Theme: "Place Setting" - Each theme entry is literally rephrased as if it's a "place".
23A. Park place?: COMMUTER LOT.
25A. Busy place?: BEE COLONY.
39A. First place?: GARDEN OF EDEN.
73A. Hard place?: GRAVEL PIT.
107A. Private place?: MILITARY BASE.
124A. Last place?: SHOE STORE.
126A. Remote place?: SLEEPER SOFA.
38D. Safe place?: BANK VAULT.
54D. Sesame place?: BAGEL SHOP.
Ha, no theme clue change. I'm getting better :-)
COMMUTER LOT & MILITARY BASE are Patti's suggestions. Boomer and I started the brainstorming with MOUNT KILIMANJARO 16 [High place?].
Patti felt it was arbitrary, since it could be any mountain. So, go general if you have similar ideas.
This is the last puzzle Boomer and I made together. These days, he only has enough energy for his Monday blog.
Across:
6. "Get outta here!": SCAT.
10. Box office receipts: GATE.
14. People with all-access passes: VIPS. Guess how many 4-letter entries in this grid?
18. Short and sweet: BRIEF.
19. Head lights?: HALOS. Also 88. Surrounding vibe: AURA.
21. "Really?": IT IS.
22. TaquerÃa freebie: AGUA.
27. Patriotic chant: USA USA. We attended the Solheim Cup in Edin a while ago. Very patriotic crowd.
28. Hangout for hog lovers: BIKER BAR. Also 34. They could use a welcome sight: SORE EYES. I like both fill.
30. Shots on the green: PUTTS. Also 69. Duffer's do-over: MULLIGAN.
31. Cost of living?: RENT.
33. To be, in Marseilles: ETRE. Gluey.
36. Hailed wheels: CABS.
42. Bother: ADO.
43. "Barefoot Contessa" host Garten: INA.
44. List that may drop down or pop up: MENU.
45. __ West-Allen: "The Flash" character: NORA.
46. Sunflower part: STEM.
48. Semi unit: TON.
49. Beginning stage: ONSET.
51. The Vitamin Shoppe rival: GNC.
53. Many Mecca residents: ARABS.
56. Calligrapher's container: INK POT. We used to bring this to school for Chinese calligraphy. Abacus too. So ancient.
58. Aria, e.g.: SOLO.
61. Dress seen on Indian runways: SARI. Pretty.
63. Marathon, e.g.: RACE.
65. Vice __: VERSA.
67. Precious rocks: GEMS.
71. Words of empathy: I CARE.
76. Chemically inactive: INERT.
77. Quivers in fear: SHUDDERS. to think.
79. Composer Stravinsky: IGOR.
80. Eye shade: HAZEL.
82. Hindu spring festival: HOLI.
83. Five-star review: RAVE.
85. Mil. truant: AWOL.
87. Volkswagen sedan: PASSAT.
90. In __: before birth: UTERO.
92. Faux __: PAS.
94. Reason for celeb damage control: BAD PR. Also 115. Promo pro: AD REP.
96. Choice on a color chart: HUE.
97. Like a play about a play: META.
99. Often-ignored email: SPAM.
102. Not so hot: MILD.
103. "For You" singer Rita: ORA. Married to Taika Waititi.
104. "__ about that!": HOW.
110. Some PwC employees: CPAS. PricewaterhouseCoopers.
111. League for Guardians and Angels: AMERICAN. Hi there Janice!
113. __-Alt-Del: CTRL.
114. Go a few rounds: SPAR.
116. Closer's goal: SALES.
117. Wasn't honest: MADE IT UP.
120. Translator's challenges: IDIOMS.
128. Girl: LASS.
129. One with star power: IDOL.
130. Thompson of "Westworld": TESSA.
131. Director Coen: ETHAN. Going solo now.
132. Where el sol rises: ESTE.
133. Colorful salamander: NEWT.
134. Put into storage: STOW.
135. Entertainer's crew: POSSE.
Down:
2. God with wings: EROS.
3. Peru's largest city: LIMA.
4. Madagascar primates: LEMURS.
5. Functional: OF USE.
6. __ shed: SHE.
7. Pasta or bread, e.g., for short: CARB. I used to have the upper left one for breakfast. Youtiao.
8. In a partnership: ALLIED.
9. Rested a while: TOOK TEN.
10. Disco family name: GIBB. The Bee Gees.
11. Totally relaxed: AT EASE.
12. Steering system parts: TIE RODS.
13. Key hit in panic: ESC.
14. Hold in high regard: VALUE.
15. Successful prankster's cry: I GOT YA.
16. Gave up, in a way: PUNTED. I watched a little bit of Vikings' game last Sunday. Very confusing.
17. States as fact: SAYS SO.
20. Camper's fuel: STERNO.
24. Digressions: TANGENTS.
26. Doubleheader half: OPENER.
29. Corp. shuffling: REORG.
32. Catches some rays: TANS.
35. Target field: RETAIL. This clue probably does not mean much to those who don't know Target Field.
36. __ Field: Mets ballpark: CITI.
37. Unknown author, for short: ANON.
40. Bitterly regrets: RUES.
41. Support group?: FANS.
44. Secured in a slip: MOORED.
47. "Semper Fidelis" group: MARINES.
50. Lady Justice's garb: TOGA.
52. Sleeveless top, briefly: CAMI.
55. Permanent mark: SCAR.
57. Business trip allowance: PER DIEM.
59. Stubbs of the Four Tops: LEVI. Patti's clue. Learning moment for me.
60. Roar __ Roar: "Monsters University" frat: OMEGA. Patti's clue also. Another learning moment for me.
62. Negga of "Passing": RUTH.
64. Med. specialty: ENT.
66. Taj Mahal city: AGRA.
68. __ food movement: SLOW.
70. Komodo dragon, e.g.: LIZARD.
71. "Thereabouts": ISH.
72. Jay of "The Green Hornet": CHOU. Taiwanese. His CHOU is the same as my Zhou.
74. Answer an invite: RSVP.
75. "No __!": "Sure thing!": PROB.
78. Steamy: EROTIC.
81. Baked dessert: APPLE PIE. 98. 81-Down order: A LA MODE.
84. All-Star side: EAST.
86. Tibetan priest: LAMA.
89. Tazo products: TEAS.
91. Careless: REMISS.
93. Setting of the Sandra Bullock film "Gravity": SPACE.
95. Talk trash about: DISS.
100. Oil producer?: ARTIST.
101. Fragrant shrubs: MYRTLES.
104. Pain in the neck: HASSLE.
105. Nebraska natives: OMAHAS.
106. "They outplayed us": WE LOST.
108. Consecutively: IN A ROW.
109. Like the most clear sky: BLUEST.
110. Monte __ sandwich: CRISTO.
112. Actress Witherspoon: REESE.
118. Triangular shoulder muscle, for short: DELT.
119. Monterrey jack?: PESO.
121. Sounds amazed: OOHS.
122. Degs. for curators: MFAS.
123. Levelheaded: SANE.
125. Foil metal, once: TIN.
127. Pussy foot: PAW.
Boomer received an Army Black Knights sweatshirt, but we
could not figure out who sent it. Must be someone on our blog. Thank
you, you!
We had good days and bad days. Mostly good. On Tuesday Father Tom Kadera visited us and gave Boomer the Sacrament of the Sick and the Apostolic blessing. Then on Saturday Tom Pepper braved the snow and wind and helped us install a floating shelf. Tom has a tool bag with all kinds of stuff. Pretty Taskrabbit-y.
C.C.
