Theme: "Extra Bedrooms" - BR is added to each familiar phrase.
23A. Toaster oven user?: BROWNER OPERATOR. Owner operator.
34A. Barbecue guests?: BROIL COMPANY. Oil company.
52A Fraternity news contacts?: BROTHER SOURCES. Other sources.
76A. Really dangerous edge?: INVISIBLE BRINK. Invisible ink.
93A. Structural pieces for a tiny Christmas village?: POCKET BRACES. Pocket aces.
110A. Ship's rope?: NAVIGATION BRAID. Navigation aid.
16D. Dirt at the stable?: BRIDLE GOSSIP. Idle gossip.
58D. Fight among poor pool players?: SCRATCH BRAWL. Scratch awl.
I bet many of you immediately guessed the theme after scanning at the title.
Amazing
grid work today. Heavy themage, but only 140 words and 69 black
squares. No cheater squares. No surprises, since Roland Huget is also an
accomplished themeless constructor.
Across:
5. Monthly bill: CABLE.
10. Keep time, in a way: CLAP. Had to ask D-Otto. He said "You clap along to the music."
14. Mosey: AMBLE.
19. Locale of the Tomb of Akbar the Great: AGRA. Akbar the Great
was the third Mughal emperor (1556 to 1605). He was the grandfather of
Shah Jahan, the guy who commissioned Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan was the fifth
Mughal emperor (1628 to 1658). So ornate.
20. Set boundaries for: LIMIT.
21. Tanning target: HIDE.
22. "The Sound of Music" matriarch: MARIA.
26. Steinbeck migrants: OKIES.
27. Mounted security system component: SENSOR.
28. Dr. Al Robbins on "CSI," e.g.: CORONER.
29. Stressed out: ON EDGE.
30. Coil of yarn: SKEIN.
32. Pearly coating: NACRE.
33. "1984" working class: PROLES.
38. Milwaukee MLBer through 1965: BRAVE. And 90. Red or Card: NLER. National Leaguer. Cardinal.
39. Student in English class?: NOUN. OK, "student" is a noun.
40. Shed item: TOOL.
41. Certain hip-hop dancer: B BOY.
43. Breakfast choice: EGGS. Not for me. I just need carbs.
46. "Wanna __?": BET.
47. Section that doesn't include the sax, surprisingly: BRASS. There are three straying BR's. Can you locate the other two?
49. Looks rudely at: OGLES.
51. Team golf event: PRO-AM.
55. Hindu title: SRI.
56. Fred Flintstone's boss: MR SLATE.
59. Geeked, so to speak: EAGER.
60. Rachel Brosnahan's "Marvelous Mrs.": MAISEL. "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel".
62. First name in design: COCO. Chanel.
63. Winter Palace rulers: TSARS.
66. Really ticked: IRATE.
68. Little bit: MITE.
69. Use Listerine, say: GARGLE. I use Scope. Listerine is so strong.
71. Deep sleep: SOPOR.
73. Progressive decline: ATROPHY.
75. It shares a small border with BC: IDA. British Columbia.
80. Abate: LET UP.
82. Idyllic places: EDENS.
83. Drake production: RAP CD. Drake also has an impressive Birkin bag collection.
84. Pre-holiday time: EVE.
87. It might be picked: LOCK.
88. Holiday desserts: PIES.
89. iPad assistant: SIRI.
91. Tribe also called the Wyandot: HURON. Here's the Wiki info:
"In the early 17th century, this Iroquoian people called themselves the
Wendat, an autonym which means "Dwellers of the Peninsula" or
"Islanders". The Wendat historic territory was bordered on three sides
by the waters of Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe. Early French explorers
referred to these natives as the Huron, either from the French huron
("ruffian", "rustic"), or from hure ("boar's head"). According to
tradition, French sailors thought that the bristly hairstyle of Wendat
warriors resembled that of a boar."
97. Storied: FABLED.
99. Writer __ Rogers St. Johns: ADELA.
101. Slow-moving tree dweller: SLOTH.
102. Words on some Québec road signs: ARRETS. Stops.
103. Creative kind of thinking: LATERAL.
106. Tía's mom: ABUELA. Grandma.
109. Author Calvino: ITALO. Hahtoolah might have dived into his books.
112. Pisa landmark: TOWER. Hi Gary & Picard!
113. Neglect: OMIT.
114. The "five" in "take five," e.g.: BREAK.
115. Impressed?: APED. Did an impression.
116. "The Planets" composer: HOLST. Gustav Holst.
