Getting Ahead. The word Beat can be placed "ahead" of the first word of each starred theme answer to give a common phrase.
22-A. * Online business-building method: CROWD FUNDING. If you go shopping on August, you can Beat the Crowd for Christmas shopping.
27-A. * Las Vegas pros: ODDS MAKERS. You can Beat the Odds of getting that "must have" Christmas item if you shop in August.
48-A. * Guinness entries: RECORD SETTERS. Can you Beat the Record for running the mile?
81-A. * User's nightmare: SYSTEM FAILURE. If you try to Beat the System, you might find yourself in jail.
102-A. * Zapping direction: HEAT ON HIGH. If you travel to Antarctica, you can Beat the Heat in Summer.
107-A. * Nine-to-fiver: CLOCK WATCHER. Did you Beat the Clock in finishing this puzzle?
31-D. * Overextended: SPREAD THIN. Did you Beat the Spread in the Super Bowl?
51-D. * Where one might idle away the time?: TRAFFIC JAM. If you leave for work at 4:00 a.m., you may Beat the Traffic in the morning.
And the Unifier:
27-A. * Las Vegas pros: ODDS MAKERS. You can Beat the Odds of getting that "must have" Christmas item if you shop in August.
48-A. * Guinness entries: RECORD SETTERS. Can you Beat the Record for running the mile?
81-A. * User's nightmare: SYSTEM FAILURE. If you try to Beat the System, you might find yourself in jail.
102-A. * Zapping direction: HEAT ON HIGH. If you travel to Antarctica, you can Beat the Heat in Summer.
107-A. * Nine-to-fiver: CLOCK WATCHER. Did you Beat the Clock in finishing this puzzle?
31-D. * Overextended: SPREAD THIN. Did you Beat the Spread in the Super Bowl?
51-D. * Where one might idle away the time?: TRAFFIC JAM. If you leave for work at 4:00 a.m., you may Beat the Traffic in the morning.
And the Unifier:
94-Down. Michael Jackson hit ... or what you can do to the start of each answer to a starred clue: BEAT IT.
Across:
1. Unstressed, as a syllable: ATONIC. Not the easiest starts for a puzzle.
7. Painter of melting watches: DALÍ. As in Salvador Dalí (May 11, 1904 ~ Jan. 23, 1989).
11. iPhone purchase: APP.
14. A deadly sin: LUST. My first thought was Envy. It was the right number of letters! The other deadly sins are: Pride, Greed, Gluttony, Anger, and Sloth.
18. It's split in a boat: BANANA.
Oh, you wanted this kind of a Banana Split:
19. Command to a junkyard dog: SIC 'EM!
19. Command to a junkyard dog: SIC 'EM!
20. Early internet pioneer: AOL.
21. Not fooled by: ON TO.
24. Common Woody Allen character disorders: NEUROSES.
26. Send back, as into custody: REMAND. Please don't say "remand back." That is redundant, since the word already means to send back. One of my pet peeves.
29. Iraq's main port: BASRA.
33. In the past: AGO. A long, long time Ago ...
34. Comic actor Amsterdam of old TV: MOREY. Morey Amsterdam (né Moritz Amsterdam; Dec. 14, 1908 ~ Oct. 28, 1996), is best known for his role as Buddy Sorrell on The Dick Van Dyke Show, which ran on TV in the 1960s.
35. "Be thine own palace, or the world's thy jail" writer: DONNE. Words from the English poet, John Donne (Jan. 22, 1572 ~ Mar. 31, 1631). // And the cross-reference of 12-Down. 35-Across output: POESY. An archaic word for Poetry.
36. Call into question: OPPUGN. Yes, this is a real word. According to Merriam-Webster, the word has been around in the English language since at least the 15th century. It comes from the Latin verb Oppugnare. Op- meaning "against", and Pugnare meaning "to fight." It originally referred to fighting against something or someone, either physically or verbally. Okay, now, everyone, use this word in a sentence. Just kidding! Please do not!!!
38. Features of academic gowns: HOODS.
40. Less lax: TAUTER.
41. St. Patrick's land: EIRE. Also known as Ireland.
42. F equivalent: E-SHARP. A musical reference.
45. Like radon, say: INERT. The gas may be inert, but it is formed by the natural breakdown of uranium in the soil. According to the American Cancer Society, there is a link between Radon and Lung Cancer.
47. "Norma __": RAE. The name of a 1979 movie starring Sally Field (b. Nov. 6, 1946).
51. Pre-flight frisking gp.: TSA. As in the Transportation Security Administration.
54. One may be played with sticks or brushes: SNARE DRUM.
56. Misplay with matches?: ARSON. Fun clue.
57. Hawkish god: ARES. It's Greek to me!
58. Composer Milhaud: DARIUS. Darius Milhaud (Sept. 4, 1892 ~ June 22, 1974), was a French composer. I am not familiar with his work, but here is his piece entitled A Frenchman in New York.
