Theme: "Gee Whiz!" - Gee sound is added to the start of the first word, changing spellings as needed.
22A. IQ test?: GAUGE OF REASON. Age of Reason.
35A. Schlemiels on wheels?: GOOBER DRIVERS. Uber drivers.
53A. Million-dollar smile?: GLAM CHOPS. Lamb chops.
74A. Fully understand and appreciate a night at the Met?: GROK OPERA. Rock opera.
90A. Set where Geico commercials are shot?: GECKO LOCATION. Echolocation.
109A. Took on divine roles?: PLAYED THE GODS. Play the odds. (Error earlier)
16D. "Hollywood Squares"?: GAME FOR THE STARS. Aim for the stars.
42D. French connection?: GAUL IN THE FAMILY. All in the family.
So happy to see Ed's byline. He's so original and innovative.
All the words have spelling changes. This really needs creative thinking.
Across:
1. Tiny tot: MOPPET.
7. Snakes with hoods: COBRAS.
13. __ Empire: Genghis Khan's realm: MONGOL. "The Legend of the
Condor" is my favorite TV series. The main character Guo Jing grows up
in Mongolia under the care of the Genghis Khan.
19. Get out of a bind?: UNLASH. Not a word I use.
20. Child's coveralls?: APRONS. Julia Child.
21. Laments: BEMOANS.
24. Fearing the worst: ALARMED.
25. __ Valley: Reagan Library site: SIMI.
26. Mara of "Women Talking": ROONEY.
27. Compadres: CRONIES.
28. Rock musical set in New York's East Village: RENT.
30. 74-Down suggestion: Abbr.: RTE. 74. Navigation tech: GPS.
31. Los Angeles mayor Bass: KAREN.
33. Shark's appendage: FIN. When I lived in Guangzhou, shark fin soup was often featured in our annual New Year's company dinner.
40. Droop under pressure: SAG.
43. Lena of "Chocolat": OLIN.
44. Abated: WANED.
45. Like pastrami: CURED.
46. "I Will Never Let You Down" singer Rita: ORA.
47. Intro, in journalism jargon: LEDE.
48. Rowing machine, familiarly: ERG. Short for "ergometer".
49. Unstated: TACIT.
51. Gets more life out of: RE-USES.
56. Lid: HAT.
59. Bona fide: VALID.
60. __ du jour: bistro special: PLAT.
62. Give the slip: ELUDE.
63. None: ZERO.
64. "Let's do this!": I'M IN.
65. Spoken: ORAL.
66. "Such a pity!": ALAS.
67. Former name of Exxon: ESSO.
68. Prefix with gram or second: NANO.
69. Lena Dunham TV series: GIRLS.
71. Horse-pulled cart: DRAY.
72. Expedia search results: RATES.
73. Elect (to): OPT.
76. The "D" of FDR: DELANO.
77. Really wound up: HYPER.
79. Fertility clinic cells: OVA.
80. Balkan native: SLAV.
82. Copacabana setting: RIO.
83. Sets loose: FREES.
85. Sean of "The Lord of the Rings": ASTIN. Sam.
87. Towering: TALL. Here's a picture me and my brother Andy, who's 4 years younger than me. Taken in 2002, the last time I saw him.
88. Male offspring: SON.
89. Dexterous: DEFT.
94. Poet laureate Limón: ADA.
95. __ to go: fixin' for a fight: RARIN'.
96. Caustic chemical: LYE.
97. Gestures of recognition: NODS.
100. Dubai, for one: EMIRATE.
103. "... if you say so": I GUESS.
106. Part of a putter: GRIP.
108. Formed a union: SAID I DO.
112. Spilling salt, perhaps: ILL OMEN.
113. Salon creation: HAIRDO. 115. Worked in a salon: STYLED.
114. Dresses with a certain flare: A-LINES.
116. Partake of: DINE ON.
117. "You should believe me!": HONEST.
Down:
2. "Don't interrupt!" studio sign: ON AIR.
3. Large feather: PLUME.
4. Summoning, in a way: PAGING.
5. Language suffix: ESE.
6. 2011 Marvel film directed by Kenneth Branagh: THOR.
7. Pumpkin pigment: CAROTENE. I tried Renee's stuffed acorn squash. So good.
8. Series starter: OPENER.
9. Highland hill: BRAE.
10. Flushed, as cheeks: ROSY.
11. "Yeah, that's __ from me": A NO.
12. ID with nine digits: SSN.
13. Fruit salad fruit: MELONS.
14. Muscat's country: OMAN.
15. Tuna roll seaweed: NORI.
17. Like adjustable hats and most scarves: ONE-SIZE.
18. Drug in Michael Pollan's "How to Change Your Mind": LSD.
21. Less covered: BARER.
23. Proscribe: FORBID.
27. Rep on the street: CRED.
29. Hand-__ leather: TOOLED.
31. Checkers demand: KING ME.
32. "__ Maria": AVE.
34. Actor Beatty: NED.
36. Estadio cheers: OLES.
37. Lived, to a Brit: DWELT.
38. __ avis: RARA.
39. "Sí," in Paree: OUI.
40. Mira of "Shining Vale": SORVINO. She speaks Chinese.
41. AAA offering: AREA MAP.
45. Includes in an email: CCS.
49. "No more putting this off!": TODAY.
50. Parrots: APES.
52. __-Tibetan languages: SINO. Prefix for China.
53. Big name in California viticulture: GALLO.
54. Santa __: Silicon Valley city: CLARA.
55. Luau performance: HULA.
57. Hall of TV fame: ARSENIO.
58. "Don't joke about that yet": TOO SOON.
60. Earlier: PRIOR.
61. Carefree adventure: LARK.
63. Ardor: ZEAL.
65. Shrek, for one: OGRE.
70. Absolutely correct: SPOT ON.
71. Pipe-clearing brand: DRANO.
72. Maker of ColorStay cosmetics: REVLON. Great foundation.
75. Bad to the bone: EVIL.
76. "Melting clocks" painter Salvador: DALI.
78. Nonetheless: YET.
80. Decided not to retire: STAYED ON.
81. Up-to-the-minute: LATEST. Poor Connie had her gallbladder removed last week. She also had pneumonia again.
83. Rx overseer: FDA.
84. Corrected a distribution error: RE-DEALT.
85. Farm division: ACRE.
86. Master moguls: SKI. The ski bump "moguls".
90. Like students and sidewalks: GRADED.
91. Stationery brand: EATON.
92. British name for a murder mystery board game: CLUEDO.
93. Gourd: NOGGIN.
98. Source of some aerial photography: DRONE.
99. Fries, tots, slaw, etc.: SIDES.
101. Swift, to Swifties: IDOL.
102. Winter coat: RIME.
103. "Young Sheldon" actor Armitage: IAIN.
104. Circular current: GYRE. We had this fill before.
105. Former Iranian ruler: SHAH.
107. Attention-getting hiss: PSST.
108. Bro kin: SIS.
109. Prof's deg., often: PHD.
110. Poem of medieval France: LAI. Learning moment for me.
111. "Xanadu" rock gp.: ELO.
Happy 78th birthday to dear Jazzbumpa
(Ron), who's been our Wednesday Sherpa since January 2011.
