Sunday November 21, 2010 Gail Grabowski

Theme: Tell Me No More - TMI (Too Much Information) spans across two words in each familiar phrase.

27A. 1929 song co-written by Fats Waller : AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'. Peter Wentz used this phrase in his "Right on Cue" puzzle last year.

44A. Tenderloin cut : FILET MIGNON. What's the traditional food on your Thanksgiving table? We always have wild rice & mashed rutabaga.

59A. Eleventh hour : LAST MINUTE

82A. "Just passing through" : DON'T MIND ME

92A. Construction site sight : CEMENT MIXER

113A. Gulf War defense weapon : PATRIOT MISSILE

15D. Well-meaning error : HONEST MISTAKE. My favorite theme answer.

58D. Wartime operation : COMBAT MISSION

118D. Brief version of this puzzle's title hidden in eight long puzzle answers : TMI

Nice touch to put the unifier as the last fill.

Simple & elegant theme. Gail's puzzles are seldom complicated. She's also quite fond of pinwheel grid for her weekday puzzles, often with 4 theme entries.

Across:

1. Furtive utterance : PSST

5. "The Stranger" novelist : CAMUS (Albert). Nobel Literature 1957.

10. Resided : DWELT. The answer is seldom LIVED.

15. Jumble : HASH

19. Scale sequence : LA TI. Musical scale.

20. Stove supplier : AMANA

21. Fiber used for fishing nets : RAMIE. New word to me.

22. Org. concerned with ergonomics : OSHA

23. School founded by Henry VI : ETON. British school, 4-letter, ETON it is.

24. Like a ruined roux : LUMPY. I've never made a roux in my life.

25. Nice thoughts? : IDEES. Nice the French city.

26. Palindromic time : NOON

30. Monetary policy maker, informally : THE FED

32. "Gotta go!" : SEEYA

33. Time in an ad : TONITE. "This evening in ad" would be easier.

34. Broad lowlands : DALES. Like this?

36. 23rd Greek letter : PSI. Can never remember the order.

38. Snatched violently : TORE

40. Shell container? : GAS TANK. Shell Oil.

50. Mediation org. established by FDR : NLRB (National Labor Relations Board). Was ignorant of its existence.

52. Express discontent : MOAN. Hmm, I think Dennis wants "Express content".

53. WWII photo site, briefly : IWO. Iwo Jima.

54. Bout of indulgence : SPREE

55. Capital of Delaware? : DEE. Capital letter in Delaware.

56. Requiem : DIRGE

57. Record : DISC

63. Name on a compact : ESTEE. Compact mirror.

64. Not snookered by : ONTO

65. Fort Erie's prov. : ONT

66. Creator of sublime lines : ODIST. Real word. No complaint.

67. Blossom bits : PETALS

68. Longish coat : MIDI. Always associate midi with skirt.

70. False appearance : GUISE

71. Revered Tibetan : LAMA. Does this refer to Dalai Lama?

72. Firmly established : STABLE

75. Tapered transport : CANOE

76. Court addition? : IER. Addition to the word coutrier.

77. Pain in the neck : KINK

81. Year's record : ANNAL

84. Black, to a bard : EBON

85. Blog comments : POSTS. Nice "blog" clue.

86. Bit of work : ERG

87. Helpless, in a way : ALONE

89. Govt. smog watchdog : EPA

90. Hot pair : ITEM

91. Cheer alternative : TIDE. Cheer laundry detergent.

95. Tickle pink : DELIGHT

97. Buckwheat noodle : SOBA. Needs drops of sesame oil.

99. Many a bunt, on a scorecard : SAC (Sacrifice)

100. Doesn't split : STAYS

102. Colorful pet store purchases : TETRAS

106. Reach one's destination : GET IN

110. Its members travel in a world of their own : JETSET. Indeed.

116. Morlock prey : ELOI. From "The Time Machine".

117. Low-tech note taker : STENO

119. City on the Po : TURIN. Po River.

120. Damaging downpour : HAIL

121. Pull up stakes, briefly : RELO

122. Muscat native : OMANI. Muscat is the capital of Oman.

123. You might get a ticket for one : U TURN

124. Nerve-wracking exam, for some : ORAL

125. Finely honed : KEEN

126. Big name in Russian ballet : KIROV. Needed crossing help.

127. Has a quick look : PEEKS

128. Cross a stream, say : WADE

Down:

