Theme: "Spout Nonsense" - SP is removed from the start of each theme entry.
25A. Plumber, at times? : ELL CHECKER. Spell checker.
27A. Boxer in the wrong profession? : RING CHICKEN. Spring chicken. I don't get the "wrong profession" and "chicken" connection.
44A. Herb-carrying semi? : RIG OF PARSLEY. Sprig of parsley.
83A. Unlikely to get sick? : ILL-RESISTANT. Spill-resistant. Like some keyboards.
104A. One with a questionable sense of fashion? : IFFY DRESSER. Spiffy dresser. I hope their love endures. They're great together.
106A. News of a crude carrier sighting? : OILER ALERT. Spoiler alert.
35D. Flat-bodied fish depiction? : RAY PAINTING. Spray painting.
43D. "Jush one more, bartender," e.g.? : LIT DECISION. Split decision.
I'm thinking Gail tried to remove SPIEL (47D. Infomercial pitch) with no good result. It has the only stray SP in the grid.
I
got the theme immediately, having messed around with a SPIN/SPOUT idea
long time ago. Never made it happen. Just could not get enough entries
to work. The more I work on puzzles, the more I admire Gail's grids. So
much hard work goes into her grids.
Across:
1. Criticize severely : BASH. Not SLAM.
5. Very little : SCANT
10. Musical with the song "A New Argentina" : EVITA
15. Roll on a farm, maybe : BALE
19. Major attachment : ETTE. Majorette. We also have 18. Market closing? : EER. Marketeer.
20. Many an emailer : AOLer. Rich is an AOL-er.
21. Pay : WAGES
22. Northern terminus of I-79 : ERIE
23. Totally unlike wetlands : ARID
24. Golf goof : SLICE. Most men slice.
30. Finished behind : LOST TO
31. NBC show anchored by Lester Holt : DATELINE
32. "Pagliacci" clown : TONIO. I can never remember his name. CANIO fits also.
34. Muzzleloading aid : RAMROD
38. It holds water : DAM
39. Snowblower brand : TORO. Based here in MN.
40. Light beer? : PALE ALE. Nice clue.
41. Big bucks, briefly : MIL
49. Monogram on L'Homme products : YSL
50. Put up with : ABIDE
52. Menu words : A LA
53. They're not fast reads : EPICS
54. Help in the gym : SPOT
55. Allow access to : LET AT
56. Pay ending? : PAL. Not our old pal OLA.
57. Considerable care : PAINS. Take pains.
58. Is sympathetic (toward) : LEANS
59. "This Gun for Hire" actor : LADD (Alan). Never saw the film.
60. Mag man with a mansion : HEF
61. Under attack : BESET
62. Actor Morales : ESAI
63. Affected by tears, as makeup : SMEARED. Waterproof mascaras work wonders.
65. Winter air : CAROL
66. "I thought it was a secret" : YOU KNEW? Got via crosses.
69. Biblical brother : CAIN. We see ESAU more often. ABEL too.
70. Sported : HAD ON
71. Pester for payment : DUN. My brother knows this word.
72. Quattro competitor : ATRA
73. Base with a coach : THIRD. Also FIRST.
75. What an iron often causes : DIVOT. All pretty deep.
76. Pen name : BIC
77. Gonzalez in 2000 news : ELIAN
78. Ones not itemized : REST. Oh, the rest.
79. Willamette River capital : SALEM
80. Crescent component : ARC
81. Have an inkling : SENSE
82. Ristorante suffix : INI. Suffix for pasta. So which country do you think have the best food?
87. H.S. dropout's exam : GED
88. Environmental destruction : ECOCIDE
91. Congenial : NICE
92. Wine flavorer : OAK
94. Filibuster site : SENATE.
95. Not in anymore : PASSE. What Filibuster is.
97. Most shabby : TATTIEST
102. Took the wrong way? : ROBBED
110. Mumbai money : RUPEE
111. Stallion's mate : MARE. Also 10. Flock mom : EWE. And 60. Female lobster : HEN
112. Skedaddle : FLEE
113. Lacked roots : ROVED
114. __ Gay : ENOLA
115. Island off Tuscany : ELBA
116. It may cause quakes : FEAR. Not Jayce's earthquakes.
117. How-to units : STEPS
118. Ill-fated Ford : EDSEL
119. It's usually graded : TEST. ROAD too.
Down:
1. Darwin wore one : BEARD
2. Sunlit courts : ATRIA
3. Hitch : STINT
4. Wouldn't commit : HEDGED
5. Sushi bar order : SASHIMI. 刺身 in Japanese/Chinese. Literally "Pierced Body".
6. 2014 U.S. Senior Open winner Montgomerie : COLIN. He's quite engaging & friendly. Biting wit.
7. "I've had such a curious dream!" speaker : ALICE
8. Part of a violin : NECK
9. Spot with a bird's-eye view : TREETOP
11. "Grease" singer : VALLI
12. Domed dwelling : IGLOO
13. Sleuths, for short : TECS. Detectives.
14. Many bars no longer have them : ASHTRAYS. They live forever at the casinos.
15. Turn into eventually : BECOME
16. Old Testament sanctuary : ARK
17. Deliberate omission, some say : LIE
26. What makes lists briefer, briefly : ET AL
28. Red wine choice : CLARET
29. "A Doll's House" heroine : NORA
33. "Just curious" : NO REASON. Also 86. Like paste, jewelry-wise : NOT REAL
36. The Christina in Wyeth's "Christina's World" : OLSON. I forgot. We had this clue before.
37. Lats relatives : DELTs Also 40. Lats relatives : PECs
39. Maker of nonstick cookware : T-FAL. My stir-fry pan.
41. Places to browse : MALLS
42. Steel girder : I BEAM
45. Rubbernecked : GAPED
46. Minnesota's St. __ College : OLAF. They're in the same place as Carleton College, alma mater of Amy Reyhaldo (Crossword Fiend).
48. It's trapped in house traps : LINT
51. Ernst genre : DADA ART
54. Broad-leafed maritime plant : SEA KALE. Never heard of it. Is it edible?
57. 1995 Reform Party founder : PEROT
58. Baton Rouge sch. : LSU
61. Throwing out a chain letter, and others : BAD OMENS. Never got a chain letter.
62. Really big stretch : EON
64. Relieved (of) : RID
65. Spelunker : CAVER
66. New Mexico state flower : YUCCA. Ours is Lady Slipper. Some spell it as Lady's Slipper.
67. Remove : ERASE
68. Subsided : WANED
70. Natural elevation : HILL And 75. 70-Down's opposite : DALE
71. Scuttlebutt : DIRT
73. Tastes : TRIES
74. As a result : HENCE
76. Private home : BASE. Army private. And 77. Opulent home : ESTATE
79. Court conferences : SIDEBARS
84. Obedient response to un capitán : SI SI
85. Like navigable Arctic waters : ICE-FREE
89. Life's work : CAREER. I was thinking of prisoners.
90. "... like __ not" : IT OR
93. Fate : KISMET. Love this word.
95. "Pet" problem : PEEVE
96. Mag sales staff member : AD REP
97. Proofer's finds : TYPOS
98. Two-time Billboard Top Artist awardee : ADELE
99. Virtual transaction : E-SALE
100. Novi Sad natives : SERBs. Wiki says Novi Sad is the second largest city of Serbia.
101. Pleasant surprise : TREAT
103. Rorschach image : BLOT
105. Provide money for : FUND
106. Wrong : OFF
107. Key for Ravel? : ILE. French for Island. Not CLE.
108. Grazing area : LEA
109. Some OT winners : TDs
C.C.
