Thursday, April 11, 2013, Marti Duguay-Carpenter

Theme: Don't tense up, and pass the participle

Each of the 4 theme answers takes the first word of a two- word phrase and by adding D or ED creates past participles used adjectivally (fun for all our teachers!) in a new and whimsical phrase, the resulted first words all synonyms of "tired". Hey, marti did it not me. Each time the meaning of both words in the original phrase are changed completely. A simple, but fun theme, that was harder to describe than to suss. Lemonade sitting in for miss m, as she is too shy to review and praise her own work, So as Flip Wilson said, We are here to seize her berry.  not praise it. (Bill G, they were much kinder to you than to me when I posted some of mine). On we go.

20A. Post-marathon sounds? : FATIGUED PANTS. (13). Military style morphs into the breathing challenge after 26 miles.

37A. Golfer's outdated set of clubs? : TIRED IRONS. (10). See how the addition of the little "D" changes everything.

43A. Casualty of an all-night poker game? : POOPED DECK. (10). Now we see the added "ED." No Viagra jokes here, and no bathroom humor, provide your own..

55A. Problem for Sherlock when he's run out of tobacco? : EXHAUSTED PIPE.(13). Interesting two theme clues are car related.

Across:

1. Gives pieces to : ARMS. We begin with the subtle use of "piece" meaning a gun.

5. Space-saving abbr. : ET AL.

9. Academy teacher : PLATO. Not just any one, but THE ACADEMY.

14. Leak slowly : SEEP. These days, ideas seldom seep into my brain.

15. Prep, as apples for applesauce : PARE. Generally using a paring knife. Why not say Peel? Paring is more precise? Nothing like TARE.

16. Didn't despair : HOPED.

17. Support girder : I-BAR.

18. Teatro alla Scala highlight : ARIA. The famous Opera house.

19. From days gone by : OF OLD. Did anyone else see this as O Fold for minute? (This is one).

23. Salon supply : GEL.

24. Scottie's relative : WESTIE. The West Highland White Terrier, marti resolved the Scottie issue.

27. ID theft target : SSN. Social Security Number.

30. Wined and dined : REGALED. Treated like a king.

34. Messenger ___ : RNA.

35. Bygone depilatory : NEET. Nair wins, nair wins!

39. Egyptian leader between Gamal and Hosni : ANWAR.  This Nobel Prize winner. LINK, Killed in 1981.

41. MIV ÷ II : DII. One way to divide the Romans.

42. Pester, puppy style : NIP AT. Marti is using the Dan Naddor like short word combos to make the puzzle harder.

46. "___ be young again!" : OH TO. See. I told you she was.

47. SFO posting : ARR.ivals.

48. Welcome sight for early explorers : DRY LAND. Land Ho!

50. Poetic dusk : EEN.

51. "Thy Neighbor's Wife" author : TALESE. A nice GUY.

53. Ill-fated fruit picker : EVE. Cute clue, and more apple reference.

62. Eastern adders? : ABACI. Back again so soon?

64. Smart : CHIC. pronounced Sheak. (Avoiding 1940s condom humor).

65. Corp. money mgrs. : CFOS. Chief Financial Officers.

66. Sax range : TENOR.  I knew marti would get us to the SAX talk.

67. Rolling rock : LAVA.

68. Berlusconi's bone : OSSO. Italian

69. Is without : HASN'T. There are the haves and the have nots, I was explaining to one of my Y-chromosome deficient friends, there are the Ys and the Ynots.

70. One bounce, in baseball : A HOP. Not an A word, but more commonly a one hopper.

71. Kids : TOTS. Would they taste the same if they were called Tater Kids?

Down:

1. "A likely story!" : AS IF. Another one.

2. Country's McEntire : REBA. Have they canceled this SHOW? (2:39)

3. Crux : MEAT. The heart, the gist, you get the idea.

4. Bit of mistletoe : SPRIG. If athletes get athlete's foot, do astronauts get missile toe?

5. Dress uniform decoration : EPAULET. From the French for shoulder, which comes from the Latin Spatula. Do you ladies want to go back to the 80's when your shoulders were so padded?

