(If your paper does not carry the puzzle we're blogging on Sundays, click here to solve on line or print out a copy.)
Theme: Location, Location, Location - The first word in each locale contained phrase is replaced by a sound-alike word.
25A. African antelope's haven? : GNU REPUBLIC. New republic the magazine.
27A. Farmer's fields? : FODDER LAND. Fatherland
44A. Roomer's mecca? : BOARDER STATE. Border state.
66A. Ford's legacy? : AUTO-MAN EMPIRE. Ottoman Empire.
85A. Oscar fan's realm? : WILDE KINGDOM. Oscar Wilde. Wild kingdom.
108A. Celebrity chef's turf? : EMERIL CITY. Emeril Lagasse: "Kick it up a notch!". Emerald City.
110A. Bellyacher's bailiwick? : WHINE REGION. Wine region.
42D. Friendly folks' environs? : HI COUNTRY. High country.
50D. Jurist's paradise? : SUE NATION. Sioux Nation.
To me, no one does this type of punny theme better than John Lampkin. Try to clue those theme entries yourself, you'll realize what imaginative and witty person he is.
Of
course, a pangram. Of course, no cheaters. It's a John Lampkin after
all. He treats every grid as an art. Plenty of long non-theme entries for a 9-theme entry grid. Only 66 black squares. I'd need 76 to 78.
Across:
1. Nighttime refresher : SLEEP. Lately Boomer (a diabetic) wakes up often because of foot nerve problem. Any advice will be appreciated.
6. Stir : ADO
9. Coffee flavoring : MOCHA
14. Galleon spars : MASTS
19. Roaring Camp chronicler : HARTE (Bret). From the "The Luck of Roaring Camp". Not familiar to me.
20. Like some cats : HEP. 95D. Cool cat's "Understood" : I'M HIP.
21. Faint : SWOON
22. Britten's "Billy Budd," e.g. : OPERA
23. Command to a soldier : ABOUT FACE
29. Eocene and Miocene : EPOCHS
30. Unappreciative response : ICK. 41. Appreciative responses : AHs
31. Cardinal's resting place : TREE. What a great misleading "Cardinal"!
32. Bid : OFFERED
34. They may be written in tablets : DOSAGES. Great clue also.
36. Down : SAD. Splynter frequently gave shout-outs to Eddy on Saturdays, Eddy always responded in his terse & droll style.
38. Actress Vardalos : NIA. And 56. Aimée of "La Dolce Vita" : ANOUK. Both should be gimmes for long time solvers.
39. At an earlier time : SOONER
48. It: It. : ESSA. ELLE in Italian.
52. Amp controls : DIALS
54. Shaping devices : DIES. Tricky clue.
55. Galleria display : ARTE
57. Highest point : ACME
58. Like some memories : FOND. I will remember you, will you remember me?
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| EddyB Hockey Game |
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| Clear Ayes & Granddaughter Rachael |
59. Tints : DYES
60. Rhododendron variety : AZALEA. I planted Burning Bush in our little garden this year. So impressed with their bright color and sturdiness.
61. Route directories : ROAD MAPS
63. Mexican pyramid builder : MAYA. 56D. Mexican pyramid builder : AZTEC
64. Nicklaus rival : WATSON (Tom). Or PALMER. Tom Watson is very nice in person. Some pros can be very cold.
65. Berliner's cont. : EUR
69. Peace, in Mexico : PAZ
71. 1960s-'70s first family : NIXONs. Nixon is very well regarded in China.
73. Queen's subjects : ANTS. John's wits in full display.
74. Acoustical foam pattern : EGG CRATE. I wonder why this shape.
76. Floral fragrances : ATTARS
77. Down : BLUE. "... Where do you go when you're blue..."I love this song so much.
78. Dullsville : BLAH. 89. Dullsville : DRAGGY.
79. Vacation plan : TRIP
80. Modern Persian : IRANI
81. Alligator __ : PEAR. Avocado. On toast with a few red pepper flakes. Heaven!
82. "__ there ..." : BEEN
83. Legally block : ESTOP
84. Feathered mimic : MYNA
88. __-cone : SNO
91. Gram. case : OBJ
92. Sister : NUN
94. Airport security concern : LIQUIDS
97. Round Table figure : GALAHAD. Lancelot's son.
100. It broke up in 1991: Abbr. : USSR. Where were you in 1991? I was in college, happily dating.
104. __ Darya River : AMU. To the Aral Sea.
