Wednesday, November 14, 2018, Ed Sessa

Piece of Cake!

You can find 10 different types of cake in the circles found in this puzzle.  (Yes, this is a dreaded circle puzzle.)  The cakes are placed in pairs with one of the cakes "layered" upon the other cake in the pair.  I don't see a connection between the pairs, other than the fact that they all contain the same number of letters.  Despite the circles, the cakes makes for a sweet theme.

6-Across. Tinker Bell's friend: PAN.  //  Layered upon 15-Across.  Garden tool: HOE.

Tinker Bell's pal is Peter Pan.  Do you think they eats PANCAKES?

Despite living in the South, I had never heard of a HOE Cake.  Apparently, it is made with cornmeal and may also be called a Johnny Cake.  Here's a Recipe.

14-Across. Low on funds: SHORT.  //  Layered upon 17-Across:  Manx currency:  POUND.

Here's a recipe for Strawberry SHORTcake.

The Pound is the currency used on the Isle of Man.  Here's a Recipe for POUND Cake.

33-Across. Amaretto flavor: ALMOND.  //  Layered upon 36-Across.  Reef creature:  SPONGE.

ALMOND Cake is not a common type of cake, but it looks good.  Here's a Recipe.

Nothing is better than a good SPONGE Cake.  Here's a Recipe.

41-Across. Word that always brings a smile?: CHEESE.  //  Layered upon V8 veggie:  CARROT.

A CHEESEcake is a very different type of cake.  Here's a Recipe

Our wedding cake was a CARROT Cake.  The food editor of our local newspaper was a friend and she made it for us.  Here's a Recipe

66-Across. Coke go-with: RUM.  //  Layered upon 69-Across.  English cuppa: TEA.

RUM Cake remind me of the Christmas Holidays.  Here's a Recipe.

Just go buy a box of TEA Cake!  I'm tired of cooking!  I thought Tea Cakes would be more exciting.  Steve, can you enlighten us on the appeal of these Tea Cakes?

And the "icing" that unifies the theme:

64-Across. With 67-Across, what five pairs of answers in the circles represent: LAYER.

67-Across. See 64-Across: CAKES.

Together these to two clues give us LAYER CAKES.

Let's see what tasty treats are in store for us.

Across:

1. Hee-hawers: ASSES.

9. Part of WTO: TRADE.  As in the World Trade Organization.  The word World also fits into the spaces provided.

16. Four-bagger: HOMER.  Think of baseball.  The bases are loaded and the batter hits a Home run.  Bases don't have to be loaded, but it's fun when they are.

18. Seriously funny shows?: DRAMEDIES.  Portmanteau of Drama and Comedy.

20. Organ near the stomach: SPLEEN.  I'm pretty sure you can live without one.

22. Doldrums: BLAHS.

23. "Boyz n the Hood" actress Long: NIA.  Boyz n the Hood was a 1991 movie.  I never saw the movie, but apparently NIA Long (b. Oct. 30, 1970) was in the cast.

25. __ shadow: EYE.

26. Hive builder: BEE.

29. Entrance: BEWITCH.  Not the door type of entrance.

35. Trivial matter: NON-ISSUE.

37. Foes of the evil Saruman: ENTs.  Think of The Lord of the Rings.  Actually, I try not to think of those creatures.

38. Logical beginning?: ECO-.  As in ECOlogical.

40. Appear: SEEM.

44. Winding Alaskan river with a Hawaiian name: HULA HULA.  A learning moment.  I had never heard of this river.  It is way north!

48. Upper arm muscle: TRICEPS.

49. Yoga chants: OMs.  I take a yoga class twice a week.  We always chant OM at the beginning and ending of the class.

50. Wrigley Field abbr.: CHI.  As in the Chicago Cubs.

52. Roll in the grass: SOD.  Cute clue.

53. Political spin, say: SLANT.

55. Cocoa company: NESTLÉ.  Because Hershey wouldn't fit.

60. Anno Domini alternative: COMMON ERA.  Anno Domini is a Latin term meaning "In the Year of Our Lord."  It presupposes a belief in Christianity, as this calendar begins with the birth of Christ.  Other faith traditions use different calendars.  We are currently in the year 5779 in the Hebrew Calendar, for example.  For consistency with dates, however, the Christian calendar is used throughout most of the world.  Non-Christian, however, prefer the term Common Era.