6. Empty-truck weight: TARE. Per wiki: The word tare originates from the Middle French word tare "wastage in goods, deficiency, imperfection" (15, from Italian tara, from Arabic tarah, lit. "thing deducted or rejected," from taraha "to reject" usually TARE WEIGHT.

7. Desertlike : ARID. You need an extra R for your underarm.

8. Route to an illogical conclusion : LEAP.

9. Expressed an opinion on "The Dan Patrick Show," say : PHONED IN. I debated this as a theme answer for a while.

10. Many converted apartments : LOFTS. Especially in big cities.

11. Sign of omission : APOSTROPHE. Sin of commission. Cool clue.

12. ___ Aviv : TEL. No way, I am not saying a word.

13. Like some socks after laundry day : ODD. I am on a 7 month win streak.

21. Whence BMWs : GERmany. marti just wanted to be back on the autobahn heading to the Alps.

22. Floored : AWED. As opposed to awwed.

25. Hard-wired : INNATE.

26. Crayola Factory's Pennsylvania home : EASTON. Also the birthplace of heavyweight champ, Larry Holmes.

27. Get testy with : SNAP AT. An another.

28. Madrid madam : SENORA. Be careful.

29. City whose average elevation is below sea level : NEW ORLEANS. Hence not a good place to be in a hurricane.

31. Dizzy with delight : GIDDY. This comes from the same German root word which we got our word G-d, as dizzy people were thought to be possessed.

32. Prospero's spirit servant : ARIEL. From Will Shakespeare's The Tempest. Study THIS.

33. High-end camera : LEICA. I wonder if JL likes this kind or the Nikon.

36. Borrow money from : TAP.

38. ___ Grande : RIO. River great.

40. Prophetic attire worn by most doomed characters on the original "Star Trek" TV show : RED SHIRT. The guest role was usually very short if they had on red.

44. De Matteo of "The Sopranos" : DREA. Also, of the short lived JOEY. Finally moved to Wisteria Lane. WATCH (0:54) if you dare.

45. Patella : KNEECAP. I am getting HYALGAN shots in my knees.

49. Netflix rental : DVD.

52. Sentence finisher? : EX-CON. They let you out when you finish, nice clue.

54. Florida attraction : EPCOT. Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.

56. Kareem's coll. team : UCLA. Actually, he was still Lew Alcindor in his UCLA days when he helped John Wooden become king of the hardwood.

57. Deposed ruler : SHAH.

58. Modern recorder : TiVO.

59. "Given that..." : IF SO. And the last.

60. Chime in at a blog : POST. A shout out to all of you!

61. Those, in Tijuana : ESOS.

62. Olympics entrant: Abbr. : ATHlete.

63. Actress Arthur : BEA. Maude or Golden Girl take your pick.

Well it's an extreme pleasure to get back to marti's work; there was a while I was blogging her at least once a month, but now that she is famous, and jetting all over we have to be grateful for what we get. Curious what you all thought, so I will shut up and read. I hope we have an exciting Masters. Congratulations Lady Huskies for your 8th NCAA basketball title. So amazing to me that these kids want to live in Storrs, CT. I did not not even when I was in school there.

L. out.

Note from C.C.:

Hope some of you could attend Marbles' 5th Annual Crossword Tournament. Click here for details.

Wednesday, Apr 10 2013, Peter A. Collins

(Note from C.C.: If you solve today's puzzle from Mensa or other ads-free websites that use the old format,  your unifier will be: "Has a meal, and based on certain outer letters, what 17-, 24-, 30-, 46- and 53-Across each does". Those websites don't support circles. LA Times/Chicago Tribune websites do now.)


theme:  staff of life

17A. One of Beethoven's 32 : PIANO SONATA.  PITA bread. wikipedia says "... as a set they comprise one of the most important collections of works in the history of music."  

24A. Rants and raves : RAISES CAIN. RAISIN bread. to 'raise cain' is to create an uproar.

30A. Social service item? : COFFEE URN. CORN bread. 

46A. Proverbial nonexistent meal : FREE LUNCH. FRENCH bread. 

53A. Place of central interest, man : WHERE IT'S AT. WHEAT bread.

