Sunday September 18, 2022 Lynn Lempel

Theme: "Game Day" - Each common phrase is clued as if it's game-related.

28. Prompt to a Twister player?: PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN.

45. Encouragement to a Yahtzee player?: GET THIS STRAIGHT.

69. Sad request to one's Hangman opponent?: GIVE ME A HAND.

97. Advice to a checkers player?: JUMP AT THE CHANCE.

114. Prayer for a chess player?: GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.

3D. With 73-Down, assertion to one's Scrabble opponent?: IT'S YOUR WORD.

73D. See 3-Down: AGAINST MINE.

I don't remember blogging a Lynn Lempel Sunday puzzles. She's called "The Queen of Mondays". Her grids are always super clean and lively. She's been making puzzles since 1970s. Incredible!

Across:

1. Interpretation: SPIN. Guess how many 4-letter entries in this puzzle?

5. Left on board?: PORT. Ship.

9. Smartphone array: APPS.

13. Church reading: PSALM.

18. Falafel bread: PITA.

19. Civil rights leader Medgar: EVERS. His wife is a civil rights activist as well.

21. Vault: LEAP.

22. Submit for judging: ENTER.

23. Bind with a cord: LASH. Not familiar with this meaning.

24. Piece of history: RELIC.

25. Gumbo pod: OKRA. Tasty with bonito flakes.

26. Lines on GPS displays: ROADS.

27. Vague amount: ANY.

31. Over the speed limit: TOO FAST.

33. Glove material: LATEX.

34. Half-baked, as a plan: INSANE.

37. Impulse: URGE.

38. Bursts: POPS.

40. Former NBA star Ming: YAO. His wife was a basketball player also.

42. Figs.: NOS.

43. Correspond: AGREE.

50. One in a dory: ROWER. 52. Dory's companion: NEMO. Clue echo.

51. Biblical preposition: UNTO.

53. "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" co-star: JOLIE.  And 65. "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" co-star: PITT.

54. Psychology 101 subject: EGO.

55. Brief times, briefly: SECS.

57. Coarse: RUDE.

59. Heavenly octet: PLANETS.

61. Benchmark: NORM.

63. "Salt Fat __ Heat": Samin Nosrat cookbook: ACID. Super popular.

67. D'backs, on a sports ticker: ARI.

68. Actor Alan who hosts the "Clear+Vivid" podcast: ALDA.

72. Microwaves: ZAPS.

76. "Summertime Sadness" singer Lana __ Rey: DEL.

78. Equally matched: EVEN.

79. Climate change sci.: ECOL.

80. Entertainment industry grand slam, for short: EGOT. Total 17 people have achieved this honor.

81. Diminished: RECEDED.

85. Vegas calculation: ODDS.

87. Arborist's patient: TREE.

89. Atmosphere: AIR.

90. One way to think: ALOUD.

91. Prosecco kin: ASTI. Both sparkling wines.

93. Trim, perhaps: EDIT.

95. Originate: ARISE.

100. Connective tissue: SINEW.

101. Sports drink suffix: ADE.

102. Sculling need: OAR.

103. Botanist Gray and actor Butterfield: ASAs. Here's Butterfield.

104. Crown array: GEMS.

105. __ opener: SEASON.

108. Like the River Shannon: IRISH.

111. Forced (on): FOISTED.

118. Damage: MAR.

119. Geometry surface: PLANE.

121. "A __ technicality!": MERE.

122. Real doozies: LULUS.

123. Globetrotter's need: VISA.

124. Knuckle or knee: JOINT.

125. Prune, before drying: PLUM. Prune is French for "plum".

126. Singer Ronstadt: LINDA. Argyle really liked her.

127. Turn over __ leaf: A NEW.

128. Some TVs: SONYS.

129. Fed. IDs: SSNS.

130. Over: PAST.

131. Spill the beans: TELL.

Down:

1. Bug-hitting-the-windshield sound: SPLAT.

2. Yamaha with a bench seat: PIANO.

4. "Not gonna happen": NAH.

5. Read: PERUSE.

6. 1980 Olympics track medalist Steve: OVETT.

7. Count (on): RELY.

8. The Jonas Brothers, e.g.: TRIO.

9. In flight: ALOFT.

10. Black tea: PEKOE.

11. Sudden burst of emotion: PAROXYSM. New word to me.

12. Quarrel: SPAT.

13. Woman on Argentina's 100 peso note: PERON.

14. Bamboozles: SNOWS.

15. Slanted: AT AN ANGLE.

16. Spearheaded: LED.

17. "__ America": 2020 miniseries about the ERA movement: MRS.

20. Artist who works with a chisel: SCULPTOR.

28. On-call devices: PAGERS.

29. Impetuous: RASH.

30. French fashion giant: DIOR. I just don't see beauty in this Dior bag. We also have 45. Italian fashion giant: GUCCI.

32. Priceless?: FREE.

35. Like two 2015 Max Scherzer games: NO-HIT. I bet  this is Patti's clue. She's a Mets fan.

36. Will of "Blue Bloods": ESTES.

38. Thoughtful: PENSIVE.

39. Classical pianist Alice Sara __: OTT. Hey, a new clue angle.

41. Resting on: ATOP.

43. Sports stadium: ARENA.

44. Nikolai who wrote "The Overcoat": GOGOL.

46. __ pale ale: INDIA.

47. Do a slow burn: SEETHE.

48. Allowing access: AJAR.

49. Charge, in a way: IONIZE. Electrical charge.

56. Philadelphia NFLer: EAGLE.

58. Overturn: UPEND.

60. Chili scoop: LADLE. Boomer likes chili with beans.

62. Fabricated: MADE UP.

64. Dedicate, as time: DEVOTE.

66. Strategic steps: TACTICS.

70. First-aid dispenser: MEDIC. Took the VA home care nurse three tries to get Boomer's blood last week.

71. Opposite of sur: NORTE.

74. Grace under fire: POISE.

75. Spread around: STREW.

77. Medieval Icelandic collection: EDDA. Prose Edda and Poetic Edda.

81. Hindu royalty: RAJAS. Hindi for "king".

82. Give the slip: ELUDE.

83. "Huh?": COME AGAIN.

84. Survey results, e.g.: DATA.

86. Beachcombing prize: SEASHELL. I saw my first seashell in 1994. I went to Qingdao (Tsingtao) for a job interview.

88. Enter gingerly: EASE IN.

92. Dries up: SHRIVELS.

94. Strands in a lab: DNA.

96. Wheel parts: RIMS.

98. Lots and lots: TONS. So many glitches from the constructor crew who have been repairing the driveways in our association. We lost power for long hours as they fractured the power cables. Twice. Then they hit a gas line on Thursday.

99. __ out: resolve: HASH.

104. Attacks: GOES AT.

106. Jazz saxophonist Rollins: SONNY.

107. "Waiting for Lefty" dramatist Clifford: ODETS.

109. TV Land fare: RERUN.

110. Agenda entries: ITEMS.

111. Extended conflicts: FEUDS.

112. Stand for something?: EASEL. For canvas.

113. Southern twang: DRAWL.

115. Roadie's vanload: AMPS.

116. Witticism: QUIP.

117. Pinkie-side arm bone: ULNA.

119. Comfy loungewear: PJS.

120. Lav: LOO.

123. Napa Valley tub: VAT.

 

We had a challenging week. Boomer had another fall. Had to call 911 to get him off the floor. His hemoglobin count continues to be very low. We're going to the VA tomorrow for a blood transfusion.

C.C.