27A. Bread worshipers?: NAAN BELIEVERS. Non-believers. Unusual to see a themer starting in Row 4 rather than the traditional Row 3.
41A. Musical composition about a bread-loving pack animal?: PITA AND THE WOLF. Peter and the Wolf.
51A. Bread joke-teller's trait?: RYE SENSE OF HUMOR. Wry sense of humor.
73A. Celebratory wish over Jewish bread?: HAPPY CHALLAH DAY. Happy holiday.
81A. Ibsen title character's bread?: PEER GYNT'S WHEAT. Peer Gynt Suite.
96A. "Sorry, I meant to give you a plain burger"?: NO BUN INTENDED. No pun intended.
16D. Bread that only appears for a short time?: CAMEO ROLLS. Cameo roles.
66D. Bread with a winelike aroma?: NOSE SCONES. Nose cones.
Great to see Mike Torch back. He's a veteran constructor who has made many puzzles for the New York Times and LA Times.
We've seen food puns, but I don't recall one theme specifically focused on bread. Such a tight set of entries.
Across:
1. Breaks off: STOPS. Then 10. Kicks off: OPENS.
6. Window framework: SASH.
15. Cake-finishing artist: ICER. 70. 15-Across co-worker: BAKER. Is there really an ICER in a bakery?
19. Dugout, for one: CANOE. Nice clue.
20. Either of matching words, in a way: Abbr.: ANAG. OK, anagram.
21. Home to the Palazzo della Ragione: PADUA. Gary probably visited this place.
22. Pew area: NAVE.
23. Flopped financially: ATE IT. Tiny clue/answer dupe with 45. Disaster movie?: FLOP.
24. '60s protest slogan: BAN THE BOMB.
26. In: AMID.
29. In a dishonorable manner: BASELY.
31. Makes serious demands on: TAXES.
32. __ Geo: cable channel: NAT.
33. Source of intolerance: LACTOSE. Many Asians are lactose-intolerant, though the percentage shocks me.
34. Frequent savers: GOALIES. Oh, hi, Splynter!
37. Time div.: MIN.
39. "One of Ours" Pulitzer-winning author: CATHER.
40. Kick out: EXPEL.
46. Cooped-up critters: HENS.
47. Arms carriers?: TORSI. Another great clue.
49. Concerns: CARES.
50. Adjective for rapper Kim: LIL.
54. Diet including wild fruit: PALEO. I could not imagine a diet without carbs.
56. Vote in favor: YEA.
57. Music and art genre: FOLK.
58. "Lemme __!": AT 'EM.
59. Confines: PENS UP.
60. Two-time A.L. Manager of the Year Francona, familiarly: TITO.
61. Ballet movements: PLIES.
63. Cougar, e.g., briefly: MERC.
64. Declining due to age: SENILE.
67. Harbor view spot: PIER. Boomer and I were here in 2001.
68. Ore source: SEAM.
69. Easy sequence?: ABC.
72. Norwegian capital: KRONE. And 48. Norwegian capital: OSLO
77. "__ yours": "My gift": IT'S. And 78. Gift recipient: DONEE.
79. Big hits: BELTS.
80. NASA approvals: AOKS.
85. Stop in Québec?: ARRET.
86. Immerses in liquid: SOUSES.
87. Get it wrong: ERR.
88. Insurance company founded for rural workers: FARMERS. Learning moment for me.
90. Takes back: RECANTS.
92. Like some discount mdse.: IRR. Do you have Marshalls in your area? I love browsing there.
94. Left-hand page: VERSO.
95. King in "The Tempest": ALONSO.
102. El __: NINO.
103. Orchestra section: PERCUSSION.
106. Jenna, to Jeb: NIECE.
107. Nerd: GEEK.
108. Folding declaration: I'M OUT.
109. Cosmo rival: ELLE.
110. Europop's __ Base: ACE OF.
111. Besides: ELSE.
112. Bottomless gulf: ABYSS.
113. Passing out at the table?: DEAL. I was picturing something scary.
114. Golf Channel analyst Wadkins: LANNY. Left. He was at 3M last year.
Down:
1. Doctor's order: SCAN. Boomer wants to just deal with this left shoulder pain (rotator cuff problem) rather than having surgery.
2. Part of TTFN: TATA.
3. Most eligible for service: ONE A.
4. Ineffective: POINTLESS.
5. Put a price on freedom?: SET BAIL. Lovely clue.
6. Fine furs: SABLES.
7. Writer Nin: ANAIS.
8. Reasonable: SANE.
9. "Fixer Upper" network: HGTV.
10. Verdi creation: OPERA.
11. L.A.-based brewery: PABST.
12. Tokyo, formerly: EDO. Watched quite a few dramas set in Edo period.
13. O.T. book: NUM.
14. Religious observances: SABBATHS.
15. Fretful: IN A STEW.
17. Harmful aspects: EVILS.
18. Try a new shade on: REDYE. And 25. Salon coloring: HENNA.
28. Program file suffix: EXE. I must have drove D-Otto/TTP out of their mind last week by failing to access the Safe Mode. But I failed forward. I learned something.
30. Masseuse's target: ACHE.
33. "See ya!": LATER.
34. Architect Frank: GEHRY. Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao)
35. Yellow-and-white daisy: OXEYE.
36. Sleep study subject: APNEA.
37. Soybean paste: MISO. Yeah, to natives and those in the know (as Yellowrocks), Miso is just paste, not soup. The soup is always called "Miso soup".
38. "Do __ you must": IT IF.
39. PC insert: CD ROM.
41. Nursery sch.: PRE-K.
42. Sharp: ACUTE.
43. Mentions specifically: NAMES.
44. Place: LIEU.
47. U.S. security: T NOTE.
52. Option for a return: E-FILE.
53. Precarious: HAIRY.
54. Prefix with frost: PERMA.
55. Mandela's org.: ANC. African National Congress.
59. Bell sounds: PEALS.
60. Like the Oz woodsman: TIN.
61. Singing voice, informally: PIPES.
62. Looney Tunes stinker: LE PEW.
63. Soften in feeling: MELT.
64. Hop-jump link: SKIP.
65. Art Deco artist: ERTE. Jazzbumpa is another ERTE (R/T). His real name is Ron Toth.
67. Breathes hard: PANTS.
68. Ocean feature: SALT.
69. Worship: ADORE.
71. Dermatologists' concerns: CYSTS.
73. Refines: HONES.
74. "Good buddy": CBER.
75. Pick up: HEAR.
76. Blues musician's "harp": HARMONICA.
78. Literally, Greek for "bad place": DYSTOPIA. Good to know.
82. Lost Colony's island: ROANOKE. Another learning moment for me.
83. Big biceps, at the gym: GUNS.
84. Chef's supply: HERBS. One more clue/answer dupe. 88. Aromatic herb: FENNEL. Cilantro is the only fresh herb most Chinese use.
85. London football club: ARSENAL.
89. Part of MoMA: ART.
90. Span: RANGE.
91. The senior Saarinen: ELIEL. Father of crossword stalwart EERO.
92. Ear bone: INCUS.
93. Opposites of squeakers, in sports: ROUTS.
94. Davis with an Oscar, Emmy and two Tonys: VIOLA. Classy lady.
97. Employed: USED.
98. Luxor's river: NILE. Luxor is also the avatar name of a bygone poster on our blog. Luxor enjoyed attacking others.
99. Cook Paula: DEEN.
100. B-school course: ECON.
101. Rebel against: DEFY.
104. Diplomatic bldg.: EMB. Here is US Embassy in Beijing.
105. Pop artist Lichtenstein: ROY.
C.C.
