Theme: "Cereal Boxes"- Different grains bookend each theme entry.
25A *Lids for a fancy box? : OPERA HATS. Oats. English is strange. Oats are always plural, but not other grains.
27A. *Easy order for a mixologist : WHISKEY NEAT. Wheat.
39A. *Ceremonious choreography : RITUAL DANCE. Rice. Have any of you cumin rice?
42A. *Lothario's organ : ROVING EYE. Rye.
65. *Ring leaders : BARNUM AND BAILEY. Barley.
88A. *Joe may come from one : COFFEE URN. Corn.
91A. *Moved like a crowd : MILLED ABOUT. Millet. I just mentioned to TTP yesterday that no matter how I try, my millet porridge is never as good as my grandma's.
106A. *Significant other : MAIN SQUEEZE. Maize. Isn't it the same as corn?
Reveal:
110. Deep-rooted ... and what the uncircled letters of the answers to starred clues are? : INGRAINED
John's set is close to complete. Sorghum is unworkable, hence its absence. It's actually gluten-free, like oats, millet, corn & rice. I never had it, but many of the pricey liquors in China are made of Sorghum.
John broke with the convention and started his themers in Row 4 rather than Row 3. I'm guessing he tried Row 3 but did not like the result.
Lots of playful clues/fill, PYROMANIAC (73D. One who remembers old flames with fondness) is my favorite. It sums up John's style perfectly.
Across:
1. Hunk : GLOB. Thought of STUD.
5. Tortilla-wrapped serving : FAJITA. You won't like this if you don't like cumin.
11. Hardly a haymaker : JAB. Boxing punch.
14. Pulled up a chair : SAT
17. Whom Samwise accompanied to Rivendell : FRODO
18. Backspace key, often : ERASER
19. One who might err on the safe side? : UMP. Nailed it.
20. __ dixit: assertion without proof : IPSE
21. Add zing to : LIVEN. 29. Zing : PEP
22. Berate : RANT AT
23. "Heavens!" : GOODNESS!
25A *Lids for a fancy box? : OPERA HATS. Oats. English is strange. Oats are always plural, but not other grains.
27A. *Easy order for a mixologist : WHISKEY NEAT. Wheat.
39A. *Ceremonious choreography : RITUAL DANCE. Rice. Have any of you cumin rice?
42A. *Lothario's organ : ROVING EYE. Rye.
65. *Ring leaders : BARNUM AND BAILEY. Barley.
88A. *Joe may come from one : COFFEE URN. Corn.
91A. *Moved like a crowd : MILLED ABOUT. Millet. I just mentioned to TTP yesterday that no matter how I try, my millet porridge is never as good as my grandma's.
106A. *Significant other : MAIN SQUEEZE. Maize. Isn't it the same as corn?
Reveal:
110. Deep-rooted ... and what the uncircled letters of the answers to starred clues are? : INGRAINED
John's set is close to complete. Sorghum is unworkable, hence its absence. It's actually gluten-free, like oats, millet, corn & rice. I never had it, but many of the pricey liquors in China are made of Sorghum.
John broke with the convention and started his themers in Row 4 rather than Row 3. I'm guessing he tried Row 3 but did not like the result.
Lots of playful clues/fill, PYROMANIAC (73D. One who remembers old flames with fondness) is my favorite. It sums up John's style perfectly.
Across:
1. Hunk : GLOB. Thought of STUD.
5. Tortilla-wrapped serving : FAJITA. You won't like this if you don't like cumin.
11. Hardly a haymaker : JAB. Boxing punch.
14. Pulled up a chair : SAT
17. Whom Samwise accompanied to Rivendell : FRODO
18. Backspace key, often : ERASER
19. One who might err on the safe side? : UMP. Nailed it.
20. __ dixit: assertion without proof : IPSE
21. Add zing to : LIVEN. 29. Zing : PEP
22. Berate : RANT AT
23. "Heavens!" : GOODNESS!
30. Donizetti aria "Regnava __ silenzio" : NEL. This is clued as [First word in Dante's "Inferno"] last Sunday.
31. Bee bunch : SWARM
33. Watergate figure with a radio talk show : LIDDY. G. Gordon Liddy.
34. Exude : OOZE. It's great to see your previous avatar, Yellowrocks!
36. Learn : HEAR OF
37. Giant __, world's largest antelope : ELAND. Learning moment for me. Hello!
46. Bearded blossom : IRIS
47. G, in the key of C : SOL. Got via crosses.
48. Adjust, as a chronometer : RESET
49. Tat misreadable as WOW : MOM. Tattoo.
50. Honey : TOOTS. Chinese are quite reserved, not many "sweet" words. "Respect" trumps all.
52. Tweaks : MODIFIES
56. "Is this some kind of __?" : A JOKE
58. New England cape : ANN
59. __ chi : TAI
61. Biting : ACID
62. "Good-bye, cruel world!," in Westerns : I'M A GONER
68. Worldwide anticrime gp. : INTERPOL. Currently headed by a Chinese.
72. Author Deighton : LEN
73. Bench press muscle : PEC
76. Ethel on "I Love Lucy" : MERTZ. So many "I Love Lucy" collectibles at the flea market.
77. Produce a steady stream of : CHURN OUT
80. Words with remember or forget : TRY TO. We also have 48. Word with debt or guilt : RIDDEN. 56. Bond or bonding follower : AGENT. Playfulness & originality!
