Sunday February 2, 2024 Pam Amick Klawitter

Theme: "Silent Partners"- A silent letter is added to one word in each common phrase, forming a homophone.

23A. "The cherry, apple, and strawberry candles are all sold out!"?: NOT ONE RED SCENT.

53A. Unmounted jouster?: KNIGHT CRAWLER.

72A. Outdo a rolled entry in a sandwich battle?: BEAT THE WRAP.

88A. Where guys hang out in a big box store?: THE AISLE OF MAN.

121A. Urgent addition to the end of a song?: EMERGENCY CHORD.

15D. Podcast series on how to build a door frame?: JAMB SESSIONS.

65D. Macrame enthusiast's appraisal of a painting class?: I'D RATHER KNOT.

I really love the last entry and its clue. 

We've had B, K & W addition puzzles in the past. I don't recall a puzzle with a mix of silent letters. Pam is known for her originality and creativity.

 Pam Amick Klawitter

 

Across:

1. REM opener: RAPID.

6. Genesis mountain: ARARAT. Where Noah landed his ark.

12. Spanish table wines: RIOJAS.

18. Goldfish or oyster: ANIMAL.

20. "Bubble" drink: BOBA TEA. I love chewing the tapioca balls at the bottom.

22. Gasoline number: OCTANE.

25. Musical-comedy legend Ethel: MERMAN.

26. Give a silent signal: NOD AT.

27. Ryukyu Islands island: OKINAWA. Known for their milk tea. Tapioca pearls at the bottom also.

29. Early education topic: ABCS.

30. Palm berry: ACAI.

33. Ousted Russian ruler: TSAR.

35. Lose energy: TIRE.

36. Nail salon brand: ESSIE.

37. "Rigoletto" setting: MANTUA. City in northern Italy.

40. Many NFL MVPs: QBS. Quarterbacks.

42. Suppress: SIT ON.

44. Word with loose or tight: END.

45. Make a choice: OPT.

46. Utter fiasco: SNAFU.

49. Subway Surfers and Candy Crush Saga: APPS.

51. Military drama franchise: NCIS.

56. Comedic tribute: ROAST.

58. Jewish school: YESHIVA. Google shows that yeshiva comes from the Hebrew yesibah meaning "academy".

 59. "Unbelievable!": WOW.

61. Idolize: ADMIRE.

63. Flighty notions: WHIMS.

66. Menzel with a "Wicked" cameo: IDINA. Powerful voice.

68. Maker of Giant Rubber Bands and Dehydrated Boulders: ACME.

70. Ref. that added "mic drop" in 2024: OED.

71. Relieves (of): RIDS.

75. Grab hold of: SNAG.

76. Miscalculate: ERR.

77. Like a slasher film: GORY.

78. Building blocks smaller than Lego: ATOMS.

79. Red-blooded: LUSTY. Have any of you seen "Red Sorghum"? Masterpiece by Zhang Yimou, the most famous Chinese director. He grew up in Xi'an also.

80. Set to rights: NEATEN.

82. Guarded ID digits: SSN.

85. Postal creed start: NEITHER.

87. Community values: ETHOS.

93. Dance performed in concentric circles: HORA.

94. Guitarist Guthrie: ARLO.

95. Post-polish luster: SHEEN.

96. Good Grips maker: OXO.

97. Omar Sharif title role: CHE.

99. Greedy demand: GIMME.

101. "The Muppets" eagle: SAM.

103. Like a gymnast: LIMBER.

105. Stable neigh-bor: HORSE. Such a fun clue.

107. "The Mammoth Hunters" novelist: AUEL.

109. Settings symbol: GEAR.

112. Rae of "Insecure": ISSA.

113. Ancient Egyptian cross: ANKH.

114. Faint reminder: VESTIGE.

116. Some hand-me-downs: GENES. I also like this clue.

119. One of TV's "Friends": MONICA.

126. Target for Target: PROFIT.

127. Fill up: SATIATE.

128. Capital markets worker: TRADER.

129. Heated conflicts: SET-TOS.

130. Dads, sometimes: POPPAS.

131. Many prom coifs: UPDOS.

Down:

1. Hoofed it: RAN.

2. "We're in __-win situation": A NO.

