Theme: "Something's Fishy" - Word/words in each theme entry is replaced by a soundalike fish.
27A. "Me, blab to flatfish? No way!" : I NEVER TOLD A SOLE. I never told a soul.
46A. "Take whichever one you want for your fish and chips"? : PICK A COD ANY COD. Pick a card, any card.
54A. Fish playing on keys? : PIANO TUNA. Piano tuner. Like Don G.
67A. Fish on stage? : PLATFORM EEL. Platform heel.
81A "Stop imitating a pond fish"? : DON'T BE KOI. Don't be coy.
88A. Blue fish, maybe? : EMOTIONAL SHARK. Emotional shock.
106A. Fish duo's routine when something seems fishy? : GOOD CARP BAD CARP. Good cop, bad cop.
We have another smooth grid where the first themer starts in Row 3. I've got to try this setup someday.
I had fun with this puzzle. Cute. I mentioned before I have no grasp of this type of punny theme. Some are total homophones. Some have vowel sound changes. Some has one consonant letter added. Punny theme is just hard.
Across:
1. Einstein equation word : MASS. The M in E=mc2.
5. Urges to attack, with "on" : SICs
9. They may be tied around saddle horns : RIATAS. So how does RIATA differ from rope?
15. Lhasa __ : APSO
19. Start of a plan : IDEA
20. Workplace regulator: Abbr. : OSHA
21. Carpet installer's step one : UNROLL
22. Surgeon general under Reagan : KOOP. C. Everett Koop.
23. First name in game shows : MERV. Not ALEX.
24. "__, SpaghettiOs!": Campbell's slogan : UH OH
25. It may call for an R rating : NUDITY
26. __ the finish : IN AT
30. Memo starter : ATTN. Not IN RE.
31. Spelling song : YMCA. Also 33. Relief, spelled out? : ROLAIDS.
32. Hosp. area : EMER
36. Mumbai hrs. : IST. Indian Time Zone. Learning moment for me.
39. NYSE valuation measure : P/E RATIO. Price-Earnings.
42. Oscar __ Renta : DE LA
43. Simile middle : AS A
44. They often affect performance : NERVES. So true. I like the clue/answer.
50. Glasses problem : SMEAR
51. Nonsharing word : MINE
52. Antioxidant food preservative : BHT. Hard to remember.
53. Bus sign word : VIA
27A. "Me, blab to flatfish? No way!" : I NEVER TOLD A SOLE. I never told a soul.
46A. "Take whichever one you want for your fish and chips"? : PICK A COD ANY COD. Pick a card, any card.
54A. Fish playing on keys? : PIANO TUNA. Piano tuner. Like Don G.
67A. Fish on stage? : PLATFORM EEL. Platform heel.
81A "Stop imitating a pond fish"? : DON'T BE KOI. Don't be coy.
88A. Blue fish, maybe? : EMOTIONAL SHARK. Emotional shock.
106A. Fish duo's routine when something seems fishy? : GOOD CARP BAD CARP. Good cop, bad cop.
We have another smooth grid where the first themer starts in Row 3. I've got to try this setup someday.
I had fun with this puzzle. Cute. I mentioned before I have no grasp of this type of punny theme. Some are total homophones. Some have vowel sound changes. Some has one consonant letter added. Punny theme is just hard.
Across:
1. Einstein equation word : MASS. The M in E=mc2.
5. Urges to attack, with "on" : SICs
9. They may be tied around saddle horns : RIATAS. So how does RIATA differ from rope?
15. Lhasa __ : APSO
19. Start of a plan : IDEA
20. Workplace regulator: Abbr. : OSHA
21. Carpet installer's step one : UNROLL
22. Surgeon general under Reagan : KOOP. C. Everett Koop.
23. First name in game shows : MERV. Not ALEX.
24. "__, SpaghettiOs!": Campbell's slogan : UH OH
25. It may call for an R rating : NUDITY
26. __ the finish : IN AT
30. Memo starter : ATTN. Not IN RE.
31. Spelling song : YMCA. Also 33. Relief, spelled out? : ROLAIDS.
- "How do you spell relief?"
- "R-O-L-A-I-D-S"
32. Hosp. area : EMER
36. Mumbai hrs. : IST. Indian Time Zone. Learning moment for me.
39. NYSE valuation measure : P/E RATIO. Price-Earnings.
42. Oscar __ Renta : DE LA
43. Simile middle : AS A
44. They often affect performance : NERVES. So true. I like the clue/answer.
50. Glasses problem : SMEAR
51. Nonsharing word : MINE
52. Antioxidant food preservative : BHT. Hard to remember.
53. Bus sign word : VIA
56. French four-time Formula One champ Prost : ALAIN. Learning moment for me also.
58. One in a black suit : SPADE
62. Apprentices : INTERNS
63. Mercury's Greek counterpart : HERMES. The messenger.
65. Pool activity : SWIM
66. Louis XIV, par exemple : ROI
71. Telepathy, e.g. : ESP
72. More : ELSE
74. Furtive graffiti guy : KILROY
75. Reason for turning on closed captioning : DIALECT. Xi'an dialect is not as strong as Cantonese, which is impossible to understand for non-natives.
