Theme: "All in Favor" - PRO is added to each theme entry.
23A. Website search response with an attitude? : PAGE NOT PROFOUND. Page Not Found error. Normally the author has removed or moved that page.
37A. Competition at the geometry fair? : PROTRACTOR PULL. Tractor pull.
54A. "A penny saved is hardly worth the effort"? : IRREGULAR PROVERB. Irregular verb.
81A. "I'll give you five bucks for your Egyptian water lily"? : LOTUS PROPOSITION. Lotus position.
98A. Positively charged vehicle? : ONE- PROTON TRUCK. One- ton truck.
117A. Miscreant handling letters? : MAIL IN REPROBATE. Mail- in rebate. The only entry where PRO is inserted inside a word.
16D. Quality control job at a maraschino factory? : PROBING CHERRIES. Bing cherries.
42D. Feature of Charlie Brown's head? : CIRCULAR PROFILE. Circular file.
We have total 120 theme squares in a 138-word grid. The average themage for LAT is about 94-100. Average word count is between 142 and 144. Doesn't look like a lot to non-pros, but it's very hard to reduce word count on Sundays.
I mentioned before that this addition/deletion type works best when the new word is not related to the old word etymologically. John did just like that.
He also intersected two long themers. And of course, John's trademark cluing style: clue echoes, wordplay, fun & vivid clue images.
Across:
1. Worker on the floor : TILER
6. Second-rarest blood type, briefly : B NEG. Any B- or AB- on our blog?
10. Really big : VAST
14. Worked at home : UMPED. Great clue.
19. "Lordy me!" : I DO DECLARE. Never used "Lordy me!"
21. "Hamilton" accolade : OBIE. You wanted TONY?
22. "Ici on __ français" : PARLE. Speaks. Also 37D. Famille member : PERE
25. Spirits strength : PROOF. Drinks.
26. Seven Wonders lighthouse : PHAROS. Got via crosses. Could only think of Alexandria.
27. They often have runners : SLEDS. Another great clue.
28. Mite : WEE BIT
29. "Round __ virgin ... " : YON. "Silent Night".
30. "My turn" : I'M UP
33. "Guys and Dolls" composer : LOESSER (Frank)
36. Archipelago part: Abbr. : ISL (Island)
40. Marshal at Waterloo : NEY (Michel). Learned this guy from doing crosswords. Had Bob Ney not been involved in the Jack Abramoff scandal, he would be a power player today and we would have had a great clue for NEY.
41. Pre-A.D. : BCE
43. "So long" : SEE YA
44. Vexing : IRKING
46. Ballerina Shearer : MOIRA
48. Like some out-of-favor suffixes : FEMININE. Like ETTE. Got me.
52. Lats relatives : PECS
58. You, at one time : THEE
60. "In a __" : SEC
61. Burkini wearer, perhaps : ARAB
62. Saltimbocca herb : SAGE. Never had Saltimbocca,
63. Acquiesce : ASSENT
65. Moo __ pork : SHU. Never heard of this dish until I came to the US.
66. "'Scuse Me While __ This Guy: and Other Misheard Lyrics": Gavin Edwards book : I KISS
68. Fella : SPORT. New meaning of "sport" to me.
71. Booster's cry : RAH
72. 89-Across' Illinois headquarters : MOLINE. And 89. Farm equipment giant : DEERE
74. Primary part : LEAD
78. Germ's future? : IDEA. This clue so John.
79. 66, e.g.: Abbr. : RTE
80. Carrier known for tight security : EL AL
86. Spanish 101 word : ERES. You are.We also have 75. Spanish pronoun : ESA.
88. Gorilla, for example : GREAT APE
90. Actress __ Sue Martin : PAMELA
92. Do fair work : GET A C
95. Mule's father : ASS
96. Cabinet dept. : AGR
23A. Website search response with an attitude? : PAGE NOT PROFOUND. Page Not Found error. Normally the author has removed or moved that page.