65. Hippie's wheels: VW BUS.  I initially tried a VW Bug.

68. Roofing stone: SLATE.

70. More than a little heavy: OBESE.

Down:

1. Pharaoh's sacred snakes: ASPS.  These snakes make frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.

2. Look for bargains: SHOP.

3. Heart's companion: SOUL.  As in the phrase Heart and Soul.

4. Sea eagle: ERNE.

5. Martyred bishop of Paris: ST. DENIS.  St. Denis was a 3rd century Bishop of Paris, France.  He was beheaded, and, according to legend, picked up his head and carried it to the location where he wanted to be buried.

6. Advanced deg.: Ph. D.  As in the Doctor of Philosophy degree.  I think I had this answer the last time I did the blog.

7. "You have two choices": A OR B.

8. Writer Zora ___ Hurston: NEALE.  Zora NEALE Hurston (Jan. 7, 1891 ~ Jan. 28, 1960) was an African-American author.  She is best known for her 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Watching God.  I have never read this novel.

9. Oscar-nominated film starring Viola Davis: THE HELP.  Viola Davis (b. Aug. 11, 1965) also stars in the television show, How to Get Away with Murder.

10. Towel holders: RODS.  Because Racks was one letter to many for the spaces provided.

11. Mate, across the Channel: AMI.  Today's French lesson.  The Channel in question is the  English Channel that separates England from France.

12. Ruby of "A Raisin in the Sun": DEE.  Ruby Dee (Oct. 27, 1933 ~ June 11, 2014) was married to actor Ossie Davis.

13. Critical-care ctrs.: ERs.  As in Emergency Rooms.  My first thought was ICU, but the clue indicated the plural.

19. Mesoamerican pyramid builders: MAYAS.  I would probably say Mayan, but ...  Here is the famous pyramid at Chichen Itza.  In 2004, we took my parents to visit this pyramid.  We were able to climb to the top then.  It may be off limits now.

21. Petty peeves: NITS.

24. Take __ from: emulate: A CUE.

26. Study hard: BONE UP.

27. Marx collaborator: ENGELS.  As in Friedrich Engels (Nov. 28, 1820 ~ Aug. 5, 1895) who collaborated with Karl Marx (May 5, 1818 ~ Mar. 14, 1883).  No relation to the Marx Brothers.

28. Buildup of fluid: EDEMA.

29. Actress Helena __ Carter: BONHAM.  Helena BONHAM Carter (b. May 26, 1966) has stared in many films directed by Tim Burton (b. Aug. 25, 1958).

30. Passes the threshold: ENTERS.

31. More like the Magi: WISER.  As in the three WISEmen.

32. "Notorious" screenwriter Ben: HECHT.  I am not familiar with Ben HECHT (Feb. 28, 1894 ~ Apr. 18, 1964).  I think he has made guest appearances in the puzzles, though.

34. Israeli leader Dayan: MOSHE.  MOSHE Dayan (May 20, 1915 ~ Oct. 16, 1981) was my childhood hero.

35. Maker of sweet wafers: NECCO.  I still love NECCO Wafers.  They are called such because they are made by the New England Confectionery Company.  My favorites are the chocolate.

39. Collective possessive: OURS.

42. "Missed it by that much": SO CLOSE.

43. Musical wunderkind Bortnick: ETHAN.  Ethan Jordan Bortnick (b. Dec. 24, 2000) began playing the piano at age 3!

45. Columbia University athlete: LION.

46. Auto parts supplier: ACDELCO.  Thank you perps for giving me the name of this company ~ ACDelco.

51. Like some gases: INERT.  Also known as the Nobel Gases.  The ones that occur naturally are Helium (He), Neon (Ne), Argon (Ar), Krypton (Kr), Xenon (Xe), and Radon (Rn).

