Sunday December 6, 2020 Paul Coulter

Theme:  "Cel Mates" - The first word in each theme entry is a Disney character.

22. Disney dog serving in Congress?: LADY OF THE HOUSE. Lady and the Tramp.

34. Dale's brother, away from their home turf?: CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK. Chip and Dale.

49. One of Snow White's pals acting shellfish-ly?:  HAPPY AS A CLAM.  Seven Dwarfs.

68. Franchises owned by Donald's girlfriend?: DAISY CHAINS.  Donald Duck and Daisy Duck.

88. Kitchen cooker belonging to 22-Across' beau?: TRAMP STEAMER. Lady and the Tramp.

97. Plans made by Bambi's skunk buddy?: FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS. The skunk Flower in "Bambi".

120. Hoggett's pig strolling on a forest path?: BABE IN THE WOODS. Hoggett is the farmer in "Babe".

I chuckled at the puzzle title. Paul might be inspired to make this puzzle while taking care of his grandkids.

I noticed that Paul does not seem to mind going over 78 for his total black square count. Has any editor ever objected to your 82 black squares, Paul? Maybe I should do the same. In a few of my previous puzzles, 80 or 82 would have give me smoother fill.

Across:

1. Nicaraguan president Daniel: ORTEGA. Here with Fidel Castro. Long political life.

 

7. Elaborate dos: COIFS.

12. Complicated situations: MESSES.

18. Brit's editorial: LEADER. Did not know this.

19. Formally disciplined: WROTE UP.

21. Clothing: ATTIRE.

24. Nova __: SCOTIA.

25. "Ah, me!": ALAS.

26. Spring zodiac sign: ARIES. Can't wait for the next spring. I want to linger in stores and touch things.

27. Mil. decorations: DSCS. DSC = Distinguished Service Cross.

29. Put up: ERECT.

30. Dorm, briefly: RES.

31. Part of FNMA?: MAE.

32. Assumed the role of: ACTED AS.

42. Name near the top of a "Citizen Kane" movie poster: ORSON.

43. Bed-and-breakfast, maybe: INN.

44. Lord's Prayer start: OUR.

45. "If all __ fails ... ": ELSE.

54. Surveillance tactic: STAKE OUT.

56. Photo __: OPS.

57. City near Provo: OREM.

58. Arch type: OGEE. Like this shape.

60. O, The __ Magazine: OPRAH.

61. Fernando's fire: FUEGO.

62. URL intro: HTTP.

64. Suffice: SERVE.

65. Trendy berry: ACAI. You can get the unsweetened açaí puree packets at Trader Joe's.

73. Line holder: REEL.

74. Gets thinner: BALDS.

76. Big name in pet food: IAMS.

77. Sweatshirt options: HOODS.

79. Bear: ABIDE.

80. Egyptian Christian: COPT.

82. Sign of cooking: ODOR. Odor can be good or bad. AROMA is always good.

83. Well put: APT.

86. Games category: TABLETOP.

93. "Night" author Wiesel: ELIE.

94. Baseball card stat.: RBI.

95. Trick taker, often: ACE. Card game, right?

96. "Rolling in the Deep" singer: ADELE.

104. Subject of 2001's "Blow": COCAINE.

107. "Bravo!": OLE.

108. Tide competitor: ERA.

109. Battery part: ANODE.

110. Chowder order: BOWL. Ah, I can't take cream. I love this type of bowlful in Guangzhou. That deep red thing is date. Cantonese like to put a few dates or figs in their soup. A few Goji berries. A few slices of ginger. No blending or mixing. You can clearly see what you're eating. Food integrity!

112. Informal byes: CIAOS.

114. Heave-ho: BOOT.

118. Enigma: RIDDLE.

123. Feral feline: OCELOT.

124. Developing: IN UTERO.

125. Perfect spot: UTOPIA. Thought of Tibet. Probably because I always associate Tibet with Shangri-la. 

126. Moistens overnight, maybe: BEDEWS.

127. Backgammon piece: STONE.

128. Quarterback, at times: PASSER.

Down:

1. Cantina cooker: OLLA.

2. Authentic: REAL.

3. "Et voilà!": TA DA.

