Theme: "Fowl Play" - Punning on various fowl-related words.
23. Action at a coop dance?: POULTRY IN MOTION. Poetry in motion.
39. Nestling tossed out of a bar?: BOUNCED CHICK. Bounced check. Vivid image.
47. Story subtitled "Murder Most Fowl"?: THE FRYER'S TALE. The Friar's Tale.
66. Rooster's wake-up call?: ALARM CLUCK. Alarm clock.
69. Tiny hatchling group?: MICRO BROOD. Microbrew.
88. What fussy hens do?: PECK AND CHOOSE. Pick and choose.
97. Fowl haulin' a semi?: CAPON TRUCKIN'. Keep on truckin'.
117. "Rooster Wars" sequel in which Hen Solo rescues Princess Layer?: THE BANTAM MENACE. The Phantom Menace (Star Wars)
I
don't recall such a fowl play theme before. Ed always comes up with
original & fun themes. Ed is also a very accomplished themeless
constructor, so his Sunday grids are often filled with sparkly
long-fill. The paralleled 2/3-Down & 83/84-Down are good
examples.
I never quite get a handle of punning them. It's D-Otto's domain. Mine often lacks "surface sense".
I never quite get a handle of punning them. It's D-Otto's domain. Mine often lacks "surface sense".
Across:
1. Alerts that may lead to roadblocks, briefly: APBS.
5. Bela Lugosi was buried in one: CAPE. IMDb says "He was buried in a Dracula costume, including a cape, but not the ones used in the 1931 film...".
9. Orkney components: ISLES.
14. Egg boiler's aid: TIMER.
19. Ball game: POLO. Can you clue GOLF as [Ball game] also?
20. "You said it!": AMEN.
21. Steel plow pioneer: DEERE.
22. Ask for "fish 'n' chips," say: ELIDE.
26. Catkin producer: ALDER. There's a Green Alder in our neighbor's yard that has lots of catkins.
27. Make a bundle farming?: SHEAVE. Nice clue. Spitzboov made lots of bundle farming.
28. Fella: GUY.
29. The Tempter: SATAN.
31. __ fide: BONA.
32. D.C. fundraisers: PACS.
33. Confederacy foe: UNION.
35. See 16-Down: ITO. 16. With 35-Across, Japanese Olympian: MIDORI.
36. Guitarist Clapton: ERIC.
37. Primo: A ONE.
38. Car in a '60s hit: GTO.
43. Eggy quaff: NOG. Boomer likes Tom and Jerry. It has eggnog. Now he can't have alcohol due to the oral chemo.
44. Mad fad: MANIA.
46. Silver, to Long John: TREASURE.
50. Cotton Club site: HARLEM. Unfamiliar with the club.
54. Imam's faith: ISLAM.
55. Towels off gently: PATS DRY.
58. Neutral tone: BEIGE.
59. Part of a house profile: ROOFLINE. OK, this edge.
63. Puffin relative: AUK. Are these puffins or auks? So cute.
65. Gp. with many sub-par members: PGA. Another great clue.
73. Promgoer's concern: ZIT.
74. Television station?: DEN. Where TV is stationed.
75. One of two on a three-speed: BIKE TIRE.
76. Inuit transport: UMIAK.
79. Income for Inc., say: AD SPACE.
82. Tailor: ALTER.
86. Unleash a tirade: LET RIP.
92. Intermittent drip cause: SLOW LEAK. So glad our garage ceiling leak is fixed.
95. Ristorante potful: SAUCE.
96. Home-school link: Abbr.: PTA.
101. Some boxing wins: KOS.
102. Disappearing ski resort feature: T BAR.
103. Saudi Arabia neighbor: OMAN.
104. 42-Down's leg count: TEN. 42. Seabed sidler: CRAB.