53. X-rated stuff: SMUT.

54. Get straight?: TRUE.

56. Automaker founded in Sweden: SAAB.  The company went into bankruptcy in 2011.

57. Tot: TYKE.

58. Jeans choice: LEEs.  Levi would also fit into the spaces provided.

59. Scots Gaelic: ERSE.

60. Rite Aid rival: CVS.  CVS stands for Consumer Value Stores.

61. Midnight mouser: OWL.  Cute clue; cute owl.

62. Degree for a CFO: MBA.  A Chief Financial Officer would likely hold a Master of Business Administration degree.

63. Reddit Q&A session: AMA.  AMA stands for Ask Me Anything.

I hope you enjoyed this Dessert for Breakfast!

Tuesday, November 13, 2018 Mark McClain

"pH Test"

18. *Safari head protector: PITH HELMET

26. *Traditional farm equine: PLOW HORSE.

47. *Baked pork cut that sounds perfect for a blanket in the park: PICNIC HAM.

60. *Lever for manual water extraction: PUMP HANDLE.

5D. *Kid's homemade topper: PAPER HAT.

39. Ordeal ... and a hint to the initials of the answers to starred clues: ACID TEST.  - A rigorous and comprehensive test that proves or disproves the value of something.   Here, we also get a hint to the theme answers with the acid test answer.   The pH scale tells us how acidic or alkaline a substance is.

Across:

1. Source of spumante wine: ASTI.   Asti (also known as Asti Spumante) is a sparkling white Italian wine that is produced throughout southeastern Piedmont but is particularly focused around the towns of Asti and Alba.- Wikipedia

5. Mr. __: Former name of a Dr Pepper rival: PIBB.  Until this puzzle, I did not know Mr. Pibb is now the former name.  In 2001, a new formula was created and the soft drink was rebranded as Pibb Xtra.  This video is coded to start at the 2:26 mark with a 1996 commercial.  You can start from the beginning if you want to see the early '70's commercials.


9. Light model wood: BALSA.

14. Bore false witness: LIED.

15. Et __: and others: ALIA.

16. Provo native: UTAHN.  If you look closely, you'll also see other Utah related crossword favorites like Salt Lake City,  Uinta,  Wasatch, and Orem. 

17. Beige look-alike: ECRU..

20. Superficial, as beauty: SKIN DEEP.

22. Make possible: ENABLE.

23. Negative connector: NOR.

24. Packers quarterback Rodgers: AARON.  The 34 year old star quarterback of the National Football League's (NFL) Green Bay Packers signed a 4 year $134 million contract extension in August of this year.  I'd be smiling too !

29. Nervous twitches: TICS.

33. Vein discovery: ORE.

34. ... Venus, __, Mars ...: EARTH.   “we are unique individuals with unique experiences” - John Gray,  Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus

35. Like sea battles: NAVAL.

36. Column slant: Abbr.: POV.   Point of view.  Often revealed in (33 Down) -  Pundit's piece: OP ED.    I skip most of them and head to the important stuff. *

37. Overseas business abbr.: LTD.

38. Sheep's call: BAA.

40. Sister Sledge's "We __ Family": ARE.  The four Sledge sisters from Philadelphia hit in big at the height of the disco era in 1979 with this song.  The 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB) adopted this song as a theme song on their way to winning the 1979 World Series over the Baltimore Orioles.


41. Corp. bigwigs: EXECS.  Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, ET ALIA.

43. Nike alternative: ASICs.   Application Specific Integrated Circuits.   No, wait.  Never mind.  Here it is the name of the the brand of running shoes and sports clothing.

45. __ showing: theater info: NOW.

46. Textile mill worker: DYER. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for dyers and finishers will decline by 24 percent between 2012 and 2022.   I tried to find the job outlook for bakery icers for a comparison, but could only find de-icers.  Ramp agents at the airports.

49. Whirlpool brand: AMANA.

51. Wee bit: DAB.   Brylcreem.  A little dab will do ya.    Well then, Dippity-do !

52. Ship's chart: SEA MAP.

55. Air, mostly: NITROGEN.

62. Intricate garden feature: MAZE.

63. Medieval suit: ARMOR.

64. Backtalk: SASS.

65. Prickly husks: BURS.  We had a chestnut in the treeline of the woods along the back of our property when I was growing up.   When the bur (husk) opens, they're ripe.   Remove the husk, then boil or roast for 20 minutes to soften the skin.  Cool, peel and enjoy. 