59. Hard-to-meet condition: BIG IF. You want me to do what!!!???
61. Apple browser: SAFARI. I liked how Safari crossed with 62-Down: Acrobat maker = ADOBE.
63. Former Bears coach: DITKA. As in Mike Ditka (b. Oct. 18, 1939). He also coached the New Orleans Saints in the late 1990s.
65. Satan: BEELZEBUB. Beelzebub is mentioned in this Queen song:
68. Tips, as a hat: DOFFS.
69. Minerva's Greek counterpart: ATHENA. You don't even have to leave this country to see Athena. There is a large statue of Athena in the Parthenon in Nashville.
71. Smith, at times: SHOER. As in one who shoes horses.
72. End in grand style: TOP OFF. Meh!
74. Baseball's Speaker: TRIS. Tris Speaker (né Tristan Edgar Speaker; Apr. 4, 1888 ~ Dec. 8, 1958) was born and died in Texas, but began his major league baseball career with the Boston Red Sox.
75. 1970 Neil Diamond hit: SHILO. Not a fan of Neil Diamond, so you'll have to find this song yourself.
77. Deactivating: DISABLING.
80. Author Rand: AYN. Any Rand (née Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum; Feb. 2, 1905 ~ Mar. 6, 1982), is probably best known for her books, Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead.
84. Company VIP: CEO. As in the Chief Executive Officer.
85. Prom attendees: TEENS.
86. Out of class: ABSENT.
87. Open a bit: AJAR. When is a door not a door?
88. Muted to the max: SILENT.
91. Bill's attorney general: JANET. Janet Reno (July 21, 19938 ~ Nov. 7, 2016), served as the 78th United States Attorney General. She served during the Clinton Administration, from January 1993 until January 2001.
93. Remove by melting, say: ABLATE. Another word in today's puzzle that I will probably never have need of using.
95. Pungent green: CRESS. Cress is a green vegetable in the cabbage family.
96. Indelicate: CRASS. Nice to have Crass next to Cress, with only a vowel change.
98. Friend of TV's Sheldon: RAJ. A reference to The Big Bang Theory. Not a fan of the show.
101. "__ World": "Sesame Street" segment: ELMO'S. Having no young children, I am not up on all the segments of Sesame Street. I guess he likes to play a SNARE DRUM, though.
104. Seasonal song words after "gay apparel": FA LA LA. Deck the Hall with Boughs of Holly ...
106. Superhero-themed kids' wear: UNDEROOS. It would be 97-Down to show kids in underwear!
113. Future viewer: SEER.
114. See 103-Down: ARK. // And 103-Down: 114-Across Builder = NOAH. A Biblical reference to Noah's Ark and the 40 days of rain.
115. Main blood vessel: AORTA.
116. Manly: VIRILE.
117. Nine-digit IDs: SSNs. As in Social Security Numbers.
118. "Psst!": HEY!
119. Visual okays: NODS.
120. Tinier than tiny: ATOMIC. Also a song by Blondie.
Down:
1. Easy comparative: ABC. This puzzle was almost as easy as ABC.
2. Paving material: TAR.
3. Strawberry Fields benefactor: ONO. O, NO! It's Yoko ONO!
4. Rural turndown: NAW.
5. Like some "La Cage Aux Folles" dancers: IN DRAG. The original French version was even better than the American re-make.
6. Rick's, in film: CAFÉ. A reference to Casa Blanca.
7. Followed a Hippocratic dictum: DID NO HARM. The Hippocratic Oath is historically taken by new physicians and they are directed to Do No Harm in the treatment of their patients.
8. Corrosive stuff: ACID.
9. Novelist Deighton: LEN. Len Deighton (né Leonard Cyril Deighton; b. Feb. 18, 1929), is best known for his spy novels. Tomorrow is his 90th Birthday, so be sure to wish him a great day!
10. "No more for me": I'M GOOD!
11. Docudramas airer: A AND E. Usually seen as A&E.
13. Choice: PLUM.
14. Observation point: LOOKOUT. Here's a lookout point at Mt. Katadin in Maine.
15. Not yet posted: UNSENT.
16. "Tristram Shandy" author: STERNE. As in Laurence Sterne (Nov. 24, 1713 ~ Mar. 18, 1768). I have never read any of his works. The full title of this work is The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, and is published in 9 volumes. That would take some time to read through.