1. Courthouse entries : PLEAS. Tricky clue.

2. "Socrate" composer : SATIE (Erik)

3. Rock : STONE

4. Old-style photo : TINTYPE

5. Colombian city : CALI. Colombia's second-largest city.

6. Not to be missed : A MUST

7. Fast ballroom dance : MAMBO

8. Release, in a way : UNPEN. Release the pigs.

9. Greet informally : SAY "HI" TO

10. Club with a big head : DRIVER. Golf club.

11. Dry riverbed : WADI. Like arroyo?

12. Fix, as text : EMEND

13. Alibi, maybe : LIE

14. Research site : TEST LAB

16. Since : AS OF

17. Flat, e.g. : SHOE. I sure was not picturing shoes.

18. What a student might raise : HAND

28. Boom sites : MASTS

29. Lots : A TON

31. Fathers and sons : HEs

35. Avoid a strike, e.g. : AGREE

37. Self-destruct : IMPLODE

39. Consumer application : END USE

41. Vital supply line : AORTA

42. Silent films idol Conrad __ : NAGEL. First encounter with this idol. Quite handsome.

43. Mini exhibits? : KNEES. Sexy clue. I suppose LEGS could be clued this way also.

44. Everydog : FIDO

45. "Bingo!" : I WIN

46. TV series filmed on Oahu : LOST

47. Qom native : IRANI. Qom is a holy city near Teheran.

48. Daring exploit : GEST

49. Figure on a pay stub : NET

51. Belarusian's neighbor : LETT. Latvian.

56. Judge : DEEM

60. Get up on : MOUNT

61. Shoot the breeze, e.g. : IDIOM

62. American of Japanese descent : NISEI. Ni = Two. Sei = Birth. Same character as Chinese.

67. Curfew setters : PARENTS

69. Troubles : ILLS

70. Sacred river of India : GANGES

71. Fruit high in vitamin C : LEMON. All citrus fruits are high in Vitamin C.

72. Palatable : SAPID. Sure sounds like opposite, does it?

73. Govt. security : T-NOTE

74. First name in wilderness photography : ANSEL (Adams)

75. Part of a high-tech tangle : CORD

76. Not active : IDLE

78. Alpine denizen : IBEX

79. "In your dreams" : NOPE

80. Tree trunk bulge : KNAR. Learned from doing Xword.

82. Prayer object : DEITY

83. "Platoon" setting, for short : NAM

88. Slate and Salon : EMAGS. Both on line magazines.

91. "Don't worry about it" : THAT'S OK

92. Radio-active sort? : CBER

93. Swallow something hook, line and sinker : EAT IT UP

94. Revue with fancy footwork : ICE SHOW

96. Old telecom giant : GTE. Merged into Verizon.

98. Holy Roman emperor, 1209-'15 : OTTO IV. Peeked at the answer sheet.

101. Primitive projectile : SPEAR

103. Itinerary : ROUTE

104. Based on __ story : A TRUE

105. Unsportsmanlike look : SMIRK

107. Jeweled topper : TIARA

108. Tale of an ancient siege : ILIAD

109. "Ally McBeal" lawyer : NELLE. Played by Portia de Rossi. Ellen's love.

110. Schmo : JERK

111. S. Grant foe? : E LEE. Weird answer, isn't it? Gen. Robert E. Lee.

112. Lacquered metalware : TOLE

114. __ regni: in the year of the reign : ANNO

115. Room renters : INNS

Answer grid.

C.C.

Saturday November 20, 2010 Barry Silk

Theme: None

Total words: 72

Total blocks: 34

Barry anchors his puzzle with a grid spanner flanked by two 11s:

23A. Recipient of a record 16 acting Oscar nominations : MERYL STREEP. So talented.

39A. Playing surface with 24 points : BACKGAMMON BOARD. Could be Barry's seed entry.

47A. It's given for a second : SILVER MEDAL. Great clue/answer.

Triple stacks of 9s in the upper left/lower right & two pairs of paralleled Down 9s complete the grid skeleton.

A formidable challenge to me. Had problems everywhere I went.

Across:

1. "Finding a pencil," to Broadway's Charlie Brown : HAPPINES. Happiness is finding a pencil.