66. Nary a soul: NO ONE.

67. London rental: FLAT.

68. Blind part: SLAT.

Down:

1. Brewpub pints: ALES.

2. Under the weather: SICK.  A possible side-effect of drinking too many brewpub pints.

3. Hatcher with a recurring role in TV's "Supergirl": TERI.   Melissa Benoist stars as the series' titular character, Supergirl.    Teri Hatcher played villain Queen Rhea.  Supergirl and Queen Rhea duke it out:


4. [Shrug]: I DUNNO.  I dunno why I linked that previous video.  Is anyone here a fan ?   Has anyone here ever been able to sit through an episode ?  Maybe when the grandchildren are around ?

6. Nastase of tennis: ILIE.   Physically gifted and deftly skilled Romanian-born professional tennis player during the 1970s and early 1908s.   An International Tennis Hall of Fame member, he ranked as high as World # 1 in late 1973 and most of 1974.   Enfant terrible.  Nicknamed "Nasty" and the "Bucharest Buffoon" because of his on court antics and histrionics.  John McEnroe was a choirboy compared to Nastase.   In July 2017, the 72 year old Nastase received a 4 year ban by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for his actions and racist comments.  The World Tennis Association (WTA) probably has him on thin ice as well. 

7. Minor role: BIT PART.   Erased "BIT role" as quickly as I entered it because role was in the clue. 

8. Scrooge's "Dang!": BAH.  Humbug.

9. Good, in Guatemala: BUENO.

10. Hawks' home: ATLANTA.  The Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

11. Ewe kid: LAMB. 

12. "A Light in the Attic" poet Silverstein: SHEL.   I know this name only from crosswords.  I had Shul until I changed Helmut to Helmet.   Don't know where that U came from.  Maybe Canada ?

13. Penny-__: unimportant: ANTE.   I like Wikipedia.   It's not unusual to find a few penny-ante errors in articles every now and then.  But then sometimes I run into obviously vandalized articles, like this one, which has since been corrected:

I also first thought this was a Wikipedia error, but it's a Google knowledge panel error:

19. Roll call answer: HERE.   An appropriate answer for a roll call to, "How many of you were wondering where TTP was going with those comments about penny-ante ?"

21. Woodworking rods: DOWELS.

25. Rubbish container: ASH BIN.   I used a galvanized metal pail as an ash bin.  I used it when  I emptied the ash tray at the bottom of the pot bellied stove.

26. Stockholder's agent: PROXY. 

27. Protective embankment: LEVEE.  A musical interlude is needed.


28. Install, as a cleric: ORDAIN.

30. Eric Trump's mom: IVANA.

31. Off-the-cushion pool shot: CAROM.

32. Large quantity: SLEW.

35. Daytona 500 org.: NASCAR.  The National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing.  The Daytona 500 is the top event in NASCAR.   Racing began at Dayton Beach in 1903 with a race between Ransom E Olds  and  Alexander Winton.   Richard Petty has the all-time record of 7 Daytona 500 wins.   AJ Foyt won it once.   Mario Andretti won it in 1967, and remains the only foreign-born racer to ever have won it.

42. Ice-climber's boot attachment: CRAMPON.

Choosing the Right Crampons

44. Tabloid fodder: SCANDAL.

47. One of the Three Bears: PAPA.  Can't help but thinking of George "Papa Bear" Halas of the NFL Chicago Bears when I hear or see Papa Bear, but in this clue it's about Goldilocks and the Three Bears.   As an aside, blogging the puzzle can broaden one's knowledge base.  e.g. I had no previous knowledge of  the origins of the Goldilocks tale until reading the Wikipedia article. 

48. Cold War threats: H-BOMBS.

50. Skiing champ Phil or Steve: MAHRE.  In the Olympics: 1976 Innsbruck, 1980 Lake Placid, and 1984 Sarajevo.    The Mahre brothers: Twin skiers who won gold and silver in slalom.

52. Cross over: SPAN.   The UFO Bridge spans the Danube in Bratislava, Slovakia.

53. Tipperary tip jar coin: EURO. The town and county in Ireland, and their current currency.  Learned of this song watching some old movie.


