Theme: "Let's Do This!" - DO is added to each familiar phrase.
23A. Finally send off that alumni check?: FACE THE DONATION. Face the Nation.
40A. Bulletin forbidding residents from camping in the complex's shared spaces?: CONDO TENT WARNING. Content warning.
57A. Bedtime message for Raggedy Ann?: AND TO A DOLL A GOODNIGHT. And to all a good night.
82A. Salon job for a sunrise wedding?: UPDO AT THE CRACK OF DAWN. Up at the crack of dawn.
99A. Accusations of cheating at the Kennel Club agility competition?: DOG RACE UNDER FIRE. Grace under fire.
119A. Catchphrase for Earth lovers?: WE ADORE THE WORLD. We Are the World.
Three
are standard insertions, the other three (40A, 57A and 99A) all change
the original one-word into two words. Very imaginative.
Only six themers, but they're all very long, total 102 squares. Standard for our Sunday grid.
Across:
5. NYC neighborhood with luxury boutiques: SOHO. In Lower Manhattan.
9. Bloviate: RANT.
13. Top-shelf: PRIMO. Miso Master has the best white miso paste.
18. Qatari monarch: EMIR.
19. Black suit: CLUBS.
21. Beginning of a conclusion: ERGO.
22. Prepared to putt: AIMED.
26. Liechtenstein border river: RHINE. 74. Mountains where the 26-Across rises: ALPS.
27. Ahi tuna cut: STEAK.
28. "Beowulf" translator Heaney: SEAMUS. Learning moment for me.
29. Cruise stops: ISLANDS.
31. Vodka drink, briefly: COSMO.
34. Glass sheets: PANES.
36. Immeasurably long time: EON.
37. Quick bite: NOSH. My mouth is watering just looking at these sesame balls.
46. Org. concerned with climate adaptation: EPA.
47. Wine label word: CRU.
48. Oklahoma city: ENID.
49. Wormlike fish: EEL.
50. Taylor-Joy of "Emma": ANYA.
51. Scully in Dodger Stadium's street address: VIN. Vin Scully Avenue. Steve was there last month.
52. Natural dye: HENNA.
54. Be stealthy: SNEAK.
56. Collectible for an animation buff: CEL.
63. Letter opener: DEAR.
64. Umami enhancer, briefly: MSG.
65. Podcaster Klein: EZRA. I was a listener for a while.
66. Lead the cast: STAR.
67. Compose on the fly: AD LIB.
69. Snarky critic: HATER.
70. Tostitos dip: SALSA.
77. "Got it": I SEE.
78. Mobile platform since 2007: IOS.
81. Twelve: NOON.
87. "OMG, enough!": TMI.
88. Spanish "Of course": CLARO. Another learning moment.
89. Jeff's wife on "Curb Your Enthusiasm": SUSIE.
90. E'en if: THO.
91. Dating word: ANNO. Carbon dating.
93. Previously: AGO.
94. Mario Andretti's twin brother: ALDO.
97. Coffee server: URN.
98. __ fever: HAY.
103. Pickleball barriers: NETS.
104. Expected: DUE.
105. Crib bear: TEDDY.
106. Attention-starved: NEEDY.
108. Fashion designer Paloma: PICASSO. Daughter of Pablo Picasso.
112. Bernadette of "Mozart in the Jungle": PETERS.
114. Many a song played at a class reunion: OLDIE.
118. Actor Elba who DJs as DJ Big Driis: IDRIS.
123. Téa of "Spanglish": LEONI.
124. "__ & Stitch": LILO.
125. Appears to be: SEEMS.
126. Curiosity org.: NASA.
127. Come to an end, in a way: LAPSE.
128. Beyoncé's "Brown __ Girl": SKIN.
129. Genre for BTS and Blackpink: K POP. Blackpink is hugely popular in Asia.
130. Went for a dip: SWAM.
Down:
2. Part of a Latin trio: AMAT.
3. Furry scurriers: MICE.
4. "Amen!": PREACH.
5. TCU or UGA: SCH.
6. Fútbol cheer: OLE.
7. "Sully" river: HUDSON. The movie is subtitled "Miracle on the Hudson",
8. Bassoon kin: OBOE.
9. Adjusted a trumpet slide again, say: RE-TUNED.
10. Out of bed: ARISEN.
11. The Carter Center, e.g., briefly: NGO.
12. Actress Collette: TONI.
13. __ trick: PARLOR.
14. 2023 Super Bowl halftime performer: RIHANNA.
15. "You've got my support!": I'M IN. Here's Big Easy (George), my #3 fan.
16. Patch up: MEND.
17. Artistic tributes: ODES.
20. Like some Tupperware lids: SNAP ON.
24. Ring decision, briefly: TKO. Boxing ring.
25. Prized violin: AMATI.
30. Deck application: SEALANT.
32. Real riot: SCREAM.
33. Small hills: MOUNDS.
35. Broadcast captioner, for short: STENO.
37. Driest U.S. state: NEVADA. I can't imagine living there in the summer. So hot.
38. Shared views: OPINED. Also 109. Think piece?: IDEA.
39. Teva product: SANDAL.
41. "Sold!": DEAL.
42. Green invaders: WEEDS.
43. Give : __ :: take : mile: INCH.
44. No, to Nabokov: NYET.
45. Miss: GAL.
47. Comic Margaret: CHO. Her parents are from South Korea. Look at her tattoos.
53. Eggy drink: NOG.
54. Skyrocket: SOAR.
55. Some Korean cars: KIAS.
58. Simple chord: TRIAD.
59. Rental contract: LEASE.
60. Native Mexican: AZTEC.
61. Oscar winner Garson: GREER. She won an Oscar for "Mrs. Miniver".
62. Thou: GRAND.
68. Like-minded group: BLOC.
69. Kermit's greeting: HI HO.
71. Abhor: LOATHE.
72. "Yeah, and?": SO WHAT. And 79. "If you say so": OK SURE.82. "Uh, I doubt that": UM NO.
73. Pesters: ANNOYS.
75. Royal digs: PALACES. The Forbidden City.
76. Thespian's domain: STAGE.
78. Hosp. area: ICU.
80. Evening affair: SOIREE.
83. __-pong: PING.
84. Fly-fishing target, perhaps: TROUT.
85. Starting on: AS OF.
86. Marshy area: FEN.
87. Bit: TAD.
92. Makes a minister: ORDAINS.
94. Constructed a new wing, say: ADDED ON.
95. Brought about: LED TO.
96. Laundromat array: DRYERS. Our neighbor's house caught fire a few months ago because they did not clean the lint trap.
100. "G'day!" sayer: AUSSIE.
101. Kathmandu native: NEPALI.
102. Synchronized, like a marching band: INSTEP.
103. Stockings: NYLONS.
107. __ Jones: DOW.
108. Tablet: PILL.
110. Cut down to size: CROP.
111. Birds capable of 270° head turns: OWLS.
113. Raise a big stink?: REEK. And
115. Make faces, say: DRAW. I like both clues.
116. To whom Rick says, "We'll always have Paris": ILSA.
117. Dutch cheese: EDAM.
120. Apt. feature, in ads: EIK. Eat-In Kitchen.
121. Med. plan option: HMO.
122. Psychic ability: ESP.
Thank you to the 110+ of you who bought my book.
It's fun for me to go to my Amazon Author Central and look at the
stats. Can I ask you to leave a review? Good or bad. Thank you so much
for supporting me! I just wish Boomer could see this.
