Theme: "Beg Your Pardon?" - Each apology is ironic & funny considering the profession of the person who apologizes.
23A. Slapstick comic's apology ... or is it? : I FELL DOWN ON THE JOB. Falling down is a slapstick routine.
39A. New Year's Eve techie's apology ... or is it? : I DROPPED THE BALL. He should have dropped the ball.
59A. Proud liberal's apology ... or is it? : I DID NOTHING RIGHT. Liberals lean left of course.
84A. Army cook's apology ... or is it? : WHAT A MESS I'VE MADE. Army mess.
100A. Zen Buddhist's apology ... or is it? : I WAS THOUGHTLESS. Zen Buddhists tend to keep their mind simple and uncluttered.
122A. Nostalgic seismologist's apology ... or is it? : THIS WAS ALL MY FAULT. Perfect apology for Jayce.
Only 6 theme entries, but they're all long, taking a total 96 squares, which is a Sunday norm (84-100).
Total 63 black squares, we normally get 70-78 on Sundays. Excellent gridding skill and amazing restriction in using cheater squares. (Correction: I meant "restraint from using cheater squares"). John likes to make every black square count.
Across:
1. Greengrocer's stock : PRODUCE
8. "Piano Man" singer : JOEL (Billy)
12. Head honcho : PREZ
16. Down-in-the-mouth org.? : ADA. Fun clue.
19. Classic mouthwash : LAVORIS. I can only think of Listerine. All clue echos are highlighted in green.
20. Sell short : UNDERRATE
22. L.A. Times section? : LOS. Great clue. Los & Angeles are two sections of L.A., visually.
25. DJIA stock : AT &T. Or IBM.
26. British peer : EARL
27. Actor Morales : ESAI
28. Smashing target : ATOM. Was picturing a door.
29. Suckling babe : NURSER
31. Western evergreen : RED FIR
33. CD-__ : ROM
35. __ Plaines, Illinois : DES
37. Muskogee's st. : OKLA
38. N.Y.C. medical facility grantor : SLOAN. Spitzboov mentioned this before.
44. "Mad Money" network : CNBC. Jim Cramer. He's always so excited.
46. Certain : SURE
47. Gave the nod : SAID OK
48. Tempo : PACE
51. Conducted : LED
53. Fruit zest : RIND
55. Sneaky : SLY
56. Kind : ILK
63. Soccer ball juggler : KNEE. And 73. Ball girls : DEBS. Different balls.
64. Dragonfly snare : NET
65. Albatross's milieu : OCEAN. Golf course too.
66. Prefix with gram : SONO
67. Composer Rachmaninoff : SERGEI
69. First name in Prohibition history : ELIOT. Eliot Ness.
71. Sciences' partner : ARTS
75. Agreements : PACTS
76. Bubbly drinks : FIZZES
78. Tavern in the same city as Krusty Burger : MOE'S. "The Simpsons".
80. Capital of India : RUPEE. Money again.
82. Slowing, in scores : RIT
83. 111 digits : ONES. Three one's.
88. Cartoon canine : REN. Ren & Stimpy.
89. Half a cocktail : MAI. Or TAI. I want a Bloody Mary now. Weird.
90. City near Provo : OREM
91. Ditty syllable : TRA
92. "Remote Control" host Ken : OBER. Not familiar with this guy. Died in 2009. Only 52 years old.
93. Muscular jerks : SPASMS
96. Shorten, as nails : CLIP
98. Auto designer Ferrari : ENZO. Learned from doing Xword.
104. Newton with laws : ISAAC
108. Writer Ephron : NORA. Really like her "Sleepless in Seattle".
109. Orbiter until 2001 : MIR
110. 67.5 deg. : ENE
111. Inedible buffet jelly : STERNO. Another fun clue.
112. Shell shooter : MORTAR
115. Frat frock : TOGA
118. Set down : ALIT
120. Gear components : COGS
121. Lyric poem : ODE
126. Boom lead-in : SIS. Sis boom bah!
127. Saying "You can say that again!" again, say : REDUNDANT. Another clue gem.
128. Victim of river diversion in Asia : ARAL SEA. This and Ross Sea both have friendly letters, hence their frequent appearance in puzzles.