78. Property transfer documents : DEEDS
80. Dark crime films : NOIRs
83. Class : ILK
85. Boater, for one : HAT
86. Decree : FIAT
87. Bequeath : LEAVE
72. More : ELSE
74. Furtive graffiti guy : KILROY
78. Property transfer documents : DEEDS
80. Dark crime films : NOIRs
83. Class : ILK
85. Boater, for one : HAT
86. Decree : FIAT
87. Bequeath : LEAVE
93. Sights from the Gateway Arch : BARGES. We went to St. Louis ages ago, but I did not see the Arch.
94. __ center : REC
95. Petits __: garden peas : POIS. French for "peas".
98. Food scrap : ORT
99. Bar food? : GRANOLA. Granola bar. Nature Valley gives these bars to golf fans during the 3M Championship every year.
103. Arles articles : UNES
105. Persia, now : IRAN
113. Arguing : AT IT
114. __ Baker, subject of "Thirteen Reasons Why" : HANNAH. Learning moment as well.
116. Stagger : REEL
117. Fender problem : DENT
118. Honest with : TRUE TO
119. Rte. 66 state : ARIZ (Arizona)
120. Pakistani language : URDU
121. June 6, 1944 : D-DAY
122. Talks back to : SASSES. Grid bottom edge tends to be S-rich. See also 124. Tree hugger : MOSS
123. Monument Valley feature : MESA
Down:
1. "La Bohème" soprano : MIMI
2. Yemen's Gulf of __ : ADEN
3. Dried-up : SERE. Our old crossword pal.
4. Astute : SAVVY
5. They may be anonymous : SOURCES. Leak.
6. Beatty/Hoffman flop : ISHTAR
7. Half a tot's train? : CHOO
8. Humorist Mort : SAHL. Wiki says he's still alive and was friends with Robin Williams.
9. Go wild : RUN AMOK
10. Occupied : IN USE
11. Passion : ARDOR
12. Work hard : TOIL
13. Like a dress back from the tailor : ALTERED. Miss my old tailor. Took most of my purchases to her place to get the perfect fit. Tailoring is very affordable in China.
14. Crafty : SLY
15. Alphabetically first dog in the AKC's Working Group : AKITA
16. Grand Prix, e.g. : PONTIAC
17. Stinker : SO AND SO. Another nice fill.
18. Choose : OPT
28. __ penguin : EMPEROR
29. Flight maintenance word : DEICE
30. Singer Morissette : ALANIS
34. King Harald's father : OLAV
35. Down : SAD
36. Uplifted : INSPIRED
37. Florida tribe : SEMINOLE. Google shows the name means "wild people" or "runaway."
38. Dissertation : TREATISE
40. Could hear __ drop : A PIN
41. Weymouth of Talking Heads : TINA
42. Serve a sentence : DO TIME. Snazzy 6-letter fill. Also 69. It can come before a sentence : TRIAL
45. Windmill part : VANE
47. More competent : ABLER
48. Third time, proverbially : CHARM
49. Jabbers : YAPS
51. Fabric from Iraq : MUSLIN. MADRAS is from India.
55. Toll rd. : TNPK
56. Ship-to-ship greetings : AHOYs
57. "You __ bother" : NEEDN'T
59. Last Sunday, this Sunday : A WEEK AGO
60. Credit card introduced by Sears : DISCOVER. I did not know this. We don't shop at Sears or JCPenney. Boomer had bad experiences there.
61. Least meaningful, as compliments : EMPTIEST
64. Skirt feature : SLIT
68. Big Island greetings : ALOHAs
70. Defensive structures : FORTS
73. Word processing menu : EDIT
76. Dissipated : ABLATED. Never heard of this word.
77. Lustful look : LEER
79. Easy to get into : SLIP ON. Putting on socks every morning is a struggle for Boomer.
81. Scuttlebutt : DIRT
82. Kentucky __, event before the Derby : OAKS
84. __-Aid : KOOL
86. Flora partner : FAUNA
88. Work unit : ERG
89. Deserved : MERITED
90. Oval-shaped instrument : OCARINA
92. Big shots : HONCHOS
93. Windfall : BONANZA. Along side another great entry: HUBRIS (97. Arrogance)
100. Stylish in dress : NATTY
101. Gets buff, with "up" : TONES
102. Online social arrangement : E-DATE
104. Rugby formation : SCRUM. Learned from doing crosswords.
108. Reprimand, with "out" : REAM
109. Peel : PARE
110. Prefix with dynamic : AERO
111. Great American Ball Park team : REDS
112. Math sign : PLUS. And 113. Use a 112-Down : ADD
114. Cleveland __, OH : HTS
C.C.
