Theme: "Plush" (Plus -H) - H is added to each common phrase.
23A. Dormitory where honor roll students sleep?: HALL FOR THE BEST. All for the best.
46A. Ingredient for discerning brew masters?: SPECIAL HOPS. Special ops.
71A. Take care of eggs by sitting on them?: HEAT LIKE A BIRD. Eat like a bird.
92A. Learns about crops like maize?: HEARS OF CORN. Ears of corn.
117A. Cheap toupee?: BUDGET HAIRLINE. Budget airline.
15D. Light-up pumps?: ELECTRIC HEELS. Electrical eels.
57D. Weekly night for leftovers?: HASH WEDNESDAY. Ash Wednesday.
I linked this this interview about Gary Larson last time. Amy is his wife.
Gary is probably the most prolific LAT Sunday puzzle-maker the past few years. He's very fond of letter addition/deletion theme.
Across:
6. Crunchy brownie piece: EDGE.
10. Natural bandage: SCAB. If your white blood count is low, your wound won't heal quickly.
14. Storm relief org.: FEMA.
18. Sierra Nevada lake: TAHOE.
19. Connections: TIES.
20. Skyline obscurer: HAZE. Xi'an is pretty polluted.
21. Ruck of "Spin City": ALAN.
22. Semis followers: FINALS.
26. Name of Davy Crockett's rifle: OLD BETSY. Unknown to me.
28. Enjoy again, as a favorite book: RE-READ.
29. Cubbies home: CHI. And 45. Cub's home: DEN.
30. __ carte: ALA.
31. "Fun Factory" clay: PLAY-DOH.
35. Tuft of feathers: CREST.
37. Name of B.B. King's guitar: LUCILLE. Also unknown to me.
41. Actor Mulroney: DERMOT.
43. Santa-tracking org.: NORAD.
48. Jazz lick: RIFF.
51. Sudoku digit: NINE.
52. Birdie topper: EAGLE.
53. Historical record: ANNAL.
54. App symbol: ICON.
55. Suzuki with 10 MLB Gold Gloves: ICHIRO. See what comes up when you google "August in Kansas City ..."
58. "Yosemite Valley Winter" photographer: ADAMS.
62. Do needlework: STITCH.
64. Dietary fiber: BRAN.
65. Forecast: PREDICT.
67. Charge for using, as an apartment: LEASE TO.
70. Apple platform: IOS.
74. New __: cap brand: ERA.
75. Cream cheese serving: SCHMEAR.
77. Genre revitalized by Britney Spears: TEEN POP. Christina Aguilera as well.
78. Thicken, as cream: CLOT.
79. Some year-end lists: WORSTS. Ken Tucker's year-end interviews with Terry Gross are always so good.
81. Calf's suckling spot: UDDER.
82. Turns way up: BLASTS.
84. Stadium level: TIER.
86. Rivendell inhabitants: ELVES. "The Lord of the Rings".
88. __ Island: ELLIS.
90. Tacks on: ADDS.
91. Went platinum?: DYED. Ha.
98. Lost cause: GONER.
100. Words on an orange juice container: NO PULP.
102. "Way to go, fella!": ATTA BOY.
103. Dodge: ELUDE.
106. Edible part of a pistachio: NUTMEAT.
108. Mystery writer Grafton: SUE.
109. Many pop-ups: ADS.
111. Refuse: LITTER. Noun "refuse".
113. Baggage handler?: TSA AGENT. Another great clue.
122. Duel choices: SWORDS.
123. Morales of "Ozark": ESAI.
124. With 112-Down, fish story: TALL. And 112. See 124-Across: TALE.
125. Song that might prompt a "Brava!": ARIA.
126. Cast: HEAVE.
127. Texter's "until next time": TTYL.
128. Turow book set at Harvard: ONE L. Just had this fill last Monday.
129. Burt's Bees product: BALM.
130. Fragrant compound: ESTER.
Down:
2. Parker who was the 2020 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year: CANDACE. I bet this is Patti's clue.
3. "Pequod" captain: AHAB.
4. Mexican sauce flavored with chocolate: MOLE.
5. Fly, e.g.: PEST.
6. __ alcohol: ETHYL.
7. Jueves, por ejemplo: DIA. Thursday.
8. Salon goop: GEL.
9. Subj. for some citizenship applicants: ESL. Some of the questions on the citizenship test are pretty tough.
10. Help for a tight fit: SHOEHORN.
11. "Virgin River" novelist Robyn: CARR.
12. Tenochtitlan native: AZTEC.
13. "Joy Shtick" writer/comedian: BEHAR.
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14. Terrif: FAB.
16. Classic TV series set in Korea: M*A*S*H.
17. Averse to: ANTI.
22. Farm young: FOALS.
24. Gift tag word: FROM.
25. Genesis plot: EDEN. D-Otto has mentioned Eden Prairie a few times. His sister and niece live here.
27. Be in a bee: SPELL.
32. Bustle: ADO.
33. "Okey-doke": YEP.
34. OB-GYNs, e.g.: DRS.
36. Former Seattle team, familiarly: SONICS.
38. Trap during a winter storm, say: ICE IN.
39. False witness: LIAR.
40. Spanish lake: LAGO.
42. Sardine cans: TINS.
44. "I'll take that as __": A NO.
47. Ticker: HEART.
49. Fistfight souvenir: FAT LIP.
50. Circular: FLIER.
53. Go up: ASCEND.
55. Sacred Nile bird: IBIS. The African sacred ibis.
56. Colorful clog: CROC.
59. Shoulder muscle, for short: DELT.
60. Parting words: ADIEUS.
61. Ready to be recorded: MIKED.
63. Bit: TAD.
65. To some degree: PARTLY.
66. Sealing stuff: TAPE.
68. Home run run: TROT. All Rise!
69. Stallion feed: OATS.
71. HRH part: HER.
72. Lightened (up): EASED.
73. Drill, e.g.: BORER.
76. Bite: MORSEL.
78. "Julius Caesar" role: CASCA.
80. Kristoff's reindeer in "Frozen": SVEN.
82. Dab at, as lipstick: BLOT.
83. British elevator: LIFT.
84. Graffiti signature: TAG.
85. Rite answer?: I DO. Good old clue.
87. Three-time "Modern Family" Emmy nominee: ED O'NEILL.
89. Future JDs' exams: LSATS.
92. Simple shelter: HUT.
93. Furniture wood: ELM.
94. Animal that beats its chest: APE.
95. Witness: OBSERVE.
96. Not as flat: ROUNDER.
97. Russian rejections: NYETS.
99. Govern: RULE.
101. Smooth engine sound: PURR.
104. "Likewise": DITTO.
105. One of the filmmaking Coen brothers: ETHAN. Both are working on their own projects now.
107. Crack squad: A TEAM.
109. Turn off the security cameras for, maybe: ABET.
110. Roomba target: DUST.
114. Queens, New York, stadium namesake: ASHE.
115. Dazzles: AWES.
116. Capricorn critter: GOAT.
118. Hodges who managed the Miracle Mets: GIL.
119. Chemist's workplace: LAB.
120. 401(k) kin: IRA.
121. Not a thing: NIL.
Boomer
got his blood infusion last Monday. He has not perked up yet. The
nurses said it might take up 5 to 7 days for him to feel better.
It
was another challenging week, but it would be unimaginable without the
generous help of Tom Pepper, who came to our house immediately after I
called, drove us to the VA, spent a few hours with us at the VA and
drove us back. He's been amazing, all these years.
Tom Pepper, the 3rd MN Crossword Tournament, 6/23/2014
