23A. *Chances that slipped away: LOST OPPORTUNITIES.
62A. *True view: HONEST OPINION.
70A. *Often the best choice, in retrospect: FIRST OPTION.
82A. *Swindlers: FAST OPERATORS.
124A. *Ristorante appetizers: ANTIPASTO PLATTERS.
16D. *Former Chilean dictator: AUGUSTO PINOCHET.
45D. *Bending over backward, say: ANXIOUS TO PLEASE.
Reveal:
103. Visit briefly ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues: STOP IN.
Very simple theme, with three different STOP split.
I
originally has EID in 34-Across and NEIL in 25-Down. Rich was concerned
that the crossing would creative a tricky square, even if I clued NEIL
as obvious as possible. So a change was made.
I do hope EID appears in LAT soon.
1. Bowling pin wood: MAPLE.
6. Princess Charlotte, to Harry: NIECE.
11. Hornets, e.g.: WASPS.
16. 2008 TARP beneficiary: AIG. Founded in Shanghai.
19. Think tank nuggets: IDEAS.
20. "The Thin Blue Line" director Morris: ERROL. Unknown to me. Rich's clue.
21. Mexican month: ENERO.
22. Stage coach Hagen: UTA.
26. Tricky bit: GAG.
27. Type of well: ARTESIAN. I learned from doing crosswords.
28. Fulda tributary: EDER.
29. Griller's flipper: SPATULA. I use wooden ones. I stir-fry every day.
31. Bird hangout: NEST.
32. Romance novelist Hilderbrand: ELIN. Alternative to Tiger's ex.
34. Gate datum: Abbr.: ETD.
35. Windows forerunner: MS DOS.
36. Type of jam in Sacher tortes: APRICOT. Never had apricot jam.
39. One of the original Warner Bros.: SAM. Learning moment also. Rich's clue again.
41. Sporty car roof: T-TOP.
44. Long story: SAGA.
46. Way to go: Abbr.: DIR.
48. Frees: LETS LOOSE.
52. Platform site: Abbr.: STN.
53. Twitter forwards, on Twitter: RTS. Retweets.
56. Kings Peak state: UTAH.
58. Just __ bit: A WEE.
59. Ramallah-based org.: PLO. Palestine Liberation Organization.
60. Make an ad spicier, say: SEX IT UP. Husker Gary would be a great ad writer. I still can't get over his "Squeeze Play" title for a puzzle I made for WSJ a while ago. Genius!
65. Shower unit?: RAINDROP.
67. Gives someone a hand: CLAPS.
68. Flake or Duckworth: Abbr.: SEN. Tammy Duckworth. Jeff Flake, ex-senator.
69. Gin flavor: SLOE.
74. Catcher's place: HOME. And 4. Reason to challenge an out call: LATE TAG. And 8. Boot the ball: ERR.
77. Good times: UPS. Splynter used to be very busy during this period.
79. Bring down: LOWER.
80. One often includes a colon: EMOTICON.
87. Hearing range: EARSHOT.
88. Surreal ending?: IST. Jazzbumpa hates this type of clue: Surrealist.
89. __ song: FOR A.
90. Trash: RUIN.
91. Pronoun for a princess: SHE.
92. "Mr. Blue Sky" band: ELO.
93. They can yield immediate results: SPOT TESTS.
96. Poker great Ungar: STU.
97. PlayStation handheld game: VITA. We had this clue a few months ago.
99. Baking amts.: TSPS.
100. Autobahn winter hazard: EIS. Ice.
102. Take no side: ABSTAIN.
106. Tibetan monks: LAMAS. Some very simple truths in Tibetan Buddhism.
110. Sports radio host Patrick: DAN.
112. Editor's retraction: STET.
113. Salinger character who says to the story narrator, "I don't think I shall tell you my full name": ESME. Rich's clue also.
117. First name in exploration: AMERIGO.
119. Noteworthy stretches: ERAS.
121. Fruit-flavored frozen treat: OTTER POP. Favorite treat at D-Otto's home.
123. Showy wrap: BOA.
127. Overhead rumblers: ELS.
128. "I'm with you": ME TOO.
129. Links hero, familiarly: ARNIE. Palmer.
130. __ Blue: old laundry soap: RINSO.
131. Graphic top: TEE.
132. "Uh-uh!": I WON'T.
