23. This year's hatchlings?: NEST GENERATION. Next generation.
37. Chopin virtuoso's self-assurance?: ETUDE CONFIDENCE. Exude confidence.
50. Greek cross in a company logo?: CORPORATE TAU. Corporate tax.
58. Opinion surveys on text changes?: EDIT POLLS. Exit polls.
80. Time to honor an aircraft manufacturer?: BOEING DAY. Boxing Day.
91. Shark's interim appendage?: TEMPORARY FIN. Temporary fix.
97. Ripening of a Mediterranean fruit?: OLIVE COMPLETION. Olive complexion.
Reveal:
120. Pupil with a phonetic beginning that hints at what the circled letters comprise: X CHANGE STUDENT.
BOEING DAY and OLIVE COMPLETION changes are amazing, long and unexpected.
No straying X'es, so all's good. Paul probably had plenty of theme choices. But once Rich OK'ed the final set, he had to grid the entries in the strict order. Not much gridding flexibility.
Across:
1. Noble, unselfish sort: GALAHAD. Son of Lancelot.
8. Copy: PARROT.
14. Language of the Quran: ARABIC.
20. Magnetite, e.g.: IRON ORE.
21. Port N of Pittsburgh: ERIE PA. N hints at an Abbr.
22. Examine in detail: PERUSE.
25. Influential groups: ELITES.
26. Quelques-__: a few, in French: UNES. 119. East, in Essen: OST. And two Spanish references: 33. Acapulco aunt: TIA. And 34. Mayo is found in it: ANO.
27. One in a shell: TURTLE.
28. ER workers: RNS.
30. "Bellefleur" author: OATES. Wiki says Joyce Carol Oates has 58 novels published. Stunning.
31. Half a tuba sound: PAH.
32. Scrips: MEDS.
35. Quarterback Manning: ELI.
45. Highland hillsides: BRAES.
47. Attorney general after Sessions: BARR. He and Roseanne. Not many cluing options.
48. Tummy muscles: ABS.
49. Coal carrier: HOD. Looks heavy.
54. Exist: ARE.
55. Diva deliveries: SOLI. Plural of solo.
56. Formally commend: CITE.
57. Ancient assembly areas: AGORAS. Alliterative all the way.
60. Extend People: RENEW.
62. Santa feature: BEARD.
64. Kids' song refrain: E I E I O.
65. Some QB protectors: RGS. Right guards.
68. Alpine peasant dress: DIRNDL. Consonant-rich.
70. Sealed: UNOPEN. I use "unopened".
73. Animal house: DEN.
74. Skateboarding move: OLLIE.
76. Peak: CREST.
78. Lover of Silvio in "Pagliacci": NEDDA. We had this before. I forgot.
83. Jeered: HOOTED.
85. Buckwheat noodle: SOBA. Plenty in our local grocery stores. But no udon.
89. U.K. honors: OBES. OBE = Order of the British Empire.
90. Faller of 2001: MIR. De-orbited in March 2001.
93. Bug: TAP.
94. Knock: RAP.
95. Q.E.D. word: ERAT.
96. Hoists: HEFTS.
103. UFO crew, in theory: ETS.
104. "One Mic" rapper: NAS.
105. Anaheim MLB team, in crawl lines: LAA. And 112. Baseball brother: ALOU. Korean baseball is on.
106. Meh: SO SO.
108. Film buff's channel: TCM.
111. Typical hole-in-one, e.g.: EAGLE.
113. Triage ctrs.: ERS.
114. Piggies' protector: BOOTIE.
117. "... __ saw Elba": ERE I.
118. White rat, e.g.: ALBINO.
123. Beach locales: COASTS. Lots of solid 6-worders in Paul's grid.
124. Bread maker: EARNER.
125. Heartfelt: EARNEST.
126. Most massive: HUGEST.
127. Heavy hammer: SLEDGE.
128. High houses: SENATES.
Down:
1. Generate: GIN UP.
2. Place to play: ARENA.
3. Become discouraged: LOSE HEART. Great fill.
4. Queen's offspring: ANTS.
5. Monopolize: HOG.
6. Mountain ridge: ARETE. Learned from doing crosswords.
7. Strip of vegetation: DENUDE.
8. Chipper: PERT.
9. Seriously shrunken sea: ARAL.
10. Baptism, for one: RITE.
11. Outdoor gear brand: REI. And 67. Item of camping gear: SLEEPING BAG.
12. Portugal's second-largest city: OPORTO.
13. Astringent in red wine: TANNIN. Also in tea.
14. "Tarzan" critter: APE.
15. Puts in more film: RELOADS.
16. French satellite launcher: ARIANE. No idea. Read more here.
17. Grabbed for a chat: BUTTONHOLED. Another great fill.
18. "Of course": I SEE. 42. "As if": I BET.
19. Prefix with pit: CESS.
24. At one time, at one time: ERST.
29. Apple browser: SAFARI.
32. Japanese soup: MISO. Just don't feel comfortable going to our Asian grocery stores. I really miss touching things that I don't intend to buy.
36. Sufferer healed by Jesus: LEPER.
38. Super, slangily: UBER.
39. Like some artifacts, thanks to radiocarbon: DATABLE.
40. Clear: ERASE.
41. French vineyard: CRU.
43. Border __: COLLIE.
44. Inventor of an early stock ticker: EDISON.
45. Discreetly send a dupe email to: BCC.
46. "Vive le __!": ROI.
51. Eastern royal: RANI.
52. New __: AGER.
53. Limo service vehicle: TOWN CAR.
54. Extend: ADD ONTO.
55. "... or __ thought": SO I.
58. Coastal flier: ERN. Sometimes it's ERNE.
59. Await judgment: PEND.
61. Sistine Chapel mural setting: EDEN.
63. Quaint coin-op eatery: AUTOMAT.
65. Surname in a 1983 Styx hit: ROBOTO.
66. Worldwide: GLOBAL. This picture is widely circulated in Chinese social media. The coronavirus is under control there. This is the price of victory.
69. Arid: DRY.
71. Equal: PEER.
72. Historic Icelandic work: EDDA.
75. "__ for Innocent": Grafton novel: I IS.
77. Sex educator Hite: SHERE.
79. So far: AS YET.
My home town Xi'an has 12 million people. Total 123 coronavirus cases. 3 deaths. No new cases for the past 10 weeks. But people still wear masks, fearing of second wave. You
still have to have your temperature taken when you take a bus or go to a
grocery store.
81. 2008 TARP beneficiary renamed Ally Financial: GMAC.
82. Simple radio antenna: DIPOLE.
84. Eye opener?: OPTI. And 92. Stat start: RHEO. And 101. Bone: Pref.: OSTE.
86. Like garage parking: OFF-STREET.
87. Modicum: BIT.
88. Reply to a ques.: ANS. Answer.
91. Bus. card info: TEL.
94. Is indignant about: RESENTS.
98. Carousel traveler: VALISE.
99. Funny brothers: MARXES.
100. Programming language named for a mathematician: PASCAL.
102. Sounds: NOISES.
107. Bristlelike parts: SETAE.
109. Perfume, as at High Mass: CENSE.
110. Hands, in slang: MITTS.
111. Apiece: EACH.
114. Boston or Chicago: BAND.
115. Blood type, briefly: O NEG.
116. Shrek, for one: OGRE.
117. "Giant" author Ferber: EDNA.
121. Charlemagne's domain: Abbr.: HRE. Holy Roman Empire.
122. Coffee hour vessel: URN.
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms on our blog!
C.C
