Theme: "Heard Down Under" -Long A sound is replaced by Long I sound, the Aussie way.
23A. Arranged pickling solutions on the shelf? : RACKED ONE'S BRINES. Racked one's brains. I use singular "brain".
40A. Funhouse admission fee? : FRIGHT CHARGE. Freight charge.
73A. "Your shingle work stinks!" e.g.? : ROOFING SLIGHT. Roofing slate. I can picture PK shouted at those roof workers: "Your shingle work stinks!"
105A. "Don't take candy from strangers," say? : GUILE WARNING. Gale warning.
123A. Empty church basket? : COLLECTION PLIGHT. Collection plate.
16D. Landing with just a toothbrush? : LIGHT ARRIVAL. Late arrival.
67D. Indian chef's series of adventures? : SPICE ODYSSEY. Space Odyssey. I think Indians even use spices in their breakfast.
Three sound changes occur in the back, the rest front. You don't want an odd man out.
Hope
Kazie finds time solve this puzzle today, right up her alley. Dave
moved back to the States when he was 6 years old (?), he might not have
an Aussie accent.
Another grid with only 68 black squares and no cheater squares. Lovely.
Across:
1. Not as risky : SAFER
6. Influential collegian, briefly : BMOC (Big Man On Campus)
10. Mus. direction in a dramatic passage : CRESC
15. Dalmatian, e.g. : SLAV. People of Dalmatia, rather than the dog.
19. Where surfers shop : E-MALL. Nice clue.
20. Sphere opening : IONO. Ionosphere.
21. Romney foe : OBAMA. Waiting for gift, Mr. President.
22. __ colada : PINA
26. Breakfast fare : EGGS
27. Name on sweet pieces : REESE
28. Deceptive handle : ALIAS. Deceptive clue.
29. Memorable Shakespearean trio : WITCHES
31. Solstice mo. : DEC
32. "Ghostbusters" goo : SLIME
34. Like blue cheese : RICH
37. Cosa __ : NOSTRA
38. Virginie, e.g. : ETAT
43. Syst. with gestures : ASL. This is in sign language. The title is "Start All Over Again". My go-to song when I'm feeling blue.
44. Furrowed : STRIATE. Gimme, Spitzboov? I'm more familiar with STRIA.
46. Patriotic chant : USA USA
47. Island S. of 10-Down : SAR (Sardinia) 10. Napoleon I's birthplace : CORSICA
49. Program writer : CODER
50. Pre-coll. exams : SATs
53. Place setting items : MATS
55. __ flakes : BRAN
58. ACLU concerns : RTs
60. Like leaves : LOBED
63. Drug in Shatner novels : TEK
64. Roller coaster, e.g. : RIDE
65. Tough call : TOSS UP
68. Firenze's land : ITALIA. Florence.
70. Verb in the classic "Mission: Impossible" opening scene : DISAVOW. No idea. Did you all get this easily?
72. One in a military march? : HUP. "___, two, three, four..."
76. Litigator's org. : ABA
77. Outfit for an outfit : UNIFORM
79. Official commands : EDICTS
80. Biceps band : ARMLET
82. 13th-century date : MCCI. 1201.
83. President pro __ : TEM
85. Uppity sort : SNOOT
86. Beach shirt : TEE
87. "Fawlty Towers" producer, with "the" : BEEB. BBC.
