Theme: "Music Exchange" - One word in each common phrase is replaced by a musical instrument.
30A. Janus-inspired stringed instrument? : TWO-FACED LYRE. Two-faced liar.
43A. Task for roadies? : LOAD THE BASSES. Load the bases.
65A. Bit of criticism from Ravi Shankar? : CLOSE BUT NO SITAR. Close but no cigar.
93A. Percussionist's answer to "When do you practice?"? : IN MY SNARE TIME. In my spare time.
110A. Hi-hat for high society? : STATUS CYMBAL. Status symbol.
5D. Instrument carved from the Tree of Knowledge? : FORBIDDEN FLUTE. Forbidden fruit.
51D. What Tubby brushes with? : TUBA TOOTHPASTE. Tube toothpaste.
No label for Adam in our blog, so this must be his LAT debut. Congratulations!
As I mentioned in our "Something's Fishy" pun theme two weeks ago, I just don't have grasp of this theme type. Some are homophones, some have added vowel sound, some have consonant change.
I love the grid design. Two of the Down themers intersect two other Across themers. Amazing.
Across:
1. Spiced rice : PILAF. I need to eat more spicy and salty food to increase my low blood pressure. Scary to feel dizzy.
6. Idle in sketches : ERIC. Eric Idle.
10. Popular tablet : iPAD
14. Potential replacement sites : HIPs. Hip replacement.
18. Mexican marinade : ADOBO
19. Former Cubs slugger : SOSA. Such drastic change, TTP!
20. "__ cloud in the sky, Got the sun in my eyes ... ": Carpenters lyric : NOT A
21. '50s pol Stevenson : ADLAI
23. Starting blocks user : RACER
24. Rejects : TURNS DOWN
26. Wikipedia policy : NO ADS
27. Chinese tea : CHA, Literally "tea". Does the Chinese character look soothing to you?
28. Author Harte : BRET
32. Tiny colony defender : SOLDIER. Ant colony.
34. Safari sight : LION
35. School interlude : RECESS
36. Pkg. payment methods : CODs
37. Used a dugout : CANOED. Dugout canoe.
39. Top note in a common triad : SOL. Stumped me.
40. Airer of old MGM films : TCM . Also 110. "I'm Dying Up Here" airer, for short : SHO
46. Cross : SORE
47. Text ender? : UAL. Textual. We also have 22. Expert's conclusion? : ISE. Expertise. Also 96. Bar opening? : ISO. Isobar.
48. SEC Network owner : ESPN
49. Employs : HIRES
51. The Willis in Chicago, for one : TOWER
52. Contempt : SCORN
54. Discontinue : STOP
57. Spirit of Saint-Louis? : ANGE. I did not know the this French king was a saint.
58. Join : UNITE
59. Deprived (of) : BEREFT
61. One of the U.S.'s 435 : REP. Eight are from Minnesota.
63. Radii, e.g. : ARM BONES
70. Have faith in : RELY UPON
73. Require treatment, perhaps : AIL
74. Britain's Penny Black and Two Penny Blue : STAMPS. Wiki says "The Two Penny Blue or The Two Pence Blue was the world's second official postage stamp, produced in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and issued after the Penny Black."
78. Legislate : ENACT
79. Voting coalition : BLOC
82. Quarter of a bushel : PECK
85. Red, yellow or white veggie : ONION. Also 34. Black or yellow pet : LAB
86. Like certain gases : NOBLE
87. Envisioned being : SAW AS. Yeah, Jayce, new contact lenses for this astigmatism.
89. Transient with a bindle : HOBO
91. PC dial-up upgrade : DSL
92. Skin product enhancement : ALOE
97. __ gibbon: zoo animal : LAR. Learning moment for me.
98. A.L. East squad : TOR (Toronto)
101. Delivery on deliverance : SERMON
102. "Now I get it!" : AH SO
103. Cold-weather wear : PARKAS. Ah, winter! Somehow the smooth ground of malls often trips Boomer, who can't get himself up without help. Asphalt ground is hard on his left hip. Thankfully we have many trails to choose in the summer. Boomer loves cushion-y soft trails.
