Theme: "Where Have You Gone?" - U is removed from each theme entry.
27A. Soil expert's observations?: CLOD FORMATIONS. Cloud formation.
44A. Contest where anglers compete while jogging on the shore?: TROT FISHING. Trout fishing.
68A. Where all the Aberdeen lads get together?: BOY SCOT JAMBOREE. Boy scout jamboree.
93A. Knee-socks, essentially: HALFWAY HOSE. Halfway house.
113A. Adventurous Centennial State motto?: BOLDER COLORADO. Boulder, Colorado.
14D. Like the studio forced to quit making 007 movies?: OUT OF BONDS. Out of bounds.
73D. How some insects get their news?: WORD OF MOTH. Word of mouth.
We have 7 themers today, totally 85 theme squares. Relatively light. Rich's minim requirement is 84 squares.
Classical pinwheel design. Two themers in the Down slots. Would be wonderful if there were no straying U's in the grid. But sometimes grid does not allow it. The fill is so clean.
In case you missed last time, read this article about Pam.
Across:
1. Hogwarts' Mrs. Norris is one: CAT. Here she is.
 |
| The Real Mrs. and Mr. Norris |
4. Long-dist. threat: ICBM. InterContinental Ballistic Missile.
8. Night vision?: DREAM. Sweet clue.
13. Bed covering: SOIL. Nice too.
17. Wearer of hot pants?: LIAR.
19. Milhous : Nixon :: __ : Garfield: ABRAM.
21. Goosebump-inducing: EERIE.
22. Big wind: TUBA. Also 60. Penetrating wind: OBOE. Wind instrument.
23. One of the British?: ISLE. British Isles.
24. Progressive rival: GEICO. We're using Progressive.
25. Common sights on Roman roads: FIATS. Hilly Rome.
26. Louisiane, par exemple: ETAT.
30. Fully enjoys: SAVORS. Picard, egg rolls (spring rolls) are popular in Guangzhou, but not in other parts of China.
32. Alaska's __ Peninsula: KENAI.
33. Kid's backyard apparatus: SWING SET. There's an Amish carpenter in our flea market. He makes rustic swing sets.
35. "What's the __?": DIF.
36. Pixar clownfish: NEMO. Ellen voiced Dory, that's all I recall.
39. Grafton's "__ for Outlaw": O IS.
40. Tiny shape-shifters: AMOEBAS. Not E-ending.
49. Musical array: TONES.
51. Tokyo sash: OBI. Theses are called Yukata. Casual Kimonos.
51. Tokyo sash: OBI. Theses are called Yukata. Casual Kimonos.
52. Debtor's list: IOUS.
53. Highlands group: CLAN.
54. Sumatran swingers: ORANGS. I use the full name Orangutans.
56. It might be square: KNOT.
57. Sudoku box fillers: Abbr.: NOS.
58. Tennis garb: SKORTS. Followed by 61. Steffi's tennis-playing spouse: ANDRE. Also 55. Aviator __ Garros, French Open stadium namesake: ROLAND
62. In the know: ASTUTE.
64. Show eager anticipation: DROOL.
66. In vogue, with "the": LATEST.
72. Logo on many sneakers: SWOOSH. This pair looks nice.
74. __ roll: HONOR.
75. Prepare to ride, in a way: SADDLE.
79. Coral Sea sight: ATOLL.
80. She plays Hermione in "Harry Potter" films: EMMA. Watson.
83. Big-headed club: DRIVER.
85. Rocket end?: EER. Rocketeer. Similar clues in 47. Basic finish?: HARD C. The last letter in Basic. 56. Knock follower?: KNEED. Knock-kneed. Also 82. Start to print?: MIS.
86. Spanish muralist: SERT. Jose Maria Sert.
87. Vegas table postings: LIMITS.
89. It feels like forever: AEON.
90. IRS enforcers: T MEN.
91. "Mansplain" was added to it in Jan. 2018: OED. Here is Wiki's explanation of Mansplaining (a blend of the word man and the informal form splaining of the verb explaining)
means "(of a man) to comment on or explain something to a woman in a
condescending, overconfident, and often inaccurate or oversimplified
manner".
92. Reward units: MILES.
96. Jupiter's locale: FLORIDA. Not the planet.
98. Bad in Barcelona: MAL. I thought it's only French for "bad".
99. Boring: SLOW.
100. Wide companion: FAR. Far and wide.
101. Cafés and such: EATERIES.
106. K, to Kay: KARAT. Kay Jewelers.
110. Tried to sink, maybe: RAMMED.
116. Greek love god: EROS. AMOR in Latin.
117. All together: AS ONE.
119. "That's really spiffy!": NEATO.
