Sunday, November 25th, 2018 , Gail Grabowski

Theme:  "For-gone Conclusions" - FOR is removed from each theme entry.

27A Horses' feeding period?: STALL TIME. Stall for time.

29A. Nightly newscaster's preparation?: REPORT WORK. Report for work.

 

49A. Easter feast, say?: SPRING DINNER. Spring for dinner.

63A. "We're driving around in circles"?: LOST WORDS. Lost for words.

84A. Ticket selling for a major golf event?: OPEN BUSINESS. Open for business.

101A. Severe dip in contributions during a telethon?: CAUSE ALARM. Cause for alarm.

104A. Hurricane tracker closeup?: EYE DETAIL. Eye for detail.

 

36D. What may accompany hunger pangs?: FOOD THOUGHT. Food for thought.

40D. Result of a faulty tab setting?: MARGIN ERROR. Margin for error.

Hmm, no subtlety. The puzzle title is literally telling us what the theme is. 

Gail again started her theme entries in the 4th row rather than the traditional 3rd tow.  She also made sure none of her fill is longer than the theme fill. Subtlety of a pro constructor.

 

Across:

1. Minor dustup: TIFF.

5. Ladder danger: FALL.

9. Jeff who started an online bookstore in 1994: BEZOS. No minimum limit for free shipping at Amazon right now.

14. Give form to: SHAPE.

19. Free speech org.: ACLU.

20. New Balance competitor: AVIA. D-Otto favors former.

21. Put on, as pressure: EXERT.

22. Development units: HOMES.

23. React to too much sun, perhaps: PEEL.

24. Overcharge: SOAK.

25. "Silas Marner" girl: EPPIE. Unknown to me.

26. Penetrating winds: OBOES. Wind instruments. You don't want to feel the penetrating winds in Minnesota.

31. Burpee product: SEED.

32. It has strings attached: APRON.

33. Fed. financial gp.: OMB. OK, Office of Management and Budget.

34. Sight in an unfinished attic: RAFTER.

37. Southwest worker: PILOT.

39. "You may say I'm a __": Lennon's "Imagine": DREAMER.

43. Waiting room read: E BOOK. VA has few Wi-Fi spots.

44. Where dos are done: SALON.

45. Dire prophecy: DOOM.

47. Hang open: GAPE.

48. House with layers: COOP. Lay-ers.

52. One in a workout count: REP.

53. Unexpected: ODD.

54. River to South Carolina's Winyah Bay: PEE DEE.

55. Genesis matriarch: EVE.

56. "Megastructures" channel, familiarly: NATGEO. Anyone watches it?

58. Tennis surprise: NETBALL.

60. Govt. agents: T MEN. 90. Iconic 60-Across boss: NESS. Eliot Ness.

61. Document preparer: TYPIST.

62. Museum posting: Abbr.: HRS.

68. Anna's "The Accountant" co-star: BEN.  Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick.

69. Red Guard member: MAOIST. Dark period.

72. Lanai neighbor: MAUI.

73. Tour guides, e.g.: LEADERS.

77. Enemy of Mr. Bill, in old "SNL" skits: SLUGGO.  Learning moment for me.

78. Start a course: EAT.

79. "Once Is Not Enough" author: SUSANN. Jacqueline Susann.

82. Nicki Minaj genre: RAP.

83. Unkind remark: DIG.

87. Puff pastry cheese: BRIE.

88. Publisher Adolph: OCHS.

91. Consider with care: WEIGH. As pros and cons.

92. Around the corner: CLOSE.

93. Predetermined steps: SET PLAN.

95. Historic caravel: PINTA.

96. Took in the sights: TOURED.

97. Escape: LAM.

98. Something in the air: AROMA. 100. 98-Across, often: LURE.

109. Case place: COURT. Law case.

110. Italy's "Supreme Poet": DANTE.

111. Twitter's bird, e.g.: LOGO.

112. Belgian capital: EURO. Currency again. Brussels is beautiful in this time of the year.

113. Scorch slightly: SINGE.

114. Actress MacDowell: ANDIE.

115. Aviation pioneer Sikorsky: IGOR.

116. Bond was kicked out of it: ETON.

117. Entered into a deal: ANTED.

118. Cross with: MAD AT. Followed by 119. Fresh answers: SASS.

120. Number with words: SONG.

Down:

1. Brewpub array: TAPS.

2. "Rhyme Pays" rapper: ICE-T.