117. Spoil, with "on": DOTE.
118. Taps feed them: SINKS.
119. Red ink: LOSS.
Down:
2. Fairy tale baddie: OGRE.
3. Removes, as wrinkles: IRONS OUT. I have not ironed anything for ages.
4. Abrasion result: RAW SKIN.
5. Service leader: CLERIC.
6. Half of a vacation rental app: AIR. 34. The other half of 6-Down: BNB. Airbnb.
7. Admired coll. guy: BMOC. Big Man on Campus.
8. Slimming surg. procedure: LIPO.
9. Timeless: ETERNAL. So excited that J-Lo and Ben Affleck are back again.
10. Uncertain: CHANCY.
11. Soda bottle size: LITER.
12. Cherish: ADORE.
13. Word in many rates: PER.
14. Supreme Egyptian god: AMON RA. Sometimes it's AMEN RA.
15. Create a new look for: MAKE OVER.
17. Feudal subject: LIEGE.
18. Relaxes: EASES.
24. Yule tune: NOEL.
25. Color at the stable: ROAN.
29. Nashville attraction: OPRY.
31. Jots down: NOTATES.
35. Future fish: ROE.
36. Dance in a pit: MOSH.
37. Mug for a selfie: POSE.
38. Winter pear: BOSC. Pretty sweet. My favorites are still Korean pears.
41. Like a darker purple: BLUER.
42. Immortal catcher with "-ism" associated with his first name: BERRA. Yogi.
44. Nephew of King Arthur: GARETH. Sir Gareth. Shout-out to constructor Gareth Bain.
45. The __ Company: Walmart foe in 2000s lawsuits: SMILEY. Wiki says It holds the rights to the smiley face in over 100 countries". Wow.
47. Maidenform purchase: BRA.
48. No-good: ROTTEN.
49. Mexican mama bear: OSA.
50. "Make it happen, sister!": GO GIRL. Need "you".
51. Free TV spot: PSA.
52. Place for a post: BLOG.
53. "Wheel of Fortune" action: RE-SPIN.
54. Ipecac, for one: EMETIC.
56. Jimmy __, Saul's real name on "Better Call Saul": MCGILL.
57. Truckers' competition: ROADEO.
61. "No harm done": I'M OK.
64. Remark to the audience: ASIDE.
65. Gift to a Valentine: ROSES.
67. La Brea formations: TAR PITS.
70. Backtalk: LIP.
72. Delivery room docs: OBS.
74. Boxing match unit: Abbr.: RND. Round.
77. Style of expression: VEIN.
78. Composer Satie: ERIK. Or "Crossword editor Agard". MM solves USA Today every day. TTP occasionally. You won't find grids cleaner than USA Today.
79. Unfurnished: BARE.
81. Luau instruments: UKULELES. And 89. Hieroglyphic beetles: SCARABS. Great fill.
84. One who finesses the tab, facetiously: EL CHEAPO.
85. Notch shape: VEE.
86. Hesitant sounds: ERS.
88. Whale groups: PODS.
90. One with inborn talent: NATURAL.
92. One might begin, "Oh, yeah?": RETORT.
93. Small dress size: PETITE.
94. Couturier Cassini: OLEG.
95. Shuts out, in baseball: BLANKS.
96. Stark heir on "Game of Thrones": ROBB. Robb Stark is played by Richard Madden.
97. Religious belief: FAITH. Two of Boomer's aunts are Faith and Charity. His mom is Hope.
98. Threepio's pal: ARTOO.
99. Enterprise competitor: ALAMO.
100. Lifeboat crane: DAVIT. Like this.
104. Bell town in a Longfellow poem: ATRI. Have not seen entry for a long while.
105. Property claim: LIEN.
107. "None of it is true!": LIES.
108. Puts in: ADDS.
110. Auction gesture: NOD.
111. Furniture wood: OAK.
C.C.
