Theme: "Just Say No" - No is inserted into each common phrase.
24A. Congressman lacking influence? : LEGISLATIVE NOBODY. Legislative body.
31A. Inexperienced company leader? : NOVICE PRESIDENT. Vice president.
53A. Conquer one's Pachelbel addiction? : KICK THE CANON. Kick the can. Click here. Jayce probably needs to conquer his Pachelbel addiction. I'm not familiar with the guy or his Canon.
69A. Flight getting in at 12:00? : NOONTIME ARRIVAL. On-time arrival.
85A. Chamber group income? : NONET REVENUE. Net revenue.
103A. Promo line for an open wine bar? : BOTTOMLESS PINOT. Bottomless pit.
116A. Unimportant orbiter? : MINOR SPACE STATION. Mir Space Station.
Last Sunday we had "Oh, No!", today we have "Just Say No". Eager to see what's the gimmick for next Sunday's LAT.
Three
NO's are attached to the beginning of the first word, one attached to the start of the second word, three are inserted inside the word. This multiple approach in letter insertion does not happen often with LAT.
Across:
1. Paddle : OAR
4. Peter who produced James Taylor's debut album : ASHER. Unknown figure to me.
9. Stash : STORE
14. Old Dodge : ARIES
19. Pair : DUO
20. Now, in Spain : AHORA. Vowel-rich, like most foreign words in Xwords.
21. Yam, e.g. : TUBER
22. Time-share unit, often : CONDO
23. Investment adviser's suggestion, for short : IRA. Are you still thinking of retiring, TTP?
27. Where you might see "Hello" : NAME TAG. Hello, my name is ...
29. Take on : HIRE
30. O. Henry device : IRONY
36. Wit : CARD
39. Those, in Spain : ESOS
40. Myth ending : ICAL. Mythical.
41. __ room : REC. And 46. __ room : HOTEL.
44. Really enjoyed : ATE UP
49. 1987 Costner role : NESS (Eliot)
50. Slightly, to Salieri : POCO. Italian.
51. Cheerleader's accessory : POM-POM
56. Doe in "Bambi" : ENA
57. Becoming fond of : TAKING TO
61. Rib : NEEDLE
62. "Smokey and the Bandit" city : TEXARKANA. Tex-Ark-ana. Sort of portmanteau word.
64. Scout group : TROOP
68. Tart fruits : SLOES
72. Santa ___ : MARIA
75. "Oklahoma!" aunt : ELLER
76. Gashed : LACERATED
80. Ukrainian port : ODESSA
82. Teacher's concern : ABSENTEE. Me in college. I bet Yellowrocks seldom missed her classes. Great news about your shoulder.
84. Altar vow : I DO
89. Bland stuff : PABLUM
91. Significant periods : ERAS. Cultural Revolution is certainly the most important period in my life. Been through quite a bit of the nightmares in my life.
92. Angry : IRED. Spell check does not like this word.
93. Scrawny : GAUNT
97. Family member : NIECE
98. __ Aviv : TEL
99. FDR's mother : SARA. Oh, I did not know this.
100. They're expected : PARS. For the pros.
102. Keats creations : ODES
109. Slow movement : LARGO
111. "You really think that's true?" : IS IT
112. At : TOWARDS. I often struggle with one-word clues.
121. See 122-Across : OUT. And 122. With 121-Across, force from hiding : SMOKE
123. Persona : IMAGE
124. First-aid kit item : GAUZE
125. Half and half : ONE. Simple & effective clue.
126. Some are dominant : GENES
127. Colorado resort : ASPEN
128. Bugs' nemesis : ELMER
129. Not many : FEW
Down:
1. Thor's father : ODIN
2. Ghostly glow : AURA
3. Gad about : ROAM
4. Finnish architect Alvar __ : AALTO. Splynter might have heard of this guy. Not me. What's his most famous work?
5. Bundle, as wheat : SHEAVE
6. Greedy : HOGGISH. Not a word I use.
7. "___ tu": Verdi aria : ERI
8. Most daring : RASHEST
9. Oldest Beatle : STARR.
My former boss is named Ringo because he liked Ringo Starr. Most people
in Hong Kong have a Chinese name & an English name.
10. One in a class by himself? : TUTEE. Nice clue for a blah fill.
11. Kimono sash : OBI
12. Gun : REV
13. Before, in poems : ERE
14. __ squash : ACORN.
This looks yummy & perfect for D-Otto who just went through a
yankage. Never had cranberries before. I bet raisins work as well.
15. Automaton : ROBOT
16. Part of, plotwise : IN ON
17. Whirlpool : EDDY
18. Tofu base : SOY. Have any of you tried fermented Tofu? It's definitely an acquired taste. Sort of like Blue cheese.
25. Sass : LIP
26. Ratings giver : NIELSEN
28. Eventually become : END UP
32. Gentle sound : COO
33. Ruin : SINK
34. "New Jack City" actor : ICE-T
35. Short run : DASH
36. 10th century French king : CAPET. Hugh Capet. Stranger to me.
37. Make amends : ATONE
38. Big name in real estate : RE/MAX
41. Sonata section : RONDO
42. Pierre's school : ECOLE
43. Scoop holders : CONES
45. Hearty entrée : POT ROAST. I just can't seem to like beef.
47. Hosp. test : EKG
48. One who more than just trash-talks? : LITTERBUG. Ha ha.
50. Spanish dish : PAELLA
52. Deadly shark : MAKO
54. Mrs. Dithers in "Blondie" : CORA
55. Special delivery? : CESAREAN. Nice clue also.
58. Classic Welles role : KANE
59. Part of IBM: Abbr. : INTL
60. Clinch : NAIL
63. Liqueur flavorings : ANISES
65. Heraldic border : ORLE
66. Setting for Camus' "The Plague" : ORAN. Gimme!
67. Ancient Celt : PICT
70. Average : MEAN
71. Nixon, in the '50s : VEEP. To Ike.
72. "Haystacks" series painter : MONET. Monet, Manet dilemma.
73. Be gaga over : ADORE
74. Kind of artery : RENAL
77. Did floor work : TILED. And 113. It may be 77-Down : ROOF
78. Draw out : EDUCE
79. Field protectors : DOMES
81. British bluebloods, informally : ARISTOS
83. Vast amount : SEA
86. Part of Q.E.D. : ERAT
87. ___ Beach, Fla. : VERO
88. Wax-wrapped cheese : EDAM
90. Regional life : BIOTA
94. Steal the spotlight from : UPSTAGE
95. Drop off : NAP. And 101. Drop off : SNOOZE
96. Isotope of hydrogen : TRITIUM. Learning moment to me also.
103. Penniless : BROKE
104. Fairy tale baddies : OGRES
105. Feudal lord : LIEGE
106. City near Düsseldorf : ESSEN
107. Pose : SIT
108. One with a title : OWNER
109. Green shade : LIME
110. Before long : ANON
114. Buggy site : DUNE
115. Brood : STEW
116. Stir-fry additive : MSG. Not in my stir-fry. Nor do I use any cornstarch.
117. Actress Zadora : PIA
118. Morning hrs. : AMs
119. Cover : CAP
120. Singer Bachman : TAL. Canadian singer. Also an unknown figure to me.
C.C.