54. Hunter's need: AMMO.

56. Victor's wife in "Casablanca": ILSA. Victor Lazlo and Ilsa Lund, played by Paul Henreid and Ingrid Berman, respectively.   Here's a memorable scene from that movie.  Sam is played by Dooley Wilson.   


57. Ancient France: GAUL.  And present day Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, northern Italy,  parts of the Netherlands and of Germany west of the Rhine.  About a third way through its existency, Julius Caesar had the unmitigated gall to invade and conquer almost all of Gaul.

58. Poet Pound: EZRA.  Annenberg Learner - Voices and Visions - Ezra Pound

59. Branch home: NEST. 

61. Bad check letters: NSF.  Non-Sufficient Funds.  Why ?  Why did they come up with this term ?  Why not insufficient funds ?

* Where's that crossword puzzle ?  😀

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to Big Easy (George Simpson). Hope Diane is recovering quickly from her knee surgery, George!

Monday November 12, 2018 Matt McKinley

Theme: : INSIDE STORY (54. Facts known to a select few ... and a hint to each set of circled letters) - Three type of stories span across each theme entry.

 

17. Forgetful moment: MENTAL LAPSE. Tall story.

 

26. One arguing for the unpopular side: DEVILS ADVOCATE. Sad story.

41. Education division governed by a board: SCHOOL DISTRICT. Old story.

Boomer here.  

I would like to thank all of the veterans out there for their service to our country. I was also part of the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970. I did not serve in Vietnam, however I worked in the US Army Hospital in Fort Campbell, KY and then was sent overseas to a Nike Missile battalion in Hardheim Germany. I never was a big fan of beer, and certainly did not care at all for the German version, but many of my friends loved it. 

I also would like to remember the Armistice day blizzard of 1940.  My mother would mention it every year about this time. The day started warmly but then temperatures dropped around 50 degrees F and nearly two feet of snow fell in Minnesota. I believe around 50 people lost their lives that day. Armistice Day was created to honor the end of WWI (Century being honored this week in Paris).  After WWII, Dwight Eisenhower changed it to Veterans Day in 1954. 

Across:

1. Tempo similar to lento: LARGO.  A key in Florida

6. Quacked insurance name: AFLAC.  Known for clever commercials on TV.  Much better than Medicare supplement ads.

11. Film watcher's channel: TMC. There are so many movie channels on cable now, I can't keep up with all of them.

14. Plane, to Pierre: AVION.

15. "Fighting" Notre Dame team: IRISH.  What though the odds be great or small, Old Notre Dame will win over all. Knute is a great Norwegian name.

16. Listening organ: EAR.  I do not consider an ear an organ.  You cannot play church music on it.

19. Falsehood: LIE.

20. Request: ASK.  And you shall receive.  Wear an 80s jersey and you may also receive.

21. Great enthusiasm: GUSTO. Go for Schlitz beer.

22. Revise, as text: EMEND.

24. Indian lentil stew: DAL.  "How 'bout them Cowboys !"

25. Sporty sunroofs: T-TOPS.  Popular in the 70s.  I don't see them much any more. I suppose folks did not want to spend the money on them.

32. Absorb the lesson: LEARN.  PBA Senior member Bob Jr.

33. Applauds: CLAPS.  Roll a 7 against the point and it's CRAPS.

34. Effort: TRY.

35. Rowing tools: OARS.  Gently down the stream.

36. "Cha-__!": register sound: CHING.  That's the way you spell it, but it never makes that sound.