88. Old dagger : SNEE
90. Cognac grade, initially : VSOP (Very Special Old Pale). I dated a guy who drank Cognac & tonic water every night.
92. Reuben need : SWISS
96. Spanish she-bear : OSA
98. Not really, with "only" : IN NAME
101. Quiet : EASEFUL. This is a word? OK, then.
103. Goal for a H.S. dropout : GED
109. Urgent : DIRE
110. Beefeater product : DRY GIN. Beefeater is a gin brand. New to me.
112. Algerian port : ORAN
113. Oct. 24, 1947 declaration : UN DAY
115. __ school : MED
116. Abby and Martha's poison of choice, in a 1939 play : ARSENIC. "Arsenic and Old Lace".
118. Types : KINDs
120. Asian wraps : SARIS
122. Democratic donkey designer : NAST (Thomas)
128. Wineglass feature : STEM
129. Water from France : EVIAN
130. City west of Caen : ST LO
131. Reverberations in une grotte : ÉCHOS. French plural.
132. Mitty portrayer : KAYE (Danny). Walter Mitty.
133. Data update mechanisms : FEEDS
134. Partings : BYES
135. Venezia casino winner : SETTE (Seven). Venezia, Venice.
Down:
1. Sun. speech : SER (Sermon)
2. Disaronno Originale product : AMARETTO. Italian for "a little bitter". Argyle might know the brand.
3. King or queen : FACE CARD
4. Sommer of film : ELKE
5. Like May through August, in a way : R-LESS
6. Book flap feature : BIO
7. My friend abroad : MON AMI. Literally "My friend".
8. Long John Silver feature : ONE LEG
9. "__ fan tutte": Mozart opera : COSI
11. Sac fly result : RBI
12. Suffix with Jacob : EAN. Jacobean.
13. Diving duck : SMEW
14. Sausage skin : CASING. I like Cantonese sausage. They are sweet.
15. Short details? : SPECS
17. Infuriates : ANGERS
18. Feudal servant : VASSAL
24. Dutch pottery city : DELFT. Vermeer's hometown.
25. St. __: Caribbean island : BARTS. Never heard of it.
30. Little piggies : TOES
31. Invoice column hdg. : DESC. Description, I suppose.
33. Infuriates : IRES
35. Pal : CHUM
36. Goes after : HAS AT
39. Theater sections : TIERS
41. Conserves : HUSBANDS. Boomer does not know the "Conserve" meaning of HUSBAND. I learned from doing Xword.
42. Like "Mary Poppins" : RATED G
45. Maestro Toscanini : ARTURO
48. Magician's opening : ABRA
51. Arabic alphabet opener : ALIF
52. Funny Fields : TOTIE. No memory of this lady.
54. Topper seen on a mogul : SKI HAT. Marti style clue. Alas, I was picturing Donald Trump's "real hair" toupee.
56. Hacienda brick : ADOBE
57. A beginner in : NEW AT
59. Man cave topic : SPORTS
61. Onetime Rolex rival : ELGIN. I wanted OMEGA.
62. Find : DISCOVER
65. Opposable digit : THUMB
66. Prevention measure? : OUNCE. "An ounce of prevention..."
69. Choir section : ALTOS
71. Put in bold type, say : STRESS
74. Subtitle of the sequel "Damien" : OMEN II. Looks disturbing.
75. Analogy words : IS TO
78. Trivial lies : FIBS
81. Spoke Siamese? : MEWED
84. __ Park: Edison lab site : MENLO
89. Nuke-testing dept. : ENER
91. Remain undecided : PEND
93. "Allow me ..." : IF I MIGHT. I say "If I may".
94. Deadeye : SURE SHOT
95. Arctic carrier : SLED
97. Rube's "anti" : AGIN'
99. Opens one's eyes : AWAKENS
100. Crazed : MANIC
102. Audibly awed : AGASP
103. Southern Baltic Sea port : GDANSK. Wiki said it's the birth place of Lech Walesa's Solidarity movement.
104. List of typos and such : ERRATA
106. Worldwide relief org. : UNICEF
107. It's common in some camps : NUDITY. Never been to one. You?
108. Boot part : INSOLE
111. "Capisce?" : GET ME?
114. Many pin tumbler locks : YALES
117. Shelter from a storm, perhaps : COVE
119. Airline investigative org. : NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board)
121. Fried __ : RICE. Have some!
124. Golfer's concern : LIE. Downhill lie is hard to work with.
125. Chap : LAD
126. Stats, e.g. : NO.s
127. "Cats" poet's monogram : T.S.E.
C.C.
