Theme: "PT Exercise" - P is converted into T, changing spelling as needed.
23A. Most highly regarded seasoning? : TARRAGON OF VIRTUE. Paragon of virtue.
46A. Brusque orchestral violinists? : TERSE STRINGS. Purse strings.
67A. Actress Helen with her personal programmer? : HUNT AND TECH. Hunt and peck.
91A. Kids responsible for breakfast bread? : TOASTER GIRLS. Poster girls.
114A. Well-ventilated chef's hat? : TOQUE FULL OF HOLES. Poke full of holes.
36D. Chocolate-loving gang? : COCOA TOUGHS. Cocoa puffs.
42D. Measurement for meat rotating on a spit? : ROAST TORQUE. Roast pork.
Four first-word changes. Three last-word changes. All went through considerable spelling changes while the sound remain the same. So consistent. Very creative approach.
I never head of "Poke full of holes", I figured it's "Pocketful of holes", which actually has plenty of Google support. Then I asked D-Otto about the extra sound drop.
Across:
1. Peaks : ACMES
6. Two-letter pop group : ABBA
10. Prepares potatoes, in a way : WHIPS. Here is how D-Otto prepares his potatoes. Authentic! Boomer said the dumplings we had in one of the buffets were made of potato flakes.
15. Card in a wallet : VISA
19. Zagreb native : CROAT
20. Vanishing sound : POOF
21. Seating option : AISLE. Boomer's spot. He needs to stretch often. So I'm always in the middle.
22. It gives you the big picture : IMAX
26. Side : EDGE
27. Call for icing, maybe : SWELL UP
28. Author Binchy : MAEVE
29. Limo amenity : MINI BAR
31. Literally, "shady side" : YIN. So in winter, I eat adzuki bean soup (Yang). In summer, I have mung bean soup (Yin). I don't really see the differences, but I was told to do so from an early age.
32. Like two Beethoven piano sonatas : IN E
33. Groom on a 1952 Life cover : ABNER. Stumper.
34. B, in a sandwich : BACON
37. Bridget Riley's "Movement in Squares," e.g. : OP-ART
40. 23rd of 24 : PSI. Greek alphabet.
41. Gets more friendly, with "up" : WARMS
45. __ collar : ETON
49. Alley in comics : OOP
50. Soft shoe : MOC
51. Portends : BODES
52. Bush boss : REAGAN. Bush Sr. So sad his reputation is tainted now.
53. Singer DiFranco : ANI
54. Card game shout : UNO
55. "Trinity" novelist : URIS
56. "__ Not There": Zombies hit : SHE'S
58. Child with a sponsor, maybe : GODSON
60. Homer's "Northeaster," for one : SEASCAPE
62. Wall covers : PANELS
65. Quick quality : WIT
66. Italian noble family : ESTE
70. One of a program dozen : STEP. Now AA has branches in China. We also have 78. Lit : SOUSED
73. Big-eyed bird : OWL
75. "Tristram Shandy" author : STERNE
76. Bag by the barbecue : CHARCOAL. Also in my face wash.
81. Honey beverage : MEAD
82. "Hamilton" award : TONY
83. 97-Across output : RTE. And 97. See 83-Across : GPS
84. Holiday drink : NOG
85. Knockoff hr. : FIVE PM. Mine is often 4:00pm.
88. Glittery rock : GEODE
89. Logician's letters : QED
90. Granite St. campus : UNH. University of New Hampshire.
94. Town : BURG
95. Low choristers : BASSI
98. Golf bag set : IRONS
99. "Not a chance!" : MY EYE
100. Pie nut : PECAN. Do you have Sweetgreen in your area? We don't. They have so many nice & hearty salad bowl choices.
102. Kiss at the mall, briefly : PDA
103. Security briefing org. : CIA
104. Lunch with fish : TUNA SUB
107. Large crosses : ROODS
109. Head honcho, e.g. : MAGNATE
113. Finished : OVER
117. It's often stained : DECK. Oh hey, I fixed our deck hole last year at the guidance of D-Otto and TTP.
118. Language that gives us "kayak" : INUIT
119. "The Clan of the Cave Bear" author : AUEL
120. Old Eurasian rulers : TSARS
121. Wine adjective : OAKY
122. Ideal areas : EDENS
123. Letters before Q? : LGBT. LGBTQ.
124. Limited-choice, as a question : YES-NO. Big Easy, at The Orleans, the extremely slow internet connection is part of the "Resort fee". You can also pay an extra $10/day, then you can have faster connection, download speed up to 25 Mbps. I think TTP has the fastest download speed in our corner.
