Theme: "I Owe You One" - I O is added to each theme entry, changing spellings when needed.
23A. Outdoor dining area with no chairs? : STANDING PATIO. Standing pat.
32A. Become adept at aerobic exercise? : MASTER CARDIO. MasterCard
55A. Spanish neighborhood known for its kisses? : CHOCOLATE BARRIO. chocolate bar.
80A. Contest to win an objet d'art? : RACE FOR THE CURIO. Race for the Cure.
101A. Brit's New York signoff? : BRONX CHEERIO. Bronx cheer.
112A. TV station mascot? : STUDIO CHICKEN. Stewed chicken. Is it a southern dish? I never had it. I was wondering what a "stud chicken" is. It's Argyle, who has been using this avatar for a long time.
16D. Contact a provisions room on a shortwave? : RADIO THE PANTRY. Raid the pantry.
50D. Buyer of "Gangsta's Paradise"? : COOLIO CUSTOMER. Cool customer. Coolio wrote "Gangsta's Paradise".
So, 3 IO's are added to the end of the first word, 5 to the end of the last word. Very consistent.
I love grids where theme entries intersect. Julian is very very good at it. Luck & skill. We wouldn't see chunky corners today had Julian put all his theme entries in Across.
Read more about Julian here.
Across:
1. Wax museum founder Marie : TUSSAUD. Easy start.
8. Many a Jordanian : ARAB
12. Pacts : ACCORDS
19. 1992 David Mamet play : OLEANNA. Nailed it. Ultra friendly letter combo for constructors.
20. Fancy drink garnish : PETAL. Not OLIVE.
22. Reveal : LAY BARE
25. __ trading : INSIDER
26. Link clicker's destination : SITE
27. Inter __ : ALIA
28. Man of steel? : ROBOT. Nice clue.
30. Suffix with 62-Across : IST. And 62. Exemplary : IDEAL
31. Thurman of "Kill Bill" : UMA
36. Santa __ : ROSA
37. Boxer with titles in eight different weight classes : PACQUIAO (Manny). I recognized his face when I googled.
39. Went hastily : HIED
40. "Curses!" : DRAT.
Hold your dominant
hand up & draw a capital Q on your forehead. Did the tail of the Q
fall towards your left or your right shoulder? You're a terrible liar if
it falls to the right. Good liars draw the tail to the left so the
person facing them can actually see it.
42. Sch. with the mustachioed mascot Hey Reb! : UNLV (University of Nevada-Las Vegas). Wiki said their sports teams are UNLV Rebels.
43. Kept the dance floor busy, briefly : DJed
45. Gets down : ALIGHTS
48. __ nod: acting honor : OSCAR
51. Biblical name meaning "hairy" : ESAU
53. Biol. majors' awards : BS DEGREES
59. CNN medical correspondent Sanjay __ : GUPTA. I like him.
60. Ring punch : HOOK
61. Pay ending : OLA. Payola.
63. Hertz opening? : MEGA. Megahertz.
64. Scale fifth : SOL
65. "Holy __!" : MOLY
66. Chaney of old horror films : LON
67. River of Germany : EDER
69. Put the cuffs on : NAB
72. Author Dinesen : ISAK
74. Refine, as ore : SMELT
76. Montréal moniker : NOM
77. Texas NLer : STRO. Julian lives in Singapore. No baseball there. (Correction: Astros moved to the American League in 2013).
78. Pained shrieks : YEOWS
83. Colluding : IN CAHOOTS. Love this entry.
85. User's reversal : UNDO
86. Ancient Indo-European : ARYAN
87. Canadian french fries dish : POUTINE. I knew it. I just don't know how to spell it correctly.
88. "Why not?" : LET'S
90. Mudville number : NINE
92. __ butter: cosmetic moisturizer : SHEA. Never tried it. I'm pretty happy with my coconut oil and Argan oil.