17. Salad preparer: TOSSER. Awkward! You might want to Toss a little CRESS into your salad.
19. Reel trouble: SNAG.
23. Actress Thurman: UMA. Uma Thurman (née Uma Karina Thurman; b. Apr. 29, 1970) is probably best known for her Kill Bill movies, and the famous dance scene in Pulp Fiction.
25. Navigation aids: RADARS. Radar is an acronym for Radio Detection And Ranging. Also used by police to check on speeders.
28. "Frasier" bros., e.g.: DRs. Both Frasier and his brother Niles, were doctors; psychiatrists, in fact.
29. Transvaal settlers: BOERS. Transvaal is a province of South Africa.
30. Like lives in hives: APIAN. Think of the Bees.
32. Have remorse for: RUE. Also the French word for Street.
34. Cleaning tools: MOPS.
37. "__ say more?": NEED I. This puzzle is quite clever. Need I say more?
39. Chicago airport code: ORD. The airport is O'Hare. Originally, however, the airport was known as Orchard Field, hence, the airport code ORD. In 1949, the name was changed to O'Hare to honor Edward Henry O'Hare (Mar. 13, 1914 ~ Nov. 26, 1943), a World War II flying ace, who was killed in the War.
40. Beach divers: TERNS.
43. Clean with S.O.S: SCRUB.
44. Provides home care services?: HOUSE SITS.
45. "There's no use": IT'S FUTILE!
46. New start?: NEO-. As in Neoclassic. The United States Capitol Building is an example of Neoclassic architecture.
48. Played again on TV: RERAN. Or you can watch a Rerun.
49. Hankering: EAGER.
50. Windy City newspaper, for short: TRIB. As in the Chicago Tribune.
52. Feudal worker: SERF.
53. Sale stipulation: AS IS.
55. Tools with tines: RAKES. .
57. CIO partner, familiarly: AF OF L. As in the American Federation Of Labor. A bit awkward, I should think. I am familiar with AFL-CIO, which stands for the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.
59. Bud's promise: BLOOM. Think of flowers. My roses are already in their first bloom of the season.
60. Suffix often meaning "to make": -IZE. Here is a CustomIZEd vehicle. What is it, a car or a motorcycle?
63. Facts and figures: DATA.
64. Modest admission: I TRY.
66. Jennifer of "Zero Dark Thirty": EHLE. As in Jennifer Ehle (b. Dec. 29, 1969). She is currently 49. I never saw Zero Dark Thirty and don't recognize this actress.
67. Deck crew boss: BOSUN.
70. Thus far: AS YET.
73. Medicare component: PART A.
76. QVC sister station: HSN. QVS stands for Quality, Value, Convenience and HSN is the Home Shopping Network.
77. Draws attention (from): DISTRACTS.
78. "Terrif!": NEAT-O!
79. Injures, as a matador: GORES. From Sonny Stitt's album, The Matadors Meet the Bull.
81. Motion detector, e.g.: SENSOR.
82. Cheerful group?: FANS. Because the Fans full up the Cheering Section of the arena.
83. Debater of Stephen in 1858: ABE. A reference to the famous (Abraham) Lincoln-(Stephen) Douglas Debates.
85. Marketing hirees: TESTERS. I suppose. Usually the testers are volunteers recruited by marketeers.
87. Tide competitor: ALL. Both are brands of laundry detergent.
88. Speedy ski run: SCHUSS.
89. Dunne and Ryan of cinema: IRENEs. Irene Dunne (née Irene Marie Dunn; Dec. 20, 1898 ~ Sept. 4, 1990) was before my time with respect to her acting career.
90. Plodding: LEADEN.
91. Sporty wheels, briefly: JAG.
92. Art movement typified by Sloan's "McSorley's Bar": ASHCAN. The Ashcan School was an American Art movement that focused on the daily life of the working-class.
96. After-school job: CHORE. Or, in my house, what we do on the weekends.
97. Not without danger: RISKY. See 106-Across.
99. __-Seltzer: ALKA.
100. Hinged mouth part: JAW. Moose Jaw is the 4th largest city in Saskatchewan. The city used to boast the Largest Moose Statue in the world, but is currently battling with Norway for that title.
104. Shallow crossing: FORD. Not Gerald, the former United States President.
105. Kilauea flow: LAVA. This Hawaiian volcano has been erupting almost continuously for over 35 years.
108. Canterbury can: LOO. British bathrooms.
109. Vel follower: -CRO. More than you ever wanted to know about VELCRO.
1
10. "Tell __": Streisand/Dion duet: HIM. I'll spare your ears on this song, too.
10. "Tell __": Streisand/Dion duet: HIM. I'll spare your ears on this song, too.
111. Yalie: ELI. A crossword staple.
112. Remote button: REC. As in the Record button.
Hope you all had as much fun with this puzzle as I did. Here's the Grid:
