Sunday March 17, 2024 Doug Peterson

Theme: "County Fair" - Each common phrase contains an Irish county.

23. Subway request: HOLD THE MAYO.

33. Light verse best not shared with kids: DIRTY LIMERICK.

53. Actress who plays Anita Hill in the HBO film "Confirmation": KERRY WASHINGTON.

67. New Year's Eve popper: CHAMPAGNE CORK.

91. "C'mon, live a little": LET YOUR HAIR DOWN.

102. Italian saint who founded a Franciscan religious order: CLARE OF ASSISI.

120. Matinee idol of the 1930s and 1940s: TYRONE POWER.

A perfect puzzle for our Irish Miss and Steve Marron. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I'm not familiar with County Down or County Tyrone, but any puzzle by Doug Peterson is a treat. His grids, including Saturdays, are always super clean and smooth. Doug is also a super solver. This pic is from ACPT 2008.

Doug Peterson & Will Shortz

Across:

1. Ancient fabulist: AESOP. Also a pricey soap brand.

6. Pesky insects: GNATS.

11. Shelter org.: SPCA.

15. __ capsule: TIME.

19. Set of beliefs: CREDO.

20. Betray, in a way: RAT ON. I know OMERTA.

21. Chalky powder: TALC.

22. Make muddy: ROIL.

25. Bibliography abbr.: ET AL.

26. Roadside retreats: INNS.

27. Club music genre, familiarly: EDM. Electronic Dance Music.

28. "We can seat you now" buzzer: PAGER. Pagers were very popular when I was in college. We only had one phone in school building.

29. "Funny, right?": GET IT.

30. Travel document: VISA.

31. Beach town atmosphere: SEA AIR.

37. Geek (out): NERD.

39. Unit of resistance: OHM.

40. Travelers' gp. with annual dues: AAA.

41. Vehicle in many a Jack London story: SLED.

44. Filling station number: OCTANE.

47. Unbelievably impressive: SCARY GOOD. Great fill.

56. "I Can't Drive 55" singer Hagar: SAMMY.

57. "Until we meet again, chérie": ADIEU.

58. Drought relief: RAIN.

59. Elizabeth's role in Marvel movies: WANDA. Elizabeth Olsen. Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch.

61. Leonine feature: MANE.

62. Like a small vineyard, perhaps: TEN-ACRE.

64. Clothing pioneer Strauss: LEVI.

65. Sign-on need: USER ID.

72. Like a live fumble: IN PLAY.

76. "What __ is new?": ELSE.

77. Hind site?: TAIL END. So many fun clues in this puzzle:  113. Kick starters?: FEET. 112. Santa Fe foursome: TIRES. 121. Passing remark?: YEA.

82. Editor's "Lose this": DELE.

83. "Open wide!": SAY AH.

85. Shopper's reference: LIST.

88. Revved up: EAGER.

89. Pixel pattern: IMAGE.

94. Stagnate: GO NOWHERE.

96. Refuse to be associated with: DISOWN. 109. Refuse to yield: INSIST.

97. "Which __ say ... ": IS TO.

98. Bud visitor: BEE.

99. Dowel: PEG.

100. Hand sanitizer ingredient: ALOE.

114. __ apso: LHASA.

115. Browning spots: OVENS.

117. Non opposite: OUI.

118. Driver of many trailers: ADAM. Adam Drive the actor.

119. Recover from a run: PANT. Oh guys, my 25-meter freestyle record is now 30 seconds. It was 35 seconds last December. Butterfly is still a mess. I'm in the stage between butterwhy and buttercry.

123. Arizona landform: MESA.

124. "Laugh-In" comedian Johnson: ARTE.

125. Tackle again: RE-TRY.

126. Sidestep: EVADE.

127. Elysian locale: EDEN.

128. Cherished: DEAR.

129. Cinch of a course: EASY A.

130. December candy shapes: CANES.

Down:

1. Is tender: ACHES.

2. Slowly cut into: ERODE.

3. One of Marge Simpson's sisters: SELMA.

4. Somewhat strange: ODD.

5. Course with a crust: POTPIE.

6. Hall of Fame pitcher Maddux: GREG. We used to have a ton of his cards.

7. Known as: NAMED.

8. Gaming trailblazer: ATARI.

9. 75-Down, e.g.: TOY. 75. Figure included in the Gotham City Cycle Chase set: LEGO BATMAN.

10. __-Cat: winter vehicle: SNO.

11. Girder alloy: STEEL.

12. Soul icon LaBelle: PATTI.

13. Insurance filing: CLAIM.

14. Knee injury common among athletes: ACL TEAR. And 15. Pub entertainment with a host: TRIVIA GAME. Doug is terrific themeless constructor.

16. Like some bonds: IONIC.

17. Belarus capital: MINSK.

18. Disney character loosely inspired by "The Snow Queen": ELSA.

24. Soil-loosening implement: HARROW.

29. Athletic center: GYM.

32. Tenor Bocelli: ANDREA.

34. Samurai without a lord: RONIN.  浪人. Literally "wanderer".  Same in Chinese.

35. In those days: THEN.

36. Sunshine, slangily: RAYS.

38. Region with many Commanders fans, briefly: DC AREA.

41. Card game in which 10s score higher than kings and queens: SKAT.

42. News article intro: LEDE.

43. "__ go bragh!": ERIN.

45. Airport security org.: TSA.

46. Sushi tuna: AHI.

47. Barrel strip: STAVE.

48. Like some water cooler cups: CONIC.

49. Plus: AND.

50. Ilhan of Congress: OMAR. The 5th district. I live in the 3rd district.

51. Luxury hotel chain headquartered in Dallas: OMNI.

52. Recolored: DYED.

54. Desert plant in the asparagus family: YUCCA.

55. "The Sweet Escape" singer Stefani: GWEN.

60. Paranormal vibe: AURA.

63. "House of the Dragon" actor Ifans: RHYS.

64. Shirt size abbr.: LGE.

66. Slalom competitor: SKIER.

68. __ lemon: citrus hybrid: MEYER.

69. Dish: PLATE.

70. Pallid: ASHY.

71. Capital west of Montreal: OTTAWA.

72. "Yeah, man": I DIG.

73. Pixar clownfish: NEMO.

74. Course of action: PLAN.

78. Part of LPGA: LADIES.

79. Swelled heads: EGOS.

80. Semiaquatic salamander: NEWT.

81. 007's first film foe: DR NO.

84. Flagon beer: ALE.

85. Video game brother: LUIGI. The Mario Brothers.

86. Org. with auditors: IRS.

87. "Dexter: New Blood" airer, for short: SHO.

90. Still-life jug: EWER.

92. "To a ... " poems: ODES.

93. Waiting to buy tickets, say: IN LINE. Boomer and I used to stand in line for over 4 hours to get those Twins bobbleheads. He loved those activities. He could talk up a storm with anyone.

95. Shoe insert: HEEL PAD.

99. Educational ad: PSA.

101. Unsolicited, as a manuscript: ON SPEC.

102. Relinquished: CEDED.

103. Charter: LEASE.

104. Chicago airport: O'HARE.

105. Soda with a Piña Colada flavor: FANTA.

106. Autumn blossom: ASTER.

107. Classifies: SORTS.

108. Off-white shade: IVORY.

110. Sioux City resident: IOWAN.

111. Upholstery choice: SUEDE.

113. Struggling actor's dream: FAME.

116. Singer born in County Donegal: ENYA. One more county reference.

120. Uno + due: TRE.

122. Reproductive cells: OVA.

C.C.