105. Come to pass : BEFALL
113. Taught gradually, with "in" : INSTILLED.
114. Gritty intro? : NITTY. Nitty-gritty.
115. Rub out : ERASE
116. U.S. Army E-6, e.g. : NCO
117. Pet annoyance? : PEEVE. Pet peeve. 45D. Gets pets, maybe : ADOPTS
118. "Jes' think ..." : S'POSE. Does "Jes'" stand for Jesus? I've never heard of this phrase before.
119. Site of unplayable organs : TORSO. And 33D. Organ with a drum : EAR
120. JFK, in the '50s : SEN
121. Philly cager : SIXER
Down:
1. Dumbwaiter enclosure : SHAFT
2. Birthday work for mom : LABOR. Fun clue.
3. Destroy over time : ERODE
4. Liszt's "Transcendental __" : ETUDES. John is a pianist.
5. Elliott the Dragon's friend : PETE. From "Pete's Dragon". I definitely googled this before.
6. Time and __ : A HALF
7. Orange-handled pot beverage : DECAF. I don't drink coffee. Have no idea it's in orange-handled pots.
8. Unrestricted, as a discussion : OPEN-ENDED
9. Controversial flavor enhancer : MSG. It's widely used in Chinese dumplings.
10. Dominated : OWNED
11. Clever stroke : COUP
12. Scope opening? : HORO. Horoscope.
13. One may begin "Reminds me of the time ..." : ANECDOTE. I like this clue.
14. Creamy dessert : MOUSSE
15. 911 call follow-up, perhaps : APB
16. Baseball commissioner who helped establish interleague play : SELIG (Bud). Also wild card.
17. Instant : TRICE
18. Quarterback's concerns : SACKS
24. Bilbo's heir : FRODO. "The Lord of the Rings".
26. App-using device : PHONE
28. Helps with the dishes : DRIES
35. Some bowls : ARENAS
37. Playing hooky, maybe: Abbr. : ABS
39. Casting site : STREAM. Fishing.
40. They made Trigger happy : OATS. Trigger was Roy Roger's horse.
41. On __: if challenged : A DARE.
43. Memorable provider of roadside aid : SAMARITAN
46. Classic laundry soap : RINSO
47. Approve : SAY YES
49. Featured chorus lines : SOLO PARTS
51. Alias indicator : AKA
53. Showed the way : LED
58. Satyr cousins : FAUNS. Half man, half goat.
59. "Inferno" author : DANTE
60. Cry of frustration : AARGH
62. Soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, e.g. : MAORI
63. Soil enricher : MANURE
64. Tobacco industry whistle-blower Jeffrey : WIGAND. Stranger to me.
67. Bug, perhaps : MALADY
68. Pequod part-owner : PELEG. "Moby-Dick".
70. Youngest Marx brother : ZEPPO. Herbert Marx.
72. Kubla Khan's palace : XANADU. It's located in the present day Inner Mongolia, north of Beijing.
75. Amendments 1-10 subj. : RTS (Rights)
76. Intention : AIM
77. Lux. neighbor : BELG (Belgium)
78. Hundred-dollar bills, in slang : BENJAMINs
81. Pickled offering at a deli : PIG'S FEET. Widely consumed in Guangzhou, but never pickled.
82. Authoritative source : BIBLE
83. Avian runner : EMU
85. Spoonbill, for one : WADER
86. RV park chain : KOA
87. Vague rumor : ON DIT. Literally "They say" in French.
90. Angus cut : RIB EYE
93. Centers : NUCLEI
94. Homeowners' prides : LAWNS
96. Birder's Andean mecca : QUITO. Trust John on this. He's a naturalist.
97. Sheen : GLOSS
98. So : HENCE
99. Bad fire : ARSON
101. Big name in kitchen appliances : SILEX
102. Winwood of Traffic : STEVE. Also unknown to me.
103. Cup sought every two years : RYDER. Epic meltdown this year.
106. Farmer's prefix : AGRO
107. "Pants on fire" person : LIAR
109. Bussing needs : LIPS. Yellowrocks had a fun comment on bussing/bussed this past week.
111. Some Windows systems : NTS
112. Romantic beginning : NEO. Noe-Romantic.
I
want to thank Seen and Windhover again for checking on Eddy & Clear
Ayes last week and all your touching notes. I'm very saddened by the
loss of two long-time regulars in a short period of time, but also
comforted by the warmth and support shown on the blog.
Life has been a bit rough lately, thank you for brightening my day with your daily comments and banters.
C.C.
