Theme: "Shh!" - Part of each theme entry is a car model. Clues only refers to the non-car parts.
23. *Discerning: EDGEWISE. Ford Edge.
24. *Building manager: SUPERCHARGER. Dodge Charger
37. *Performer's period on the job: CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. Honda Civic.
53. *Electricity: BEETLE JUICE. VW Beetle.
67. *Apportion: CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. Lincoln Continental.
84. *Follow: TRAILBLAZER. Chevy Blazer.
94. *Work a side hustle: MOONLIGHT SONATA. Hyundai Sonata.
113. *Infatuated with, with "on": SOUL-CRUSHING. I don't quite get this. Can you give me a sentence? Kia Soul.
Reveal:
116. Place for Amtrak passengers to unwind ... and a hint to how to interpret eight puzzle answers: QUIET CAR.
I'm not a car person. I can only tell a few car models. Here we have 8 car models from 8 different car makers, right?
Our Santa Fe is pretty good, except the passenger seat which can't be raised. It's very smart. It beeps at you when you cross the lane lines.
Here's President Xi Jinping's luxury car: Hongqi, literally "red flag".
Across:
9. Whitewater craft: CANOES.
15. Son of Abraham: ISAAC.
20. Got emotional: TEARED UP.
21. Greek island named for a storied flier: ICARIA. Named after Icarus, whose wings melted in the sun.
22. Rousey who was the first American woman to win an Olympic judo medal: RONDA. Gimme!
26. "Little Red Book" writer: MAO. My dad could recite the whole book. He served in the Chinese Army.
27. Author Tolstoy: LEO. Carmen just mentioned "War and Peace". I never read it.
29. Land between hills: VALE.
30. Mensa prereq: IQ TEST.
31. Big __: Red Sox nickname: PAPI. He was so so with with the Twins.
34. Truckers' loads: HAULS.
36. Call, old-style: DIAL.
43. "A Hymn to __": "My Fair Lady" song: HIM.
46. Not attentive: ASLEEP.
47. Bauxite, to aluminum: ORE.
48. Conquer a hero?: EAT. Hero sandwich.
50. Chaplin accessory: CANE.
51. Decked out: CLAD.
52. Victoria's Secret purchase: BRA.
57. Is down with: HAS.
58. Smelting by-product: SLAG. Hot!
60. Corp. alternatives: LLCS.
61. Unwitting test taker: LAB RAT.
62. Longtime U.K. record label: EMI.
63. Greek fabulist: AESOP.
65. Bilbao bear: OSO.
66. Locks in a barn: MANE. Horse barn.
72. Point after deuce: AD IN.
73. Sticking point?: RUT. Stuck in a rut.
74. Jefferson Memorial column type: IONIC.
75. Catch a few winks: NAP.
78. Handles clumsily: PAWS AT.
81. Give up: CEDE.
82. "__ la France!": VIVE.
83. "The History of the Standard Oil Company" author Tarbell: IDA.
86. Neighbor of Ill.: WIS. Where D-Otto grew up. So you have to change this sign every 4 years?
87. Obstacles to good teamwork: EGOS.
88. Picnic crashers: ANTS.
89. Play it by __: EAR.
90. Many Ph.D. students: TAs.
91. Reminder: PROMPT.
93. Make out: SEE. Such a comfort to SEE Irish Miss on the blog!
99. __ old age: RIPE. What is exactly the age for ripe old age?
103. Poppycock: HOOEY.
104. Votes in favor: AYES.
105. Rod user: ANGLER. Fishing rod.
107. Teeny, tiny bit: IOTA.
108. Kind of PC port: USB.
110. Place for a mask: SPA. Facial mask.
120. Fiji neighbor: TONGA. Just had their first COVID case.
121. Tenant: ROOMER.
122. Paragon of prestige: CLASS ACT. Harmon Killebrew came to mind. He was so nice to every fan, unlike Rod Carew.
123. Mork's leader: ORSON.
124. Hider's revelation: IN HERE.
125. Fish with the largest brain: MANTA RAY. Good to know.
Down:
2. Mother of Castor: LEDA.
3. "Aladdin" parrot: IAGO.
