Theme: "Scuse Me" - W is replaced by SQU in each theme entry.
24A. Unoiled robot's problem? : SQUEAK IN THE KNEES. Weak in the knees.
38A. Embarrassed parrot's cry? : SQUAWK OF SHAME. Walk of shame.
52A. Lottery winner's reaction, perhaps? : SQUEAL OF FORTUNE. Wheel of Fortune.
73A. Sudden storm in Hunan? : THE GREAT SQUALL OF CHINA. The Great Wall of China. Hunan is known for its spicy food. Chairman Mao's hometown.
85A. Shout when zucchini falls off the boat? : SQUASH OVERBOARD. Wash overboard.
101A. Escort at the farmyard ball? : CHICKEN SQUIRE. Fun clue. Chicken wire.
120A. Any Mr. Magoo story? : THE SQUINTER'S TALE. The Winter's Tale.
This puzzle reminds me a bit of Dan Naddor's "Quilting Bee" to "Wilting Bee" puzzle.
Q's are tough to work in the grid, but every Q crossing in this grid is solid. I like Q ending words: COMPAQ, IRAQ, Avenue Q, and of course the beautiful Maggie Q.
Across:
1. Fight reminder : SCAR
5. Joined : WED. So Simon Cowell confirmed that he's dating Carmen Electra, but she's not his girlfriend. Sounds cold to me.
8. Kuwaiti, e.g. : ARABIAN
15. Cut (back) : DIAL
19. Benedict XVI, e.g. : POPE
20. Rather than : AS OPPOSED TO. We don't often see long non-theme Across entries.
22. "I'll pay" : ON ME
23. Red sky, to some : OMEN
26. The "O" of OWN : OPRAH. She's no Ellen.
28. Sign about a space shortage, briefly : SRO (Standing Room Only)
29. Feel a strong need (for) : STARVE
30. Sinusitis-treating MD : ENT
31. Relevant element : FACTOR
33. 18-Down's rank: Abbr. : INSP. 18. Scotland Yard inspector in Sherlock Holmes stories : LESTRADE. Clue/Answer dupe here. Tough to avoid on Sundays.
36. Use an entrance : GO IN
37. __ es Salaam : DAR
42. Deli selection : BLT
43. Peruvian songstress Sumac : YMA
44. Palme __: Cannes prize : D'OR
45. Rattan alternative : OSIER
47. "Half-caf" was added to it in 2012 : OED. Coffee. Half regular + Half decaf.
48. "Modern Family" role : MANNY
59. Et __ : ALII
60. Dickens's "__ Mutual Friend" : OUR
61. Religious title starter : DALAI
62. Decked out at the Forum : TOGAED. Did not know toga can be a verb.
65. Troy story? : ILIAD. Woody would like this clue.
69. Raves about : RANTS AT
77. __ Lake, town near Lake Placid : SARANAC. Total unknown.
78. App for long-distance partners : SKYPE
79. Israeli tender : SHEKEL
80. Hot again : RETRO
82. Prefix with caching : GEO. Dave's Geocaching.
84. True-to-life : REAL
92. Soft vocal signals : PSSTs
93. Distillery container : TUN
94. Hokkaido port city : OTARU. No idea.
95. Here, to Henri : ICI
97. Embarrassed : RED
98. Capital gain? : ISM. Capitalism.
108. Like Beethoven's Sonata Op. 109 : IN E
109. Omani tender : RIAL
111. __-Pei : SHAR. Literally "Sand".
112. "Mansfield Park" novelist : AUSTEN (Jane)
113. M ÷ IV : CCL
114. Vegging out : AT REST
117. Xhosa and Zulu are among its official langs. : RSA
119. Do a legislature's job : ENACT
125. Pre-'90s orchard spray : ALAR
126. 30 Seconds to Mars frontman Jared : LETO
127. Latin Mass prayer : PATERNOSTER. "Our father". Gimme for Lucina.
128. Foul : VILE
129. Belgian river : YSER
130. Three-ball family project, typically : SNOWMAN. Snowball!
131. Zero has one : ZEE. Fun clue for a so so answer.
132. Ivy growing for 300+ years : YALE
Down:
1. Send-ups : SPOOFS
2. 2002 HP acquisition : COMPAQ. During Carly Fiorina's reign.