65A. Has a meal, and as the circles show, what 17-, 24-, 30-, 46- and 53-Across each does : BREAKS BREAD

squeeze the circled letters together in each theme answer to form five kinds of bread. 

melissa here. LOTSA arty words today, will let the music and pictures do most of the talking.

across

1. Tons o' : LOTSA

6. Blows, as a script line : FLUBS. oops.

11. Has permission : MAY

14. One may be passed around at a reunion : ALBUM. so many lines.

15. Like the Vegas strip : LIT UP.  quite the view.

16. Honest prez : ABE

19. Moll's leg : GAM. moll = woman companion of a gunman or gangster. 

20. More pitiful : SORRIER

21. Channeling state : TRANCE

23. Gas from the past : ESSO

27. Charity's URL ending : ORG

29. Change to zeros : RESET. like your trip odometer.

34. Wing measurement : SPAN. more than impressed.

38. More than impress : AWE

39. Debit card ID : PIN

40. Where to get off: Abbr. : STAtion. stockholm central train station.

43. __ Deco : ART

44. Sweet root : BEET.

49. Davis who was married to Ruby Dee : OSSIE. They were married 57 years, and as civil rights activists received many honors, including the Kennedy Center Honors. Davis delivered the eulogy of Malcolm X. Ossie died in 2005, Ruby is 90 years old.

52. "Collages" author Anaïs : NIN

57. Dog in the FDR Memorial : FALA. according to wikipedia, "the only dog so honored."

61. Hang up the gloves : RETIRE

62. Hollered : SHOUTED

64. Slick-whistle connector : AS A. 

68. Chi follower : PSI

69. Farsi speaker : IRANI. baleh.

70. Edible little sphere : OLIVE

71. Oeuf seasoning : SEL. french for egg and salt.

72. He bested Alexander in 1804 : AARON. burr and hamilton.

73. Fragrant compound : ESTER

down

1. Brain freeze : LAPSE

2. Jumbles : OLIOS

3. Snowboarders' aids : T-BARS

4. Venting car option : SUNROOF

5. Parisian possessive : AMOI

6. Apt name for a woman with a green thumb? : FLORA

7. Jeremy in the 2012 NBA's Rising Stars Challenge : LIN

8. Acting teacher Hagen : UTA. german-born actress and drama teacher. and 22. Creates some drama? : ACTS.

9. Steep-sided hills : BUTTES. west mitten butte in arizona.

10. Spread out : SPARSE

11. __ Carta : MAGNA

12. Bead counters for bean counters : ABACI. 

13. Arabian republic formed in 1990 : YEMEN

18. Composer Prokofiev : SERGEI

25. Like the vb. "to be," in most languages : IRR. irregular.

26. Hunch : SENSE

28. Sales __ : REP

30. Oft-grabbed ride : CAB

31. Be in hock to : OWE

32. Admission price : FEE

33. Not up to snuff : UNFIT

35. Part-goat deity : PAN

36. __ de Triomphe : ARC.  paris.

37. Extreme degree : NTH

41. Some odometers show them : TENTHS

42. Clay, since 1964 : ALI

45. Songwriter Amos : TORI

47. Matter in court : RES

48. Displays, as a flag : UNFURLS

50. Montenegro neighbor : SERBIA

51. __ Club: conservation group : SIERRA

53. Completes a shoot : WRAPS

54. 1946 Literature Nobelist Hermann : HESSE

55. Cybersales : E-TAIL

56. Invite to enter : ASK IN

58. Took the hit, financially : ATE IT

59. Time off : LEAVE

60. Venomous snake : ADDER

63. Double-reed instrument : OBOE

66. Musical talent : EAR

67. "It's __-brainer!" : A NO
 
melissa

Tuesday, April 9, 2013 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: Ha ha! Ho! Hee hee! Snort! - Is everybody happy? You should be if you got the ends of today's themes.

20A. Patient's therapeutic shriek : PRIMAL SCREAM

32A. Tiny data storage device : MEMORY CARD

43A. Uprising at Leavenworth, e.g. : PRISON RIOT

55A. Comical sort, like the last word of 20-, 32- or 43-Across : LAUGH-A-MINUTE

Argyle here. We get a unifier today. Some interesting clueing, also. Gail and Bruce are on a run of Tuesday puzzles.