37A. Competition at the geometry fair? : PROTRACTOR PULL. Tractor pull.
54A. "A penny saved is hardly worth the effort"? : IRREGULAR PROVERB. Irregular verb.
81A. "I'll give you five bucks for your Egyptian water lily"? : LOTUS PROPOSITION. Lotus position.
98A. Positively charged vehicle? : ONE- PROTON TRUCK. One- ton truck.
117A. Miscreant handling letters? : MAIL IN REPROBATE. Mail- in rebate. The only entry where PRO is inserted inside a word.
16D. Quality control job at a maraschino factory? : PROBING CHERRIES. Bing cherries.
42D. Feature of Charlie Brown's head? : CIRCULAR PROFILE. Circular file.
We have total 120 theme squares in a 138-word grid. The average themage for LAT is about 94-100. Average word count is between 142 and 144. Doesn't look like a lot to non-pros, but it's very hard to reduce word count on Sundays.
I mentioned before that this addition/deletion type works best when the new word is not related to the old word etymologically. John did just like that.
He also intersected two long themers. And of course, John's trademark cluing style: clue echoes, wordplay, fun & vivid clue images.
Across:
1. Worker on the floor : TILER
6. Second-rarest blood type, briefly : B NEG. Any B- or AB- on our blog?
14. Worked at home : UMPED. Great clue.
19. "Lordy me!" : I DO DECLARE. Never used "Lordy me!"
21. "Hamilton" accolade : OBIE. You wanted TONY?
22. "Ici on __ français" : PARLE. Speaks. Also 37D. Famille member : PERE
25. Spirits strength : PROOF. Drinks.
26. Seven Wonders lighthouse : PHAROS. Got via crosses. Could only think of Alexandria.
27. They often have runners : SLEDS. Another great clue.
28. Mite : WEE BIT
29. "Round __ virgin ... " : YON. "Silent Night".
30. "My turn" : I'M UP
33. "Guys and Dolls" composer : LOESSER (Frank)
36. Archipelago part: Abbr. : ISL (Island)
40. Marshal at Waterloo : NEY (Michel). Learned this guy from doing crosswords. Had Bob Ney not been involved in the Jack Abramoff scandal, he would be a power player today and we would have had a great clue for NEY.
41. Pre-A.D. : BCE
43. "So long" : SEE YA
44. Vexing : IRKING
46. Ballerina Shearer : MOIRA
48. Like some out-of-favor suffixes : FEMININE. Like ETTE. Got me.
52. Lats relatives : PECS
58. You, at one time : THEE
60. "In a __" : SEC
61. Burkini wearer, perhaps : ARAB
62. Saltimbocca herb : SAGE. Never had Saltimbocca,
63. Acquiesce : ASSENT
65. Moo __ pork : SHU. Never heard of this dish until I came to the US.
66. "'Scuse Me While __ This Guy: and Other Misheard Lyrics": Gavin Edwards book : I KISS
68. Fella : SPORT. New meaning of "sport" to me.
71. Booster's cry : RAH
72. 89-Across' Illinois headquarters : MOLINE. And 89. Farm equipment giant : DEERE
74. Primary part : LEAD
78. Germ's future? : IDEA. This clue so John.
79. 66, e.g.: Abbr. : RTE
80. Carrier known for tight security : EL AL
86. Spanish 101 word : ERES. You are.We also have 75. Spanish pronoun : ESA.
88. Gorilla, for example : GREAT APE
90. Actress __ Sue Martin : PAMELA
92. Do fair work : GET A C
95. Mule's father : ASS
96. Cabinet dept. : AGR
103. Also : TOO
104. "Probably ... " : ODDS ARE
105. River past Logroño : EBRO. Not familiar with Logroño. Northern Spain. We also have 4. River of Germany : EDER
106. Sun or moon : ORB
109. Obliterate : EFFACE. I've only used "self-effacing".
111. Outfit again : RE-RIG
114. Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto : ALOMAR. When I first came here (2001), he was with the Indians. So was CC Sabathia.