4. Big name in ice cream: EDY'S.

5. Old Metro maker: GEO.

6. Sounds from a kennel: ARF ARF.

7. Manitoba tribe: CREE.

8. Fireworks reactions: OOHS. Stunning, Anon-T!

9. "Who am __ judge?": I TO.

10. Like some laws or lords: FEUDAL.

11. Figured (out): SUSSED. When in doubt, "Hi, Tom!".

12. More, in Madrid: MAS.

13. "And so on and so forth," for short: ETC ETC.

14. Shop owners: STOREKEEPERS.

15. Located: SITED.

16. "Fear of Flying" author Jong: ERICA. Wiki says she has been married four times. Her second husband is Allan Jong, a Chinese American psychiatrist. Jong and Chung (as in Connie Chung) is the same character.

17. Capacity count: SEATS.

19. Bridge ancestor: WHIST.

20. Ab neighbor: PEC.

23. Not kosher: TREF. Jewish law. For Muslims, not Halal is HARAM.

28. Manual gesture of respect: SALUTE.

31. "__ Lisa": MONA.

33. "Cooking From the Hip" chef Cat __: CORA.

34. Silver salmon: COHO.

35. '60s civil rights activist __ Brown: H RAP. Learning moment for me. H stands for his given name Hubert.

36. Xfinity and MSN: ISPS.

37. Suddenly appear, with "up": POP.

38. "This round's __": ON YOU.

39. Minute Maid brand: HI C. Never had it.

40. Blowup: Abbr.: ENL.

41. Audio giant: BOSE.

46. "Casablanca" actor Peter: LORRE.

47. Urbane: SUAVE.

48. Singing Merman: ETHEL.

50. Cézanne's "Boy in __ Vest": A RED.

51. Dreamcast maker: SEGA.

52. Mine, in Metz: A MOI.

53. Closet pests: MOTHS.

55. Ali's 37: KOS.

59. 3.0, e.g.: Abbr.: GPA.

61. Nonsense: FIDDLE FADDLE. Is this a common saying? Never heard of it.

62. Marriott rival: HYATT.

63. Channel showing many old MGM and RKO films: TCM.

65. Let up: ABATE.

66. Plotting ring: CABAL.

67. One can help you get off: ALIBI.

69. Bit of a draft: SIP.

70. Its four-word name was reduced to four letters in 1973: IHOP. Good to know. Always thought it's just called IHOP.

71. Okays: NODS.

72. Sweep's target: SOOT.

75. "Comprende?": SEE.

78. King's iconic vision: DREAM.

80. All-natural flytrap: COBWEB. All-natural, ha!

81. Five-year-old Ron Howard first played him in 1960: OPIE.

83. "Absolutely!": AMEN.

84. Bombard: PELT.

85. Chic modifier: TRES. The French It girl Jeanne Damas.

87. 1982 Disney sci-fi film: TRON.

89. Red inside: RARE.

90. Unlike this ans.: ACR. Across.

91. __ culpa: MEA.

92. Citrus drink suffix: ADE.

98. Hide: LIE LOW.

99. Mountain ash trees: ROWANS. Also new to me. Pretty.

100. Nearly entirely: ALL BUT.

101. "Cool!": NEATO.

102. David who played Rhoda's husband Joe: GROH.  Also stranger to me.

103. Relax: EASE UP.

104. Chocolate substitute: CAROB.

105. Chilled: ON ICE.

106. In need of deciphering: CODED.

111. Kimono sash: OBI.

112. Diez squared: CIEN. 100.

113. About, on a memo: IN RE.

114. Barrage from bleacher "birds": BOOS.

115. "Uh-oh!": OOPS.

116. Yellow comics dog: ODIE.

117. Bygone despot: TSAR.

119. UFO crew: ETS.

121. DDE's WWII domain: ETO.

122. Org. for the Williams sisters: WTA.

Happy 83rd birthday to dear Lucina, who's been with our blog for over 10 years. I met with Lucina and her sisters 8 years ago in Mall of America. You can see more pictures here. Lucina is very tight with her sisters.