Across:

1. Send payment : REMIT

6. Utter angrily, as insults : HURL

10. Cameron of "Knight and Day" : DIAZ

14. Compensate (for) : ATONE

15. On the briny : ASEA

16. Dope from a booth? : INFO. (information booth)

17. Grocery bag option : PAPER. It seems rare these days; everything is plastic, or reusable.

18. Narrow inlets : RIAs

19. 1944 invasion city : ST-LÔ

23. For free : GRATIS. (except for shipping and handling)

26. Groundbreaking old Fords : MODEL T's

27. Multivolume ref. : OED. Acronym of Oxford English Dictionary, attested from 1898 according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Who would know better?

28. It's right on a map : EAST. Cute clue.

31. Mentalist's alleged ability, briefly : ESP. (extrasensory perception)

35. Old-timey word of woe : "ALAS!". 21D. Words to an old chap : "I SAY"

39. Cowgirl Dale : EVANS. Wife of singing cowboy, Roy Rogers.

40. Forest feller : AXE

41. Garlicky spread : AIOLI. Basically, a garlic mayonnaise.

42. Thinker Descartes : RENE. I think; therefore I am. - Rene Descartes

45. Old name for Tokyo : EDO. 1603 to 1868

47. Sports pg. number : STAT. (statistic)

48. St. Louis-to-Chicago dir. : NNE

49. Open courtyards : ATRIUMS. Or atria.

53. Warnings from a ticked-off tabby : HISSES

58. New Age pianist John : TESH. Old crossword staple.

59. Tavern flier : DART

60. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained," for one : ADAGE

64. Aid in a caper : ABET

65. Trees with split-resistant wood : ELMS. I can attest to that. Good firewood though.

66. Himalayan land : NEPAL. Click on the picture for a larger view.

67. Optimistic : ROSY

68. Bacon buy : SLAB

69. '50s-'60s TV beatnik Maynard G. __ : KREBS. From The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and was played by Bob Denver.

Down:

1. Jay-Z's genre : RAP

2. LAX listing : ETA

3. Swiffer product : MOP. Any product endorsements out there?

4. All thumbs : INEPT

5. Scotty and Jack Russell : TERRIERS. I hope you didn't fall for this misdirection.

6. Do damage to : HARM

7. Old Voice of America org. : USIA. (United States Information Agency)1953 to 1999

8. Kingdom : REALM

9. Caught at a rodeo : LASSOED

10. Tumbledown condition : DISREPAIR

11. What spies gather, for short : INTEL. (intelligence)

12. G sharp equivalent : A FLAT

13. Close-up lenses : ZOOMS

22. Music store buys : CD's

23. Mayberry's Pyle : GOMER. He joined the Marines and got his own show.

24. Christopher who played Superman : REEVE

25. Slogan writer : AD MAN

29. Melee memento : SCAR

30. Urban cruisers : TAXIs

33. U-turn : ONE-EIGHTY. None of that Ueys/Uies today.

34. Sit for a spell : REST

36. Pork cuts : LOINS

37. How most writers work : ALONE

38. Webmaster's creations : SITES

41. Designed to defeat a Panzer, say : ANTI-TANK

43. Scented hair ointments : POMADES

44. Waikiki's island : OAHU

46. "Like, no-brainer!" : "DUH!"

49. Hitching post? : ALTAR

50. Martial arts-based workout : TAE BO

51. Slick tricks : RUSES

52. Sweater size : SMALL. Too small?

54. Passover feast : SEDER

56. "__ la Douce" : IRMA. A 1963 romantic comedy starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine.

57. Govt. crash investigator : NTSB. (National Transportation Safety Board)

61. "Great" simian : APE

62. Chatter : GAB

63. Golfer Ernie : ELS. He will be vying for the Green Jacket at the the Master's this week.

Argyle

Note from C.C.

Here's a beautiful picture from JD's trip to Grenada. You can click here for more. JD said it was an emotional visit for her as her sister and her sister's husband built these villas.

