Theme: "Political Insiders" - Presidential monogram spans across each theme entry.
23A. Kiddie lit hero created by Hans and Margret Rey (#18) : CURIOUS GEORGE. Ulysses S. Grant.
33A. It usually begins "How many (whatever) does it take ... " (#36) : LIGHTBULB JOKE. Lyndon B. Johnson.
51A. Film based on the novel "Shoeless Joe" (#32) : FIELD OF DREAMS. Franklin D. Roosevelt.
82A. Arizona tourist attraction (#34) : PAINTED DESERT. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
101A. Athletic retiree? (#37) : UNIFORM NUMBER. Richard Milhous Nixon.
114A. Religious high point? (#33) : CHURCH STEEPLE. Harry S. Truman.
69A. What's hidden in answers with an apt "#" in their clues : PRESIDENTIAL MONOGRAMS
With "apt" in the reveal clue, I thought there's a further layer to the theme. Nope.
We don't see Alan Arbesfeld's byline often here at LAT. He is a very accomplished constructor, with many puzzles published by the NYT and other major venues.
Don't think I've seen a LAT Sunday with only 134 words.
Across:
1. Truckers' competition : ROADEO. Portmanteau of Rodeo and Road.
7. Finish behind : LOSE TO
13. Adenauer sobriquet meaning "the old man" : DER ALTE. We see ALTE more often often.
20. Turns inside out : EVERTS. Not a word I use.
21. Available : ON HAND
22. Dressing choice : ITALIAN. What's your favorite dressing?
25. Sways on a curve : CAREENS
26. Space cadet? : ALIEN. Got via crosses.
27. Suspense novelist Tami : HOAG
28. Fields of comedy : TOTIE
30. '70s-'80s batting instructor Charlie : LAU. Learned from doing crosswords.
31. Must : NEEDS TO
37. "Mi casa __ casa" : ES SU
38. Bk. after Proverbs : ECCL
40. Raise : REAR
41. Winnebago descendants : IOWAS
42. Winter wear : PARKA. Been looking for a light, short and warm jacket in red.
44. Dining __ : CAR
45. "__ to eat and run ... " : I HATE
48. Gain a lap : SIT
54. __ Gimignano: walled Tuscany town : SAN
57. "It's __ wind ... " : AN ILL
59. KOA visitor : RVER
60. Menu option : UNDO
61. Website page : HOME
62. Rhythm rattler : MARACA
64. Longtime rock 'n' roll disc jockey Dan : INGRAM. D-Otto might know him. Not me.
67. "It's suddenly clear" : I SEE NOW
72. 1991 Steve Martin film set in Calif. : L.A. STORY
73. Front line? : ISOBAR
74. Spiced up : ZESTED
75. Big ones are found on Wall Street : EGOS. Why Wall Street?
76. Altar agreements : I DOs
78. Austrian expressionist Schiele : EGON. Another stranger. Here is his self-portrait.
80. Former "60 Minutes" debater __ Alexander : SHANA
81. Judge of hoops : REF
23A. Kiddie lit hero created by Hans and Margret Rey (#18) : CURIOUS GEORGE. Ulysses S. Grant.
33A. It usually begins "How many (whatever) does it take ... " (#36) : LIGHTBULB JOKE. Lyndon B. Johnson.
51A. Film based on the novel "Shoeless Joe" (#32) : FIELD OF DREAMS. Franklin D. Roosevelt.
82A. Arizona tourist attraction (#34) : PAINTED DESERT. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
101A. Athletic retiree? (#37) : UNIFORM NUMBER. Richard Milhous Nixon.
114A. Religious high point? (#33) : CHURCH STEEPLE. Harry S. Truman.
69A. What's hidden in answers with an apt "#" in their clues : PRESIDENTIAL MONOGRAMS
With "apt" in the reveal clue, I thought there's a further layer to the theme. Nope.
We don't see Alan Arbesfeld's byline often here at LAT. He is a very accomplished constructor, with many puzzles published by the NYT and other major venues.
Don't think I've seen a LAT Sunday with only 134 words.
Across:
1. Truckers' competition : ROADEO. Portmanteau of Rodeo and Road.
7. Finish behind : LOSE TO
13. Adenauer sobriquet meaning "the old man" : DER ALTE. We see ALTE more often often.
20. Turns inside out : EVERTS. Not a word I use.
21. Available : ON HAND
22. Dressing choice : ITALIAN. What's your favorite dressing?
25. Sways on a curve : CAREENS
26. Space cadet? : ALIEN. Got via crosses.
27. Suspense novelist Tami : HOAG
28. Fields of comedy : TOTIE
30. '70s-'80s batting instructor Charlie : LAU. Learned from doing crosswords.
