22A. Note to self before appearing on "America's Got Talent"?: CAPTIVATE AUDIENCE. Captive audience.
59A. Ancient Greek warrior's pet monkey?: AMAZON PRIMATE. Amazon Prime.
79A. Try to cure the effects of a skunk invasion on a semi?: AERATE FREIGHT. Air freight.
118A. Best Reader Award winner?: PICK OF THE LITERATE. Pick of the litter.
15D. "That's not a baby bump?"?: SURELY YOU GESTATE. Surely you jest.
37D. Liven up the science fair?: ACTIVATE VOLCANOS. Active volcanos. I use "volcanoes".
There's an extra "Dined in" sound in 79A, though different spelling.
Only 6 themers, but they're mostly very long. We have a total 105 theme squares. About our average.
Across:
1. Arctic "snowshoe" critters: HARES. Snowshoe hare.
6. Musical Mama: CASS.
10. Meter users: BARDS. Poetic meter.
15. Bit of beer, say: SIP.
18. Cluster of stars?: A-LIST. Well, this is a great cluster, except that he has Kevin Spacey.
19. Myanmar, at one time: BURMA.
20. Look forward to: AWAIT.
21. Colorful card game: UNO.
25. MGM rival: RKO.
26. Tile setter, often: KNEELER.
27. Firing offense?: ARSON. Oldie but goodie.
28. Well-mannered: GENTEEL. C'est tres gentil!
30. Bits of energy: ERGS.
32. Stable dwellers: MARES.
34. Dresses down: SCOLDS.
35. "What do you __?": MEAN.
39. Where to find Reubens and Cubans: DELI. Never had a Cuban sandwich before.
41. They're in the air: GASES.
43. Today, to Tomás: HOY. And 4. 90° from norte: ESTE. 36. Mes con 31 días: ENERO. 81. Spanish 101 word: ERES.
44. Coop up in a coop: ENCAGE. I use CAGE.
46. Take a load off: EASE.
48. Cry out loud: SOB.
50. Soapmaking compounds: LYES.
53. Put a damper on: DETER.
54. Gospel travelers: MAGI. 94D. One of the 54-Across: CASPAR.
55. Fire sign: FLAME.
57. Not just primary, as an heir: SOLE.
58. Uzi's brother in "The Royal Tenenbaums": ARI. No idea. You can read more here.
63. Take advantage of: USE.
64. Place to see X's and O's: LOVE NOTE.
66. Witch: CRONE.
67. Like the soles of walking boots: RIDGED.
69. Put on a pedestal: ADORE.
70. Cinematic Sergio: LEONE. Spaghetti Western. "Once Upon a Time in the West", etc.
71. Actor's nickname that sounds like a golf term: BOGIE. Humphrey Bogart.
72. Posy pieces: PETALS.
74. '90s candidate who opposed NAFTA: PEROT.
75. Walter Reed hospital city: BETHESDA.
78. Night before the big day: EVE.
82. Carol opener: TIS.
83. Jeans name: LEVI. D-Otto's brand.
85. Like some probes: LUNAR.
86. "LOTR" menaces: ORCS. The Lord of the Rings.
87. Leaders: HEADS.
89. Jumbo tail?: TRON. Jumbotron.
90. Vicious with a bass: SID. Sid Vicious was a bassist.
91. Pea opener in toons?: SWEE. Swee'Pea. Popeye's kid.
92. Fly over Africa: TSETSE. Thank God they do not fly over our head.
93. Express opp.: LOC. Local.
95. __ academy: NAVAL.
98. Go a round or two: SPAR.
100. Many August births: LEOS.
101. Spa offering: FACIAL.
104. Rope maker's supply: SISAL.
106. Tried to make up for lost time: SPED.
108. Part of it is now a desert: ARAL SEA.
110. Whale tracker: SONAR.
112. Short end of the stick: RAW DEAL.
117. Cru output: VIN.
121. Classic auto: REO.
122. Adjust: ALTER.
123. Cybersales: E-TAIL. Have any of you tried Uniqclo or Everlane?
124. Noted 2001 bankruptcy: ENRON.
125. Solid start?: ESS. Solid.
126. Word in a Morton Salt motto: RAINS.
127. Thin change: DIME.
128. 1951 Reagan co-star: BONZO.
Down:
1. Modern-day break-in: HACK.
2. Snape portrayer Rickman: ALAN.
3. Ready in the field: RIPE.
The Asian store had a few cut-up pieces of jackfruit on sale the other
day. Carmen (my pal in Guangzhou) told me that it tasted more like
durian rather than pineapple. So I was expecting the melt-in-your-mouth
taste of durian. So disappointed.
 |
| Jackfruit |
 |
| Durian |
6. "Scene's over!": CUT.
7. 51, for one: AREA.
8. Insincere flattery: SMARM.
9. Pepperoni alternative: SAUSAGE. These are Guangzhou-style sausages. Best in the world.
10. ... Fitzgerald, __, Milhous ...: BAINES. JFK, LBJ, Nixon.
11. Stunned state: AWE.
12. Summoned to the door: RANG.
13. Does some meal prep: DICES.
14. Foul quality: STENCH.
16. Signed: INKED.
17. Backyard amenities: POOLS. Not in our yard.
19. Canal craft: BARGE.
23. Mesa __ National Park: VERDE.
24. Toon adventurer: DORA.
29. They get the job done: TOOLS.
31. Scandalous stuff: SLEAZE.
33. With 52-Down, bagel flavoring: SESAME. 52. See 33-Down: SEED.
35. Competition carrot: MEDAL. Reward "carrot".
38. Dundee denial: NAE.
40. "I hate the Moor" speaker: IAGO. 70. "Why, then, __ soldier drink!": 40-Down: LET A.
42. Victoria's Secret competitor: SOMA. Have yet to try this brand.
45. Hiker's handful: GRANOLA.
47. More honest: SINCERER.
49. Promise to marry: BETROTH.
51. End of an ultimatum: ELSE.
54. Down Under bud: MATE.
55. Hot concert spot: FRONT ROW.
56. No surprise to a Disney World arrival: LINE. Gary knows full well.
60. Delightful bites: MORSELS.
61. Prosecutor's burden: PROOF.
62. Pieces of pie, often: EIGHTHS.
65. Educator LeShan: EDA.
68. Common game piece: DIE.
71. More than just asks: BEGS.
72. Hide in the forest?: PELT. Noun "hide".
73. Happily-after link: EVER.
74. Critters with black eye patches: PANDAS.
75. Guns that don't shoot: BICEPS. Must have been photoshopped.
76. Playground comeback: DID SO.
77. Pack animals: ASSES.
80. Machu Picchu or Chichén Itzá: RUIN.
84. How tuna might be packed: IN OIL. And 88. Skinny swimmer: EEL. Not a fan of tuna. But love roasted eels.
91. Not straight up: SLANTED.
92. Pleasant surprise: TREAT.
96. Golfers' headgear: VISORS.
97. Beginning with: AS OF.
99. 102-Down month: APRIL. 102. Fire sign: ARIES.
101. Pro Football Hall of Fame QB Brett: FAVRE. Was a Viking for a short period of time.
103. "The Pearl Fishers" priestess: LEILA. Another unknown.
105. "The Good Fight" actress: LAHTI (Christine)
107. Social misfit: DWEEB.
109. When the story starts on stage: ACT I.
111. Copy paper purchase: REAM.
113. Early Bond foe: DR NO.
114. Pull down: EARN.
115. Familiar gamut: A TO Z.
116. Car-collecting comic: LENO.
119. "Country Music" chronicler Burns: KEN.
120. Bit of perjury: LIE.
C.C.