10. Proper : LEGIT

15. Like climbing the walls? : IDIOMATIC. Tricky clue.

16. Common compound : OXIDE. Like rust.

17. Scoundrel : REPROBATE. We normally get RAKE or ROUE as an answer.

18. Noble gas : XENON

19. Fashion model Wek : ALEK. Model from Sudan. Very pretty.

20. What 'n' may mean : AND

22. "Parker Spitzer" airer : CNN. Hosted by Kathleen Parker & Eliot Spitzer. Au courant clue. Good one.

28. Roy Orbison's "__ Over" : IT'S

30. Robert who played Sam Fujiyama on "Quincy, M.E." : ITO. Not familiar with this actor. Is he related to Judge Ito?

31. Pindus Mountains site : GREECE. And two cross-referenced answers: 7D. Letter from 31-Across : ETA & 25D. Meeting place in 31-Across : STOA

33. Koala bear, e.g. : MISNOMER. Not really bear. Hope Kazie nailed the answer.

38. Big name in financial advice : ORMAN (Suze)

41. Flower also called a marguerite : OXEYE. The "also called" part is unknown to me. Lovely daisy.

42. Warning words : YOU'LL SEE. Didn't come to me quickly.

43. Domain : SPHERE

45. "How about that!" : GEE

46. Gp. with the 1979 top-10 album "Discovery" : ELO. So many ways to clue ELO.

54. Carrier units, briefly : ACs. Sure was not thinking of the Carrier Air Conditioners.

56. Formerly : NEE

57. She played Linda in "Arthur" : LIZA (Minnelli). Stumped me.

58. It's a joint : ANKLE. Devious clue.

60. Peru was its leading exporter in 2009 : ASPARAGUS. Who knows?

64. __ the hole : ACE IN

65. Donut, possibly : SPARE TIRE. Funny clue.

66. British satellite entertainment option : SKY TV. No idea.

67. Fare computer : TAXI METER. Oh, taxi fare.

Down:

1. Whiskey's Walker : HIRAM. Learning moment. Hiram Walker.

2. Predecessor of Ginger : ADELE. Adele Astaire? I don't get this clue.

3. Proverbial payee : PIPER. Pay the piper.

4. Daffy contemporary : PORKY. Looney Tunes.

5. E-mail qualifier : IMO

6. Pick up : NAB. Definitely not in the "Pick up" = "Arrest" direction.

8. Lute cousin : SITAR

9. Vista : SCENE

10. Deli delicacy : LOX. Delicious!

11. Suit : EXEC. "Suit" here is slang for "business executive". The clue needs an abbreviation hint.

12. HUD corp. since 1968 : GINNIE MAE. Younger than Fannie Mae.

13. "Whatever" : I DON'T CARE. Great answer.

14. Number of hydrogen atoms in butane : TEN. Well, Al/Jazzbumpa/Husker Gary/Bob might know.

21. What a tiny circle may signify: Abbr. : DEG. Like the tiny circle in 37°.

24. Hangs around : LINGERS

26. 1969 rock opera : TOMMY. Not in my knowledge zone.

27. Snag : PROBLEM

29. Texter's command : SEND

32. Desire personified : EROS. We also have 61. Goddess of peace : PAX.

33. Quantum theory pioneer : MAX PLANCK. Drew a blank also. Nobel prize 1918. German.

34. Early rules for it were developed at McGill University in the 1870s : ICE HOCKEY. New trivia to me.

35. Island near Eigg : SKYE. See this map. Largest of the Inner Hebrides.

36. Rock genre : EMO. Offshoot of Punk Rock.

37. Makeup option : ROUGE

39. Big name in audio : BOSE. Expensive stuff.

40. Phil, say : NLER. National Leaguer. Did you think of Phillies when reading the clue "Phil"? I sure did not.

44. A, overseas : EIN

48. In any case, with "at" : LEAST

49. Piaggio transportation line : VESPA. The scooter maker.

50. Delight : ELATE

51. One, for one : DIGIT. One is a digit. "for one" = "for example".

52. Color similar to Brandeis blue : AZURE. Guessed.

53. Surgery tool : LASER

55. Cut : SLIT

58. Digital camera inserts : AAs

59. Letter carrier: Abbr. : ENV. Not postman.

62. Hebrew name meaning "lion" : ARI. Good to know.

63. Stage occurring several times a night, briefly : REM (Rapid Eye Movement)

Answer grid.

C.C.