116. "If I Were __ Man" : A RICH
121. Fracas : MELEE
122. Chow : EATS
123. Overhear : LISTEN IN ON. Have you used a bug detector, Anon- TTP?
124. Ranked tournament players : SEEDS
125. "Let's Get It On" singer : GAYE
126. Many 99-cent purchases : APPS. Might stump those who are not into tablets/smartphones.
127. Stretch : STINT
Down:
1. Unstable : TIPPY
2. Snake state : IDAHO
3. New England touchdown site : LOGAN. Not Gillette Stadium.
5. "The Bathers" artist : RENOIR. Saw it at Musée d'Orsay.
6. Short lunch order? : BLT
7. Midday refresher : NAP. Not TEA.
8. Writes ths clue, say : ERRS. Self-referential.
9. Rock sci. : GEOL. Field of Misty's husband.
10. __ doll : VOODOO
11. One overstepping bounds : ABUSER. And 12. Seriously overstepped bounds : SIN
13. Brother of Jack and Bobby : TED. The Kennedys.
14. What may be stiff when trouble arises? : UPPER LIP. Fun clue.
15. Farm girl : MARE. This clue makes me smile also.
17. Plaza Hotel imp : ELOISE
18. With skill : DEFTLY
20. Sagan series : COSMOS
24. Touched : FELT
28. Bandleader Lawrence : WELK
31. Sport-__ : UTE
32. Modular homes : PREFABS
34. Holder of disks : SPINE
35. More steady : SURER
38. British philosopher A.J. : AYER. No idea. Wiki says he's known for "logical positivism".
39. Sides sharing views : CAMPS. Oh as in Sanders Camp/Clinton Camp.
41. Mining passage : BOREHOLE. Also a learning moment for me. I sure don't want to go in.
45. Migratory bird banding equipment : NETS. What is "banding", D-Otto?
46. Homecoming query : MISS ME?
47. "Encore!" : AGAIN
49. Lyricist Gershwin : IRA
50. Eggy quaff : NOG
51. Composer Charles : IVES
53. Hill hundred : SENATORS
55. Classic TV nerd : URKEL. "Family Matters".
56. Chou En-__ : LAI. Probably the best loved politician in China. He protected many good people from being prosecuted during Cultural Revolution.
57. Denudes : BARES
59. Fruit-ripening gas : ETHENE. I tried to put bananas & apples in a brown bag to hasten the ripening. Never seemed to help much. Unlike Bill G, I prefer bananas with plenty of brown spots
64. Prim and proper : STAID
67. Revolve on an axis : SLUE
69. Lab dispenser : PIPETTE.. Another learning moment for me.
73. Intestinal divisions : ILEA
76. Suitable : APT
77. "Rocky IV" boxer Ivan __ : DRAGO. This stumped me last time.
82. Watched at the beach, maybe : OGLED
83. Hems in : TRAPS
84. Transparent : OPEN
85. Deck wood : TEAK
87. Osculates : SMOOCHES. Do you osculate in real life? It's a new word to me. I actually read it as "oscillate".
91. German finale : ENDE
93. Wall St. hedger : ARB (Arbitrager)
94. Arrow poison : CURARE.Another learning moment.
96. You won't find subs on them : A TEAMs
97. Get out : GO FREE
99. Hole-in-one, for one : RARITY. And 110. Got a hole-in-one on : ACED
100. Otherwise : OR ELSE
101. Actress Hatcher : TERI
102. Time periods? : COLONS .Had to ask dear Santa, who gave me this: Today, 8 : 29 AM
106. Muscat native : OMANI
107. Give up to the cops : RAT ON
108. Retired sportscaster Musburger : BRENT
112. At a Dodger game, for short : IN LA
113. Handle : GRIP
115. Parting words? : OBIT
117. Bit of RAM : MEG. OK, short for megabyte.
118. Drivers' org. : AAA. Not PGA.
119. What Zener cards purportedly tested for : ESP
120. NBA nos. : PTs
