Theme: "Company's Coming" - CO is added to each theme entry.
23A. Nickel that's worth big bucks? : MAJOR COIN. Major in.
25A. Eco-friendly lighthouse? : GREEN BEACON. Green bean.
47A. Rearrangement of suitcase contents? : SECOND PACKING. Send packing.
71A. Ideal takeover? : DREAM COUP. Dream up.
97A. Burlesque stand-up act? : COMEDIAN STRIP. Median strip.
121A. Where fowl spies meet? : COVERT COOPS. Covert ops. There's a stray CO. Smiled at the clue.
125A. Parka with different sleeve lengths? : COAT ISSUE, At issue.
36D. Sign of breakfast burning? : SMOKING BACON. Smoking ban.
41D. Abs trainers? : TUMMY COACHES. Tummy aches.
Heavy
themage today. Total 9 themers and 99 theme squares. These constrictions did not
leave Gail much room for long fill. The longest two are just 8- letter RARE MEAT (10A. Red-centered serving) and LINCHPIN (92D. Crucial unifying element )
I think I can figure out Gail's Sunday grids without looking at the byline. Lots of solid 4-letter & 5-letter entries. No weird 3-letter abbrs. Always smooth and clean.
Across:
1. Overrun : RIFE. Got via easy Downs.
5. Toothpaste portion : GLOB
9. Superfluity : FRILL
14. "Same here" : AS AM I. Not DITTO or ME TOO.
19. Psych ending : OTIC
20. NYC tourist attraction : MoMA
21. "The Great Dictator" Oscar nominee : OAKIE. I could only think of Chaplin.
22. Intel mission : RECON
27. One might not hold up in court : ALIBI
28. Basic element : STAPLE
30. Remote hiding places? : SOFAs. Remote control.
31. Pic Sans Nom, par exemple : ALPE
33. Guanaco cousin : LLAMA
35. Does a salon job : FROSTS. Same as highlights, right?
39. "Life Below Zero" channel, familiarly : NAT GEO. National Geographic.
42. Chef known by his first name : EMERIL
45. Not yet fulfilled : UNMET
46. Part of an academic address : EDU
52. I, at times : ONE
53. Easy win : ROMP
55. Allison of jazz : MOSE. Unknown figure to me.
56. Mighty small : TEENY
57. Hershey bar : SKOR
58. "The Count of Monte Cristo" author : DUMAS. Loved the novel.
60. Czar's edict : UKASE. We used to see this word frequently in the old Tribune puzzle.
63. Homework helpers : DADS
64. Clare's land : EIRE
65. Flair : STYLE
66. Sung syllables : LA LA LA
68. "That's true, but ... " : EVEN SO
70. Welcome center? : CEE
75. Oscar winner Lee : ANG. I mentioned a while ago that his Ang is the same character as the An as in my hometown Xi'an. Means "peace".
76. Attacks with force : STORMS
79. Puzzle : BEMUSE
80. Prestigious prize : NOBEL
83. Bone up quickly : CRAM
84. Assert with confidence : AVER
88. Zero out, say : RESET. Simple in retrospect.
89. Well past its prime : STALE
90. Affluent, in Andalusia : RICO
91. Court prop : GAVEL
93. At deuce : TIED. Also 40. Break point situation : AD OUT. Tennis.
95. OAS charter member : ECUA
96. Defense secretary __ Carter : ASH . Why not just "Defense secretary Carter"? I don't get the extra ___ in clues sometimes.
101. Puts away too much, briefly : ODs
102. One of a hand truck's pair : WHEEL
104. "Purple Rain" musician : PRINCE
105. Shelley's "Ozymandias," e.g. : SONNET
107. "For honest men and bonie __": Burns : LASSES
109. 1983 Mr. T comedy : DC CAB
111. "This isn't good!" : OH NO
112. Shocks, in a way : TASES
115. Iroquoian family members : HURONs
117. Goes like crazy : ZOOMS. Car.
127. "The Tempest" spirit : ARIEL
128. Fox football sportscaster Long : HOWIE
129. "The Mikado" executioner : KO-KO. I only know the name Poo Bah.
130. Couture monthly : ELLE
131. Classic rock opera : TOMMY. The Who.
132. Without stopping : ON END
133. Break sharply : SNAP
134. Completely convinced : SOLD
Down:
1. Tomato variety : ROMA. Bought a jar of oil-cured black olives in Hy-Vee. Pretty good.
2. Emphatic type: Abbr. : ITAL
3. Suva's nation : FIJI
4. Environment-friendly carrier : ECO-BAG. Are plastic bags still used in your local grocery stores?
5. Letters on some SUVs : GMC
6. One way to hang : LOOSE
7. Pass over : OMIT
8. Yawn-inspiring : BANAL
9. Aid for dealing with pea soup : FOG LAMP
11. Cold War prez : IKE
12. "None of it is true!" : LIES!
13. Host with a TV "Garage" : LENO
14. It only offers partial coverage : AREA RUG. Nice clue.
15. Ticket period : SEASON. Season ticket.
16. NCAA div. with Seminoles : ACC
17. Jersey greeting? : MOO. Jersey cow.
18. Vacation stop : INN
24. Gets to : RILES
26. Closest pal, in text : BFF
29. Implored : PLED
32. Hardy work : POEM. Thomas Hardy.
34. Curving : ARCED. Have any of you tried those brow studios in malls?
37. Caruso and Domingo : TENORs
38. System with speakers : STEREO
39. Some intellectuals : NERDS
43. "Unböring" furniture chain : IKEA
44. "The Swedish Nightingale" Jenny : LIND
48. Was able to : COULD
49. Schindler with a list : OSKAR
50. Writer Zora ___ Hurston : NEALE
51. Its sessions begin and end with bells : NYSE
54. Capital of Sicily : PALERMO
57. Cross-referencing words : SEE NOTE. Used in rebus crosswords.
59. Come off as : SEEM
61. Swedish import : SAAB
62. Pulitzer playwright Rice : ELMER. Stranger to me also.
67. Elevated point : ACME
69. Many 1969 Woodstock arrivals : VANS. Lemonade was there.
72. Boots : OUSTS
73. Start of a fitness motto : USE IT. So true.
74. Singer Cetera : PETER
76. Many a signature : SCRAWL. Now I know how D-Otto writes, after seeing a few PDF files of his filled grids.
77. Yearwood of country : TRISHA
78. Pudding starch : SAGO. Sago flour and tapioca are from the different trees.
81. Lose in a chase : ELUDE
82. Numerical extreme : LEAST
85. Mae West persona : VAMP
86. "Did you __?" : EVER
87. Overhauled : REDID
94. One in a buffet stack : DISH. I was thinking of food rather than the plates.
97. Without a doubt : CLEARLY
98. Courtroom figure : ACCUSED. The accused.
99. In the neighborhood : NEAR
100. Eponymous swindler : PONZI
103. Think the world of : ESTEEM
106. Rope loops : NOOSES
108. Former JFK lander : SST
110. Strong lagers : BOCKs
111. Sanyo headquarters city : OSAKA. Literally "large hill".
113. Off-the-wall feedback? : ECHO. Nailed it.
114. Before you know it : SOON
116. Palindromic time : NOON
118. Fram Museum city : OSLO. Not familiar with the museum.
119. Ponder, with "over" : MULL
120. Flower child? : SEED. Sweet clue.
121. Stealthy animal : CAT
122. Metal precioso : ORO
123. Gusto : VIM
124. Be beholden to : OWE
126. Pajama part : TOP
C.C.