3. Hardest part of a date?: PIT. Sweet clue also.

4. "You can trust me with this!": I'M ON IT.

5. "Love & Mercy" actor Paul: DANO. He played Brian Wilson.

6. Enables a crime: ABETS.

7. Diviner's device: ROD.

8. Take, as a loss: ABSORB.

9. Pool hall staple: RACK.

10. Took a loss: ATE IT.

11. Court figure: TENNIS PRO. Tennis court.

12. Fontana di Trevi locale: ROMA.

13. Hockey surface: ICE.

14. Spanish "others": OTRAS.

16. Pain reliever since 1916: ANACIN.

17. Had a hunch: SENSED.

19. Took charge: LED.

21. Retro gaming consoles: ATARIS.

24. Cluny the Scourge in "Redwall," e.g.: RAT.

28. Drenched: WET.

30. Totally wild: AMOK.

31. Crunch on a cereal box: CAP'N.

32. Dissenter, at first?: ANTI. And 72. Growing art form?: BONSAI. 97. En-titled ones?: CHAMPS. All brilliant clues.

34. Caraway-flavored spirit: AQUAVIT.

36. Make unreadable, in a way: ENCODE.

38. Seats, slangily: USHES.

39. Crumb seekers: ANTS.

41. McCloskey's blueberry picker: SAL. "Blueberries for Sal"

43. Freeway feature: ON RAMP.

47. Feeling more fluish: ACHIER.

48. Starts of some long weekends: FRIDAYS.

50. Hymn singer's seat: PEW.

52. Reba McEntire's "All the Women __": I AM.

54. Spots for sweaters?: GYMS. Sweat-ers.

55. Wish list item: WANT. Andy just visited my 70-year-old aunt during Chinese New Year. She made him rabbit stew. They also found this pic of me and my grandma.

 

Me and My Grandma

57. "Trick or __!": TREAT.

60. On the hot side: WARMISH.

62. Pushing boundaries: EDGY.

63. Little brown bird: WREN.

64. New payroll member: HIREE.

67. "I just knew it!": AHA.

69. Sand structure: CASTLE. Always associate this word with Splynter. Sorry about your knees.

73. Volcano near the Ionian Sea: ETNA.

74. Pity party line: WOE IS ME.

75. Half a combo entree: SURF. Surf and turf.

77. "Curious" monkey: GEORGE. Hi there Big Easy!

79. Actress Téa: LEONI.

81. Ne'ertheless: THO.

83. Local guide: STREET MAP.

84. Penguins' org.: NHL. Pittsburgh Penguins.

86. "Stay by me, Fido": HEEL.

89. Early morning goddess: EOS. Greek goddess of dawn.

90. Disorderly hordes: MOBS.

91. Hacking tools: AXES.

92. Romance writer Roberts: NORA.

94. Keeps entertained: AMUSES.

98. Novelist de Balzac: HONORE.

100. Space traveler Jemison: MAE.

102. Sibling difference: AGE GAP.

104. Small slipup: MISHAP.

106. Work period: SHIFT.

108. Intentionally deceive: LIE TO.

110. Edith and Margo's sister in "Despicable Me": AGNES. And our Irish Miss. Will be thinking of you on Tuesday.

111. Button for making a voice note, briefly: REC.

114. Brewery tanks: VATS.

115. Film set assistant: GRIP.

117. WSJ competitor: NYT.

118. Earth tone: ECRU.

120. Part of a big union merger: CIO. AFL-CIO.

122. Fig. texted en route: ETA.

123. Like most prime numbers: ODD.

124. __ Speedwagon: REO.

125. Some ER staff: DRS.

C.C.