She also said: "We went to St. Thomas, but spent most of that day on nearby St John, St. Bart's (French), St. Lucia, Barbados, and 2 islands in the Antilles- Bonaire, and my favorite, Curacao (Dutch)."

Monday, April 8, 2013 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Penultimate Letter Homophones - You may ask WHY and you'd be right.

17A. Many a coffee shop, vis-à-vis Internet access : WI-FI HOTSPOT

37A. "No need to hurry, is there?" : "WHY THE BIG RUSH?"

61A. Gender-determining heredity unit : Y CHROMOSOME

Argyle here. C.C. has given us a modest little Monday puzzle that was almost a pangram, short the J and Q. Some snappy fill, especially in the verticals.

Across:

1. Eva or Juan of Argentina : PERON

6. "Taking you places" premium movie channel : STARZ

11. Suffix for hero : INE

14. '60s-'70s Twins great Tony : OLIVA. What a ham; gets her picture in another puzzle.

15. Nest on a cliffside : AERIE. How are the owlets doing, downtonabbey?

16. "Friends" actress Courteney : COX. She now stars in "Cougar Town" which is on TBS. I've never seen it.

19. Corner PC key : ESC

20. Subj. for immigrants : ESL. (English as a Second Language)

21. Synagogue : SHUL

22. Cowpoke's seat : SADDLE

24. Flightless South American bird : RHEA

26. Scottish hillside : BRAE

28. "... believe __ not!" : IT OR

29. Hairstyling immortal Vidal : SASSOON. Immortal?

31. "Ship out" alternative : SHAPE UP

34. Humble home : HUT

35. 1980s secretary of state Alexander : HAIG. He showed up a week ago Saturday

36. False show : ACT

41. "__ 'nuff!" : SHO. Slang for "Sure enough".

42. Move, in Realtor-speak : RELO. (relocate)

43. "In __ Shoes": Cameron Diaz flick : HER. (2005) I've never seen it.

44. Meddles (with) : TAMPERS

46. "Pretty please ..." : "I BEG YOU ..."

50. GPS choices : RTE's. I still use maps.

51. Pinnacle : ACME

53. Geologic periods : EONS

54. Extensive property : ESTATE

57. Sorrowful cry : "ALAS!"

59. Slangy "OK" : "YEH". or "yeah". 5D. Casual turndowns : NAHs

60. "Wheel of Fortune" purchase : AN 'E'

64. Mauna __: Hawaii's highest peak : KEA

65. Harbor cities : PORTS

66. ESPN analyst Garciaparra : NOMAR. He is one of 13 players to hit two grand slams during a single game.

67. Bachelor in personals, briefly : SWM. (single, white, male)

68. Early stage : ONSET

69. Extends across : SPANS

Down:

1. __ that be: authorities : POWERS

2. Inventor Otis : ELISHA. Not often we get his first name.

3. Remington weapons : RIFLES. Founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington. (would never have gotten his first name.)

4. Egg: Pref. : OVI

6. Second-largest planet : SATURN

7. Physicist Nikola : TESLA. Our old friend.

8. Dadaism founder : ARP. Jean Arp, our old acquaintance.

9. Spanish rivers : RIOs

10. Greek letter that seems like it should be last : ZETA

11. Summer refreshers : ICED TEAS

12. Hardly an amateur : NO SLOUCH

13. Quote in a book review : EXCERPT

18. "How frustrating!" : "OH, BOTHER!"

23. Chip go-with : DIP

25. Pale as a ghost : ASHY

27. "La Bamba" co-star Morales : ESAI

30. Very strange : OUTRE

32. Car headlight setting : HIGH BEAM

33. Strike a bargain : AGREE

35. "The Newsroom" channel : HBO

37. Request for the latest update : "WHAT'S NEW?"

38. The Twins, at Minneapolis's Target Field : HOME TEAM

39. "Born Free" lion : ELSA. Andy Williams, Born Free(2:21)

40. Press for : URGE

41. Windex targets : STREAKS

45. Free TV ad : PSA

46. Words before "Can you give me directions?" : "I'M LOST!". Needed 50-Across.

47. Cellist who performed at Steve Jobs's funeral : YO-YO MA

48. Like a single-performer show : ONE MAN

49. Leads, as to a seat : USHERS

52. Garçon's handout : CARTE. French menu.

55. AutoCorrect target : TYPO

56. Keynes's sci. : ECON. (economics)

58. Male heirs : SONS

62. Appt. book rows : HRs. Hours this time, not home runs.

63. Soak (up), as gravy : SOP

Argyle

Sunday April 7, 2013 Don and Barbie Gagliardo

Tittle: PC Connection- Each two-word theme entry starts with P* C*, and every Across theme entry is connected with a Down theme answer. 

