Sunday April 2, 2023 Pam Amick Klawitter

Theme: "Sound Bites" - Both words in each theme entry end with the same letters but are pronounced differently.

21A. Traveling puppet show featuring talking melons?: CANTALOUPE TROUPE.

34A. Coffee vessel with a broken handle?: UNSAFE CARAFE.

56A. "Men never eat flaky pastry for brunch," e.g.?: QUICHE CLICHE.

80A. Result of an orchard's promotional deal with a bakery?: FRUIT BISCUIT.

98A. Lobster soup that's a little too spicy?: RISQUE BISQUE.

117A. Rule for adding toppings to french fries?: POUTINE GUIDELINE.

14D. Unconventional spot for breadmaking?: DOUGH TROUGH.

65D. Box of donuts kept on ice?: FROZEN DOZEN.

Pam Amick Klawitter is a wordsmith. See her books here. How did she think of Cantaloupe? Amazing.

I was just talking to a friend about the craziness of the English language, using the classic example of Dough/Laugh/Through/Bough. Chinese is so simple. Chinese verbs never change. We don't even have a definitely article. The tones can drive people nuts though. Just see this Ma.

 Across:

1. Go against: DEFY.

5. Faction: SECT.

9. Mesoamerican pyramid builders: MAYAS.

14. Cozy room: DEN.

17. Pelee Island's Great Lake: ERIE.

18. "Same here!": SO DO I.

19. "When the moon hits your eye" feeling: AMORE. Dean Martin's "That's Amore". Also 109. Sings soothingly: CROONS.

20. Dublin-born singer/activist: BONO.

24. Sign of aging: RUST.

25. Add zest to, e.g.: SEASON. Do you use cumin in your daily cooking?

26. Skipping school: TRUANT.

27. One of 10 in Exodus: PLAGUE.

29. Org. with an elephant mascot: GOP. Created by Thomas NAST, whom we see from time to time. Donkey seems silly.

30. German gent: HERR.

31. Squirt __: GUN.

33. Hearth debris: ASHES.

39. "Scat!": BEAT IT.

41. H.H. Munro's pen name: SAKI. Have not seen him for a long while.

42. Trauma ctrs.: ERS.

43. "Anchors __": Navy fight song: AWEIGH.

45. Classic TV brand: RCA.

48. Man of La Mancha: SPANIARD.

51. Mystery writer Nevada: BARR. Anna Pigeon series.

53. Talk enthusiastically in a nerdy way: GEEK OUT.

55. Chinese zodiac animal before the Ox: RAT.

59. Ringlet: CURL.

60. D-Day fleet: LSTS.

61. Carol opener: ADESTE.

62. Taj Mahal city: AGRA. Also 68. Colorful Hindu festival: HOLI.

63. Remote hiding place?: SOFA.

66. Pay attention to: HEED.

71. Matthew of HBO's "Perry Mason": RHYS. Married to Keri Russell ("Felicity').

72. Male deer: HART.

73. Media revenue source: AD SALE.

77. Burden: ONUS.

79. "All right already!": OK OK.

83. Former Fed chair Bernanke: BEN.

86. Website known for feminist cultural criticism: JEZEBEL. Used to be owned by Gawker Media.

88. Microwave alert: BEEP.

89. Competence in a specific field: LITERACY.

91. United: ONE.

92. Not on edge: AT EASE.

94. Scouring pad brand: SOS.

95. Goofs up: ERRS.

96. "Credit cards only": NO CASH.

103. Increase: ADD TO.

105. One of the fam: SIS.

107. Stunning defeat: ROUT.

108. Fish-to-be: ROE. I like mentaiko pasta. Cod roe.

111. Teahouse mat: TATAMI.

113. Papier-mâché party item: PINATA.

116. Labyrinth: MAZE.

121. Some sheep: EWES.

122. Bath-loving Muppet: ERNIE.

123. Striped stone: AGATE.

124. Objectives: ENDS.

125. Obj. of identity theft: SSN. Chinese has 18 digits.

 

126. Campus list-makers: DEANS.

127. Russian turndown: NYET.

128. __ of yore: DAYS.

Down:

1. Solstice mo.: DEC.

2. Timeline units: ERAS.

3. __ print: FINE.

4. One more time: YET AGAIN. Solid 8.

5. Before long: SOON.

6. School domain: EDU.

7. Whirlybirds, for short: COPTERS.

8. Earth, en español: TIERRA.

9. Last name of acting sisters Rooney and Kate: MARA. Also 46. Last name of NBA brothers Steph and Seth: CURRY.

10. Interspersed with: AMONG.

11. Video-sharing site: YOUTUBE.

12. Abstract art pioneer Jean: ARP.

13. Leak slowly: SEEP.

15. Follow logically: ENSUE.

16. Takes down: NOTES.

18. Sledding spot: SLOPE.

20. Luca of "The Godfather": BRASI.  "Sleeps with the fishes."

22. Beginning on: AS OF.

23. Grounds crew concern: TURF.

28. Wood-shaping tool: LATHE.

30. Metallic finish?: HARD C. Last letter in Metallic.

32. Pastoral sound: NEIGH.

34. Cold War initials: USSR.

35. California wine valley: NAPA. Also the cabbage that I eat often.

36. 32-card game: SKAT.

37. Cherry red: CERISE.

38. Some British peers: EARLS.

40. "A Death in the Family" Pulitzer winner James: AGEE.

44. Squirms: WRITHES.

47. Map collection: ATLAS.

49. Brightness stats?: IQS.

50. Writer: Abbr.: AUTH. Pam is an author.

51. Place to retire: BED.

52. Blackjack card: ACE.

54. Some 1980s Chryslers: K CARS.

57. Called "Shotgun!," say: HAD DIBS.

58. Corp. leader: CEO.

60. Potato pancake: LATKE.

63. Manga made for adolescent girls: SHOJO. Literally "young girls". Sho= Young. Jo = Girl/Girls.

64. Like some chardonnay barrels: OAKEN.

67. __ de cologne: EAU.

69. Novelist Erdrich: LOUISE. She was born in Little Falls, Minnesota.

70. Still competing: IN IT.

74. Take turns?: STEER.

75. Vigoda of "Fish": ABE.

76. __ service: LIP.

78. 4x4, briefly: UTE.

80. Greek salad topper: FETA. 87. Club ingredient: BACON. And 93. Sashimi fish: AHI TUNA. Our foodie Steve right now is now in an island off Fiji.

81. Like non-oyster months, traditionally: R-LESS.

82. Pull: CLOUT.

83. Root beer eponym: BARQ.

84. Neutral tone: ECRU.

85. CNBC topic: NYSE.

90. Zipped again: RESEALED.

94. Lenny's pal on "Laverne & Shirley": SQUIGGY. Unknown to me.

97. Native Nebraskans: OTOES.

99. Persia, today: IRAN.

100. "Not nice!": SO MEAN!

101. Wedding party: BRIDE.

102. Skye of "La Brea": IONE.

103. Capstones: ACMES.

104. Sketches: DRAWS.

106. Nightie fabric: SATIN.

110. Zipped: SPED.

112. Associations: TIES.

113. Surname of two British prime ministers: PITT. "William Pitt the Elder" & "William Pitt the Younger".

114. "Queen Sugar" actress Lifford: TINA.

115. Comedian Richter: ANDY.

118. Mine extraction: ORE.

119. OPEC member: UAE.

120. Tee preceder: ESS.

C.C.