Theme: "Twelve-Step Puzzle" -The end of each theme answer can precede "Step".
23A. Door holder's quaint invitation : LADIES FIRST. Indeed the very "First step" of the theme set.
25A. "Hurry!" : COME QUICK. Quickstep.
39A. Native American ritual : RAIN DANCE.
Dance step. In this type of Precede/Follow theme type, it's desirable
when the key word has different meanings. But sometimes it's not
possible.
41A. Comic collected in "Cows of Our Planet" : THE FAR SIDE. Sidestep.
50A. Where stars come out : STAGE DOOR. Doorstep. I saw two "door" in the theme answer clues. Don't bother me as my solving is very jumpy.
71A. Secure door feature : DOUBLE LOCK. Lockstep.
73A. Where many tweens may be seen : JUNIOR HIGH. High step.
93A. "No, No, Nanette" number : TEA FOR TWO. Two step.
101A. Birds Eye rival : GREEN GIANT. Giant step. Green Giant is based here in MN. Here is their Jolly Green Giant mascot.
103A. 1974 #1 hit for Helen Reddy : ANGIE BABY. Baby step.
123A. Prepare for the ring : SHADOW BOX. What is "Box step"?
126A. Like some test questions : TRUE OR FALSE. False step.
I thought of Splynter and his AA when I saw the "Twelve-Step" title.
Heavy
themage. Total 116 theme squares. As I mentioned before, 12 entries is
more challenging to grid than 9 entries with the same theme squares. I
like that they're all arranged horizontally. There's a continuity in the
12-step.
Matt
and Patti did a solid job with their fill today. They made all their
long entries count and got all the 3's and 4's as clean as possible,
which is not easy when you have 74 of them to deal with.
Across:
1. Takes great pleasure (in) : BASKS
6. It may be fit for a queen : TIARA. Lovely clue. Queen Elizabeth has the world's most precious tiara collection.
11. Loathe : ABHOR
16. Sushi bar tuna : AHI. Yellowfin.
19. Three-time Wimbledon champ : EVERT (Chris)
20. Rigel's constellation : ORION
21. Alla __: music notation : BREVE
22. Big __ : SUR
27. Nebraska settlers : OTOS. Or OTOEs.
28. "G'day" sayers : AUSSIES
30. Network with regular pledge drives : NPR. And 132. Network with regular pledge drives : PBS
31. Fifth Avenue retailer : SAKS
32. Unprovoked : WANTON. I associate this word with "Willful".
34. John of Scotland : IAN
35. Part of i.e. : EST. Id est.
37. Bolt, back in the day : HIE
46. Zesty start in London? : ZED. Just letter Z in Zesty.
47. TV production company co-founder, familiarly : DESI. I need Arnaz or Ricky or Lucy in the clue.
49. Like gossip : RUMORED
56. Quarterback Marino : DAN
57. Immortal Russian ballerina Galina : ULANOVA. Never heard of this "Immortal" lady.
58. Hard work : TOIL
59. Car and Driver check : ROAD TEST
62. Alain, par exemple : NOM. Alain Delon!
63. When two hands meet? : AT NOON. Nailed it.
66. Minute : ITSY. Not the time.
67. Work __ : ETHIC
78. Capital mentioned in "M*A*S*H" : SEOUL. So where is Kim Jong-un? I sure don't think there's a coup.
79. __ colada : PINA
80. Rubeola spot : MEASLE. I did not know the meaning of Rubeola.
81. GPS option : RTE
84A. "Gimme a break!" : GET OFF IT! I like all the four 8-letter entries in this puzzle.
87. "Are you __ not?" : IN OR
88. Likely will : IS APT TO
92. Dog park sound : ARF
97. Like helium : GASEOUS
98. It may be flat : RATE
100. Mal de __ : MER
109. Foto Hut owner on "That '70s Show" : LEO. Never watched the show. But I'm happy to see Ashton Kutcher & Mila Kunis together. Sweet couple.
110. Fresno-to-Bakersfield dir. : SSE
111. Three times, in Rx's : TER
112. Doesn't agree to : DENIES
114. Complex course : MAZE
117. __ cat : FAT
119. Conceal : SECRETE. OK, I need to start using this word then.
122. Short side? : SLAW. Vividly remember the first time I tried coleslaw at KFC in Xi'An. Right before I left college in 1994.