82. Bon __: Comet rival : AMI
83. "__ the loneliest number" : ONE IS
85. "Argo" org. : CIA
87. Fine __ : ARTS
95. Crease-resistant fabric : ORLON
96. Estefan with Grammys : GLORIA
98. Consider to be : DEEM
99. Steel, e.g. : ALLOY. Not METAL.We also have 40. Metal that's pumped : IRON
101. Form opener : LINE A
102. Key preposition : O'ER. Francis Scott Key
103. Boxer with feats of Clay? : ALI. Cute.
113. Rank people? : AMATEURS. Another great clue.
114. Swab's assent : AYE SIR. Normally with two Ayes, right?
116. Blink of an eye : TRICE
117. D.C. pros : NATS
119. Fix, as a pump : RE-SOLE
120. Former Midwest territorial capital : OMAHA. Another learning moment for me, Gary!
121. Is for you : ARE
122. Steely __ : DAN
123. Airborne camera holders : DRONES. Used by quite a few YouTubers.
124. Many a competition : RACE
Down:
1. Bone to pick : GRIPE
2. Fictional turn-on : LOVE POTION. Hey, this is even organic.
3. Smelly-sounding German river? : ODER. Odor.
4. Windfall : BONANZA. Great word.
5. Wild : FERAL
6. Smell __ : A RAT
7. Fugitive portrayer before Ford : JANSSEN (David). I've only seen Harrison Ford's movie.
8. Believer's suffix : IST
9. Pots, cups, etc. : TEAWARE
10. Prefix with -pod : ARTHRO. Prefix for "Joint".
11. Handled containers : JUGS
12. Every which way : AMOK
13. Fraternal initials : BPOE
14. Leadfoot : SPEED DEMON. So what's the plural for "Leadfoot"? Leadfoots or Leadfeet?
15. Syrian president : ASSAD
16. Touchy : TESTY
17. Bomb : FLOP
20. Baseball unit with distinct halves : INNING
24. Musician with a Nobel Prize : DYLAN. Pride of Minnesota. I had a lovely walk around Lake Harriet with Andrea Carla Michaels last week. Another Pride of Minnesota. Then another long walk with Boomer in our favorite trail on June 30, D-Otto, followed by buying a rice bowl like this in our local Asian store. I think I want one more. Really like the dragon at the bottom.
26. Bread butts : HEELS
28. The Who classic : I'M FREE. Got via crosses.
32. Female in WWII : WAC. Women's Army Corps. Do you still remember Southern Belle? She was a WAC during the Korean War. She used to comment regularly.
35. Boot from power : OUST
36. Heavenly topper : HALO
37. Original sinner : EVE
38. Fired up : LIT
39. Dexter's wife in "Dexter" : RITA. Easily obtainable,
41. __ effect : DOMINO. Not RIPPLE.
43. Alternate version, in scores : OSSIA. Unknown to me. You'd think it's related to bone.
44. Farm connection : YOKE. Farm animal.
45. ER part: Abbr. : EMER
51. HBO rival : STARZ
53. Beaver's work : DAM
54. Victim of hot wings? : ICARUS. Another great clue/fill.
55. More classy : FINER
57. Delight : JOY. I linked Amy at Costco clip a years ago when "Call Me Maybe" was hot. Which song do you like the best?
60. Dada daddy? : ARP (Jean). Dada co-founder.
63. "Uncle" of old TV : MILTIE
64. Flagon filler : ALE. I did not know this is called "Flagon".
65. Risk : BET
66. Peptic problem : ULCER
67. Rain-__ gum : BLO
68. Apple computer : iMAC
69. Nautilus captain : NEMO
70. Like poison ivy : TRIFOLIATE. Having three leaves. Also a new word to me.
74. Shocked accusation : ET TU
75. Outlay : COST
78. Actor Pat of Batman films : HINGLE. Never heard of him.
81. Broccoli __ : RABE
83. LBJ's antipoverty agcy. : OEO. Office of Economic Opportunity
84. "The Sound of Music" extra : NUN
86. Calculating snake? : ADDER. Amazing clue.
89. Leads, as a band : FRONTS
90. "Family Ties" mom : ELYSE
91. Ancient Roman currency minter : MONEYER. Guessable.
92. Anger : IRE
93. Go-between : LIAISON
94. Bubbler : AERATOR
97. Gecko, for one : LIZARD. John sent me this fun picture. He said "Costa Rica's Jesus Christ Lizard is supposed to be able to walk on water. This one failed miserably and can’t even open a can of soda without spilling it."
99. Dryer brand : AMANA
100. Texas university in Beaumont : LAMAR
102. Fairy tale baddies : OGRES
104. Café con __ : LECHE. Not fond of putting milk in coffee or tea.
105. Thought : IDEA
107. Campus area : QUAD
108. Heavenly bear : URSA
109. "Monday Night Football" channel : ESPN
111. Shade of green : NILE
112. Hogwarts librarian __ Pince : IRMA. Gimme for Santa.
115. That thing in Tijuana : ESO
Happy Birthday to dear Tony (AnonT), who's always been so kind and caring to everyone on our blog. He's also a foodie. This picture cracks me up.
At Wit's End near Carmel on Father's Day 2017
