Theme: "I Have a Dream" - Last word in each theme entry can precede "free".
23. *Like one of two parents, often: STAY AT HOME. Home free.
32. *When many grab a bite: COMMERCIAL BREAK. Break free.
39. *Inverness native: HIGHLAND SCOT. Scot-free.
52. *Software design considerations: LOOK AND FEEL. Feel free.
66. *Cube in a bowl: LUMP OF SUGAR. Sugar-free.
79. *Bridge holdings sufficient to start the bidding with: OPENING HANDS. Hands free.
85. *Cardiologist's dietary concern: HYDROGENATED FAT. Fat-free.
98. End of an iconic speech ... and what the ends of the answers to starred clues can have?: FREE AT LAST.
So timely. Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr. Day
This reminds me of the FREE AT LAST puzzle Agnes and I made for the NYT a few years ago. Ours is a synonym approach.
Congrats on your Sunday LAT debut, Darryl! A big milestone.
Across:
4. Snuck: CREPT.
9. Venomous snake: MAMBA. Can be black or green.
14. ER readouts: EKGS.
18. Env. insert: ENC. Enclosure.
19. Art movement since the '70s: HIP HOP. Tiny dupe with 81. Trendy type often parodied on "Portlandia": HIPSTER.
21. In different places: APART.
22. Sty fare: SLOP.
25. Turkish bread: LIRAS.
26. Correct the pitch of: TUNE.
27. Maria __ Trapp: VON.
28. Beyond repair: TOTALED.
30. Insurance giant: AETNA. Quite a few 5-letter choices: AFLAC, CIGNA or GEICO.
31. Drei squared: NEUN. 3/9.
35. Four-time Grammy-nominated metal band: PANTERA. Unfamiliar to me.
37. "Dies __": hymn: IRAE.
38. Amazon and others, locally: RIOS. Not E-tails.
42. Large green moth: LUNA.
43. Bio or chem: SCI.
46. Pre-revelry nights: EVES. I'll never forget Boomer's face when I visited him in the VA hospital on New Year's Day. Big, sweet smile.
47. Navel variety: INNIE.
48. Unchains: LIBERATES.
50. United: WED.
51. "... without trying to change me": AS I AM.
54. Makes less dense: THINS.
55. Break down: PARSE. Also a pricey restaurant.
56. Gram prefix: TELE.
57. Partaking of: HAVING.
59. Big celebrations: FETES. I made Boomer some walleye last Friday. He loved it.
60. Rio Grande city: LAREDO.
63. Green-skinned "Return of the Jedi" girl: OOLA.
64. Snacks: BITES.
65. Underground conduit: SEWER.
70. Credited in a note: CITED.
71. Windy City rail initials: CTA. The Chicago Transit Authority.
74. Wrestling foes: GRAPPLERS.
75. Iranian language: FARSI.
76. Many hybrid dogs, casually: POOS.
77. Jack or jenny: ASS.
78. Zest: TANG. Also the big dynasty in China. Tang's capital was
Xi'an, which is still under a lockdown now. They had 8 new cases
yesterday. But they don't need to have a COVID test every day. Andy is
still cooped up at home, but at least, he can order veggies and other
stuff again. The delivery services are back.
82. Eighteen-wheelers: RIGS.
83. Raison d'__: ETRE.
84. "You better believe I'll fight!": OH IT'S ON.
91. They know the ropes: PROS.
92. Ames native: IOWAN.
93. Bob Hope venue: USO TOUR. Did you know that Bob Hope was born in London?
94. Luke, to Darth: SON.
95. Sonny & Cher hit: DUET. I only know their "I Got You Babe".
96. "Chase those guys!": GET 'EM.