37. Delighted shout from the roller coaster: WHEE.

38. Summer hrs. in Oregon: PDT.  We turned our clocks back last week. 

39. William __, early bathysphere user: BEEBE. Monday word???

40. Exclaimed: CRIED.

44. Peer: EQUAL.

45. Humble dwelling: HUT. I think this is where the first little pig lived.

46. Aleut relative: INUIT.

47. Louvre Pyramid architect: I M PEI. A Frank Lloyd Wright competitor, I think.

50. Govt. agent: FED.

53. Windy City rail initials: CTA.  Not to be confused with the MTA of Boston.  (Poor old Charlie)

57. Funhouse reaction: EEK.  No funhouse ever scared me.  I only eek at snakes.

58. Wafer named for its flavor: NILLA.

59. Like a funhouse: EERIE.  More like the Twilight Zone.  Do do do do

60. Dr. of rap: DRE.

61. Best Buy "squad" members: GEEKS.  We have used the Geek Squad several times. Amazing how they can fix computers.

62. Faked, in hockey: DEKED.  Then, "He shoots, he scooorrres !"

Down:

1. Dalai __: LAMA.

2. NYC's Madison and Lexington: AVES.  Duh … I would think we have Aves in every city.

3. Hockey enclosure: RINK. Most have boards now, but when I was a kid we played hockey on wide open rinks

4. Received: GOT.

5. Rescheduled after being canceled, as a meeting: ON AGAIN. The stock market has been on a gain fairly recently.

6. Afflicts: AILS.

7. House with brothers: FRAT.  In a Fraternity, if you F a class you are a RAT.

8. Slimming surgery, for short: LIPO.  Better to just eat less don'tcha think.

9. Braying beast: ASS.  No comment

10. Frito-Lay corn snacks: CHEETOS.  Delicious, but they might turn your fingers orange.

11. Blessed with ESP: TELEPATHIC.

12. Primary thoroughfare in many towns: MAIN STREET. This was a book by Sinclair Lewis, reflecting on his life in a small town, Sauk Centre MN.

13. Believability, for short: CRED.  I SEE RED when I see half a word.

18. Break in the action: LULL.  Wishing for a lull in the California fires.

23. Soft shoe: MOC.  Another half a word

24. TiVo products: DVRS.  Wanna buy a vowel ??

25. Freq. sitcom rating: TV PG.  See above.

26. Right smack in the middle: DEAD CENTER.

27. Threat from a fault: EARTHQUAKE. Another California dread. My sisters have lived through several.

28. NFL list of games, e.g.: SCHED.  Nothing for my Vikings this week.  The NFL added bye weeks to the schedules a few years ago.

29. Crook's cover: ALIBI.

30. Claire of "Homeland": DANES.

31. Observed closely: EYED.

32. Cuts (off): LOPS.

36. Phone in a purse: CELL. These things are incredible now. I see people reading their email on their phone.

37. Legal document: WRIT.

39. Enjoying the ocean: BOATING.  We have 10,000 lakes to enjoy.  Don't need an ocean.

40. Enjoyed the ocean: CRUISED. ditto

42. Yves' yes: OUI.  One of the three French words I know.  (The others are FRIES and TOAST)

43. Biblical pronoun: THEE.

46. Cooled with cubes: ICED.  That's why it's called ICED Tea, not Ice Tea.

47. Ocean map dot: ISLE.

48. Cereal go-with: MILK.  Every morning.

49. Smooching in a crowded park and such, briefly: PDAS.  Public displays of Affection, but also a personal data something or other, like a cell phone.

50. Road divide: FORK.  As Yogi once said, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it".  Speaking of pretty good all time catchers,  Joe Mauer announced his retirement a couple of days ago.

51. Lake that's a homophone of 59-Across: ERIE. The most common crossword Great Lake by far!

52. Lightened, as hair: DYED.  I think if you lightened it, it's bleached.  Darken it would be dyed.

55. Nietzsche's "never": NIE.

56. Casual shirt: TEE.  I have some of these.  But I also have a few in my golf bag.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Happy birthday to Rich Norris, editor of LA Times Daily Crossword. Often half or more of clues in our daily puzzles are Rich's creations. And he always helps constructors to make the theme tighter and fill cleaner. He's just a quiet and generous soul.

Rich and his wife Kim

Sunday November 11, 2018 Patti Varol

Theme: "Hunger Games" - Each theme entry starts with a synonym for "eat" and it's punnily clued as what a hungry person whose profession is mentioned in the clue might do.