4. GI chow: MRE. Meals Ready to Eat for Chinese soldiers.
5. Yom Kippur observer: JEW.
6. Despot Amin: IDI.
7. Fabric from Iraq: MUSLIN. MADRAS has the same letter count. It's from India. We also have 15. Baghdad native: IRAQI.
8. Graf __: WWII ship: SPEE.
9. Opposite of trans: CIS. Cisgender.
10. Contact lens giant: ACUVUE. Might be tough for those who don't wear contact lens.
11. Morning smell in "Apocalypse Now": NAPALM. "I love the smell of NAPLAM in the morning".
12. Vague threat: OR ELSE.
13. Emerald Isle: EIRE.
14. Egg container: SAC.
16. In a way, informally: SORTA.
17. Thin 77-Down: ANGEL HAIR. And 77. 17-Down, e.g.: PASTA. Do you see this brand in your area?
18. Fruity thirst-quenchers: ADES.
19. Horse preceder, when things are amiss?: CART. Cart before the horse.
25. Laid low: HID.
28. "Gone With the Wind" family name: O'HARA.
31. Blotchy: PIED.
32. Team's #1 pitcher: ACE.
33. Get-up-and-go: PEP.
35. Sit in casks, say: AGE. I just sit in a chair and AGE.
37. Secret supply: CACHE.
38. Faith with Sunni and Shia branches: ISLAM.
39. Pickle brand with a stork mascot: VLASIC. Nothing compares to Claussen.
40. Medusa, for one: GORGON.
41. Neighbors of the Knicks: NETS.
42. Latvian chess champ Mikhail __: TAL.
44. Atahualpa subject: INCA.
45. Track competition: MEET.
49. Mideast port on the Mediterranean: TEL AVIV. Full name. We often just see TEL or AVIV as fill-in-the-blank.
50. Like chicken-fried steak: CUBED.
52. Washroom fixture: BASIN.
53. Police record: BLOTTER.
54. "Frozen" sister: ELSA.
55. Cause for a romaine recall: E COLI.
56. Muppet who plays lead guitar in the Electric Mayhem: JANICE. Learning moment for me.
58. Flip-flop: SANDAL.
59. The Beatles' last studio album: LET IT BE.
64. Rosie of "Do the Right Thing": PEREZ.
66. Tiny Oreos: MINIS.
68. Place of refuge: OASIS.
69. Manet's "Olympia," e.g.: NUDE. How many of you have seen this painting in person?
70. Anti-war: DOVISH.
71. "The Imitation Game" encryption machine: ENIGMA.
76. Rescue from a shelter: ADOPT.
78. K-12 fundraising gps.: PTAS.
79. "Rule, Britannia" composer Thomas: ARNE. Learned from doing crosswords.
80. Pool party arsenal: WATER GUNS.
81. Italian "dear": CARO.
85. Run for it: LAM.
86. Sought-after Japanese beef: WAGYU.
87. Ages and ages: EONS.
90. Dressy accessory: TIE.
91. "Gangnam Style" rapper: PSY. How times flies. Now it's all about BTS.
92. Sushi topping: ROE.
95. "Pick me! Pick me!": OH OH OH.
96. A jiffy: NO TIME.
97. Repair shop offer: LOANER.
98. __ rasa: blank slate: TABULA.
100. Volunteer's offer: I'LL GO.
101. Type of pie popular in Southern cuisine: PECAN. Thanksgiving is coming!
102. Mess up: ERR.
105. In the matter of: AS TO.
106. American-born Jordanian queen: NOOR.
107. Airs now: IS ON.
109. Area meas. about the size of a pinkie toenail: SQ CM. Square centimeter.
110. Part of the navel is one: SCAR.
111. Guinea pig look-alike: PACA.
112. Affectedly cultured: ARTY.
114. New England sch.: URI. University of Rhode Island.
115. Future Ph.D.'s test: GRE.
117. McKellen who played Gandalf: IAN.
118. February Va. hours: EST.
119. Flight safety org.: TSA.
C.C.