106. Appearance : MIEN
107. Tariffed goods : IMPORTS
113. She, in Capri : ESSA. How is it different from ELLA?
114. "Science Guy" Bill : NYE
115. "The King and I" group : HAREM.
116. They have ideas : INVENTORS
118. "Cheese!" consequence : SMILE. Here is Boomer in front of the Mary Tyler Moore house, close to Lake of the Isle.
120. Not bottled : ON TAP
121. Dark genre : NOIR Also 33. Classic O'Brien 121-Across film : D.O.A.
122. Biblical brother : ESAU
123. In shape : TONED. Followed by 124. Places to get in shape : GYMS
125. Polish, in a way : EDIT
126. Gambit : RUSE
127. Some MIT grads : ENGRS
Down:
1. __ nationaux: French tourist attractions : PARCS. Never heard of it. Looks pretty.
2. Pocatello locale : IDAHO
3. Regional asset : LOCAL COLOR. Lots of great long fill in this puzzle.
4. Face on a fiver : ABE
6. Glyceride, for one : ESTER
7. Force into ignominious retreat : ROUT
8. Mideast nation: Abbr. : ISR
9. Baja bar : CANTINA
10. World's largest island country : INDONESIA. Plenty of coconuts there. Aroy-D (Thailand) is the tastiest canned coconut brand I've found. So incredibly rich. But the cream does not rise to top as other canned coconuts do, even if I put them in fridge for a day or two. So odd. Must have some hidden emulsifier.
11. [It's gone!] : POOF
12. Clashing : AT WAR
13. End zone celebrations : DANCES
14. "Water Music" composer : HANDEL
15. Hollywood faves : IDOLS
16. Goes for the gold : PLAYS TO WIN. Another fantastic fill.
17. __ City, Iraq : SADR
25. "Just Do It" logo : SWOOSH
29. Breaks : RESTS
31. Novelist Umberto : ECO
37. Red coin? : CENT
38. Laura of "Jurassic Park" : DERN
41. Labyrinth site of myth : CRETE
42. Parisian parents : MERES. Mothers. Ma mere. Mon pere.
43. Tatting fabric : LACE
44. PC options : HPs
45. Genesis and Dreamcast : SEGAs
46. Arizona desert : SONORAN
47. Thumb drive port : USB
50. Pak of the LPGA : SE RI. Retired now. She opened the door for all the Korean golfers.
53. Get more out of : RECYCLE
55. Ball : ORB
56. Little, in Lille : PEU. "Un peu".
60. Finest : TOP
62. Harper Valley org. : PTA
64. Cascade components: Abbr. : MTs
66. Blubbers : SOBS
67. Zhou __ : ENLAI. Very faithful to Mao, even during Cultural Revolution. But his reputation was untarnished. He just quietly saved many lives from prosecution.
68. Bit from a bottle : NIP
69. Flamenco shout : OLE
70. Concerning kidneys : RENAL
71. __ Gay: WWII bomber : ENOLA
72. Group once led by Meir and Rabin : LABOR PARTY
75. When some late risers get started : MID-MORNING. Reveal of a puzzle Agnes and I made.
76. Model act : POSE
77. NBC skit show : SNL
80. Admits, with "up" : OWNS
81. Creamy French cheese : CAMEMBERT. Another great fill.
83. Actor/stuntman Jackie : CHAN. It's spelled CHEN in Taiwan and Mainland China. Same character.
84. "MASH" milieu: Abbr. : KOR (Korea). The life expectancy is so high there. The magic of fermented food.
88. Damascus denizen : SYRIAN
90. Rays : BEAMS
94. Ore refinery : SMELTER
95. __ compos mentis : NON
98. Outdoes : TRUMPS
99. Approves : OKs
100. Wisconsin city on Lake Michigan : RACINE. See it? Were you born in Stevens Point, D-Otto?
104. Mr. T's troop : A-TEAM
105. Layer in ecclesiastical governance : SYNOD
107. Give out : ISSUE
108. Tenth American president : TYLER
109. Planted pips : SEEDS
111. Sharpness : TANG
112. XIX x LIII : MVII. Got via crosses. Too complicated to calculate.
113. Ballpark figs. : ERAS
117. The Beavers of the Pac-12 : OSU
119. Calendar abbr. : MON. Santa's Day.
30A. Janus-inspired stringed instrument? : TWO-FACED LYRE. Two-faced liar.