23A. Track team : PIT CREW. Racetrack. Crossing 3D. Vet visitor's burden : PET CRATE

 

25A. Betty Boop feature : PIN CURL. Crossing 15D. Fir coat feature? : PINE CONE. Fun clue.

34A. Where to see a guest's name : PLACE CARD. Crossing 10D. Part of JFK's legacy : PEACE CORPS

70A. Solo product : PLASTIC CUP. Solo Cup. Crossing 51D. Statistical circle : PIE CHART

73A. Restaurant specialist : PASTRY CHEF. Crossing 49D. Makeshift storage container : PAINT CAN

106A. Burgess's "I'd rather see than be one" critter : PURPLE COW. Crossing 77D. Movies, hit songs, TV, etc. : POP CULTURE

118A. It has a tip, a shaft and a butt : POOL CUE. Oh, it has a butt. Crossing 86D. Head of the world? : POLAR CAP

122A. Talladega leader : PACE CAR. Crossing 89D. Office owie : PAPER CUT

Perfect puzzle title!

16 intersecting theme entries. Isn't this amazing? For this grid type, you have to have plenty of theme material to work with, long and short, to make the crossing work. And you have to have the skills and patience. 

Don is brilliant in grid designs. He always pulls off feats which I think are impossible. So nice to see Barbie as well. She's a very sweet, caring & creative person.

Don & Barbie

Across:

1. Bebop aficionado : HIPSTER. Jazz!

8. Bond phrase : AT PAR. At face value. Not that Bond, you dummy!

13. Harness : TAP INTO

20. Soul mate : ONE LOVE. Love the Bob Marley song.

21. Vatican City statue : PIETA

22. Landlord, at times : EVICTOR

24. __-foot oil : NEATS. Never used it.

26. Subst. for unnamed things : ETC

27. Wonderland visitor : ALICE

29. White House title: Abbr. : CIC. Commander-in-Chief.

30. Suffix with cyan- : IDE

31. Unlike cons : PRO. Adjective here.

32. Bit of fan support : RAH

37. Actor Firth : COLIN. Oscar for "The King's Speech".

39. Gouge : SOAK

41. __ volente : DEO

42. City in Florida's horse country : OCALA

43. Bounded : LOPED

44. "Rain Man" subject : AUTISM. 102. College subj. in which 44-Across would be discussed : PSY. Sorry PSY. But you had enough exposure already.