23. A hungry actor might __: CHEW THE SCENERY.

30. A hungry film critic might __: TAKE IN A MOVIE.

53. A hungry locksmith might __: BOLT THE DOOR. This is a really hungry locksmith.

68. A hungry librarian might __: DEVOUR A GOOD BOOK.

 89. A hungry janitor might __: BITE THE DUST.

107. A hungry banker might __: DOWN PAYMENTS.

120. A hungry angler might __: SWALLOW THE BAIT.

What a great title, so apt describing what's happening in this puzzle. 

You all know Patti is Rich's assistant. She's also the editor for The Crosswords Club. This puzzle represents nicely what Patti is looking for in a puzzle: fun theme, tight theme set and clean fill. No weird abbreviations or entries only known to sports/musical fans, etc.

Patti Varol

Across:

1. Comfy cover-up: CAFTAN. Same structure as tunic.

7. Didn't toss: KEPT.

11. Elemental variant: ISOTOPE.

18. Loosen, in a way: UNLACE. Here is D-Otto's Hook and Loop New Balance, in case you wonder. He said they're the most comfortable walking shoes.

19. "Spare me your excuses": SAVE IT.

21. Spot for doodles: NOTEPAD.

22. Land at Mexico City Airport?: TIERRA. Spanish for "land". Nice misdirection.

25. Poison sumac exposure risk: ITCH.

26. Nonstick cookware brand: T-FAL.

28. "It matters how you get there" app: LYFT.

29. Dollars for quarters: RENTS.

34. Compote component: FRUIT.

36. Polish literature?: EDIT. Another fun clue. Of course I was thinking of Poland.

37. Exile: CAST OUT.

39. Bird feeder food: SUET.

43. "How you holdin' up?": FEEL OK?

46. "No __ done": HARM.

48. Subjects of the film "Blackfish": ORCAS. Unfamiliar with the film.

50. Music-licensing org.: BMI. OK, Broadcast Music, Inc.

51. Not quite right: AMISS.

52. Some is changed regularly: OIL. And  56. Pentagon address: SIR. Love both clues.

57. Clever barb response: OH SNAP.

60. Loch with a mystery: NESS.

61. Seriously ticked: IRATE.

62. Cartoon desert island sight: TREE.

64. Passé: OLD. This bag was super popular in China around 1981. Imagine my surprise when I saw Cameron Diaz sported it again.

65. Special forces mission: RAID.

67. Competed using blades: SKATED.

73. Cherry-topped dish: SUNDAE.

76. Venerable English school: ETON.

77. Dinghy need: OAR.

78. "Thor: Ragnarok" actor Idris: ELBA. Sexiest Man Alive.

82. Live, TV-wise: ON AIR.

83. Bouquet bearer: VASE.

85. Mariano Rivera, memorably: YANKEE. Rich is a Yankee fan. Patti loves her Mets.

88. Alley in comics: OOP.

92. Shade: HUE.

93. Curved plumbing piece: P TRAP.

95. Call __ day: IT A.

96. Monopoly buy: HOTEL.

97. Somber notice: OBIT.

99. CafePress purchase: T-SHIRT. Barry G has a shop at CafePress.

100. Comes together: GELS.

102. Kellogg's toaster pastry: POP TART. Never had one.

104. Philistine: BOOR.

105. Inched: CREPT.

113. Point of contention: ISSUE.

116. Swearing or swearing-in words: OATH.

118. Cookie grain: OATS.

119. Mystique: AURA.

124. Lanai furniture material: RATTAN. Never saw a rattan palm in person. Looks very spiky.

126. "One man's struggle to take it easy," for "Ferris Bueller": TAG LINE.

127. Intimidating words: OR ELSE.

128. Password preceder: USER ID.

129. Poor rating: ONE STAR.

130. Actress Falco: EDIE.

131. Reason: SANITY.

Down:

1. Measure up: CUT IT.

2. Singer Baker: ANITA.

3. 14-time Grammy-winning banjoist Béla: FLECK.

4. North Carolina team: TAR HEELS.

5. Unlike this ans.: ACR. Across.

6. One who picks up a lot: NEATNIK.

7. Mexican painter Frida: KAHLO.

8. Night before: EVE.

9. Chapel bench: PEW.

10. Champ's collection: TITLES. The kids Boomer coached the past eight weeks finished 3rd in their division (4 teams) last Friday.