129. Lunar New Year : TET
130. Mounted on : ATOP
131. Prevent littering? : SPAY. Ouch.
132. Tailgaters' carriers : COOLERS
Down:
1. Nut grippers : PLIERS
2. San __, city near San Francisco : RAFAEL
3. Go too far : OVERDO
4. Like young Shirley Temple : DOLL-FACED
5. Surfer's destination : URL. Internet surfer. And 101. Stereotypical surfer's wagon : WOODIE
6. Apple product : CIDER. And 119. Apple on a desk : iMAC
7. Those, to Juan : ESOS
8. Subordinates : JUNIORS
9. Lennon's lady : ONO
10. Poet __ St. Vincent Millay : EDNA
11. Riga native : LETT
12. Doc wannabes : PRE-MEDS
13. British rule in India : RAJ. And 14. British prep school : ETON
15. Indian cattle : ZEBU. New word to me. What's under her belly?
16. Aleutian Islands crustacean : ALASKA KING CRAB. Huge.
17. "Go on" : DO TELL
18. Star-shaped : ASTRAL
21. __ Island : RHODE
24. Annie, vis-à-vis Daddy Warbucks : WARD
30. "__Cop" : ROBO
32. Country retreat : INN
34. Cry over : MOURN
36. Hidden supply : STASH
39. Summer cooler : ICE TEA. Ate lots of water melon this summer.
40. Overly fussy types : PRIGS
41. Booth Tarkington kid : PENROD. No idea.
42. Sword handles : HILTS
43. Dreyer's partner in ice cream : EDY
45. Faction : BLOC
48. Desire intensely : PINE FOR. Don't. Giving up is a wise choice.
49. Barbershop quartet sweetie : ADELINE. "Sweet Adeline".
50. Vigilante's collar : CITIZEN'S ARREST. Excellent long entry. Same as 16D.
52. Greg's sitcom wife : DHARMA."Dharma & Greg". Unknown to me.
54. Bistro patrons : DINERS
57. Current with the wind : LEE TIDE
58. Tush : KEISTER
60. Something to take or play : NOTE. Not an easy clue.
61. From A to Z : IN TOTO
62. Lose it all : GO BUST
63. Malay Peninsula's Isthmus of __ : KRA. See here. Yet another unknown.
68. Fencing weapon : EPEE
70. U.S. pint's 16 : OZs
72. Go through : SEARCH
74. Church points : SPIRES
77. Sound of breakers : SWASH
79. Refine, as ore : SMELT
81. "Thirteen" star __ Rachel Wood : EVAN
85. Stereotypical sidelines greeting : HI MOM
86. Author Zola : EMILE
87. Hunter's bull attractor : MOOSE CALL
89. Yoga class need : MAT
94. Coll. prep exam : PSAT
95. Gets dressed for the launch : SUITS UP. Oh, for the astronauts.
97. Fine, for instance : PENALTY. I was thinking of card grading.
99. Complexion spoiler : ZIT
100. Like the hub, relatively : INMOST
102. Mature : GROWN
103. Hawk : SELL
105. Excite : AROUSE
106. One playing the bass? : ANGLER. Lovely clue.
107. Sportscaster Bob : COSTAS
111. Start to foam? : STYRO. Styrofoam.
113. Gillette Mach3 forerunner : ATRA
114. Art of publ. speaking : RHET. Rich probably only allows this entry on Saturday/Sunday.
116. Gallivants : GADS
117. "Hurry!" : ASAP
123. Agreement to enter an institution? : I DO
124. Literary collection : ANA
125. Schwarz of toys : FAO
Answer grid.