128. Household cleaner : RAG. I like this clue. I was thinking of a person.
129. Polynesian tongue : MAORI
130. Chalet beverage : TODDY
131. Garbo of "Grand Hotel" : GRETA
133. Flagrant, as injustice : GROSS
134. Somewhat far : A WAYS. Quite a ways.
135. Mythical reveler : SATYR
Down:
1. Word after see or go : BELOW. Always need crosses for this type of clue.
2. Gamer's game face : AVATAR. Don't be fooled by Avg Joe's. He's a total standup guy who tolerates no nonsense. Great cook too.
3. Arizona cultural resort : SEDONA
4. Olympic skater Yamaguchi : KRISTI. Gimme. Her husband grew up here in MN. She won "Dancing with the Stars" a few years ago.
5. Sault __ Marie : STE
6. Veggie burger ingredient : TOFU. I can't picture life without Tofu.
7. Expanding-circle film effect : IRIS-IN
8. Respiratory cavity : AIR SAC
9. Prepared for use, as a violin bow: ROSINED. Rosin can also be a verb?
10. Get in the game : ANTE
11. Easy as __ : ABC
12. Heathcliff's creator : BRONTE
13. Natural rope fiber : HEMP. Have you ever seen hemp plant? So tall.
14. Thorough repair : OVERHAUL
15. Like core courses: Abbr. : REQ
16. China setting : ASIA
17. Pap's son, in Twain stories : HUCK
18. Bugs : IRKS
24. Prepared for painting, perhaps : SANDED
26. Tries to charm with, as a pickup line : USES ON. When I met with Norm Duke in August, he asked me "Are you married?"
29. Goes after : SETS AT
33. Quatre et sept : ONZE. 4+7. I feel like I need water after pronouncing "Quatre".
36. Glow : SHINE
38. "Joy of Cooking" writer Rombauer : IRMA
40. Fuss : ADO
42. Tutti-__ ice cream : FRUTTI
43. Waffle maker : IRON
44. "Whip It" band : DEVO
45. Red-wrapped import : EDAM. Also 50. Dutch burg : STAD
48. Swirl : EDDY
51. Cinematic pet : TOTO
52. Aborigine of Japan : AINU. Commit this to your memory. You'll see it again. It sounds like "I knew".
53. Lava lamp lumps : GLOBS
54. Camden Yards athlete : ORIOLE. Yeah, Royals rock, Gary.
55. Campus mil. group : ROTC
60. "Don't __" : ASK
61. "I come to fetch you to the __-house": Decius Brutus : SENATE
64. Grand __ Opry : OLE
65. Opposite of paleo- : NEO
68. Same: Pref. : HOM
69. Yeats' land: Abbr. : IRE
70. Support for a hora honoree : CHAIR
72. "The Black Cat" (1934) co-star : LUGOSI (Bela)
73. Skippy rival : JIF
74. Yard, e.g. : UNIT
75. "Money __ everything" : ISN'T. So true.
76. Pre-sunrise effect : GLOW
77. Sandwich choice : HERO
79. Sputtering sound : PFFT
81. 1997 Emmy winner for TV's "Rebecca" : RIGG (Diana) And 89D. Showed signs of age, as paint : PEELED
82. Peter or Paul : TSAR
83. Soften : EASE
85. Mountain lakes : TARNS
86. Declaims : ORATES
90. Signal to start talking : TONE
91. Beach party challenge : TUG OF WAR
94. Cannes chum : AMI
95. It's for the birds : FEEDER. I think D-Otto's have cameras in.
96. "Awake, arise __ forever fallen!": Milton : OR BE
99. Admit an embarrassing mistake : EAT CROW. or DIRT.
102. Furrier family : ASTORS
104. Poet depicted in "Il Postino" : NERUDA. The Postman.
105. Hardly generous : GREEDY
106. Cochise player of '50s TV : ANSARA (Michael). Learned from my own cluing experience.
107. Soldier's lodging in a private home : BILLET
108. Beer critic's adjective : YEASTY
113. Cross one's heart : SWEAR
114. Car sticker no. : MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price)
115. Fictional skipper : AHAB
116. Veers suddenly : ZAGS
118. Peek or bug ending : ABOO
120. Rider on Butch's handlebars : ETTA. Oh, this girl. Etta Place.
121. Messes (with) : TOYS
124. Texter's "Holy cow!" : OMG
125. Followers of nus : XIS
127. NFL overtime margins of victory, often : FGS (Field Goals)
C.C.
