(Please click
here to solve the LA Times Daily Crossword in old format.)
Theme:
"E-Tails" - A well-known surname in the pattern of *E replaces the * part of each common phrase.
23A. Hockey legend makes a particular fashion statement? :
HOWE DOES THIS LOOK. How does this look? "Mr Hockey"Gordie Howe.
32A. New England senator's winter tools? :
SNOWE SHOVELS. Snow shovels. Senator Olympia Snowe (Maine). The only girl in the theme set. She's spunky.
48A. Author Thomas blows a tune? :
WOLFE WHISTLES. Wolf whistles. Thomas Wolfe.
65A. Author Graham's lament? :
IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREENE. It's Not Easy Being Green. BBC Two program. An unknown grid-spanner to me. Graham Greene.
88A. Writer Oscar's groupies? :
THE WILDE BUNCH. The Wild Bunch. Oscar Wilde.
102A. Routines that crack up patriot Thomas? :
PAINE KILLERS. Paine killers. Thomas Paine.
116A. Maintain vital info on actor Rob? :
KEEP A LOWE PROFILE. Keep a low profile. Rob Lowe.
Very tight and consistent theme. Quite a range of names: politician, writers, actor, etc.
Do you have the feeling that constructor Jim Holland is fun to be around? I like today's clues a lot. The non-theme fill is really lively also. Here are my favorite:
91A. Seductive greeting on the docks :
HI SAILOR. Did you get such greeting in your Navy days, Spitzboov/eddy?
6D. Frat social :
BEER BASHAcross:1. Grades :
MARKS6. X3 and Z4 :
BMWs. Stumper for me.
10. Pumped (up) :
AMPED15. Ripe, so to speak :
GAMY. I've never used "ripe" to describe meat.
19. Ecuadoran province named for a metal :
EL ORO. Literally "the gold".
20. Cream's Clapton :
ERIC21. New York restaurateur :
SARDI. Of Sardi's.
22. An orchestra tunes to one :
OBOE. I think Jazzbumpa explained this before.
26. Adds (up) :
TOTS27. Beatles title critter :
THE WALRUS. "I am The Walrus".
28. One may be chartered :
BOAT29. Water holder :
LEVEE30. Rhein tributary :
AARE31. Two-bagger: Abbr. :
DBL (Double). To answer your question, Hondo, I thought Cuddyer would be with Twins forever also. But money and pride matter more to players and their agents.
35. Olympics chant :
USA USA37. "Well played" :
NICE ONE. Nice.
38. Pampering place :
SPA41. Hist. majors' degrees :
BAs42. Business abbr. :
INC44. Provençal capers spread :
TAPENADE. Any secret recipe, Steve?
53. Guitar great Paul :
LES54. Concert beginning? :
DIS. Disconcert.
55. According to :
AS PER56. Connect (with)
: LIAISE57. Car roofs with removable panels :
T-TOPS59. Deportment :
MIEN. Learned this from doing Xword.
60. "So-so" reactions :
EHs62. Wyoming hrs. :
MST63. Mumbai nurse :
AMAH. I only know the "nanny" meaning.
73. Cyberseller's site :
EBAY74. Workers' rights assurance, in ads :
EEO. Or EOE.
75. Bill dispenser :
ATM76. Sharp relative
: FLAT77. Put up :
BUILT80. Talk show host spanning five decades :
CAVETT (Dick)
83. Mel of many voices :
BLANC84. Fido's response :
ARF85. In back :
AFT94. Caviar, e.g. :
ROE. So what's your favorite bread spread?
95. Like USN volunteers :
ENL (Enlisted)
96. Narc's org. :
DEA97. Most idiotic :
INANEST. Looks like "in a nest".
100. Works with dough :
KNEADS106. Stand beverage :
ADE107. Quarterback Tony :
ROMO. Good golfer also.
111. One way to think :
ALOUD112. "Say Anything ..." actress Skye :
IONE. Daughter of Donovan.
113. Final, maybe :
ESSAY EXAM. We did not have a specific essay exam. It's always the final part of Chinese literature exam.
115. Split apart :
REND119. Jazz combo :
TRIO120. Established fact :
GIVEN121. Bit of Realtor slang :
RELO. Why is "Realtor" capitalized?
122. Coupe alternative :
SEDAN123. Pre-wedding party :
STAG. Splynter probably will get a few booty dancers.
