Theme: "Forced Re-entry" - REE sound is added to each theme entry, changing spelling as needed.
23A. Forgetting to put the milk in the fridge? : GROCERY NEGLIGENCE. Gross negligence.
51A. Backdrop for a gangster film? : CRIME SCENERY. Crime scene.
83A. Warning sign for an art dealer? : FORGERY AHEAD. Forge ahead.
111A. Well-protected garment room? : BULLETPROOF VESTRY. Bulletproof vest.
16D. A little Egyptian magic? : SORCERY OF THE NILE. Source of the Nile.
37D. Well-designed room for a tot? : PRACTICAL NURSERY. Practical nurse.
I like 23A and 16D the best, as the transformed words and the old ones
have different roots. But not many nouns ending in workable *RY, so
Pam's choices are rather limited.
Maybe I've had Paris/Brussels in mind the past days. Noticed quite a few PARIS (5D. Métro home) ties, with mostly alliterative clues:
43A. Between, in Bordeaux : ENTRE
86A. French royalty : NOBLESSE
12D. Brest brainstorms : IDEES
30D. Mer shade : AZUR
33D. Seine sun : SOLEIL
70D. Reims rejection : NON
112D. Fleur-de-__ : LIS. Or LYS at times.
Across:
1. Italian seaport : BARI. Easy start. Otherwise, I might not have got BUG (1D. Spy's favorite plant?).
5. Lupone on Broadway : PATTI
10. Alligator relative : CAIMAN
16. Old boomer : SST. Old and retired.
19. Conversant with : UPON
20. Like most people : ASIAN
21. Shout from Speedy Gonzales : ANDALE. "Hurry up" in Spanish.
22. "... the native hue of resolution / Is sicklied __ with the pale cast of thought": Hamlet :
O'ER
26. HDTV brand : RCA
27. Flights connect them : STORIES. Lovely clue.
28. Country rocker Steve : EARLE
29. Actress Dash : STACEY. No idea. She looks familiar though.
31. Sail support : MAST
32. Blue state : SADNESS
34. Pieces of pizza in Plymouth? : ZEDS. Just the two letters in pizza.
35. Secures, as a package : TAPES
38. "Arbitrage" star : GERE. All crosses.
39. Words from the unconvinced : OH SURE. Not "I doubt".
42. "Catch-22" pal of Yossarian : ORR
46. Religious zeal : IDOLATRY
49. Omani money : RIAL
54. __ bran : OAT
57. Treat made with ground almonds : MACAROON. Yeah, Paris!
59. Succeeds : MAKES IT
60. Some PX patrons : PFCs
61. Braid, e.g. : ENTWIST. Not a word I use. Twist, yes.
62. Top (out) : MAX
63. Agent : DELEGATEE. Not a word I use. Delegate, yes.
65. Rascally sort : IMP. Hi there, Spitzboov!
66. Price place : TAG
67. Jump in the pool, perhaps? : BET. Tricky little clue.
68. Durable wood : ASH
69. Another time : ONCE AGAIN
73. "The Beverly Hillbillies" dad : JED
74. Blood-filtering organs : SPLEENS
78. Sound of the wind, perhaps : MOAN. All crosses.
79. Skin blemish : AGE SPOT
81. Working for Christmas, say : SEASONAL
82. NBC weekend fixture : SNL. Marc Maron finally got his white whale.
85. In __: unmoved : SITU
88. Auditing giant __ & Young : ERNST And 91. Credit __: Zurich-based financial group : SUISSE. Both have offices in Guangzhou.
90. Delay : LAG
92. Razor brand : ATRA
94. Wiesbaden wheels : OPELS
96. PC key : CTRL
97. Honeymoon options : SAFARIS. Where did you spend your honeymoon?
101. Islamic branch : SHIA
103. Mary Hartman portrayer Louise : LASSER. Stranger to me. Wiki said she was married to Woody Allen for a few years.
106. Desi's daughter : LUCIE
107. Players with masks : GOALIES. Hello, Stud! You really do have it.
110. Keats' "__ to Psyche" : ODE
115. Flat filler : AIR. Tire.
116. Panini cheese : ASIAGO
117. Skateboarding leap : OLLIE
118. Pro foe : ANTI. Also 55. Pro : ACE
119. Round Table knight : KAY. King Arthur's foster brother.
120. Trojan War sage : NESTOR
121. Pops, to tots : DADAS
122. Bread often served with ghee : NAAN. Muslims in China make this kind of naan. It's not brushed with ghee, nor does it have any dairy ingredient. Delicious though.