23A. Most highly regarded seasoning? : TARRAGON OF VIRTUE. Paragon of virtue.
46A. Brusque orchestral violinists? : TERSE STRINGS. Purse strings.
67A. Actress Helen with her personal programmer? : HUNT AND TECH. Hunt and peck.
91A. Kids responsible for breakfast bread? : TOASTER GIRLS. Poster girls.
114A. Well-ventilated chef's hat? : TOQUE FULL OF HOLES. Poke full of holes.
36D. Chocolate-loving gang? : COCOA TOUGHS. Cocoa puffs.
42D. Measurement for meat rotating on a spit? : ROAST TORQUE. Roast pork.
Four first-word changes. Three last-word changes. All went through considerable spelling changes while the sound remain the same. So consistent. Very creative approach.
I never head of "Poke full of holes", I figured it's "Pocketful of holes", which actually has plenty of Google support. Then I asked D-Otto about the extra sound drop.
Across:
1. Peaks : ACMES
6. Two-letter pop group : ABBA
10. Prepares potatoes, in a way : WHIPS. Here is how D-Otto prepares his potatoes. Authentic! Boomer said the dumplings we had in one of the buffets were made of potato flakes.
15. Card in a wallet : VISA
19. Zagreb native : CROAT
20. Vanishing sound : POOF
21. Seating option : AISLE. Boomer's spot. He needs to stretch often. So I'm always in the middle.
22. It gives you the big picture : IMAX
26. Side : EDGE
27. Call for icing, maybe : SWELL UP
28. Author Binchy : MAEVE
29. Limo amenity : MINI BAR
31. Literally, "shady side" : YIN. So in winter, I eat adzuki bean soup (Yang). In summer, I have mung bean soup (Yin). I don't really see the differences, but I was told to do so from an early age.
33. Groom on a 1952 Life cover : ABNER. Stumper.
34. B, in a sandwich : BACON
37. Bridget Riley's "Movement in Squares," e.g. : OP-ART
40. 23rd of 24 : PSI. Greek alphabet.
41. Gets more friendly, with "up" : WARMS
45. __ collar : ETON
49. Alley in comics : OOP
50. Soft shoe : MOC
51. Portends : BODES
52. Bush boss : REAGAN. Bush Sr. So sad his reputation is tainted now.
53. Singer DiFranco : ANI
54. Card game shout : UNO
55. "Trinity" novelist : URIS
56. "__ Not There": Zombies hit : SHE'S
58. Child with a sponsor, maybe : GODSON
60. Homer's "Northeaster," for one : SEASCAPE
62. Wall covers : PANELS
65. Quick quality : WIT
66. Italian noble family : ESTE
70. One of a program dozen : STEP. Now AA has branches in China. We also have 78. Lit : SOUSED
73. Big-eyed bird : OWL
75. "Tristram Shandy" author : STERNE
76. Bag by the barbecue : CHARCOAL. Also in my face wash.
81. Honey beverage : MEAD
82. "Hamilton" award : TONY
83. 97-Across output : RTE. And 97. See 83-Across : GPS
84. Holiday drink : NOG
85. Knockoff hr. : FIVE PM. Mine is often 4:00pm.
88. Glittery rock : GEODE
89. Logician's letters : QED
90. Granite St. campus : UNH. University of New Hampshire.
94. Town : BURG
95. Low choristers : BASSI
98. Golf bag set : IRONS
99. "Not a chance!" : MY EYE
100. Pie nut : PECAN. Do you have Sweetgreen in your area? We don't. They have so many nice & hearty salad bowl choices.
102. Kiss at the mall, briefly : PDA
103. Security briefing org. : CIA
104. Lunch with fish : TUNA SUB
107. Large crosses : ROODS
109. Head honcho, e.g. : MAGNATE
113. Finished : OVER
117. It's often stained : DECK. Oh hey, I fixed our deck hole last year at the guidance of D-Otto and TTP.
118. Language that gives us "kayak" : INUIT
119. "The Clan of the Cave Bear" author : AUEL
120. Old Eurasian rulers : TSARS
121. Wine adjective : OAKY
122. Ideal areas : EDENS
123. Letters before Q? : LGBT. LGBTQ.
124. Limited-choice, as a question : YES-NO. Big Easy, at The Orleans, the extremely slow internet connection is part of the "Resort fee". You can also pay an extra $10/day, then you can have faster connection, download speed up to 25 Mbps. I think TTP has the fastest download speed in our corner.
