Sunday October 13, 2019 Kevin Salat

Theme: "Flip the Switch" - ON and OFF change positions.  

22A. Lectured about links?: SPOKE ON THE CUFF. Spoke off the cuff

47A. "We have that in stock," e.g.?: ON HAND REMARK. Offhand remark.

70A. Extra-base hit, likely?: FLY OFF THE WALL. Fly on the wall.

91A. Fake modeling material?: KNOCK OFF WOOD. Knock on wood.

117A. Let go of a factory workers unit?: LAID OFF THE LINE. Laid on the line.

32D. Guidebook for throwing a shot?: ON PUTTING. Off-putting.

60D. Stage hog staying sober?: HAM OFF RYE. Ham on rye.

Three Off to ON, Four On to OFF. One more will be an even switch.

Grid design can be deceiving at times. I thought this is a 140-worder, a few spots just feel so chunky.

Across:

1. Expert's nugget: PRO TIP.

7. Seaside eatery: CLAM BAR. Never been to a clam bar.

14. Relative challenge for some: IN-LAW. Real "relative".

19. Stand-up sort: MENSCH. So many on our blog.

20. Filmmaker for whom a Golden Globe award is named: DEMILLE. Also 127. Academy bestowals: OSCARS.

21. Part of TNT: NITRO.

24. Got out of the pen: SPRUNG. Jail. And 81. Sentence structure?: CELL.

26. 1974 Peace Nobelist from Japan: SATO. Wiki says he "brought Japan into the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, for which he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974." He died in 1975.

27. Gram opening: INSTA. Instagram.

28. Word on a towel: HIS.

29. Icky stuff: GOO.

30. __-cone: SNO.

33. Portable preparedness kit: GO BAG.

35. Rang: TOLLED.

37. 2019 NCAA hoops champ: UVA. And 34. 37-Across conf.: ACC.

38. Start of a few choice words?: EENIE.

40. World Golf Hall of Famer Lorena: OCHOA. One of my favorite LPGA players.

42. Big discount events: FIRE SALES.

45. Fabric flaws: RIPS.

46. Govt. health org.: CDC. And 66. 46-Across HQ city: ATL.

49. Uniformed "O Canada" singer: BLUEJAY. And 52. Maple syrup base: SAP.

51. Prom coif: UPDO.

53. Oktoberfest vessel: STEIN.

54. Balaam's mount: ASS.

55. "In memoriam" piece: OBIT.

59. Adjust the length of: RE-HEM.

63. Peach center: PIT. Tried a few white peaches this year. So sweet.

64. "Cabaret" film director: FOSSE.

66. Spanning: ACROSS.

68. Foo Fighters frontman Grohl: DAVE.

69. "__ dreaming?": AM I.

73. Guys: MEN.

74. Frog hangout: POND.

76. Like many awards: ANNUAL.

77. Similarly named rival of a video game plumber: WARIO. Arch-rival of Mario.

78. PDX : Portland :: __ : Chicago: ORD.

79. Heavenly body?: ANGEL.

82. Wetland: FEN.

83. Tips politely: DOFFS. Hat.

85. Complainer who won't quit: NAG.

87. Dressed: CLAD.

89. Fundraiser: BENEFIT.

97. Round number?: PAR. Nice clue.

98. Obama Education secretary Duncan: ARNE.

99. Specialized market segment: NICHE AREA.

100. Big name in grills: WEBER.

102. Utah's __ Canyon: BRYCE.

103. Do brunch, say: EAT. Not a Chinese tradition.

104. Maze navigator: LAB RAT.

106. Cara of "Fame": IRENE.

108. Yet, in poetry: EEN.

109. "That was ages __": AGO.

110. Law firm fig.: ATT.

111. Brief affair: FLING.

113. XL, for one: SIZE.

115. Work intermittently (in): DABBLE.

122. Intel-gathering mission: RECON.

123. Premier League powerhouse: ARSENAL. Quite a few soccer fields in our area. 

124. Syrian city: ALEPPO.

125. Rainbow-shaped: ARCED.

126. Has no wrong answers, say: GETS AN A.

Down:

1. Downing St. VIPs: PMS.

2. Union __: REP.

3. "Blueprint for a Sunrise" artist: ONO. Wiki says it's a "concept album of experimental feminist rock". She looks like a Chinese empress here.

