22A. Bash in a boxcar?: FREIGHT PARTY. Frat party.
24A. Capillary?: MINI VEIN. Minivan.
45A. Senior taking lessons?: GRAYED STUDENT. Grad student.
68A. Minor combat injuries?: BATTLE ACHES. Battle axes.
92A. Endure a Moscow heat wave?: BAKE IN THE USSR. Back in the USSR.
119A. Poorly executed karate move?: LAME CHOP. Lamb chop.
121A. Pretend a true story is made-up?: FEIGN FICTION. Fan fiction.
38D. Pancake cookbook photo session?: CREPE SHOOT. Crapshoot.
47D. Source of elegance?: GRACE ROOTS. Grassroots.
So consistent. All the key words change spellings. I'm always amazed at the creativity of constructors for this type of them with extra spelling change layer.
The six black squares at this grid were added later in the filling process. This grid started with 72 or even 68 black squires.
Across:
1. Observing Yom Kippur, say: ON A FAST. Never fasted. Takes discipline.
8. Gumbo pod: OKRA.
12. Location tools: RADARS.
18. Fiction genre: ROMANCE. And 2. 18-Across writer Roberts: NORA.
19. Complain: MOAN.
20. Radioactive element: URANIUM.
26. __ Mae: FANNIE.
27. Till fill: ONES.
28. Auditing pros: CPAS.
29. Back in the day, back in the day: ERST.
30. Some research aids: TOMES.
32. "My Way" lyricist: ANKA.
34. Tourist trap trinkets: KITSCH. Consonant-rich.
36. "I need a few __": SECS.
39. Continuously: EVER.
41. Entered carefully: EASED IN.
44. White wine apéritif: KIR.
47. Dubious "gift": GAB.
50. Goodnight woman of song: IRENE.
52. Marsh plant: CATTAIL.
53. California town whose name means "the river": EL RIO. Helpful clue. It's in Ventura County.
55. Stops: DEPOTS.
57. Field with many partners: LAW. Nice clue.
58. Golfer Trevino: LEE. He was in Minnesota every year for the 3M Championship (senior tour). Always in the same group as Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. Now it's called 3M Open. Regular PGA Tour stop.
59. Understands, as a radio message: READS.
60. Gas supplied in Canada by Imperial Oil: ESSO.
61. Provide money for: ENDOW.
64. Cat food source: TUNA CAN. Any of you allergic to canned tuna?
66. Bind with a line: LASH.
72. Hideouts: DENS.
73. Aboveboard: ETHICAL.
75. Fluff or flub: ERROR.
76. Dubai dignitary: EMIR.
78. Birch of "American Beauty": THORA. The girl on the left.
79. __ result: AS A.
82. Title for Robinson: MRS.
83. Heavy rain aftermath: RUNOFF.
86. Riots: HOOTS.
87. Some discriminators: SEXISTS.
90. Capri, locally: ISOLA.
91. N.C. winter hours: EST.
97. Browning result: TAN. What's your favorite sunscreen? Here's mine. No white cast.
98. How some desserts are served: A LA MODE.
99. Gait between walk and canter: TROT.
100. Invites: ASKS.
101. Longtime Indian leader: GANDHI. Featured in their banknotes.
105. May honorees: MOMS.
107. Tailgating fare: BRATS.
109. Biblical birthright seller: ESAU.
110. Transcript stats: GPAS.
113. Plant for a pet?: CHIA. Cute.
115. __ d'hôtel: MAITRE.
123. Small sizes: PETITES.
124. First name in scat: ELLA. Fitzgerald.
125. Like the darkest night: INKIEST.
126. In order that one might: SO AS TO.
127. Wings you can't eat: ELLS.
128. Refuses: NAYSAYS.
Down:
1. "Carmina Burana" composer: ORFF (Carl)
3. "Absolutely!": AMEN.
4. Passes out: FAINTS.
5. Cardio procedure: ANGIO.
6. One creating plots: SCHEMER.
7. Asian holiday: TET. Traditional Tet food.
8. Land on its own gulf: OMAN.
9. Divided land: KOREA. Traditional Korean Lunar New Year food (same day as Tet).
10. Disorderly place: RAT'S NEST.
11. Vague number: ANY.
12. Beef cut: RUMP.
13. Song for a diva: ARIA.
14. Women's workout wear brand: DANSKIN. You can get them at Walmart.
15. Young Skywalker's nickname: ANI.
16. Fix firmly: RIVET.
17. Court figures: SUERS.
21. Catchall category: Abbr.: MISC.
23. "Best in Show" actress Parker __: POSEY.
25. Maximum: NTH.
28. Invitation notation: CASUAL.
31. Sister of Zsa Zsa: EVA.
33. William of "Carrie": KATT. Unknown figure to me.
35. Supervised hospital resident: INTERN.
36. Cause of a road mark: SKID.
37. The Auld Sod: EIRE.
40. Take back: RECANT.
42. Falco of "The Sopranos": EDIE.
43. Computer key: DELETE.
45. Comes down with: GETS.
46. Opposite of rush: DAWDLE.
48. Actor Quinn: AIDAN.
49. Petty officers, briefly: BOSNS.
51. First line of a three-line eatery sign: NO SHIRT. "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service".
54. Introductions: LEAD-INS.
56. Japanese noodle: SOBA. Japanese for "buckwheat". Cold soba is very popular in Japan/Korea in summer months.
 |
| Soba noodles, Japanese style |
 |
| Soba noodles, Korean Style |
57. Tennis call: LET.
62. Done, to Donne: OER.
63. Hospitality: WARMTH.
65. Geek Squad client: USER.
66. Underworld river: LETHE. River of forgetfulness.
67. One of a Dumas trio: ATHOS.
69. Denali National Park state: ALASKA.
70. Victoria's Secret purchase: CORSET. Kim Kardashian wore one under her Met Gala gown. This is not a doctored picture, guys!
71. Store posting: Abbr.: HRS.
74. Algiers citadel: CASBAH.
77. "Our National Parks" author: MUIR (John)
80. Look: SEEM.
81. Geometry basics: AXIOMS.
84. Criticism: FLAK.
85. They're often for the home team: FANS.
88. __-European: INDO.
89. Recent medical research subject: STEM CELL. Great fill.
93. Sets down: ALIGHTS.
94. __ sprawl: URBAN.
95. Frat. counterpart: SOR.
96. Marathoner's need: STAMINA. Here is the amazing Iceman Wim Hof. He ran a marathon barefoot on ice and snow.
100. If nothing changes: AS IT IS.
101. Salon supply: GEL.
102. Stat relative: ASAP.
103. Directory entries: NAMES.
104. Because of: DUE TO.
106. Con man's partner: SHILL.
108. Tasteless: TACKY.
111. "Every great architect is ... a great __": Wright: POET.
112. Lhasa __: APSO. Lhasa is Tibetan for "place of gods", Apso is "bearded".
114. Some groceries: IGAS.
116. "__ yellow ribbon ... ": TIE A.
117. Promising: ROSY.
118. Tolkien creatures: ENTS.
120. "Argo" spy gp.: CIA.
121. Doctor's charge: FEE.
122. Omen in "Jaws" (besides the music): FIN.
C.C.
