Theme: "Th-, Th-, That's All, Folks - TH sound is added to the end of each theme entry, adjusting spellings as needed.
23A. Unflattering nickname for a boastful corporate bigwig? : CHAIRMAN MOUTH. Chairman Mao.
46A. Belief at the heart of “Miracle on 34th Street”? : SANTA FAITH. Santa Fe.
68A. Actor Colin's body double? : FAUX FIRTH. Faux fur. Colin Firth (The King's Speech).
91A. Momentous event in baseball history, as it turned out? : AARON BIRTH. Base phrase Aaron Burr. The AARON in the clue refers to Hank Aaron.
112A. Hoping for a winning lottery ticket? : WISHING WEALTH. Wishing well.
15D. Old king's slow-moving pet? : COLE SLOTH. Coleslaw. Only one-word entry.
31D. Olbermann at a karaoke bar? : MUSICAL KEITH. Musical key. ESPN just let go of Keith Olbermann.
42D. AMA motto? : GIVE 'EM HEALTH. Give 'em hell. Reminds me of that heartless Michigan cancer doctor.
78D. Smokey's trouser material? : BEAR CLOTH. Bear claw.
After I did Tea Party
with Don G, I fully appreciated the creativity & complexity behind
this type of sound addition theme. It's so much harder than simply adding a T, or a TH.
I think this is the first collaboration of Donna S. Levin and Bruce Venzke, who often teams up with Gail Grabowski for LAT.
Gail
told me a while ago that they title their puzzle as GAB (Gail and
Bruce) if Gail's byline comes up first, and BAG (Bruce and Gail) if
Bruce's byline comes up first. So this puzzle might be titled DAB.
Across:
1. Cap treated by an orthopedist : PATELLA. Love when I can nail a 7-letter fill. Today's grid is very clean and smooth.
8. Hajji's destination : MECCA. Can non-Muslims visit the city?
13. Enthusiastic approval : ACCLAIM
20. Like amoeba reproduction : ASEXUAL
21. Show that had an annual "Favorite Things" segment : OPRAH. Got via crosses. Not a fan.
22. Part of a colloquial lament : SHOULDA
25. Counterattacks : SALLIES
26. Coquette : TEASE
27. Ruby in films : DEE
28. Mr. Mistoffelees' creator : T. S. ELIOT. Got via crosses also. And 63. 28-Across, e.g. : POET
29. Packing : ARMED. Packing heat, I suppose.
32. Clark Kent, on Krypton : KALEL
34. Relatives of medians : MODES
36. Garish : LOUD
37. Give a hoot : CARE
38. Two-mile-high city : LHASA. And 6D. Tibetan priest : LAMA
40. Sign on : LOG IN
45. Allied gp. since 1948 : OAS (Organization of American States)
48. Sheepish? : OVINE. Nailed it.
49. Tests : TRIALS
51. Unlock, to a bard : OPE
52. Little legume : PEA
53. Fended (off) : STAVED
54. G-rated : CLEAN
56. Benevolent order : ELKS. Headquartered in Chicago, as I learned last week.
58. "Symphony of a Thousand" composer : MAHLER (Gustav)
59. Grammarian's topic : USAGE
61. "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" setting : INDIA
65. LAX posting : ETD
67. Brilliance : ECLAT
70. Rigs on long hauls : SEMIs
72. Guffaw : YUK
73. Flight segment : STEP
74. California berry farm founder : KNOTT. Knott's Berry Farm.
75. Taj __ : MAHAL
76. Without vigor : FEEBLY
79. "Birdman" actor Galifianakis : ZACH. Hope we don't see his surname in a grid. Known for his Between Two Ferns.
80. Licorice-flavored seed : ANISE
82. Big Pharma name : PFIZER
83. Faline in "Bambi," e.g. : DOE. Ha ha, I put in ENA. Never saw "Bambi".
85. Leg up : AID
87. Dan Aykroyd's birthplace : OTTAWA
90. Very very : ULTRA
94. Pot cover : LID
95. Former "The View" co-host : BEHAR (Joy)
96. Rock trio with long-bearded vocalists : ZZ TOP. The "Long-bearded" hint handed us a big fat gimme.
97. "Got it" : I SEE
98. First razor with a pivoting head : ATRA
99. Sheds a tear : CRIES. "The Bridges of Madison County"!
101. Spanish "these" : ESTOS
103. Change from maxi to midi, say : RE-HEM
104. "Idylls of the King" setting : CAMELOT
108. Party org. : DNC. Crossing 108. Urgent : DIRE. Easy elimination of RNC.
109. More experienced : WISER
111. Quaint "Jeepers!" : OMIGOSH
117. Western neckwear : BOLO TIE. Boomer bought two at our State Fair long time ago. Never worn them again.
118. Smooth one's feathers : PREEN
119. More icky : NASTIER
120. Less introverted : BRASHER
121. Fermented honey quaffs : MEADS
122. They usually inspire blessings : SNEEZES
Down:
1. Lobbying gp. : PAC
2. Cinders : ASH
3. Major Sri Lankan export : TEA
4. Left : EXITED
5. Enticed : LURED
7. __ king crab : ALASKAN
8. May honoree : MOM
9. Lyric poem : EPODE. Learned from doing crosswords.
10. First name in dognapping : CRUELLA
11. Actress Blanchett : CATE
12. "That's the spot!" : AHH
13. Courtroom fig. : ASST. D.A.. Or ADAs. Jack McCoy has quite a few.
14. Pursue : CHASE
16. Down time : LULL
17. Ovid's others : ALII
18. Thought: Pref. : IDEO
19. Spar : MAST
24. Not far from : NEAR TO. Boomer bowled 634 & 607 at the National Senior Games on
Friday/Saturday. Not good enough. He still has a chance at the Doubles
event today.
29. Scads : A LOT
30. Savanna warning : ROAR
33. Jumped out of one's seat : LEAPED UP. UP feels unnecessary.
34. Friend of Sydney : MATE. Sydney, Australia.
35. Worker welfare org. : OSHA
37. Acapulco abode : CASA
39. Rose __ : HIPS. My birthday gift. A bottle of Rose hip oil. Total luxury.
41. Like some mirrors : OVAL
43. Subject of Newton's first law : INERTIA
44. Author Buntline : NED
46. Winter woe : SLEET
47. Given name meaning "happy" : FELIX. King Felix.
50. Bit of pond scum : ALGA
53. Was in session : SAT
55. "Swell!" : NIFTY!
57. "The Metamorphosis" writer : KAFKA
58. Maestro Zubin : MEHTA. Born in Bombay (Mumbai).
59. One-eighty : UEY
60. Scrap : SCUFFLE
62. Captain Kidd's refusal : NAE
63. Ban : PROHIBIT
64. Hubbell teammate : OTT. Carl
Hubbell. Hall-of-Famer. Big Easy sent me this picture in March. He said
"Next time OTT appears in a puzzle you can insert this. I was passing
there today and stopped and took this picture. It is right down the
street from ZYDECOs, which occasionally showed up."
66. High-speed letters : DSL
69. Like most Quechua speakers : INCAN
70. Partner of Wesson : SMITH. Easy crosses.
71. From Liverpool to Manchester : EAST
73. Camera letters : SLR
77. Biblical reformer : EZRA. Friendly crosses again.
79. Nothing at all : ZERO
81. Observe closely : NOTE
82. Black and tan seller : PUB
83. Stupefaction : DAZE. Thought the noun for Stupefy is just "Stupor".
84. Granola grain : OATS
86. Cut out of the will : DISOWN
88. Send electronically, as funds : WIRE
89. Sixth-day creation : ADAM
92. Bounding main : OPEN SEA
93. Gives up : RESIGNS
96. Instrument sometimes played in one's lap : ZITHER
98. Make fizzy : AERATE
100. Riveting icon : ROSIE. Rosie the Riveter.
102. RR station posting : SCHED (Schedule)
103. Actress Witherspoon : REESE
104. __ salad : COBB
105. Cupid : AMOR
106. Ashton's partner : MILA. Yay! They're a cute couple. Just married last weekend.
107. They may be bruised : EGOS
110. Long-necked trumpeter : SWAN
112. Typing stat. : WPM
113. Former green-card-issuing agcy. : INS
(Immigration and Naturalization Service). They issued me a green card
with an extra U after Q. I guess Zhouqin looks incomplete.
114. Claiborne of fashion : LIZ
115. Casual wear : TEE
116. Retail posting: Abbr. : HRS
Happy 85th Birthday to Sallie! I bet both of her sons made special plans to be with her today. How are you doing lately, Sallie?
C.C.
