Theme: "We've Moved!" - The "us" sound from the top four theme entries are moved to the bottom four entries.
23. Command to Alexa?: YOU CAN NOT BE SIRI. You can not be serious.
32. Like one who nailed the Kylie costume?: JENNER TO A FAULT. Generous to a fault.
48. Stocking stuffer for Fido?: CHRISTMAS BONE. Christmas bonus.
64. Roman who tried to stop Brutus?: CAESAR'S PAL. Caesar's Palace. The only "us"less us sound.
73. Pumice stones, emery boards, etc.?: CALLUS TECH. Caltech.
89. Headline about Condoleezza's gaffe?: RICE ERRONEOUS. Rice-A-Roni.
107. Rucker's song catalog?: DARIUS PRODUCTS. Dairy products.
119. Painting depicting angels?: PIECE OF THE PIOUS. Piece of the pie.
Ah, you know I'm lousy with sound change theme. I had to ask D-Otto to get the "we" and "us" connection. You really need creativity and imagination to create this type of puzzle.
Sam and Doug are both
veteran constructors. They've collaborated on many puzzles over the
years.
Across:
5. More deadpan: DRIER.
10. "Coffee Cantata" composer: BACH. Google shows that Coffee Cantata is a comic opera about a "young vivacious woman named Aria who loves coffee."
14. Girl Scout cookie also called Caramel deLite: SAMOA.
19. Indian tourist city: AGRA.
20. Playground rejoinder: I AM SO.
21. __ vera: ALOE.
22. Gives off: EMITS.
26. "The Bachelorette" props: ROSES.
27. Like many martinis: STIRRED. Not Bond's.
28. Bug: IRK.
29. Gather around: ENCIRCLE.
31. Blue drop in emoji: TEAR. I don't ever want to risk a "Nope" from D-Otto or a "Thumper" from Agnes.
35. Bathroom rug: MAT.
37. Tree-loving Seuss character: LORAX.
39. "Bosch" star Welliver: TITUS. Stranger to me.
40. Midsummer arrivals: LEOS.
41. "Pronto!": ASAP.
43. Academia's "Ancient Eight": IVIES.
46. Ming things: VASES.
52. "Yummers!": DELISH.
57. Couch kin: SETTEE.
58. Rhino kin with long snouts: TAPIRS.
60. Teegarden of "Friday Night Lights": AIMEE.
61. "A Wrinkle in Time" genre: FANTASY.
67. __ butter: SHEA.
70. Head-slapping cry: DOH.
71. National Back to School Mo.: AUG.
72. Bubbly Italian: ASTI.
77. Kerosene: LAMP OIL.
80. Leaning one way: ATILT.
81. Unable to see the big picture: MYOPIC.
83. __ Translate: GOOGLE. I finally threw away my old Chinese-English dictionary.
87. Short trailer: TEASER.
92. Princess Charlotte's aunt: PIPPA. Middleton.
95. Sports bar fixture: TV SET.
96. Disney hero with a "superbark": BOLT. We also have 128. Some boxers: DOGS.
97. Islamic leader: IMAM.
101. Not a soul: NO ONE. You don't normally see "not" in a NO answer.
103. Brainstorms: IDEAS.
106. "Physical" singer __ Lipa: DUA.
111. "__ company ... ": TWO'S.
113. Strike: CROSS OUT.
114. Skater Midori: ITO.
115. Ruin, as a garden: TRAMPLE.
118. Not obtuse: ACUTE. Angle.
123. Choir stand: RISER.
124. Holding insured by the FDIC: ACCT.
125. Daiquiri garnishes, often: LIMES.
126. Bunker: TRAP. I love watching pros holing out from a green-side bunker.
127. Monopoly stack: DEEDS.
129. Tour of duty: STINT.
130. Floor: STUN.
Down:
2. Four-award acronym: EGOT.
3. Colorful dessert: FRUIT TART. Lovely.
4. "__ bleu!": SACRE.