43A. Task for roadies? : LOAD THE BASSES. Load the bases.
65A. Bit of criticism from Ravi Shankar? : CLOSE BUT NO SITAR. Close but no cigar.
93A. Percussionist's answer to "When do you practice?"? : IN MY SNARE TIME. In my spare time.
110A. Hi-hat for high society? : STATUS CYMBAL. Status symbol.
5D. Instrument carved from the Tree of Knowledge? : FORBIDDEN FLUTE. Forbidden fruit.
51D. What Tubby brushes with? : TUBA TOOTHPASTE. Tube toothpaste.
No label for Adam in our blog, so this must be his LAT debut. Congratulations!
As I mentioned in our "Something's Fishy" pun theme two weeks ago, I just don't have grasp of this theme type. Some are homophones, some have added vowel sound, some have consonant change.
I love the grid design. Two of the Down themers intersect two other Across themers. Amazing.
Across:
1. Spiced rice : PILAF. I need to eat more spicy and salty food to increase my low blood pressure. Scary to feel dizzy.
6. Idle in sketches : ERIC. Eric Idle.
10. Popular tablet : iPAD
14. Potential replacement sites : HIPs. Hip replacement.
18. Mexican marinade : ADOBO
19. Former Cubs slugger : SOSA. Such drastic change, TTP!
20. "__ cloud in the sky, Got the sun in my eyes ... ": Carpenters lyric : NOT A
21. '50s pol Stevenson : ADLAI
23. Starting blocks user : RACER
24. Rejects : TURNS DOWN
26. Wikipedia policy : NO ADS
27. Chinese tea : CHA, Literally "tea". Does the Chinese character look soothing to you?
28. Author Harte : BRET
32. Tiny colony defender : SOLDIER. Ant colony.
34. Safari sight : LION
35. School interlude : RECESS
36. Pkg. payment methods : CODs
37. Used a dugout : CANOED. Dugout canoe.
39. Top note in a common triad : SOL. Stumped me.
40. Airer of old MGM films : TCM . Also 110. "I'm Dying Up Here" airer, for short : SHO
46. Cross : SORE
47. Text ender? : UAL. Textual. We also have 22. Expert's conclusion? : ISE. Expertise. Also 96. Bar opening? : ISO. Isobar.
48. SEC Network owner : ESPN
49. Employs : HIRES
51. The Willis in Chicago, for one : TOWER
52. Contempt : SCORN
54. Discontinue : STOP
57. Spirit of Saint-Louis? : ANGE. I did not know the this French king was a saint.
58. Join : UNITE
59. Deprived (of) : BEREFT
61. One of the U.S.'s 435 : REP. Eight are from Minnesota.
63. Radii, e.g. : ARM BONES
70. Have faith in : RELY UPON
73. Require treatment, perhaps : AIL
74. Britain's Penny Black and Two Penny Blue : STAMPS. Wiki says "The Two Penny Blue or The Two Pence Blue was the world's second official postage stamp, produced in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and issued after the Penny Black."
78. Legislate : ENACT
79. Voting coalition : BLOC
82. Quarter of a bushel : PECK
85. Red, yellow or white veggie : ONION. Also 34. Black or yellow pet : LAB
86. Like certain gases : NOBLE
87. Envisioned being : SAW AS. Yeah, Jayce, new contact lenses for this astigmatism.
89. Transient with a bindle : HOBO
91. PC dial-up upgrade : DSL
92. Skin product enhancement : ALOE
97. __ gibbon: zoo animal : LAR. Learning moment for me.
98. A.L. East squad : TOR (Toronto)
101. Delivery on deliverance : SERMON
102. "Now I get it!" : AH SO
103. Cold-weather wear : PARKAS. Ah, winter! Somehow the smooth ground of malls often trips Boomer, who can't get himself up without help. Asphalt ground is hard on his left hip. Thankfully we have many trails to choose in the summer. Boomer loves cushion-y soft trails.
106. Appearance : MIEN
107. Tariffed goods : IMPORTS
113. She, in Capri : ESSA. How is it different from ELLA?
114. "Science Guy" Bill : NYE
115. "The King and I" group : HAREM.
