Theme: "In It to Win It" - W is added to to the start of one word in each theme entry.
29A. Chronicle one's travels? : WRITE OF PASSAGE. Rite of passage.
44A. Pilfer Christmas supplies? : TAKE THE WRAP. Take the rap.
56A. Smith kicking back? : WILL AT EASE. Ill at ease.
82A. Belt or cummerbund? : MIDDLE WEAR. Middle ear.
91A. Roll in one's pocket? : PERSONAL WAD. Personal ad.
108A. Spell caster seen infrequently? : SEVEN YEAR WITCH. Seven-year Itch.
4D. Gingerbread house feature? : WALL YOU CAN EAT. All you can eat.
59D. Experience a links mishap? : LOSE ONE'S WEDGE. Lose one's edge.
No
straying W's in the theme set. Another simple and elegant theme from
Melanie Miller. She loves this type of letter addition/deletion theme.
It would be perfect if we did not have NEWT (81A. Pond denizen). That way, the only W's are the 8 ones in the theme answers.
Across:
1. Side sometimes put on a sandwich : SLAW
5. Literature Nobelist Nelly : SACHS. German poet. Won Nobel in 1966. Stranger to me.
10. Some workers : ANTS. I tried BEES again.
14. Land in the ocean : ISLE
18. Italian tourist city : PISA. Gary was there.
19. Key of two Schubert impromptus : A- FLAT. Always need crossing help.
20. Range restraint : RIATA. Intersecting 11D. Chihuahua youngsters : NINOS. So no REATA dilemma this time.
22. King or queen, e.g. : NOUN. And 102. Kings or queens, e.g. : PLURAL. Great clues.
23. "Stupidity is the same as __ if you judge by the results": Atwood : EVIL
24. Panache : FLAIR
25. Deduce : INFER
26. Fatty __ : ACID
27. Aptly named pet bedding spray brand : DE FLEA. Did not know it's a brand.
32. Garden places : YARDS. I planted kale this year. They're surprisingly easy to grow.
34. Con target : PATSY
35. Cookware cover : POT LID
36. Heat unit : CALORIE
39. Hardly all thumbs : DEFT. Great explanation to Howard yesterday about RAMBO, D-Otto.
40. Liquidation __ : SALE
41. Seek (out) : SCOUT
42. Plymouth pit stop : LOO. Oh, Plymouth, England. We have a Plymouth here in MN also.
50. Classic puppet : PUNCH. Punch and Judy.
51. Grip on a sword : HILT. Or HAFT.
53. Some McFlurry ingredients : OREOS
54. Sénat agreement : OUI
55. Purview : AREA
59. Roller target : LINT
60. "The Silver Chair" setting : NARNIA. "The Silver Chair" is the fourth book in "The Chronicles of Narnia" series, according to Wiki.
62. Big name in polio research : SABIN
63. "Primary Colors" co-star : TRAVOLTA. Watched the movie long time ago.
66. Two-time Emmy winner Stonestreet : ERIC
68. Unhealthy gas : RADON
70. Therapeutic getaways : SPAS
71. Represent : SPEAK FOR
75. Gauged : RATED. I read the clue as "Gouged".
77. __ bar : ENERGY
85. "I wasn't expecting you" : OH HI
86. Jack's predecessor : IKE. I was unaware of Jack Kennedy until I came to the US. Nixon was highly respected in China due to his historical visit.
87. Communications line : CABLE
89. "Gimme a coupla __" : SECS
90. Pry : SNOOP
95. __ resort : SKI
96. Under stress : TENSE
97. "What does __ mean?" : THAT. I asked this question a lot.
98. Chicks' hangout : NEST
100. Waist management aids : CORSETS. Never wore one.
105. Western band : POSSE
107. Word of contempt : PSHAW
111. Tarp hole : EYELET
115. It flows in Madrid : AGUA
116. Class : STYLE
117. Side problem? : THORN. Stumped me. I like this clue.
119. Field protector, maybe : DOME
120. Informal speech : TALK
121. Coach : TUTOR
122. Like the man in the moon : LUNAR. I don't get this clue. What man? There's a girl & a rabbit in the moon, in Chinese myth.
