Sunday December 15, 2019 Robin Stears

Theme: *Black Magic"- Both words in each theme entry can follow "Black".

23. *Landmark near Waikiki: DIAMOND HEAD. Black diamond. Blackhead.

29. *Down time on Wall Street?: BEAR MARKET. Black bear. Black market.

47. *It's larger than a littleneck: CHERRY STONE. Black cherry. Blackstone.

50. *Where land and ocean meet: SEA BOARD. Black Sea. Blackboard.

66. *Cowhide accessory: LEATHER BELT. Black leather. Black belt.

81. *Negative-studier's aid: LIGHT BOX. New phrase to me. Black light. Black box.

83. *Kozy Shack dessert: RICE PUDDING. Black rice. Black pudding.

104. *Fancy decoration particles: GOLD POWDER. Black gold. Black powder.

112. *Former Queens home of the US Open: FOREST HILLS. Black Forest. Black Hills.

I don't often see a title with an asterisk mark. This type of theme often has a reveal.

Don and I did this Black Monday puzzle ages ago. It was a hard work then. I'm just so amazed at the number of entries in Robin's theme.

Across:

1. Pulitzer-winning Ferber novel: SO BIG. 1924 novel.

6. PC key not used by itself: CTRL.

10. "Joy to the World," e.g.: CAROL.

15. Costa del __: SOL.

18. Mocedades song covered by Eydie Gormé as "Touch the Wind": ERES TU. It's You.

20. Riskily off base: AWOL.

21. All-inclusive adjective: EVERY.

22. Peak pique: IRE.

25. Carafe size: LITER.

26. Opposite of trans: CIS. Cisgender. Transgender.

27. Comes down with: GETS.

28. Printer supply: TONER.

31. 67.5 deg.: ENE.

32. Junior: SON.

33. '80s soap rebooted in 2017: DYNASTY. Looks intriguing.

35. __ podrida: Spanish dish: OLLA. Pork and beans.

36. "Sweeney Todd" tool: STROP.

38. Mary __: KAY.

40. One-named Deco artist: ERTE.

41. Sick to the max: ILLEST. Odd form.

43. What prospective borrowers compare: RATES.

45. Discipline with poses: YOGA.

46. 2015 Best Actress Larson: BRIE. "Room". I don't remember the film at all.

54. Cascades peak: SHASTA.

55. Bethesda medical agcy.: NIH.

56. Cut: SEVER.

57. Society page word: NEE.

58. Duck named for the long-feathered part of its anatomy: PINTAIL. Helpful clue.

60. Stand-up quality?: POSTURE. That duck has good posture.

63. "Straight Up" singer: ABDUL (Paula)

65. Bad road condition?: RAGE. Minnesotans are generally polite drivers.

69. One often has ticks: LIST.

70. "Consequently ... ": AND SO.

72. Snuggled, in a way: SPOONED.

73. Broad Eurasian region: SIBERIA. Remember this Siberian family?

75. GATT successor: WTO.

76. Plain __: obvious: TO SEE.

78. Gist: NUB.

80. Recall targets: LEMONS.

86. MTV sci-fi show "__ Flux": AEON.

87. Quick run: DASH.

88. Tough tests: ORALS.

89. 1964 Nobel Prize decliner: SARTRE. Here with Simone de Beauvoir.

92. Tenth: Pref.: DECI.

93. Narc's org.: DEA.

94. Best way to leave the casino: AHEAD. Boomer loves nickel poker.

98. "A Death in the Family" writer: AGEE.

99. Land adjoining a mansion: DEMESNE. New word to me.

101. "Miss Saigon" setting: NAM.

103. TiVo predecessor: VCR.

107. Come to pass: OCCUR.

109. Phony (up): HOKE. Is "hoke up" a common phrase? Never heard of it.

110. The "E" in BCE: ERA.

111. Alaskan native: ALEUT.

114. Not of the cloth: LAY.

115. Victoria, to William IV: NIECE.

116. Computer __: USER. Never used a computer until 1995. How about you?

117. Gets to the bottom of: SOLVES. I just wait for D-Otto.

118. Cry of success: YES.

119. Unloaded?: SOBER.

120. Submerged threat: REEF.

121. Art of verse: POESY.

Down:

1. Papyrus plants, e.g.: SEDGES.

2. Get situated: ORIENT.

3. Jalopy: BEATER.

4. Things to believe in: ISMS.

5. '60s song car with "three deuces and a four-speed and a 389": GTO.

6. "Call Me Irresponsible" lyricist: CAHN (Sammy)

7. Outdoorsy, taste-wise: TWEEDY. Another learning moment for me.

8. Detroit Lions' mascot: ROARY. Big Easy and I used this word in our CHIEF JUSTICE puzzle a few years ago.

9. Honorary degree for attys.: LLD.

10. Sugar Plum Fairy's instrument: CELESTA.

11. Fly: AVIATE.

12. Take another shot: RETRY.

13. City on Utah Lake: OREM.

14. Vega's constellation: LYRA.

15. Tool with a curved blade: SICKLE.

16. Protruding windows: ORIELS.

17. "The Vampire Chronicles" vampire: LESTAT. Tom Cruise.

19. Word that may precede itself: UNTO. Unto itself.

24. Shrek's bestie: DONKEY.

29. River transport: BARGE.

30. Loggers' contest: ROLEO.

32. Peloponnesian War victor: SPARTA.

34. Noble gas: NEON.

37. Electra's brother: ORESTES.

39. PGA part: Abbr.: ASSN.

41. "Dies __": IRAE.

42. Early fall baby's sign: LIBRA.

44. Are losing: TRAIL.

45. Talk Like a Pirate Day refrain: YO HO HO.

46. Cuts at an angle: BEVELS.

47. Red wine: CHIANTI.

48. Sad sack: HANGDOG.

49. Walk quietly: TIPTOE.

50. Desertlike: SERE. Fixture in our old Tribune Media days.

51. Hearth item sometimes called a firedog: ANDIRON.

52. Extending the life of: REUSING.

53. Mouth formations: DELTAS.

54. Urban planner's concern: SPRAWL.

56. Pin in a ring, say: SUBDUE. Verb "pin".

59. Textbook section: LESSON.

61. Six-yr.-term pol: SEN.

62. Ditch: TRENCH.

64. Complexion spoiler: BLEMISH.

67. High point: APEX.

68. Actress Swinton: TILDA. She's in "Burn After Reading".

71. Weasel relative: OTTER.

74. Madhouse: BEDLAM.

77. Shawm descendant: OBOE.

79. Fraternal gp.: BPOE.

82. Despised: HATED.

83. Indy entrant: RACER.

84. Egyptian fertility goddess: ISIS. And 87. Harvest goddess: DEMETER.

85. Voyager 2 destination: URANUS.

89. How Yoda spoke: SAGELY.

90. Trading places?: AGORAE. They wouldn't believe how we shop today.

91. Track events: RELAYS.

92. Figure out: DEDUCE.

93. Formal order: DECREE.

95. Advance in the race?: EVOLVE. Human race.

96. "Supernatural" co-star Jensen __: ACKLES. No idea.

97. Beyond "business casual": DRESSY.

99. Dimwitted "We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story" dinosaur: DWEEB.

100. Rope loop: NOOSE.

102. Liberal __: ARTS.

105. Chef's collection: PANS. Have you tried Tuscan chicken before?

106. Potpourri: OLIO.

108. Random House co-founder: CERF.

109. Hawaii County seat: HILO.

112. Pelt: FUR.

113. Kangaroo move: HOP.