103. Mystery's Gardner: ERLE. Old regular.
104. Sunlit courts: ATRIA.
105. Fired at the table?: FLAMBE.
106. Once named: NEE.
107. On a pension: Abbr.: RET'D.
108. Rimes of country: LEANN.
109. Cool giant: S STAR.
110. Ecru relative: TAN.
Down:
2. Queen's subject: ANT. Good old clue.
3. Picked around in, as a junkyard: SCAVENGED.
4. English __: CHANNEL.
5. Slowing, to an orch.: RIT. Ritardando.
6. N.T. book: EPH. Ephesians.
7. Start to finish?: PHOTO. Photo finish.
8. May bouquet words: TO MOM.
9. Shopping area loiterer: MALL RAT.
10. Each: APIECE.
11. Lundi follower: MARDI. Monday/Tuesday.
12. Lingerie item: BRA. So many cute bralettes these days.
13. @@@: ATS.
14. Fragrant compounds: ESTERS.
15. 1971 Fonda/Sutherland film: KLUTE.
16. Plannin' to: GONNA.
17. Jargon ending: SPEAK. OK, like teenspeak.
20. Rodents on wheels, perhaps: PET MICE.
24. Some hostel visitors: YOUTHS.
29. Dynamic start?: AERO. Aerodynamic.
30. On the train: ABOARD.
31. None too worldly: NAIVE.
32. Food preservation method: CANNING.
33. Island that's the first word of The Beach Boys' "Kokomo": ARUBA. Also unknown to me.
34. Strong textile: LINEN.
35. "What a relief!": PHEW.
36. Gorp bit: RAISIN.
40. Genetic carriers: DNAS. Spell check does not like the plural form.
41. __City: computer game: SIM.
42. Facebook option: LIKE.
43. Knight's ride: STEED.
44. "Heart Blanche" rapper Green: CEELO.
45. Atoll, say: ISLE.
48. L in a box score: LOSS.
49. Word before party or math: AFTER.
51. Sushi-grade tuna: AHI. Our local Aldi carries ahi tuna.
52. "See ya": LATER.
53. Rock groups?: ORES. Great clue.
54. Sling on a phone: TV APP.
55. Animal rights org.: PETA.
57. Doctor's office posting: HOURS.
58. Salamanca souls: ALMAS. Spanish for "souls". Salamanca is a
city in Spain. According to Wiki: The University of Salamanca, founded
in 1218, is the oldest university in Spain and the third oldest western
university."
59. Mulberry family fruit: FIGS.
60. "We should just skip it": LET'S NOT.
61. Barely clear of the bottom: AWEIGH.
62. __ state: RED.
63. First name in '70s Olympics gymnastics: OLGA. Korbut
64. Town: BURG.
65. Virtual name that means "beautiful woman who leads you to victory" in Norwegian: SIRI. Good to know.
67. Sales rep's upsell: OPTION.
68. Fannie of "Fried Green Tomatoes" fame: FLAGG. We had her before.
69. Feeling: SENSE.
70. Has the ability to: CAN.
71. One of 21, or sometimes 20: CONSONANT. Due to Y.
72. Brouhahas: TO-DOS.
73. Trade gp.: ASSN.
75. Get energy from: FEED OFF.
76. Girl Scout group: PATROL.
79. Den piece: OTTOMAN.
80. __-à-porter: ready-to-wear: PRET. This loom is similar to my
grandma's. She would then make cotton bed sheets and shirts for us. It
felt a bit rough on the skin.
82. For mature audiences: R-RATED.
83. Enter with caution: EASE IN.
85. It's quarry: HIDER. I was thinking of the stone pit quarry.
86. "Now __ talking!": YOU'RE.
87. Obsessed (on): DWELT.
88. __Sweet: sugar substitute: NUTRA.
89. Rolls and binds: FURLS.
90. Zones: AREAS.
96. Eight pts.: GAL. Gallon.
97. Tour de France saison: ETE. It's called Xia Ji in Chinese. So scrabbly.
99. Vitals checker, briefly: EMT.
100. Law school accrediting org.: ABA.
101. Cruiser's milieu: SEA.
102. Highest Scrabble tile point value: TEN.
C.C.
Boomer
have 3 appointments next week with the the PT and the OT, then his
radiation starts on 1/24. We'll go to VA on 1/8/2022 for an appointment
regarding chemo infusion.
Thanks again for your caring email
and cards. Your messages bring tears, love and encouragement to us.
Thanks for supporting us during these challenging times.
C.C.