105. Breathers?: NOSES.
107. Smack, as a mosquito: SWAT.
108. Start to meter or liter: DECI. Tenth.
109. Anarchist in 1921 news: SACCO. Forgot. We had this guy before.
112. Voluminous ref. work: OED.
113. Canine complaints: WHINES.
115. Wes Craven film locale: Abbr.: ELM ST.
120. Herder's rope: RIATA.
121. Sun: Pref.: HELIO.
122. Sentiment-al piece?: OPED.
123. What beavers do: GNAW.
124. Have a feeling: SENSE.
125. Auto bust: EDSEL. Collectible for some.
126. What's going on: NEWS.
127. Deserve: EARN.
Down:
1. Phone programs: APPS.
2. Plays down: POOH-POOHS. 3. Navy aerobatic team member: BLUE ANGEL. Gorgeous pairs. See also 83. Head honcho: TOP BANANA. And 84. London station wagon: ESTATE CAR.
4. Pain relief: SOLACE.
5. Give a hoot: CARE.
6. "Clueless" director Heckerling: AMY.
7. Loose dressing gown: PEIGNOIR.
8. Same old same old feeling: ENNUI.
9. Promise sealed with a kiss: I DO.
10. Board-and-pieces units: SETS.
11. Sister of Luke: LEIA.
12. X-rated works: EROTICA.
13. Legislative councils: SENATES.
14. Leaves in a cup: TEA.
15. "You know where to find me": I'LL BE HERE. So grateful for my blog friends, who are always an email away for me.
17. Like paradise: EDENIC.
18. Start another eight-ball game: RE-RACK.
24. Controversial "babysitters": TVS.
25. Brief warning to a busybody: MYOB.
30. "Like, obviously!": NO DUH.
33. Eclectic magazine: UTNE. Don't think I want to read it with this cover.
34. Write, as music: NOTATE.
37. Naysayer: ANTI.
38. Part of LGBTQ: GAY.
40. Online addresses: URLS.
41. Scholarship consideration: NEED.
44. 1983 Keaton film: MR MOM. Michael Keaton.
45. Jelly garnish: ASPIC.
48. "M*A*S*H" actor Jamie: FARR.
49. Go south: TANK.
51. Fat-reducing procedure, briefly: LIPO.
52. Thick & Fluffy waffle brand: EGGO.
53. Beverage that goes back millennia: MEAD.
56. Speed competition: RACE.
57. Mongolian tent: YURT. Modern yurt.
60. Monk's condition, in the TV show: OCD.
61. No friend of Fido: FLEA.
62. Swedish university city: LUND. Never heard of it.
64. Colorful pond fish: KOI.
66. Color of el mar: AZUL. Color of the sea.
67. Mojito component: LIME.
68. Having a spat: AT IT.
69. "The __": classic Yankee nickname: MICK. Mantle.
70. Furniture stores that sell meatballs: IKEAS.
71. Astronomer Tycho __: BRAHE.
72. Move, in real estate lingo: RELO.
75. Start to parallel park: BACK IN.
77. Torchbearers?: ARSONISTS. Nice clue also.
78. Firing site: KILN.
80. Blueprint detail: SPEC.
81. Crowning point: PEAK.
85. End of the line: REAR.
87. Annie who voiced Bo Peep in "Toy Story": POTTS.
89. Man, in a Desmond Morris best-seller: NAKED APE.
90. Tango groups: DUOS.
91. Emails a dupe to: CCS. For past tense, do you use CC'd or CC'ed?
93. Encircle, as with a lei: WREATHE.
94. Had a midday meal: LUNCHED.
97. Video game makers: CODERS.
98. 2001 Audrey Tautou title role: AMELIE. Cute film.
99. Game with ghosts: PAC MAN.
100. High time?: NOON.
102. Minor pain: TWINGE.
106. __ Hall: SETON.
107. Mae West's "__ Done Him Wrong": SHE. Learning moment for me also.
110. Disney collectibles: CELS.
111. Tony relative: OBIE.
113. Iraq War concerns, briefly: WMDS.
114. In stitches: SEWN.
116. __ kwon do: TAE.
118. 2015 Verizon acquisition: AOL.
119. Feline call: MEW.
Happy
73rd birthday to dear Husker Gary's wife Joann and her twin sister
Joyce. Here they're with their mom Martha. Joann is truly special. She
takes great care of all her loved ones. I'll never forget her strength
and devotion last time when Gary was in trouble.
