. Dolts : MORONs
89. Move furtively : SNEAK
91. "Griffin & __": 1991 best-seller : SABINE. Not familiar with the book. What's it about?
93. 4:00 p.m. service, maybe : TEA SET
97. Emeril catchword : BAM. "Kick it up a notch!". He makes crowd happy.
99. West Pointer : CADET
105. Redder inside : RARER
107. Chicago L, for one : LOOPER
108. Vegas opening : LAS
109. Dress (up) : TOG
110. Julia played her in 2000 : ERIN. " Erin Brockovich".
111. Kitty plaint : MEW
112. Slick-talking : GLIB
114. Org. with a "Popular Baby Names" Web page : SSA. Was ignorant of this fact.
116. Jazz job : GIG. Hi Ron!
122. Bright with light : ABLAZE
124. Like mosaic stones : INLAID
125. Seriously shocks : APPALLS
126. Faithful servants : YEOMEN
127. Drapery ornament : TASSEL
128. Ltr. add-ons : PSS
129. Observe : SEE
130. Most clever : SLYEST
Down:
1. Spew : GUSH
2. Call-and-response singing : ANTIPHONY. Two nice 9's here.
3. Relaxed, upscale restaurant : BRASSERIE. I've never thought of it as upscale.
4. Eye cover : LID
5. The "Iliad," e.g. : EPIC
6. Revealer of hits : SEARCH. I don't get this clue. (I'm a dummy, needed Splynter to explain it to me. Our blog gets many hits a day since people are searching for crossword answers.)
7. DMV card : LIC (License)
8. U.S. Open stadium : ASHE
9. Ex-German chancellor Willy : BRANDT. No idea. This guy won Nobel Peace in 1971.
10. Shrews : HELLCATS
11. Baba with magic words : ALI. "Open Sesame".
12. Walt and Roy : DISNEYs
13. Rows : OARS
14. 1,000-yr. realm : HRE
15. Blowhard : GASBAG
16. Get hung-up (on) : OBSESS
17. Veintiuno ÷ tres : SIETE. Let's see, 21 ÷3 = 7.
18. Where the Styx flows : HADES
21. Seething : ABOIL
25. Backs, in anatomy class : DORSA
28. Tram loads : ORES
33. Prefix with Chinese : INDO. Indo-Chinese.
35. "Terrible" ruler : IVAN. Ivan the Terrible.
37. Despotic Amin : IDI
38. "Romanian Rhapsodies" composer : ENESCO (Georges). Any comment, Jayce?
39. Silver stopper : WHOA. Lone Ranger's horse.
40. Back nine opener : TENTH. Husker Gary is nuts about golf, playing 36 holes a day so often.
41. "What a shame" : ALAS
42. Having three sharps, musically : IN A
47. Boss's prerogative : SAY SO
49. San __, California : MATEO
50. French for "rung" : ECHELON. Good to know. And excellent answer with 3 fixed letters already penned in from the theme placement (??HEL??).
52. Sword handles : HAFTS
53. Ocean predator : ORCA
54. "Home on the Range" word : ROAM. "Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam..."
55. Hamburg's river : ELBE. Into the North Sea.
58. Turner autobiography : I, TINA. Here is the cover. Look for Jazzbumpa to say I, RON again next time IRON comes up.
60. FBI employee : AGT
61. Any of 12 popes : PIUS
62. Backup plan lead-in : IF NOT
64. Green sauce : PESTO. Try it on toast, Bill G.
65. Phone no. go-withs : EXTs
67. Follow : ENSUE
69. Swindle : SCAM
70. Legendary Greek ship : ARGO
71. Legume whose gum is used as a thickening agent : GUAR. Guar gum.
73. Sung syllable : TRA
76. Hoops big man : CENTER
78. Be moved, say : REACT
82. Dana's "forbidden fragrance" : TABU
84. Arcade attraction : VIDEO GAME. Another two 9's here.
85. Stimulates : ENERGIZES
86. Obtains : GETS
88. "__ me!" : SEZ
89. Temporary solutions : STOPGAPS. Great answer too.
90. Marx who's much older than Harpo : KARL. Love this clue.
92. Bangkok bread? : BAHT. Thai has no plural form. So, no Bahts there.
94. Choreographer Alvin : AILEY
95. Peak experience? : SNOWCAP. Mountain peak.
96. That, in Tijuana : ESO
98. Some lit. degrees : MFAs
100. Matters for courts : TRIALS
101. Salon rinses : HENNAS
102. __ draft: was chilled : FELT A. The only partial in the grid, right?
103. Bay windows : ORIELS. Here is one.
104. Appraisers' reports : ASSAYS
105. Use PayPal : REMIT
111. CCLV x X : MMDL. 255 x 10= 2, 550.
113. Barn bundle : BALE. So, Spitzboov & Argyle grew up on a farm, anyone else? Grumpy?
115. One raised with Cain : ABEL
117. Chap : GENT
119. Metal-shaping block : DIE
120. Some printers: Abbr. : HPs. Meg Whiteman is their new CEO.
121. Employ : USE
123. Powell partner in "Thin Man" films : LOY (Myrna)
Answer grid.
C.C.
