Sunday July 7, 2024 Will Pfadenhauer

Theme:  "Work With What You've Got" - Not sure I got the theme. The second words are made up of letters that appear in the first word? (Sorry for the wrong title earlier.)

23. *Often color-coordinated wedding attire: BRIDESMAID DRESSES.

34. *Camden Yards player: BALTIMORE ORIOLE.

51. *"Star Wars" action sequence: LIGHTSABER BATTLE.

68. *Sports car introduced in 1953: CHEVROLET CORVETTE.

84. *Event for social workers?: CORPORATE RETREAT.

99. *Spot where one might find boxers?: UNDERWEAR DRAWER.

Reveal:

114. Parts used over and over again, such as the letters in the answers to the starred clues: RECYCLED MATERIALS.

OK, guys, I'm just stumped. I did notice that the second words are all "recycled" letters of the first word. Is that it?

The theme is harder to execute than it looks, as the second words are all pretty long.

Across:

1. Enter quickly: DASH IN.

7. Like many cagers: TALL. I thought Yao Ming is the tallest. Nope.

 

11. Cries during a Real Madrid vs. Barcelona match: OLES. And 15. "Right on!": RAD.

18. Flammable gas: ETHANE.

19. Southernmost Great Lake: ERIE.

20. Come clean?: BATHE. Great clue. I hope you can "come clean" slowly in your tub, weed-free.

22. Cards, on scoreboards: ARI.

26. Uncle, in Spanish: TIO.

27. Place to check out: TILL. Checkout counter.

28. Buckwheat noodle: SOBA. Thanks for the birthday cards and emails. I had a long walk along the Coon Rapids Dam, then made myself a huge bowl of birthday noodles. Similar to this, but mine had Shanghai bok choy.

29. NorCal neighbor: ORE.

30. Forced (open), as a pistachio: PRIED.

32. Tijuana toast: SALUD.

39. Phrase on some menus: NO MSG.

41. Eclipse, to some: OMEN.

42. Slightly: A BIT.

43. Savanna tree: ACACIA.

46. Pal: BUD. And 96. Megastar: IDOL. Andrea Carla Michaels has been visiting Minnesota. Here she is with the Big Pencil along the Lake of the Isles.

47. Marches, maybe: PROTESTS.

56. Greek X: CHI. Guess what this means in Chinese?

57. Dined: ATE. Chi = Eat in Chinese.

58. Animal sidekick in "Frozen": SVEN.

59. Some tree snakes: BOAS.

60. Paintball cry: I'M HIT.

62. Lookouts: SENTRIES.

65. "I don't want to __, but ... ": BRAG.

67. Woodward of "The Long, Hot Summer": JOANNE.

72. NBA star Wade: DWYANE.

74. Charity fun run distance: ONE K.

75. Doing some lawn work: AERATING.

78. Supply with new hardware: REFIT.

79. Friendly nudge at a green light: TOOT.

81. Unreturned serves: ACES.

82. Actor Daniel __ Kim: DAE.

83. Blvd. kin: AVE.

89. Nerdy yet fashionable: GEEK CHIC.

92. Vitality: VIM.

93. Longs (for): YEARNS.

94. Christmas carol: NOEL.

95. Dead even: TIED.

97. Plague: BESET.

104. "Shrinking" star Jason: SEGEL.

108. Spindrift ingredient: PUREE. See it? Water, fruit puree.

109. __ Paulo, Brazil: SAO.

110. Like many language exams: ORAL.

112. Hello, in Oaxaca: HOLA.

113. Before, poetically: ERE.

120. Intel analyst's org.: NSA.

121. Smooth: SLEEK.

122. Superlative acronym: GOAT. Greatest of All Time.

123. Spots for bracelets: ANKLES.

124. FDR's party: DEM.

125. Many: LOTS.

126. Chromosome subsection: GENE.

127. City south of Yosemite National Park: FRESNO.

Down:

1. Arrears: DEBTS.

2. Airy lobbies: ATRIA.

3. Scammer's aide: SHILL.

4. Dined at midday: HAD LUNCH.

5. Hero's end?: INE. Heroine.

6. Loch for monster hunters: NESS.

7. Item with a steep price?: TEABAG. Ha ha. I just had my very first chai thanks to Renee.

8. Common font for important documents: ARIAL. We also had 16. Disney princess with six sisters: ARIEL.

9. Tupperware top: LID.

10. Took charge: LED.

11. Shakespeare's king of the fairies: OBERON. "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

12. __ tag: LASER.

13. UFO occupants: ETS.

14. "That's all __ wrote": SHE.

15. 9-to-5, e.g.: RATIO.

17. The "D" of LED: DIODE.

21. Vivacity: ESPRIT.

24. Swarms: MOBS.

25. Where all roads lead, proverbially: ROME.

31. Baptism, e.g.: RITE.

33. "I dare you!": DO IT.

35. String of concerts: TOUR.

36. Film trivia source: IMDB.

37. Some noblemen: EARLS.

38. Woodwind simulated in "Happy Together": OBOE.

40. Enormous: MASSIVE.

43. "Such a shame!": ALAS.

44. Reference: CITE.

45. Representative's charge: AGENCY FEE.

46. Platt of "Dear Evan Hansen": BEN.

47. "Licorice Pizza" director, to fans: PTA. Paul Thomas Anderson.

48. Landlord in the "One Day at a Time" reboot: SCHNEIDER. Did not know this guy.

49. Scanty: THIN.

50. Venue: SITE.

52. State convincingly: AVER.

53. Spanish X: BESO. Kiss.

54. Taken __: disconcerted: ABACK.

55. "For here or __?": TO GO.

60. Tiny amount: IOTA.

61. Damon of "Oppenheimer": MATT.

63. Tom yum cuisine: THAI. I should try this next time.

64. Lodger's expense: RENT.

65. __ box: BENTO. So cute.

66. Rec from GPS: RTE.

67. Some uniform tops: JERSEYS.

69. Circuit: LOOP.

70. The Boston Marathon, for one: RACE.

71. Swerve: VEER.

72. Queen's garb: DRAG.

73. "__ all been there": WE'VE.

76. Bread served with butter chicken: NAAN. Want some?

77. Appreciates: GETS.

79. Sheer fabric: TOILE.

80. Tolkien beast: ORC.

81. Bread box?: ATM.

84. Masticate: CHEW. I've never used the word "masticate".

85. Motor home driver, for short: RV'ER.

86. Verdi tragedy: AIDA.

87. Pro shop purchases: TEES.

88. Interest-ing development?: RATE HIKE. Interest-ing clue!

90. Plié joint: KNEE.

91. Apple accessories: CORERS.

95. Follows closely: TRACKS.

97. Rebuke: BERATE.

98. Part of QED: ERAT.

99. Flip over: UPEND.

100. Hospital worker: NURSE. I've seen so many the past week. My sister-in-law Connie fainted and literally broke her neck. I was surprised that the ER nurses gave her two doses of morphine the first day.

101. Think big: DREAM.

102. To date: AS YET.

103. Wonder __: role for Lynda Carter: WOMAN.

105. Objectives: GOALS.

106. Pompeo who plays Dr. Grey: ELLEN.

107. Coach Beard's colleague: LASSO. Ted Lasso.

111. Canadian flag icon: LEAF.

115. Shape of a corner sofa: ELL.

116. Boardroom VIP: CEO.

117. Big Green __: backyard smoker: EGG. Not famliar with this brand.

118. Buck's counterpart: DOE.

119. Time off, for short: RNR.

C.C.