11. Trains: INSTRUCTS.

12. A behavioral sci.: SOC.

13. Ferrell's "SNL" cheerleading partner: OTERI.

14. Guiding principles: TENETS.

15. Willing to listen: OPEN.

16. Auto store buy: PART.

17. "Grand" ice cream brand: EDY'S.

19. Ponzi scheme, e.g.: SCAM.

20. Psalm pronoun: THY.

24. Sincere attempts: EFFORTS.

27. Oft-chewed item: FAT. Tiny clue/answer dupe with one of the themers.

31. Defiant response: I DO SO.

32. TiVo predecessor: VCR.

33. Foot that's part of a meter: IAMB. Poetic foot.

35. Four Corners state: UTAH.

38. City on Lake Erie: TOLEDO.

40. WWII sub: U-BOAT.

41. Gush on stage: EMOTE.

42. Wiped out: TIRED.

43. Ramadan ritual: FAST. I can't imagine the will it takes not to eat.

44. Abu Dhabi dignitary: EMIR.

45. Name on Irish euros: EIRE

46. Veda reader: HINDU.

47. Resembling: A LA.

49. Omega rival: SEIKO. Only Grand Seiko.

52. Capital north of Berlin: OSLO.

54. Like some bagels: ONIONY. We also have 71. Breakfast-on-the-run pickup: DONUT.

55. Pond papa: DRAKE.

58. Stopped at sea, with "to": HOVE. Another learning moment for me.

59. Chatters: PRATES.

63. Terrier on "Frasier": EDDIE.

66. Before now: AGO.

67. Fit to be tied: SORE.

69. Word before or after "mother": EARTH.

70. Outcome: RESULT.

72. Really feel the heat: BAKE. Excited that the local Hmong farmers here started to grow Asian sweet potatoes. The ones I got at the farmers' market this year were so good. Taste of Xi'an.

73. Pulitzer-winning Ferber novel: SO BIG.

74. Work together: UNITE.

75. Present at birth: NATAL.

79. Actress Petty of "Orange Is the New Black": LORI.

80. Tusked critter: BOAR.

81. Cal. entry: APPT. Thank God for Google Calendar and reminders.

83. Naysayer's weapon?: VETO POWER. Great fill.

84. Highly skilled in: ADEPT AT.

86. Often-seared tuna: AHI. You can find it in your local Aldi.

87. English Derby town: EPSOM.

90. Last element in Pandora's box: HOPE.

91. Lawn-Boy parent company: TORO. Based here in MN.

94. Menace: THREATEN.

98. Texter's "Oh, and another thing ... ": BTW.

99. Geoffrey the Giraffe's store: TOYS "R" US. Still open in China.

101. River racers: SCULLS.

103. Stick (to): ADHERE.

104. Carlsbad Caverns dweller: BAT.

106. Bright again: RE-LIT.

108. White __: NOISE.

109. Party spread: PATE.

110. __-Grain: breakfast bar brand: NUTRI.

111. Blue eyes, e.g.: TRAIT.

112. Baseball Hall of Famer Koufax: SANDY. One guy at our flea market has this Life magazine.

113. Ratio phrase: IS TO.

114. Adult cygnet: SWAN.

115. Herb used in turkey dressing: SAGE.

117. E'en if: THO.

121. "Based __ true story": ON A.

122. Retirement spot: BED.

123. "Moonlight" Oscar winner Mahershala __: ALI.

125. Comparison words: AS A.

Boomer updates:

We had a consultation with a radiation oncologist on Thursday. Then Boomer got tattooed. He's going to start his daily radiation treatment on Nov. 14th. The procedure ends on Nov. 28th. Weekends are rest days. At the moment, they're just going to focus on the area where he has the T 11 fracture.

He's also going to have more blood work done next week. Then we'll meet with Dr. Thomas Downs for the monthly follow-up. Eager to see if the Eligard shot works on him. So far, Boomer still has not had any hot flashes, so I'm a bit nervous. 

He's also going to have the Zoledronic acid infusion next week.

Happy Veterans Day to all the veterans on our blog: Spitzboov, Boomer, Jayce, D-Otto, TTP and Anon-T! Sorry if I forget others.

C.C.