123. Ready for anything : GAME
124. Greatly amuse : SLAY
125. They carry charges : IONS
126. Black shade : EBONY
127. Dutch export : EDAM
Down:
1. Really moved : SPED. And 2. Really enjoy oneself : LIVE. Made me think of Jayce, whom I really really like.
3. "Not a chance!" : AS IF
5. Jungle activity : SAFARI
6. '60s sports org. : AFL. American Football League.
7. Relatives of nails : CLAWS
8. Bangs on the head? : HAIR. I've had bangs since 1984, yet I still could not see the clue!
9. Bumblebee feature : STRIPE
10. Short song : ARIETTA. A short ARIA.
12. Chewy treat : TAFFY
13. Course of action : STEP
14. Distressed : IN A STEW
15. Area served by LAX : SOCAL
16. Fiat in the movie "Cars" : LUIGI. Nice to meet you, Luigi!
17. Nipped in the bud : ENDED
21. Tribe in the 1876 Great Sioux War : ARAPAHO. I know the Sioux Wars, but did not know the Arapaho tribe was involved.
28. Third of eight : EARTH. Third planet.
30. Last president to keep a White House cow : TAFT. New trivia to me as well. Fresh milk.
31. Pump bottoms : SOLES
33. Indian territory : DELHI. I was thinking inside US.
36. Political channel : C-SPAN
37. U.S. auto since 1986 : ACURA
38. Independent sort : LONER
39. Namibian currency : DOLLAR. Their official language is English.
40. Guides : STEERS
43. Many museum hangings : OILS
45. Chain used by campers : KOA. Kampgrounds of America.
46. Once, long ago : ERST
47. Make turbulent : ROIL
48. Reunion attendee : AUNT
49. Bread with tabbouleh : PITA. Do you like tabbouleh?
52. Knight's outerwear : TABARD. Look who's here.
56. Jo in Dickens' "Bleak House," e.g. : WAIF
57. __ pool : TIDAL
58. Modern missives : E-NOTES
61. Exasperate : IRK. I always feel sympathetic for girls who do silly things for love, but not for this prisoner worker who helped the escaped murderer.
64. Simon Says player : APER
65. Airport shuttle, often : VAN
67. Fight against : COMBAT
69. Least worn : NEWEST
71. Cut : SNIP
72. Toy with long hair, briefly : PEKE
73. Vase-shaped vessel : EWER
74. Shallow channel : RILL
76. Spot for lounge chairs : DECK. Marti's looks very relaxing.
78. Avignon's river : RHONE
79. Haunting memory : GHOST
80. "Good heavens!" : YIPES
83. Possible cause of glistening blades : DEW
84. Sports footwear brand : ASICS. Just remember it as BASICS without the B.
87. "Yankee Doodle Dandy" subject : COHAN. George M. Cohan.
88. Wall Street employee : ANALYST
90. Go off on a tangent : STRAY
92. Inconsistent : STREAKY
93. Comebacks : ANSWERS
94. "Too Many Girls" co-star, familiarly : DESI. Not familiar with ""Too Many Girls".
99. Clear up : SETTLE
101. "The Ransom of Red Chief" writer : O. HENRY
102. Exams for sophs and jrs. : PSATs
103. Not bootlegged : LEGAL
104. It may be involved in snoring : UVULA
105. Money order order : PAY TO
106. Wrinkle-resistant fiber : ORLON
107. Mono player : PHONO
109. Case for small tools : ETUI. Oh, hello. Long time no see.
110. Fish used for bait : CHUB
112. Prepare to shoot : LOAD
113. Watson of "Noah" : EMMA
114. Swarm : TEEM
118. Made a break for it : RAN
The fourth Minnesota Crossword Tournament will be held today at the Landmark Center. Come join us for fun.
Husker Gary is going to have his important reversal operation tomorrow. Let's send positive thoughts his way. We want to see you very soon on the blog this time, Gary!
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| Joann, granddaughter Elise & Gary |
C.C.