116. They have ideas : INVENTORS
118. "Cheese!" consequence : SMILE. Here is Boomer in front of the Mary Tyler Moore house, close to Lake of the Isle.
120. Not bottled : ON TAP
121. Dark genre : NOIR Also 33. Classic O'Brien 121-Across film : D.O.A.
122. Biblical brother : ESAU
123. In shape : TONED. Followed by 124. Places to get in shape : GYMS
125. Polish, in a way : EDIT
126. Gambit : RUSE
127. Some MIT grads : ENGRS
Down:
1. __ nationaux: French tourist attractions : PARCS. Never heard of it. Looks pretty.
2. Pocatello locale : IDAHO
3. Regional asset : LOCAL COLOR. Lots of great long fill in this puzzle.
4. Face on a fiver : ABE
6. Glyceride, for one : ESTER
7. Force into ignominious retreat : ROUT
8. Mideast nation: Abbr. : ISR
9. Baja bar : CANTINA
10. World's largest island country : INDONESIA. Plenty of coconuts there. Aroy-D (Thailand) is the tastiest canned coconut brand I've found. So incredibly rich. But the cream does not rise to top as other canned coconuts do, even if I put them in fridge for a day or two. So odd. Must have some hidden emulsifier.
11. [It's gone!] : POOF
12. Clashing : AT WAR
13. End zone celebrations : DANCES
14. "Water Music" composer : HANDEL
15. Hollywood faves : IDOLS
16. Goes for the gold : PLAYS TO WIN. Another fantastic fill.
17. __ City, Iraq : SADR
25. "Just Do It" logo : SWOOSH
29. Breaks : RESTS
31. Novelist Umberto : ECO
37. Red coin? : CENT
38. Laura of "Jurassic Park" : DERN
41. Labyrinth site of myth : CRETE
42. Parisian parents : MERES. Mothers. Ma mere. Mon pere.
43. Tatting fabric : LACE
44. PC options : HPs
45. Genesis and Dreamcast : SEGAs
46. Arizona desert : SONORAN
47. Thumb drive port : USB
50. Pak of the LPGA : SE RI. Retired now. She opened the door for all the Korean golfers.
53. Get more out of : RECYCLE
55. Ball : ORB
56. Little, in Lille : PEU. "Un peu".
60. Finest : TOP
62. Harper Valley org. : PTA
64. Cascade components: Abbr. : MTs
66. Blubbers : SOBS
67. Zhou __ : ENLAI. Very faithful to Mao, even during Cultural Revolution. But his reputation was untarnished. He just quietly saved many lives from prosecution.
68. Bit from a bottle : NIP
69. Flamenco shout : OLE
70. Concerning kidneys : RENAL
71. __ Gay: WWII bomber : ENOLA
72. Group once led by Meir and Rabin : LABOR PARTY
75. When some late risers get started : MID-MORNING. Reveal of a puzzle Agnes and I made.
76. Model act : POSE
77. NBC skit show : SNL
80. Admits, with "up" : OWNS
81. Creamy French cheese : CAMEMBERT. Another great fill.
83. Actor/stuntman Jackie : CHAN. It's spelled CHEN in Taiwan and Mainland China. Same character.
84. "MASH" milieu: Abbr. : KOR (Korea). The life expectancy is so high there. The magic of fermented food.
88. Damascus denizen : SYRIAN
90. Rays : BEAMS
94. Ore refinery : SMELTER
95. __ compos mentis : NON
98. Outdoes : TRUMPS
99. Approves : OKs
100. Wisconsin city on Lake Michigan : RACINE. See it? Were you born in Stevens Point, D-Otto?
104. Mr. T's troop : A-TEAM
105. Layer in ecclesiastical governance : SYNOD
107. Give out : ISSUE
108. Tenth American president : TYLER
109. Planted pips : SEEDS
111. Sharpness : TANG
112. XIX x LIII : MVII. Got via crosses. Too complicated to calculate.
113. Ballpark figs. : ERAS
117. The Beavers of the Pac-12 : OSU
119. Calendar abbr. : MON. Santa's Day.
C.C.