C.C.
23A. Slapstick comic's apology ... or is it? : I FELL DOWN ON THE JOB. Falling down is a slapstick routine.
39A. New Year's Eve techie's apology ... or is it? : I DROPPED THE BALL. He should have dropped the ball.
59A. Proud liberal's apology ... or is it? : I DID NOTHING RIGHT. Liberals lean left of course.
84A. Army cook's apology ... or is it? : WHAT A MESS I'VE MADE. Army mess.
100A. Zen Buddhist's apology ... or is it? : I WAS THOUGHTLESS. Zen Buddhists tend to keep their mind simple and uncluttered.
122A. Nostalgic seismologist's apology ... or is it? : THIS WAS ALL MY FAULT. Perfect apology for Jayce.
Only 6 theme entries, but they're all long, taking a total 96 squares, which is a Sunday norm (84-100).
Total 63 black squares, we normally get 70-78 on Sundays. Excellent gridding skill and amazing restriction in using cheater squares. (Correction: I meant "restraint from using cheater squares"). John likes to make every black square count.
Across:
1. Greengrocer's stock : PRODUCE
8. "Piano Man" singer : JOEL (Billy)
12. Head honcho : PREZ
16. Down-in-the-mouth org.? : ADA. Fun clue.
19. Classic mouthwash : LAVORIS. I can only think of Listerine. All clue echos are highlighted in green.
20. Sell short : UNDERRATE
22. L.A. Times section? : LOS. Great clue. Los & Angeles are two sections of L.A., visually.
25. DJIA stock : AT &T. Or IBM.
26. British peer : EARL
27. Actor Morales : ESAI
28. Smashing target : ATOM. Was picturing a door.
29. Suckling babe : NURSER
31. Western evergreen : RED FIR
33. CD-__ : ROM
35. __ Plaines, Illinois : DES
37. Muskogee's st. : OKLA
38. N.Y.C. medical facility grantor : SLOAN. Spitzboov mentioned this before.
44. "Mad Money" network : CNBC. Jim Cramer. He's always so excited.
46. Certain : SURE
47. Gave the nod : SAID OK
48. Tempo : PACE
51. Conducted : LED
53. Fruit zest : RIND
55. Sneaky : SLY
56. Kind : ILK
63. Soccer ball juggler : KNEE. And 73. Ball girls : DEBS. Different balls.
64. Dragonfly snare : NET
65. Albatross's milieu : OCEAN. Golf course too.
66. Prefix with gram : SONO
67. Composer Rachmaninoff : SERGEI
69. First name in Prohibition history : ELIOT. Eliot Ness.
71. Sciences' partner : ARTS
75. Agreements : PACTS
76. Bubbly drinks : FIZZES
78. Tavern in the same city as Krusty Burger : MOE'S. "The Simpsons".
80. Capital of India : RUPEE. Money again.
82. Slowing, in scores : RIT
83. 111 digits : ONES. Three one's.
88. Cartoon canine : REN. Ren & Stimpy.
89. Half a cocktail : MAI. Or TAI. I want a Bloody Mary now. Weird.
90. City near Provo : OREM
91. Ditty syllable : TRA
92. "Remote Control" host Ken : OBER. Not familiar with this guy. Died in 2009. Only 52 years old.
93. Muscular jerks : SPASMS
96. Shorten, as nails : CLIP
98. Auto designer Ferrari : ENZO. Learned from doing Xword.
104. Newton with laws : ISAAC
108. Writer Ephron : NORA. Really like her "Sleepless in Seattle".
109. Orbiter until 2001 : MIR
110. 67.5 deg. : ENE
111. Inedible buffet jelly : STERNO. Another fun clue.
112. Shell shooter : MORTAR
115. Frat frock : TOGA
118. Set down : ALIT
120. Gear components : COGS
121. Lyric poem : ODE
126. Boom lead-in : SIS. Sis boom bah!
127. Saying "You can say that again!" again, say : REDUNDANT. Another clue gem.
128. Victim of river diversion in Asia : ARAL SEA. This and Ross Sea both have friendly letters, hence their frequent appearance in puzzles.