4. Chiding sounds: TSKS.

5. Frigid time: ICE AGE.

6. ID card feature: PHOTO. Do you all have a real ID?

7. New Orleans summer hrs.: CDT.

8. Bethlehem university: LEHIGH.  Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. (Thanks, billocohoes~)

9. "Absolutely!": AMEN.

10. Prop for an emcee: MIC STAND.

11. Olive pursuer of comics: BLUTO.

12. Sprouts source: ALFALFA. I only like beansprouts.

13. Call the game: REF.

14. First to hear the news: INSIDERS.

15. Little bites: NIPS.

16. P.O. delivery: LTR.

17. Peppery salad green: ARUGULA. Aldi has a spinach & arugula mix.

18. Convinced: WON OVER.

23. Twerp: NOBODY.

25. "Find out": GO ASK.

28. __ mentality: HERD.

30. NBA's Nikola Jokic, e.g.: SERB. Not familiar with him.

31. "Lost in Yonkers" playwright: NEIL SIMON.

36. "Hamilton" creator __-Manuel Miranda: LIN.

39. "Aha!": I SEE.

41. "I'm such a klutz!": OOPS.

43. Char: SEAR.

44. Energetically excited: AMPED.

46. Cooking oil option: CANOLA. Canola field is pretty.

48. Poor spirits?: HOOCH. Oh, I like this clue.

50. Sec: JIFF.

51. Good to have around: USEFUL.

54. All together: AS ONE.

56. Prepared, as beer: BREWED.

57. Waterloo resident: IOWAN.

58. Ruler until 1917: TSAR.

61. From then on: EVER SINCE.

62. Patch: MEND.

63. Rollin' stone, in a Motown classic: PAPA. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".

65. What collaborators should be in: SYNC.

67. Small burger: SLIDER.

71. Edie of "The Sopranos": FALCO.

72. Fish-eating bird: LOON.

75. Academy Award winner Dame Judi __: DENCH. I still have not figured out why Rich sometimes uses __ in the clue, esp when the actress is so famous.

80. Limnologist's subject: LAKE. Never heard of limnologist.

82. Wither away: FADE.

84. Funhouse reaction: FEAR.

86. Commit a hoops no-no: GOALTEND. Read more here.

88. Good times to build sand castles: LOW TIDES.

89. Least adorned: BAREST.

90. Many a "Freaks and Geeks" character: TEEN.

91. Manipulate digitally: KNEAD.

92. Falls for someone who's married?: NIAGARA. Good old clue.

93. Red __: fictional sub: OCTOBER.

94. __ party: FRAT.

95. American Heart Mo., aptly: FEB. Valentine's Day.

96. Armed conflict: WARFARE.

97. What "/" may mean: PER.

101. Ardent enthusiast: BIG FAN.

102. Frames around smartphone displays: BEZELS. The middle one is bezel-less. The screen looks bigger.

105. Top-tier: A LIST.

107. Mandarin hello: NI HAO. Literally "you good".

110. Lotion ingredient: ALOE.

112. Hendryx of the "Lady Marmalade" trio Labelle: NONA. We had her before.

114. Util. supply: ELEC.

116. Include covertly, briefly: BCC.

117. Online gaming annoyance: LAG.

118. St. Pete's place: FLA.

119. Beer choice: IPA.

120. "Code Switch" airer: NPR.

121. Dawn goddess: EOS.

Dennis is going to have a full open-heart surgery at the JFK Medical Center (Atlantis, Florida) next Tuesday Oct 15, 2019. The operation is quite risky as they need to replace both valves.

Dennis jokes that he is always a risk-taker and loves new adventures, but this is quite a battle. The surgery is long and the recovery is longer. Tough for someone who's always on the go.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Stay tough, Dennis!

Dennis