31. Must : NEEDS TO
37. "Mi casa __ casa" : ES SU
38. Bk. after Proverbs : ECCL
40. Raise : REAR
41. Winnebago descendants : IOWAS
42. Winter wear : PARKA. Been looking for a light, short and warm jacket in red.
44. Dining __ : CAR
45. "__ to eat and run ... " : I HATE
48. Gain a lap : SIT
54. __ Gimignano: walled Tuscany town : SAN
57. "It's __ wind ... " : AN ILL
59. KOA visitor : RVER
60. Menu option : UNDO
61. Website page : HOME
62. Rhythm rattler : MARACA
64. Longtime rock 'n' roll disc jockey Dan : INGRAM. D-Otto might know him. Not me.
67. "It's suddenly clear" : I SEE NOW
72. 1991 Steve Martin film set in Calif. : L.A. STORY
73. Front line? : ISOBAR
74. Spiced up : ZESTED
75. Big ones are found on Wall Street : EGOS. Why Wall Street?
76. Altar agreements : I DOs
78. Austrian expressionist Schiele : EGON. Another stranger. Here is his self-portrait.
80. Former "60 Minutes" debater __ Alexander : SHANA
81. Judge of hoops : REF
86. Dorm room, perhaps : STY
87. Cartoon strip : PANEL
88. Small team : DUO
89. Put a stop to : CEASE
91. Mtge.-offering business : S AND L
94. Mosque leader : IMAM
96. Wine characteristic : BODY
97. Revelations : AHAs
105. Mr. Clean competitor : LESTOIL. Never tried this brand.
108. Knight clubs : MACES
109. River to the Rhein : AARE
111. "__ woods these are I think I know": Frost : WHOSE
112. Letting it all hang out, theatrically : EMOTING
118. What love and hate share? : SILENT E. Just the last letter of love and hate.
119. "It's My Party" singer Gore : LESLEY
120. Shakespearean attendant : VARLET. I only know VALET.
121. Hybrid with thorns : TEA ROSE. I can smell it. Lovely.
122. Overage : EXCESS
123. Main squeeze : STEADY
Down:
1. Fix, as a rattan chair : RE-CANE. I'd buy a new chair.
2. Small eggs : OVULES
3. Cliff dwellings : AERIES
4. Ran out, as a supply : DRIED UP
5. Preppy jackets : ETONs
6. The Beavers of the Pac-12 : OSU.
7. Macy's red star, e.g. : LOGO
8. Low tie : ONE ALL
9. Japanese chess : SHOGI. Sho = General. Gi = Game. So, "General's Game".
10. Hammer site : EAR
11. "Star Trek" spin-off, briefly : TNG. The Next Generation.
12. One-named folk singer : ODETTA
13. Mirabile __: wonderful to say : DICTU. New to me.
14. Amazon business : E-TAIL
15. Cheesy "Welsh" dishes : RAREBITS
16. Brown __ : ALE
17. Stay under the radar : LIE LOW
18. Yankees' pitcher Masahiro : TANAKA. Must be Rich's clue. He's avid Yankees' fan.
19. Happens as a result : ENSUES
24. Stunning surprise : SHOCKER. Caesars Palace now charges a $10 parking fee. Sigh! Used to be fun window-shopping at the Forum.
29. Conan of "Conan" : OBRIEN
32. Garr of "Tootsie" : TERI
34. Tennis great Steffi : GRAF. Great match for Agassi.
35. Group in a drive : HERD
36. Veep between Dick and Mike : JOE (Biden)
39. Friend of Hobbes : CALVIN
43. Gp. created by a 1955 merger : AFL-CIO
44. Welsh herding dogs : CORGIS. Favorite dogs for Queen Elizabeth.
46. Invited to one's place : HAD IN
47. Israeli author who wrote "A Tale of Love and Darkness" : AMOS OZ
48. Array of chocolates, say : SAMPLER
49. Seething : IN A RAGE
50. Loses interest in : TIRES OF
52. X-ray examiner, perhaps : DENTIST. Going to see mine next week.
53. Odds and ends : RUMMAGE
54. Many Beethoven pieces : SONATAS
55. "One sec" : A MOMENT
56. Long Island paper : NEWSDAY. They also have crosswords, but not to open submissions, I don't think. Gail is one of the constructors there.
58. Has legs : LASTS
61. Pulitzer journalist Seymour : HERSH. He sure has lots of anonymous sources.
63. "Rocky" role : ADRIAN
65. '90s Indian prime minister : RAO. Nailed it.
66. Planetary reflected-light ratio : ALBEDO. New word to me.
68. Discharges : EGESTS
70. Singer Gorme : EYDIE
71. Pitcher Jesse with a record 1,252 regular-season appearances : OROSCO. He was a Twin.
77. Surfing indoors, say : ONLINE
79. Pine forest floor covering : NEEDLES
82. Trigger was one : PALOMINO. Great fill.
83. Dutch export : EDAM
84. Oversimplify, with "down" : DUMB
85. Funny Martha : RAYE
87. Common attached file : PDF
90. Diner come-on : EAT HERE. Santa loves lo mein and string beans.
91. Most confident : SUREST
92. Breakdown of social norms : ANOMIE
93. Inventor Tesla : NIKOLA
95. Physical strength : MUSCLE
96. Prepares (oneself) for impact : BRACES
98. Fanfare : HOOPLA
99. Like supermarkets and stadiums : AISLED. Never used this word form.
100. Cold and wet, maybe : SLEETY
102. Goes on a tirade : RANTS
103. Bobby in a 1971 #1 hit : MCGEE. "Me and Bobby McGee".
104. Country rocker Steve : EARLE
106. Exercise beads? : SWEAT
110. Matthew of "The Americans" : RHYS. Looks who he's dating? Felicity!
115. Bad spell : HEX
116. 2017 Pac-12 champs : USC
117. Sharp products : TVs.. Great clue.
Oh, I need to show you this sweet picture again! You'll know who that lucky guy is.