124. Hägar's hound :
SNERT. "Hägar the Horrible". Created by
DIK (14D. Cartoonist Browne)
Hey, Browne is another E ending name.
125. Formerly, once :
ERST126. Low Hold 'em pair :
TREYSDown: 1. Bombay-born conductor :
MEHTA (Zubin). Wiki said he's Music Director for Life of Israel Philharmonic.
2. Pacific greeting :
ALOHA. Hi there, JD.
3. Oarsman :
ROWER4. Mardi Gras parade group
: KREWE. Pronounced as "crew". Got me again, Hahtool!
5. Scotch partner :
SODA7. Enterprise helmsman :
MR SULU. "Star Trek".
8. It's good to keep them about you :
WITS. "Keep your wits about you" is a new phrase to me also.
9. It may be elem. :
SCH10. Part of ASAP :
AS SOON11. Zambia neighbor :
MALAWI12. Take under one's wing :
PROTECT13. Old Tokyo Bay capital :
EDO15. Had one's revenge :
GOT EVEN16. Overhead :
ABOVE17. __ 6 :
MOTEL18. Okays
: YESES24. "A stitch in time ...," e.g. :
OLD SAW25. Mideast "son of" :
IBN. Arabic.
29. Texas flag symbol :
LONE STAR32. Big bag carrier :
SANTA. I bet Argyle did not nail this.
33. Ball-balancing performer :
SEAL. Not Heidi Klum's
Seal.
34. Cross one's fingers :
HOPE. For Creature, Lemonade, Clear Ayes, Southern Belle, etc, for a healthy and happy 2012.
35. Prefix with mensch :
UBER. Ubermensch. Superman.
36. Enthusiastic acceptance, in Acapulco :
SI, SI38. Eastern guru :
SWAMI39. Assume :
POSIT40. Barre des Écrins range :
ALPES. Barre des Écrins is a mountain in the French Alps. Also unknown to me.
43. Surmount :
CLIMB OVER45. Fuss :
ADO46. Guacamole, for one :
DIP.
47. Ogee shape :
ESS49. Aromatic herb :
FENNEL50. Rick's love :
ILSA. "Casablanca".
51. Caesar's being :
ESSE52. "Contact" acronym :
SETI58. Bad thing to catch
: THE FLU60. Hr. affected by delays :
ETA61. "Yo!" :
HEY63. Rep. with a cut :
AGT64. Vegas's __ Grand :
MGM66. Put one's hands on :
OBTAINED67. Cainites, e.g. :
SECT68. Listless assent, perhaps :
YEAH69. S.F. Giants' league :
NATL (National). Giants are the 2010 World Series champs. Look forward to Ant's Haiku.
70. Spiral-horned antelope
: ELAND71. '30s V.P. John __ Garner :
NANCE. Can never remember his name.
72. __ Sketch :
ETCH A77. "Phooey!" :
BAH78. Mentalist Geller :
URI79. Conditions :
IFs81. Furry Endor dwellers
: EWOKS. "Star Wars".
82. Yours, in Tours :
TIEN. Mine is "mien", right?
83. Oil meas. :
BBLS86. Criticism :
FLAK87. Nobelist Morrison :
TONI89. Cell user's problem :
DEAD SPOT90. Make lovable :
ENDEAR92. Canine also called a Hokkaido :
AINU DOG. I'm aware of Ainu the Japanese aborigine. Not
the dog.93. Come out of the bullpen :
RELIEVE98. Sewing pattern :
SLOPER. New word to me. Bill's Barbara knows.
99. Flat fee payer :
TENANT. Flat = apartment.
101. Stands by an artist :
EASELS102. Romeo and Juliet, e.g. :
PARTS. Nice clue.
103. Warn :
ALERT104. Ancient Samos' region :
IONIA105. Seminary subj. :
REL107. Send (to) for help :
REFER108. Rust, say :
OXIDE109. Asia's __ Peninsula :
MALAY. Many Malaysians speak Cantonese.
110. Dark clouds and such :
OMENS113. Pitcher with a big mouth :
EWER. Fun clue. Made me think of Curt Schilling, who is what the clue says. Sorry, LaLaLinda.
114. Baseball's "Walking Man" Eddie :
YOST. He drew lots of walks, hence the nickname.
116. Metric wts. :
KGs117. Beethoven's A?
: EIN. The article A.
118. Pacific st. :
ORE (Oregon). "St." can be a tricky clue at times, an abbreviation for saint, state or street.
Answer grid.C.C.