3. Pet peeve?: FLEA. Cute clue.

4. Period, to British grammarians: FULL STOP.

5. "Hurry it up!": FASTER.

6. Bypass: AVOID.

7. Hemsworth of "The Hunger Games": LIAM. The tall guy.

8. Common camp site: LAKE.

9. Pub game with balls: BEER PONG. Sparkly fill.

10. Whiz: EXPERT.

11. Youngest Marx brother: ZEPPO.

12. Mythical hunter: ORION.

13. Team backer?: STER. Teamster.

14. Skeptic's demand: SHOW ME.

15. Droopy-shaped purse: HOBO BAG. Slouchy.

16. Bow-toting god: AMOR.

17. Cheat, in a way: PEEK.

18. Serious extreme?: ESS. Serious.

28. Garlic relative: LEEK.

30. Agony: TORMENT.

32. Without peer: ALONE.

34. Info-gathering mission: RECON.

35. Quarters: ABODE.

37. Bud on a drive: PARD

38. First name in '70s tennis: ILIE (Nastase)

39. Slip into: DON.

41. Pentathlon gear: EPEES.

42. Provide more room for growth: RE-POT.

44. While: SPELL.

45. Salvage crew member: DIVER.

46. Upright: ON END.

49. Pommes frites condiment: SEL. French fries.

50. How-to lesson: DEMO.

51. Maker of Wayfarer sunglasses: RAYBAN.

54. Turn a Monopoly corner: PASS GO.

57. Used Charmin for shenanigans, for short: TP'ED.

59. Sea cell: BRIG.

60. Bi- equivalent: TWI.

64. What diviners interpret: OMENS.

65. Former Swedish imports: SAABS.

66. Bolshoi outfit: TUTU.

67. Part of 1/2: SLASH.

69. Passé PC system: MS DOS.

70. "Off with her head!" head owner: ALICE. "Alice in Wonderland".

71. Star that's a draw: TOP NAME. The biggest star I've met in person is Harmon Killebrew. How about you?

74. USCG rank: ENS.

75. It's often merit-based: RAISE.

76. Ticket number you don't want to see: SPEED.

79. City near Pisa: SIENA. Another Italian reference: 101. Trevi toss-in: COIN.

80. Blood bank quantity: UNIT.

81. Arcade giant: SEGA.

85. Bard's bedtime: EEN.

86. Competition in lanes: SWIM MEET.

87. Challenging golf hole starting points: BLUE TEES. White tees are for average golfers. Red tees  for lady golfers. Gold tees for seniors. Black tees for tournament players. Just the set-up in golf courses here in MN.

89. Blow the budget: SPLURGE.

92. Center: CORE.

94. Hung in there: LASTED.

95. "The Merchant of Venice" heroine: PORTIA.

96. Some exposed-beam homes: TUDORS.

98. Actress De La Garza: ALANA. "Law & Order".

99. Scientific dept.: R AND D.

100. Blocks often disassembled and reassembled: LEGOS.

102. Polly, to Tom: AUNT. Tom Sawyer.

103. Sistine Chapel ceiling figure: ADAM.

104. Bulldog supporters: ELIS.

105. Discipline with poses: YOGA. GOAT YOGA just sounds so strange.

106. Lot purchase: AUTO.

107. Resolve, with "out": IRON.

108. Dull, maybe: LONG.

109. J.E.B. Stuart's side: CSA.

Boomer updates:

We met with the radiation oncologist Dr. Esther last Monday and continued Boomer's daily radiation. Boomer decided to take Abiraterone (the chemo drug) after he completed the radiation treatment next Wednesday. We don't want to compound his discomfort, esp after that dreadful experience with the Zoledronic acid infusion two weeks ago.

One more meeting with Dr. Esther tomorrow morning and 3 more radiation treatments, then a blood draw (monthly procedure), then the chemo drug. The neurosurgeon department is going to arrange a MRI scan soon to see the result of the radiation.

C.C.