Theme: "State of Disrepair" - Seven states are scrambled and hidden inside the theme entries.
22. Natural wonder that's roughly 1,100 times bigger than the Grand Canyon?: AMAZON RAINFOREST. Arizona.
33. "Show Me where I went wrong!?" elicitor, maybe?: SERIOUS MISTAKE. Missouri.
52. Hawkeyed writer of "To the Lighthouse"?: VIRGINIA WOOLF. Iowa.
69. Question before making a Pine Tree disappear?: DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC. Maine.
93. The NHL's North Stars in 1967, for one?: EXPANSION TEAM. Minnesota. The North Stars left MN in 1993. Now the Dallas Stars.
109. Wolverine's snack dispenser?: VENDING MACHINE. Michigan.
124. Secluded place in Lhasa to think about Treasure?: TIBETAN MONASTERY. Montana.
I
really like this puzzle. Perfect title. Very consistent theme set,
which includes a long Minnesota! The extra state hint in the clue is
probably Patti's idea.
Also so happy with the clue for TERESA (5. Teng known as the "Eternal Queen of Asian Pop"). I know this might stump you, but it made my day.
Across:
11. Broker's charge: FEE.
14. Shadow: TAIL. Verb.
18. Basketball Hall of Famer Leslie: LISA.
19. Spotted cat: OCELOT.
20. Spanakopita cheese: FETA. Also 57. Mild Dutch cheese: EDAM.
21. Jasmine __: RICE. Long-grained. Chinese prefer short-grained.
25. Neighborhood: AREA.
26. __ scheme: PONZI.
27. Afro puff, for one: UPDO.
28. Actor Holbrook: HAL.
29. Post-breakup parties?: SECTS. Nice clue.
31. Front-of-the-rack sizes, often: SMALLS.
37. "__ it first!": I SAW. My sister-in-law Connie and I went to
the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and saw these gorgeous Lady
Slippers, our state flowers.
39. Reservoir creator: DAM.
40. Family member: AUNT.
41. "You __ one job!": HAD.
42. Muscat's land: OMAN.
45. Speech fillers: UHS.
47. Good at repairs: HANDY.
50. "Too bad": A PITY.
56. Scolds harshly: BERATES.
58. Deux halved: UNE.
59. Large chau gong: TAM TAM. Do you all know chau gong?
60. Tartan pattern: PLAID.
62. Title of honor: SIR.
63. Tablelands: MESAS.
65. Body art: INK.
67. Listens to: HEARS.
77. Finish (as): END UP.
78. Pro vote: YEA.
79. "Metropolis: The Chase Suite" artist Janelle: MONAE. And 86. "Thank U, Next" singer Ariana: GRANDE. Also 101. Writer/activist __ B. Wells: IDA. And
102. Actress Fey: TINA. 123. "Smooth Operator" singer: SADE. Girl power.
81. Bigelow product: TEA.
83. "August: __ County": OSAGE.
90. Tiny ammo: BBS.
91. Insect marching in a column: ARMY ANT.
96. Draws from a Juul, say: VAPES.
97. Heavy-duty cooler brand: IGLOO.
99. Big name in cheese balls: UTZ.
100. Inactive: IDLE.
104. Place for a mineral scrub: SPA.
107. Stitched: SEWN.
114. California wine valley: SONOMA.
118. Woodland deities: FAUNS.
119. Prefix with tourism: ECO.
120. Broadcasts: AIRS.
122. Some spouses: WIVES. Feels strange to be called "Doug's widow".
128. Italian automaker since 1899: FIAT.
129. Big personalities: EGOS.
130. "Turn it up!": LOUDER. The House of Kiran played Michael Learns to Rock when I was there. I suspect the owner lived in Guangzhou in the late 1990s also.
131. Encourage: URGE.
132. Ish: OR SO.
133. Wages: PAY.
134. Size up: ASSESS.
135. "Don't dele": STET.
Down:
2. Start of a call home, perhaps: HI MOM.
3. Yoga position: ASANA.
4. Truly brilliant: DAZZLING. Boomer loved these Asiatic lilies. So relieved that they're thriving.
5. Unit of measure for elephants or cargo: TON.
6. Neutral shade: ECRU.
7. Harvests: REAPS.
8. Skipped over: ELIDED.
9. Chihuahua neighbor: SONORA.
10. DOJ arm concerned with explosives: ATF.
11. Are blue: FEEL SAD.
12. UFO pilots, probably: ETS.
13. Uses Blue Apron, say: EATS IN.
14. Land parcel: TRACT.
15. Carrier in French Polynesia: AIR TAHITI. Most of the plane images have Air Tahiti Nui when I googled. Must be more popular than Air Tahiti.
16. Olympian Nathan Chen, notably: ICE SKATER. His parents are from China.
17. Grazing ground: LEA.
20. German woman: FRAU.
23. Aromatherapy array: OILS.
24. "Lookee here!": OHO.
30. Counterpart of "ser," in Spanish: ESTAR. Also 35. Spanish "Very good!": MUY BIEN.
32. Steamy spot: SAUNA.
34. "If u ask me": IMHO.
36. Slow Churned brand: EDY'S.
38. Caprice: WHIM.
42. Egg cell: OVUM.
43. Went for the gold?: MINED. Good old clue.
44. Playground retort: ARE SO.
46. Convened: SAT.
48. Swiss peak: ALP.
49. Super Bowl org.: NFL.
51. Complete a Monopoly circuit: PASS GO.
53. "Showtime!": IT'S ON.
54. Cry miserably: WAIL.
55. Luxury hotel chain: OMNI.
61. Pacific tuna: AHI.
64. Lemur with long fingers and ratlike teeth: AYE-AYE. Learning moment for me. His fingers are sure long.
66. Tab, for one: KEY.
68. Shio or shoyu dish: RAMEN. Shio = Salt. And
70. Noodles served in dashi: UDON.
71. Lowering in rank: BUSTING.
72. Clean air agcy.: EPA.
73. Star in Lyra: VEGA.
74. Deserve: EARN.
75. Retired, maybe: IN BED.
76. Group of schemers: CABAL.
80. "Twilight" vampire: ESME.
81. Industry-wide expo: TRADE FAIR.
82. Latin American pastries: EMPANADAS. Never had these.
84. Ultrasound goop: GEL.
85. Outer: Pref.: EXO.
87. Sparky the Sun Devil's sch.: ASU.
88. Minor criticisms: NITS.
89. Naps: DOZES.
91. Tel __, Israel: AVIV.
92. Sean of "Stranger Things": ASTIN.
94. Swanky: POSH.
95. Condition sometimes treated with hearing aids: TINNITUS.
98. Handheld Nintendo system: GAME BOY. Also 121. Mario Kart console, for short: SNES.
103. Arched foot part: INSTEP.
105. Duelers at some bars?: PIANOS. Another nice clue.
106. Ill will: ANIMUS.
108. Amazes: WOWS. Started a second bottle of Robitussin. This cough is something else. Gets violent in the evening.
110. Because of: DUE TO.
111. Scores 100% on: ACES.
112. Foldable bed: COT.
113. Wear with time: ERODE.
115. In the open: OVERT.
116. On-ramp sign: MERGE.
117. So far: AS YET.
123. NorCal hub: SFO.
125. Two-time French Open winner Swiatek: IGA. From Poland.
126. In the style of: ALA.
127. __ Technica: tech news website: ARS.
C.C.