Down:
1. John follower : ACTS
2. Sticking point? : CRAW
3. Extra : MORE
4. Near the start : EARLY ON
5. Yalta Conference notable : STALIN
6. Informal pricing words : A POP
7. __ vivant : BON
8. High time : BOOM
9. __ de coeur: amorous relationship : AFFAIRE. Funny how we write "heart" so differently.
10. Forgo : WAIVE
11. Put on : HIRE
12. Musician's suffix : IST. Oh, like pianist.
13. Pipes and such : PLUMBING
14. Welcome : SEE IN
15. Former "Today" co-host : VIEIRA
16. Source of film trivia : IMDB
17. Complex story : SAGA
18. Lumberyard supplier : AXER. Gluey fill.
24. Staple __ : GUN
25. Doesn't hold back : VENTS
30. Ski resort refreshment? : NEW SNOW. Still plenty of snow on our ground. No more please!
33. It borders three oceans : ASIA
34. Mystify : BEMUSE
35. Does penance (for) : ATONES
37. Rex in the classics : OEDIPUS
39. Saddlebag carrier : ASS
40. Radio tuning shortcut : PRESET. Our Chrysler van clock loses a few minutes every year, so weird.
43. Like many Bing Crosby records : MONO
44. Slant : SPIN
46. Sacred scroll : TORAH
47. Got hot online : TRENDED. I figure those bitcoin mining machines get hot all the time, since mining is a 24/7 job.
48. Joke : GAG
51. Florida NFLer : BUC
56. Words often about details : SPARE ME. Guilty of oversharing at times. Forgive me.
57. Yogi Bear co-creator : HANNA
59. CD part : DISC
61. Bastes, say : SEWS
63. Talking point? : LECTERN. Great clue.
64. Educates : SCHOOLS
68. Lures : TEMPTS
69. Straights and flushes : HANDS
71. Place to grab a bite : EATERY. Really miss those neighborhood dim sum places in Guangzhou. So affordable. So fresh.
72. Promise : PLEDGE
74. Randy Johnson and Aroldis Chapman : LEFTIES. Kids these days probably don't know Sandy Koufax. We also have 88. Nats pitcher González : GIO
77. Deli choice : RYE
78. Oscar __ : SNUB
79. O'Neill's daughter : OONA
80. Giuseppe's god : DIO. Italian for "god".
86. Wanderer : VAGABOND
87. 80%-Disney-owned channel : ESPN
92. Done with : RID OF
93. Slow and steady : GRADUAL. My speed.
94. Just barely, at the track : BY A NOSE
96. Animated : SPARKY
99. Powerful : MIGHTY
101. Adorable one : CUTIE. Do you have these sweet Cuties in your local grocery store?
102. "Dead __ Society": 1989 film : POETS
103. Half-__: coffee order : CAF
104. Stink : TO DO
105. Middle eye layer : UVEA
106. Part of the woods? : NECK. Neck of the woods.
107. Really mess up : RUIN
108. Hit hard : SLUG
109. Shed : MOLT
110. Start of a sad tale : ALAS
111. Bird related to the noddy : TERN. Unfamiliar with "noddy". Jet black.
112. Brand that's a homophone of its company's initials : ESSO. Standard Oil.
115. N.Y. neighbor : QUE
116. Where some pounds are spent: Abbr. : LEB. I thought Lebanese use lira.
I'm
so glad that PK's grandson Aaron has bounced back and Agnes' brother
Jack (a retired firefighter) is responding better to the new antibiotic.
Also relieved that Santa's surgery went smoothly and he's stable.
Thanks for the love and care you've shown to our blog regulars. This
means a lot to me.
I've removed last Sunday's puzzle
from the cloud. Just email me (crosswordc@gmail.com) if you still need
the PDF file. Please don't blame Rich Norris. It's the paper's fault.
Rich won't make mistakes like this.
C.C.