3. Overview : APERCU. Not an easy word.
4. Opera director Scotto : RENATA. New to me also.
5. "I __ had!" : WAS
6. Titles in court, for short : ESQs
7. Brad of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" : DOURIF. No memory of this guy. Saw the movie long time ago.
8. Mental health org. : APA
9. Seoul protector : ROK (Republic of Korea).
10. Craigslist caveat : AS IS
11. Proclivity : BENT
12. Place for a pet name : ID TAG. Find this dog, you'll be in Dennis Lehane's next book. He wrote "Mystic River" and "Gone, Baby, Gone".
13. Thumping : ATHROB. Never used this word in my life. Husker Gary, yes, I did speak English before I came to the US.
14. "I will fear __": Psalm 23 : NO EVIL
15. Get into : DON
16. "Don't leave me" : I NEED YOU. Nice long answer.
17. Cry from the flock : AMEN AMEN
21. Menial laborers : PEONS
25. Ohio's __ State : KENT
27. "Hey, Tex" : HOWDY
32. "Top Hat" studio : RKO
34. It's about a foot : SHOE. What were you picturing?
35. "Qué __?" : PASA
39. -ish : OR SO
40. "Cool" sum : MIL
41. Anti-discrimination initials : EEO. Or EOE.
46. Mail svc. that may cover a general store : RFD (Rural Free Delivery)
48. Quarterback Ryan et al. : MATTs
49. Island greeting : ALOHA. Hi there Chefwen.
50. Landlocked African land : NIGER
51. Falls for two lovers? : NIAGARA. Sweet clue.
53. Stop : QUIT
54. Bookmarked addresses, briefly : URLs
55. Gambling game : FARO
56. Five Norwegian royals : OLAFS
57. Dressing with wings : RANCH. Salad dressing.
58. Some church supporters : TITHERS
63. Seaside soarers : ERNES. And 67. Seaside diver : AUK
64. Donne's "__ Be Not Proud" : DEATH
66. 95% of them are between 70 and 130 : IQs. Dennis belongs to those 2%.
68. Time to seize? : DAY. Seize the day.
70. "Oliver Twist" antagonist : SIKES (Bill). Never read "Oliver Twist".
71. "That's __ trick!" : A NEAT
72. Some latte sizes : TALLS
74. Phobia beginning : ACRO. Acrophobia.
75. Natalie Gulbis's org. : LPGA. I bet Splynter loves Natalie. Look at her long legs! We followed her a few holes last time in the US Open. She had the most followers.
76. Sinister stare : LEER
81. Ab __: anew : OVO
83. Anthony Hopkins's "Thor" role : ODIN. To me, he's always Hannibal Lecter.
85. To the letter : STRICTLY
86. Slakes : QUENCHES
87. Stet : UNDELETE
88. "You know the rest," for short : ETC
89. "We're winning!" : RAH. We lost. The Vikings.
90. Jewish ritual : BRIS. Rite of circumcision.
91. "That smarts!" : OUCH
92. Feeling felt in fits : PIQUE
96. Lee's letters : CSA. R. E. Lee.
98. Big oil exporter : IRAQ
99. Fitness test components : SIT-UPS. Mainly your abs.
100. Maid of fiction : MARIAN. Maid Marian. Robin Hood.
102. Zippy racers : KARTS
103. Faux : ERSATZ. I was rather surprised by the travel bag design in those Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection. You can't see clearly, but the pictures on the biggest bag is very Kama Sutra.
104. "Anchors Aweigh" org. : US NAVY. Spitzboov & D-Otto are both Ex-Navy.
105. 1990 World Cup host, locally : ITALIA
106. Manufacturer's nightmare : RECALL. Same for consumers.
107. Menu listing : ENTREE
110. Allegro's opposite : LENTO
115. Stressful thing to get into : STEW. No stew here. But every time Boomer's foot nerve or hip arthritis flares up, I'm more stressed than he is.
116. Four years, perhaps : TERM
118. Away from most of the blowing : ALEE
121. Campus gp. : SOR
122. Molecular code carrier : RNA
123. William, to Charles : SON
124. Afore : ERE
C.C.