120. Long journey: TREK.
121. __ noire: BETE.
122. Barbie's original bestie: MIDGE.
123. Rx: SCRIP.
124. Ward of "Sisters": SELA.
125. Spa sounds: AAHS.
126. __ corps: PRESS.
127. Detective Dick's love: TESS.
128. King of Spain: REY. The REY and his wife.
Down:
1. Select from a menu, with "on": CLICK.
2. Divider of rows: AISLE.
3. Prey grabber: TALON. Also 78. Seaside glider: ERNE. Spitzboov once linked a fantastic video.
4. Scheming Shakespearean soldier: IAGO.
5. Trucker, often: CBER.
6. Overflows (with): BRIMS.
7. Rain forest parrot: MACAW.
8. Clears of condensation: DEFOGS.
9. Bit attachments: REINS.
10. Clean the slate: ERASE.
11. Island in the stream: AIT. Sometimes it's CAY.
12. Barracks break: MESS.
13. Paul's "Ebony and Ivory" partner: STEVIE. Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.
15. Strong support: I BAR.
16. Bodybuilder's pride: LATS.
18. Tiny stingers: RED ANTS.
20. Formal proposal: MOTION.
28. Feudal land: FIEF.
29. Architect Jones: INIGO. No idea. I do know the "The Princess Bride" INIGO though.
31. Bothersome goings-on: ADOS.
34. Ugli, for one: TANGELO. Oo seems to be fond of tangelos.
37. Doctored drinks: MICKEYS.
38. Nobel Institute city: OSLO. What a mess.
41. TV Drs. Isles and Quincy: MES. Medical Examiners. Did not know former. Dr. Maura Isles of Rizzoli & Isles.
42. Pull the plug: ABORT.
43. Web destination: SITE.
44. Barrett of S Club 7: TINA. Unfamiliar with S Club 7 or the singer.
45. Outback bounders: ROOS.
46. Force out of office: OUST.
48. Singer's cue: INTRO.
49. You might pick one up in a bar: TAB.
50. See 95-Down: ONO. 95. With 50-Down, "Double Fantasy" artist: YOKO.
58. Diner perch: STOOL.
59. To make sure: SO THAT.
61. Shed __: A TEAR.
63. Pipe fastener: U BOLT.
65. Eduardo's eye: OJO.
67. Storehouse: ARSENAL.
69. Percussionist who worked with Prince: SHEILA E. Her surname is Escovedo.
70. Fable lesson: MORAL.
71. Terse: BRIEF. Like Santa's emails.
72. "__ Magnolias": 1989 film: STEEL.
76. Floor model: DEMO.
77. Popular jeans: LEES. I like Kohl's Mudd.
79. Beginning: AS OF.
81. Fr. title: MME.
84. Altar exchange: VOWS.
87. Top at Starbucks: LID.
88. Glass fragment: SHARD.
90. Stymies: THWARTS. Consonants-rich.
92. Muck partner: MIRE. Muck and mire is a new expression to me.
94. "War of the Worlds" invaders: ALIENS.
97. Big name in pharaohs: RAMSES.
98. Wild fights: MELEES. Been a long winter, but nice and quiet in our neighborhood. I dread the noisy summer MELEES, esp when gun is involved.
102. Residence: ABODE.
103. Ice bucket accessory: TONGS.
104. Walking tall: ERECT.
105. __ tactic: SCARE.
107. More valuable, in some cases: RARER.
108. One-named singer: ADELE.
109. Wine from Hungary: TOKAY.
110. Portrayer of the first female Colonel Sanders, familiarly: REBA.
111. Geometry figure: AREA.
112. Needing a little more drying time: DAMP.
114. Publisher Chandler: OTIS.
115. Prunes: LOPS.
118. Title for Elton: SIR.
Here is a picture of Dave2 holding a special birthday cake pie baked by his
friend and caretaker Lynn. He said "Start with a pecan pie
made with honey.
Add chocolate bits, and place ingredients in a graham cracker crust.
While baking the crust migrates into the liquid, et voila, a delicious
cake pie."
Thanks again for your kind words and sweet memories of Santa. They're comforting and heart-warming to Jennifer, Klista, all Santa's close friends and his family. It's great seeing our old regulars back. The power of Santa!
From now on, Boomer and TTP will blog our Monday and Tuesday puzzles, as they did the past two months. Like Argyle, both of them served in the military. Both love golf, bowling and other sports. Both have been quietly helping me for a long time.
C.C.