129. Lunar New Year : TET
130. Mounted on : ATOP
131. Prevent littering? : SPAY. Ouch.
132. Tailgaters' carriers : COOLERS
Down:
1. Nut grippers : PLIERS
2. San __, city near San Francisco : RAFAEL
3. Go too far : OVERDO
4. Like young Shirley Temple : DOLL-FACED
5. Surfer's destination : URL. Internet surfer. And 101. Stereotypical surfer's wagon : WOODIE
6. Apple product : CIDER. And 119. Apple on a desk : iMAC
7. Those, to Juan : ESOS
8. Subordinates : JUNIORS
9. Lennon's lady : ONO
10. Poet __ St. Vincent Millay : EDNA
11. Riga native : LETT
12. Doc wannabes : PRE-MEDS
13. British rule in India : RAJ. And 14. British prep school : ETON
15. Indian cattle : ZEBU. New word to me. What's under her belly?
16. Aleutian Islands crustacean : ALASKA KING CRAB. Huge.
17. "Go on" : DO TELL
18. Star-shaped : ASTRAL
21. __ Island : RHODE
24. Annie, vis-à-vis Daddy Warbucks : WARD
30. "__Cop" : ROBO
32. Country retreat : INN
34. Cry over : MOURN
36. Hidden supply : STASH
39. Summer cooler : ICE TEA. Ate lots of water melon this summer.
40. Overly fussy types : PRIGS
41. Booth Tarkington kid : PENROD. No idea.
42. Sword handles : HILTS
43. Dreyer's partner in ice cream : EDY
45. Faction : BLOC
48. Desire intensely : PINE FOR. Don't. Giving up is a wise choice.
49. Barbershop quartet sweetie : ADELINE. "Sweet Adeline".
50. Vigilante's collar : CITIZEN'S ARREST. Excellent long entry. Same as 16D.
52. Greg's sitcom wife : DHARMA."Dharma & Greg". Unknown to me.
54. Bistro patrons : DINERS
57. Current with the wind : LEE TIDE
58. Tush : KEISTER
60. Something to take or play : NOTE. Not an easy clue.
61. From A to Z : IN TOTO
62. Lose it all : GO BUST
63. Malay Peninsula's Isthmus of __ : KRA. See here. Yet another unknown.
68. Fencing weapon : EPEE
70. U.S. pint's 16 : OZs
72. Go through : SEARCH
74. Church points : SPIRES
77. Sound of breakers : SWASH
79. Refine, as ore : SMELT
81. "Thirteen" star __ Rachel Wood : EVAN
85. Stereotypical sidelines greeting : HI MOM
86. Author Zola : EMILE
87. Hunter's bull attractor : MOOSE CALL
89. Yoga class need : MAT
94. Coll. prep exam : PSAT
95. Gets dressed for the launch : SUITS UP. Oh, for the astronauts.
97. Fine, for instance : PENALTY. I was thinking of card grading.
99. Complexion spoiler : ZIT
100. Like the hub, relatively : INMOST
102. Mature : GROWN
103. Hawk : SELL
105. Excite : AROUSE
106. One playing the bass? : ANGLER. Lovely clue.
107. Sportscaster Bob : COSTAS
111. Start to foam? : STYRO. Styrofoam.
113. Gillette Mach3 forerunner : ATRA
114. Art of publ. speaking : RHET. Rich probably only allows this entry on Saturday/Sunday.
116. Gallivants : GADS
117. "Hurry!" : ASAP
123. Agreement to enter an institution? : I DO
124. Literary collection : ANA
125. Schwarz of toys : FAO
Answer grid.
C.C.