46. __ Alto : PALO

48. Prone's opposite : SUPINE

50. Jenny Craig suggestion, e.g. : DIET TIP. I don't like those no-fat, low-fat stuff. Takes the joy of food completely.

52. Lady's man : LORD

54. Changes for the better : AMENDS

57. Drawing for beginners : ART I

58. Piano lesson subject : ARPEGGIO. Don is a piano technician.

61. Zoo channel : MOAT

63. "Green Eggs and Ham" narrator : SAM

66. Toward the back : AREAR. Hey, our A* word.

68. Soup __ : SPOON

69. "You got it!" : BINGO

75. A, to Aristotle : ALPHA

76. Ruin, as a scene : HAM UP

78. Like the main point : FOCAL

79. Buckeyes' sch. : OSU

80. Short court plea : NOLO. Nolo contendere.

81. Sore loser : BAD SPORT

83. Droughty : ARID

85. Keeper's counterpart? : WEEPER. Oh, Finders, keepers/Losers, weepers.

87. Graf __ : SPEE

88. It's directly behind the three : NINE PIN. I bet TTP nailed this one. He's a great bowler too.

92. "The Merchant of Venice" heroine : PORTIA

95. Parking spot border : CURB

97. Ace-queen, e.g., in bridge : TENACE. For Spitzboov, who will also love 12D. Imps : RASCALS.

98. Gave out cards : DEALT

100. Name derived from Nicholas : CLAUS

104. Eject : SPEW

105. Caesar's first attacker : CASCA. Caesar was stabbed 33 times.

108. Civic border? : CEE

109. Call the game : UMP

110. Basic ed. trio : RRR

112. Go (for) : OPT

113. German camera : LEICA

115. Tach readout : RPM

120. Hot spot : SAUNA

124. Cheaper for residents, as a college : IN-STATE

125. Jetson son : ELROY

126. Sign of an error : ERASURE

127. Poker-faced : DEADPAN. Manac's link last night is so funny.

128. D-backs and Cards : NL-ERS. National Leaguers.

129. Like a leopard moth's wings : SPOTTED

Down:

1. Bob with jokes : HOPE. I was picturing Saget.

2. Still alive : IN IT

4. Great Basin cap. : SLC. Salt Lake City.

5. Holy scroll : TORAH

6. Sinister-sounding daredevil name : EVEL

7. Use another dustcloth on : RE-WIPE

8. Sleep disruption : APNEA

9. Neck wrap : TIE

11. Historic Greek region : ATTICA

  

13. So-so : TEPID

14. Like a real go-getter : AVID

16. Former trucking regulatory agcy. : ICC. Interstate Commerce Commission.

17. Sequence of unspecified size, in math : N-TUPLE. No idea, Bill.

18. Steamy : TORRID

19. Acrylic fiber : ORLON

28. Every other horse sound? : CLOP. Clip clop.

33. Japanese spitz : AKITA

35. It may be part of a code : COLOR

36. "This Is India" novelist Santha Rama __ : RAU. We had her before.

38. Amateur night feature, briefly : OPEN MIC. Great entry.

39. Bummed : SAD

40. French consent : OUI

41. "The Comedians" composer Kabalevsky : DMITRI. Unknown to me.

43. It might be a stretch : LIMO

45. Layers : STRATA

47. Shakespearean calls to battle : ALARUMS. Also new to me.

53. Sparrow portrayer : DEPP (Johnny). Jack Sparrow. "Pirates of the Caribbean".

55. Honolulu-born jet pilot/pop singer : DON HO

56. Wise guys : SAGES

59. Not let get away : GO AFTER

60. "I would __ far as to say ..." : GO SO. Tough spot. Otherwise you would not see two GO's in the same area.

62. Soy stuff : TOFU. I like Tofu & chives combo.

63. Bridge stat : SPAN

64. Permit : ALLOW

65. Syrup source : MAPLE. Do you store it like honey or does it have to be in the fridge when opened? Never had maple syrup.

67. USAFA part: Abbr. : ACAD

69. Print credit : BYLINE

71. Waterproof boot : SHOE PAC. New term to me as well.

72. Little yippers : PUPS

74. Albino, for one : RARITY

81. Ernie's pal : BERT. "Sesame Street".

82. Waste not : RE-USE

84. Thick : DENSE

90. Milieu for axels : ICE

91. Fresh : NEW

93. Site for serious treatment, briefly : ICU

94. Slugging teammate of Bob Feller : AL ROSEN. "The Hebrew Hammer". Both with the  the Indians.

96. Fraternal gp. since 1868 : BPOE

98. Singer Vic : DAMONE

99. Señor's wife : ESPOSA. Esposo for "husband".

101. Shock : APPALL

103. Slides through a reader : SWIPES

105. God with a bow : CUPID

106. Clean, bird-style : PREEN. How are your owlets, Michelle?

107. Pottery sources : CLAYS

108. Chocolate source : CACAO

111. "Hollywood Squares" semi-regular __ Lee : RUTA. Can never remember her name.

114. Nitpick : CARP

116. Cut the skin from : PARE

117. Steed who could read : MR. ED

119. Old Ford : LTD

121. "... tears __ prayers shall purchase out abuses": Shakespeare : NOR

123. Approx. number : EST

Good luck with the road test tomorrow, Splynter! You can do it!

C.C.