Theme: "In a Manner of Speaking" - Each common expression is reinterpreted literally.
22. "It's so cold my fingers are going numb": DIGITAL COMMUNICATION.
35. "I love my new down comforter": BLANKET STATEMENT.
52. "You should have seen that game-winning throw": PASSING COMMENT.
74. "I only carry one if there's more than a 50% chance of rain": UMBRELLA POLICY.
89. "Granite is best because it's heat-resistant and easy to clean": COUNTER-ARGUMENTS.
108. "Eve and I really wanted that apple": FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE.
I think this is our Jill Singer, a filmmaker in the Boston area.
She has a fondness for this type of rephrasing theme type. Chuckled at the clues. Fun.
This grid only has 138 words. Normally we have 142 or 144.
Across:
5. Penn State rival: PITT. Roc the Panther.
9. Church topper: SPIRE.
14. Not stick around: BAIL.
18. Old short film: ONE-REELER.
20. Like an escaped balloon: ALOFT.
21. "Free Willy" mammal: ORCA.
25. Conceptualism debate starter: IS IT ART.
26. Cursed: DOOMED.
27. Cattle markers: BRANDS. San Gu's son-in-law has a huge cattle farm. This is her grandson Er Cong. Don't think he wants to be a farmer.
29. Polar bear platforms: FLOES.
30. Piano key wood, traditionally: EBONY.
32. Laugh half: HEE.
33. Langley org.: CIA.
34. Craving: YEN.
40. Period of time: SPELL.
42. Really annoys: DEVILS. Did not know devil can be a verb. OK, deviled egg.
43. Creep: EDGE.
44. Escort: SQUIRE.
47. Beats by __: DRE.
50. Collapsible shelter: TENT.
51. Tangy salad herb: CRESS. Just had it last Sunday.
55. S.F. and L.A. locale: CAL.
56. Crème de la crème: A TEAM.
57. __ silence: RADIO.
58. Soak (up): SOP.
59. Starts of some logic problems: IFS.
62. __ photography: still-life genre: TABLETOP.
64. Business letters: LLC.
66. Wine grape variety: CABERNET.
68. Texter's apology: SRY. Sorry.
69. Like sashimi: RAW.
70. Ann __, Michigan: ARBOR.
72. Dye used in mehndi: HENNA.
73. Josh: KID.
78. Big shot: NABOB.
81. Court entry: PLEA.
82. Jimmy Eat World genre: EMO.
83. Rings around pupils: IRISES.
84. "__ be great!": IT'LL.
85. Part of the largest ethnic minority in the U.S.: LATINO. Hispanic and Latino. Han is the largest in the world. I'm a Han.
87. Very thin: GAUNT. And 99. Gray-faced: ASHEN.
93. Half of hexa-: TRI.
96. WSW reversal: ENE.
97. Urban scourge: RAT.
98. Composer Maurice: RAVEL. "Boléro".
101. Some field day races: RELAYS.
103. Peppermint __: PATTIE.
106. Sticks: ADHERES.
111. "Got that, boss": ON IT.
112. Brother's wife or wife's brother: IN-LAW.
113. Transfers legally: SIGNS OVER.
114. Cincinnati players: REDS.
115. Festoon: ADORN.
116. Cookie one might twist to open: OREO.
117. Robin's home: NEST.
Down:
2. Maroon: ENISLE.
3. Roman military group: LEGION.
4. Overused: TRITE.
5. Comice or Seckel: PEAR. Seckel pears.
6. Tattler's refrain: I'LL TELL.
7. Private eye: TEC. Detective.
8. Trampled: TROD ON.
9. Siberian dog breed: SAMOYED.
10. Reddish purple hue: PLUM.
11. "La Brea" actress Skye: IONE.
12. Microchip initialism: RFID. Radio Frequency Identification.
13. "You know the rest," briefly: ETC.
14. Buddha's meditation spot: BO TREE.
15. Oratorio solo: ARIA.
16. Words following a loss: I CONCEDE.
17. Positions to stick after vaults: LANDINGS.
19. Airport pickup figs.: ETAS.
23. One living a life of prayer: MONK. Nice clue.
24. Offers some bad advice?: ABETS. Really bad advice.
28. Quenches: SATES.
31. Part of an Uncle Fester costume: BALD CAP.
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32. Stop: HALT.
35. "Where have you __?": BEEN.
36. Spot for un béret: TETE.
37. Cartoon reindeer: SVEN.
38. Eyelash treatment: TINT.
39. Reagle who was a special guest on a crossword episode of "The Simpsons": MERL. Had a few nice email exchanges with Merl when I first started making puzzles.
40. Natural fiber in rugs and rope: SISAL.
41. Steakhouse selection: PRIME RIB.
44. Quarrels: SPATS.
45. Saudi Arabia neighbor: QATAR.
46. Important date: USE BY.
48. Towel holder: ROD.
49. Wakim of "SNL": EMIL.
51. Meeting point of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans: CAPE HORN.
53. "Oh, __ up!": GROW.
54. Wisdom tooth, e.g.: MOLAR.
55. Kernel holder: COB.
58. "Love Song" singer Bareilles: SARA.
59. Civil rights leader Roy: INNIS.
60. Ideal yard feature for pet owners: FENCE.
61. Legal postponements: STAYS.
63. Small amount: TAD.
65. Indigenous Canadians: CREE.
66. City on the Rhine: COLOGNE. 73. 66-Down, in German: KOLN.
67. Got going again, as a gas lamp: RE-LIT.
71. Anti-racism gp.: BLM.
74. Cosmetics chain with beauty salons: ULTA.
75. Golda of Israel: MEIR.
76. Sound of a slamming door: BANG.
77. Name of 12 popes: PIUS.
78. More sympathetic: NICER.
79. Right, as a wrong: ATONE FOR.
80. Transit option to Boston's Logan Airport: BLUE LINE.
81. Hair band?: PART.
85. "It's the __ I can do": LEAST.
86. Play in which the Stage Manager is a character: OUR TOWN.
88. On the loose: AT LARGE.
90. Secret meetups: TRYSTS.
91. Common street name: MAIN.
92. "Nevertheless ... ": EVEN SO.
93. Not just survive: THRIVE.
94. Actor Keanu: REEVES.
95. Magazine addition: INSERT.
99. Exclamations of understanding: AHAS.
100. Determined to have: SET ON.
102. Like the Namib: ARID. The Namib is world's oldest desert.
103. Await settlement: PEND.
104. Folk singer Guthrie: ARLO.
105. Peter the Great or Nicholas II: TSAR.
107. Spy film starring Sean Connery: DR NO.
109. Actress Zadora: PIA.
110. Affectation: AIR.
C.C.