133. Bonkers: LOONY.
134. Packed away: EATEN. I've been enjoying these roasted Asian sweet potatoes.
Down:
1. Lombardy's capital: MILAN. Look at some of the street scenes there.
2. Place on a pedestal: ADORE.
3. Raid targets: PESTS. The spray Raid.
5. Those, in Tabasco: ESOS.
6. Sherpa, usually: NEPALI.
7. Like a typical O. Henry story: IRONIC.
9. Dove's digs: COTE.
10. Slip past: ELUDE.
11. "Mandatory Fun" parodist, familiarly: WEIRD AL.
12. Red or army follower: ANT.
13. Earthshaking event: SEISM. Hi there Jayce!
14. Gets ready: PREPS.
15. "Such a pity": SO SAD.
17. Leaning type: Abbr.: ITAL.
18. Lady on stage: GAGA. Lady Gaga.
24. Place to tie up: PIER. Also Rich's clue.
25. Court dividers: NETS.
30. "... and your little dog, too!" dog: TOTO. I just told my friend Carmen (based in Guangzhou) to watch "The Wizard of Oz". She never heard of it.
33. "Ya think?": NO DUH.
37. Medicare prescription drug section: PART D.
38. Jackson 5 member: TITO.
40. Hearty pastry: MEAT PIE.
42. Capital on a fjord: OSLO.
43. Menial laborer: PEON.
44. Big bargain: STEAL.
47. Spiteful: RANCOROUS. This one connects three themers.
49. Masters Tournament weekend groupings: TWOSOMES.
50. Qtr.-ending month: SEP.
51. Luau souvenirs: LEIS.
52. Much of Eastern Eur., once: SSRS.
54. Tough's territory: TURF.
55. Unwelcome giveaways: SPOILERS.
57. Emergency menu: HELP. Computer. Keith, it's TTP who found the diagonal puzzle for you. I merely emailed it to you.
61. Butterfingered: INEPT.
63. Tended tots: SAT.
64. Classic grape sodas: NEHIs.
66. Divide fairly: PRORATE.
71. Giant among low-cost carriers: Abbr.: SWA. Southwest Airlines. We use Sun Country for our Vegas trip (annual Graybar retiree gathering). They have the best price. Bad service.
72. Four: Prefix: TETR.
73. Biblical builder: NOAH.
75. Dough: MOOLA.
76. Opposite of exo-: ENTO.
78. Like comfy slippers: SOFT.
81. "Three Coins ..." fountain: TREVI.
82. Punch deliverer: FIST.
83. Venomous vipers: ASPS. I wonder if ancient Egyptians ate asps. Snakes are popular food in Guangzhou. Restaurants have live snakes in cages. You just pick up the snake you want, they'll prepare for you.
84. "The Black Cat" author: POE.
85. "On the Bus With Rosa Parks" poet Dove: RITA.
86. Slights: SNUBS.
94. Nicholas, for one: TSAR.
95. Bet money an "all in" player can't win: SIDE POT. Rich's clue also.
98. Loafer's quality: INERTIA.
101. Actress Gilbert: SARA. Executive producer for both "Roseanne" and "The Conners".
104. Bigelow alternative: TETLEY.
105. Lead-in to girl or boy: ATTA.
107. "Scarface" setting: MIAMI.
108. '60s-'70s veep: AGNEW (Spiro).
109. __ voce: softly: SOTTO.
111. Twangy-sounding: NASAL.
114. Tuckered out: SPENT.
115. Man with a code: MORSE.
116. Nagano-based printer giant: EPSON. Ours is HP Envy 4500.
117. Provide fake cover for, e.g.: ABET.
118. Sleeper agent: MOLE.
120. Texas MLBer: STRO.
122. To be, to Benoît: ETRE.
125. Non-neutral atom: ION.
126. "Wish Tree" artist: ONO.
Happy
74th birthday to our sweet Misty! Her kindness and compassion shine
through in each of her blog posts. Here is a picture of Misty and her
husband Rowland celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary in 2009.
Boomer Updates:
No
doctor visits the past week, though there was a glitch in getting
Zytiga, which can't be refilled and needs a monthly prescription. Boomer
is going to get another blood draw next Thursday. His alkaline phosphatase has been high and creatinine is a bit low. Not unusual for bone cancer patients, according to Dr. Downs' assistant.
He
continues to feel better and sleeps much better. His re-starter's luck
at bowling alley quickly ran out last Thursday night, Inanehiker! He'll
probably share with you his scores tomorrow.
C.C.