93. Ersatz : FAUX
95. Drug-induced hostility : ROID RAGE. Another great entry.
99. Book after John : ACTS
105. Sound file suffix : WAV. See here. Just remember wave.
106. However, informally : THO
107. Blow a gasket : ERUPT
108. Like weak handshakes : LIMP
109. Exude : OOZE
110. Leaf-wrapped Mexican dish : TAMALES. Hmm, Lucina!
117. "Once more ..." : I REPEAT
118. Tune with many high notes : YODEL
119. Winter beverages : HOT TEAS. I really like the gunpowder green in Steve's Numi box.
120. Jewel case holders : CD RACKS
121. Rebel against : DEFY
122. Expand, as a home : ADD ONTO
Down:
1. 50-50 shot : TOSS UP
2. Last syllable : ULTIMA. Learning moment for me.
3. Northwest airport named for two cities : SEA-TAC. Seattle & Tacoma.
4. Sensible : SANE
5. Fish-chips link : AND. Fish and chips.
6. Down Under school : UNI
7. Emmy-winning sportscaster Patrick : DAN
8. Familiar fruit logo : APPLE
9. Show again : RE-AIR
10. Diplomat's case : ATTACHE. Attaché's attaché.
11. Tang dynasty poet Li __ : BAI. He drank a lot a lot and wrote this classic poem. Perfect for Mid-Audumn Festival, which will be celebrated tomorrow. Jayce & Yellowrocks would probably love this clip.
s
12. Subject of corroboration : ALIBI
13. Do some necking : CANOODLE
14. Skin malady, perhaps : CYST
15. __-Wan Kenobi : OBI
17. Get into gear? : DRESS. I like this clue also.
18. Perfect Sleeper maker : SERTA
21. Moto portrayer : LORRE (Peter)
24. Pet for Pedro : GATO. Cat.
29. "That's strange" : ODD
32. 2013 Literature Nobelist Alice : MUNRO
33. Cough and sneeze, say : AIL
34. Comprehensive command : SAVE ALL. Computer.
35. Hinder's opposite : AID
36. Do-it-yourself floor covering : RAG RUG
38. Farmyard sound : QUACK
41. Sailor, at times : RIGGER
43. 2000 Peace Prize recipient Kim __-jung : DAE. Know for his "Sunshine Policy" towards North Korea.
44. Anniversary bash : JUBILEE
45. Tumult : ADO
46. Asian New Year : TET. Same day as Chinese Spring Festival which is celebrated in Singapore also.
47. Govt. ID issuer : SSA
48. Protest singer Phil : OCHS
49. "Go away!" : SHOO
52. Patronizes, as a motel : STAYS AT
53. Sports __ : BRA
54. Sandwich ingredient for many? : SILENT D. Letter D. Oh, I get the "for many" modifier, as some do pronounce the D.
56. "Check it out!" : LOOK
57. Adidas founder Dassler : ADOLF
58. Let : RENT OUT
63. Internet __: viral item : MEME
65. Five iron, old-style : MASHIE. I used to watch those Bobby Jones stuff on Golf Channel.
68. Pay homage (to) : DO HONOR
70. Domingo number : ARIA
71. Godsend : BOON
73. Harvester's paths : SWATHS
75. Party leaders : MCs. Not political party.
77. More certain : SURER
78. Pup squeak : YIP
79. Roxy Music alum : ENO
80. Sushi topper : ROE
81. Temp. takers, at times : RNs
82. "I'm on it!" : CAN DO
84. Resting : ON A BREAK
88. "__ Aeterna": Requiem Mass song : LUX. No idea. Wiki said it's Latin for "eternal light".
89. Omit : EXCLUDE
91. Sundial number : III
93. Fancy dresser : FOP
94. Not at all settled : ANTSY
95. Forfeited wheels : REPO
96. Asleep no more : AWOKEN
97. Watch in awe : GAZE AT
98. Yet : EVEN SO
99. Top story : ATTIC
100. Vitamin-rich veggie : CHARD. My favorite veggie is water spinach. I was so delighted to find it at the farmer's market.
102. Gets eaten away, in a way : RUSTS
103. HDTV part, for short : HI-DEF
104. Post of good manners : EMILY. Emily Post.
107. Gas partner: Abbr. : ELEC
109. Prefix with -pus : OCTO. Octopus.
111. Mental health org. : APA
113. "The Unknown" director Browning : TOD. He directed "Dracula" as well.
114. Half a dance : CHA
115. Coal scuttle : HOD
116. "__ be sad if ..." : IT'D
C.C.