Down:
2. Car loan nos. : APRS. Annual Percentage Rates.
3. Cheer : ROOT
4. It's often personal : INCOME
6. So far : AS YET
7. Spam holders : TINS. Real spam. Steve loves Spam musubi.
8. The Wizard of Menlo Park, initially : TAE
9. Ready to roll : IN GEAR
10. Stone memorial : CAIRN. Just pile of stones.
11. Right __ : ANGLE
13. Part of many superhero names : MAN. Tiny dupe with 50. Posse members : LAWMEN
14. World Series qualifier: Abbr. : ALCS. American League Championship Series.
15. Hair removal choice : NEET
17. Break away : SECEDE
18. Cube holders : TRAYS. Ice cubes.
24. Clean the slate : ERASE
25. Work on the docks : LADE
32. Come across as : SEEM
35. "It Wasn't All Velvet" memoirist : TORME. Easy guess due to "The Velvet Fog" nickname.
36. Suffix with Unit : ARIAN. Every Sunday puzzle has a few "Meh" entries.
38. It might be silly : GRIN
40. Twain contemporary : HARTE
41. Disorderly digs : STY
44. Boot camp VIPs : NCOs
45. Word with turkey or fox : TROT
46. "That's disgusting!" : ICK. Have any of you had Durian before? It smells awful, banned on some planes, trains. So tasty. Pricey too.
47. Formally turned over, as land : DEEDED
48. Beginning : ONSET
52. Periodical with a URL : EMAG
53. Early rock horn : SAX
56. "Four Quartets" monogram : TSE
58. Big name in morning talk : RIPA
60. Leisurely walks : PASEOS. Not a word I use.
62. Parsons' places : MANSES
64. Sadie Hawkins Day suitors : GALS
66. Supermodel Cheryl : TIEGS. She grew up here in MN.
67. Testing stage : BETA
69. Meditation sounds : OMS
71. Suffolk slammers : GAOLS. Alliteration again.
72. Matches : AGREES
73. Something to jump for : JOY. What I did when Rich accepted my first puzzle.
74. John in Dublin : SEAN
75. Protective sports equipment : PADS
76. Birth-related : NATAL
77. Wallops : SLUGS
80. Start to date? : PRE. Predate.
81. Hospital fluids : SERA
83. Some NFL ball carriers : FBS (Fullbacks)
84. Towel specification : HER'S
87. Spa supplies : OILS
89. Fabric often decorated with pastoral scenes : TOILE
91. Arenas : STADIA
92. "What __!": "I've been had!" : A RIP
93. Steering apparatus part : TIE ROD
95. Pal : PAISAN. This looks like PAYSAN, French for "peasant".
96. Potter's made him invisible : CLOAK. Harry Potter.
98. __ once : ALL AT
99. En __: on a streak, in sports slang : FUEGO. "Fire" in Spanish. Not slang in our little household.
100. One with a part : ACTOR. Nailed it.
101. Balkan capital : SOFIA
102. They're loaded : HAVES. All crosses.
104. "Voice of Israel" author : EBAN (Abba).
105. Sly tactic : RUSE
107. Olympian's prize : GOLD
108. Italian hot spot : ETNA
109. Miss, overseas: Abbr. : SRTA
113. Ending with pay : OLA
114. Yang counterpart : YIN. Dates and ginger are Yang. Cucumbers and most green veggies are Yin.
How do you normally prepare hard-boiled eggs? Do you remove eggs from heat as soon as water comes to a boil like this one? I just cook them in hot boiling water for 10 minutes, but can never get an easy-to-peel perfect egg.
C.C.