5. Mexican bread: DINERO. And
6. South African bread: RAND. All money.
7. Texter's qualification: IMO.
8. Ballpark fig.: EST.
9. Wright of "House of Cards": ROBIN.
10. Hoops score: BASKET.
11. "Paper Girls" actress Wong: ALI.
12. First name in civil rights: CORETTA. Scott King.
13. Shockingly evil: HEINOUS. And 15. Unconcerned with right and wrong: AMORAL.
14. Font line: SERIF.
16. Errant pool shot: MISCUE.
17. Verdi work based on a Shakespeare work: OTELLO.
18. Balance sheet listing: ASSETS.
24. With 49-Down, body that was once the world's fourth-largest lake: ARAL. 49. See 24-Down: SEA.
25. West end?: ERN. Western.
30. Checked out for a job?: CASED. Bank job.
32. Jakarta's island: JAVA.
33. Has a life?: EXISTS.
34. Mariano who leads the MLB in career saves: RIVERA. His cards are pretty cheap.
35. Apple Store offerings: MACS.
36. Tennis icon Arthur: ASHE.
38. Glass edge: RIM.
42. Hidden dangers: PITFALLS.
44. AuctionWeb, since 1997: EBAY.
45. Drench: SOP.
47. Brown quickly: SEAR.
50. Looks after: TENDS.
51. Zoe's partner in fashion: NIC. Never tried this brand.
53. "Feel What U Feel" Grammy winner: LISA LOEB. Doug once made a NYT puzzle with her.
54. Little rascals: IMPS.
55. Usher's offering: SEAT.
56. Port opening?: HELI. Heliport.
59. Coal formation: SEAM.
62. Sandbox player: TOT.
63. "Beg pardon": AHEM.
65. "How's it goin'?": SUP.
66. Disco era term: AGOGO.
67. "Shoo!": SCAT.
68. Detest: HATE.
69. Director Kazan: ELIA.
74. The Miners of the NCAA: UTEP. University of Texas at El Paso.
75. "For a great nose indicates a great man" speaker: CYRANO.
76. __ polloi: HOI.
77. Actor Schreiber: LIEV. Husband of Naomi Watts.
78. Nails the exam: ACES IT.
79. H+, e.g.: ION.
82. Pie chart no.: PCT.
84. One who plays well with others: GOOD SPORT. Great fill.
85. Real doozy: LULU.
86. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTA.
88. Bygone detergent brand: RINSO. So I tried CLR for the first time last week. I much prefer vinegar.
90. Cabs and zins, e.g.: REDS.
91. GPS offering: RTE.
93. Surfing annoyance: POP-UP AD.
94. Colonnaded entryway: PORTICO. I just call it a porch.
97. TSA request: ID CARD.
98. Peppermint Patty's pal: MARCIE.
99. Pique: AROUSE.
100. Sprayed gently: MISTED.
102. Official orders: EDICTS. Whenever there are a few COVID
cases in Xi'an, everybody will have to get tested. Poor Andy often has
to get up at 5:00am to get his test.
104. Not going anywhere: AT REST.
105. Give and take: SWAP.
108. App buyers: USERS.
109. Pac-12 player: UTE.
110. Sits on a windowsill, say: COOLS.
112. Skips over: OMITS. If you skip over your COVID test, your
cellphone health code won't be green. You can't get on a bus or a train
or go to a store.
115. If so: THEN.
116. Where lei people party?: LUAU. Ha.
117. "30 for 30" network: ESPN.
120. Heart test, for short: ECG.
121. In top form: FIT. Last Wednesday Boomer was visited by a 80-year-old Eucharistic Minister named Bill, who's in top form.
122. "OMG, enough!": TMI.
We
applied and were approved for the VA Home-Based Primary Care in June
after Boomer's surgery. They did not have enough nurses, so Boomer had
been on a waiting list. Two days ago we finally got the OK call. Next
Thursday we'll have a consultation.
C.C.
