Wednesday December 18, 2019 David Poole

(Note from C.C.: D-Otto write today's post.)


Theme: Crazy, mixed-up Santa

The Barnacle had the circles, so I managed to suss the theme. It would've been a lot harder without 'em. The reveal would also be of help, for those of you who read the entire reveal clue.

17a. Line on an application: LAST NAME.

23a. Masters home: AUGUSTA NATIONAL. LIU and guess what? It's not in Maine. (STANA Katic played Kate Beckett on Castle).

38a. Southern nickname involving a brown bird: THE PELICAN STATE. I'll bet B-E, Hahtoolah, Swampcat and Boo LuQuette got this one immediately.

"A wonderful bird is the pelican.
His bill can hold more than his belican.
He can take in his beak.
Food enough for a week.
But I'm damned if I see how the helican."
Dixon Lanier Merritt

54a. "Double Indemnity" (1944) Oscar nominee: BARBARA STANWYCK. This was my kryptonite. I spelled it WICK -- DNF.

And the reveal...

64a. 2003 Billy Bob Thornton title role ... and a hint to each set of puzzle circles: BAD SANTA.

Across:

1. Transcript figs.: GPAS. Grade point averages. Mine ranged from C to shining C.

5. Letters for the princess?: HRH. Her Royal Highness

8. Frozen, maybe: AFRAID.

14. Alternatively: ELSE.

15. Perrier, par exemple: EAU. French water.

16. Financially responsible: LIABLE. Libel makes you liable.

19. Telescope parts: LENSES.

20. "Star Wars" SFX: CGI. Computer-generated imagery.

21. Dada co-founder: ARP.

22. Firewood measure: CORD. 128 cubic feet.

29. Cooped (up): PENT.

30. Lay an egg: FLOP. The egg is laid in the coop.

31. Soup with tofu and seaweed: MISO. Sounds delicious. Not.

32. Vancouver-to-Calgary dir.: ENE.

34. Walked (on): TROD.

37. 51-Down's state: Abbr.: NSW. New South Wales, Australia.

43. Big to-do: ROW. Similar to a major honey-do?

44. "Then again," on Twitter: OTOH. On the other hand.

45. Country N. of Kenya: ETH. Ethiopia.

46. Creative spark: IDEA.

48. New Age musician John: TESH. He's been a co-host on Entertainment Tonight, a TV sportscaster, even a Klingon on Startrek: TNG.

50. Tag sale caveat: AS IS. Caveat emptor.

58. Mani-pedi spots: SPAS. Not feet.

59. Game with 108 cards: UNO.

60. "Gloria in Excelsis __": DEO. Christmas music. If I linked it, it would break the "no politics, no religion" rule. So I'll link this instead:

61. Brusque: ABRUPT. TERSE was too abrupt.

66. NutraSweet developer: SEARLE. It's now marketed by the NutraSweet Company. NutraSweet used to be Aspartame (200 times sweeter than sugar) until they discovered Neotame (7000-13000 times sweeter than sugar) -- the Carolina Reaper of sweeteners.

67. Modern art?: ARE. How great thy art art.

68. Cocktail garnish: PEEL. Really? Just the peel?

69. Bank, often: LENDER.

70. Since Jan. 1: YTD. Year-to-date.

71. Shaggy Scandinavian rugs: RYAS.

Down:

1. Easy-to-swallow dosage: GELCAP. Have you found them easier to swallow? I take my pills five at a time in one swell foop.

2. One of 10 in Exodus: PLAGUE. How many can you name? Answer far below.

3. Give, as homework: ASSIGN. Teenagers bane, after acne.

4. Background in theater?: SET.

5. Sincere: HEARTFELT.

6. Flutist Jean-Pierre: RAMPAL. He has been personally "credited with returning the flute to popularity as a solo classical instrument it had not held since the 18th century." (WIKI) Do you say "flutist" or "flautist" or maybe "tootler" (from last Saturday)?

7. Paint choice: HUE. Not OIL.

8. Apportion: ALLOT.

9. "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" host: FIERI. Host of various Food Network shows. He was born Guy Ferry, but apparently took umbrage at his last name.

10. Like dice rolls: RANDOM. At least you hope so.

11. Bodybuilder's pride: ABS. I've got 12-pack abs.

12. Paris' __ de la Cité: ILE. It's a natural island in the Seine. Notre Dame Cathedral (or what's left of it) is located there.

(Courtesy The New York Times)

13. __ Plaines: DES. Chicago suburb just north of O'Hare airport. I lived nearby at one time.

18. "One Mic" rapper: NAS. The only NAS I'm familiar with is Network Attached Storage, like my music server.

22. "Meet John Doe" director: CAPRA. Frank Capra. Also Pocketfull of Miracles and It's A Wonderful life.

24. U.S. sch. near the Mexico border: UTEP. University of Texas El Paso.

25. Tally symbols: NOTCHES. "...he secretly carved one more notch on the butt of his gold-handled cane..." at the 3:15 point.

26. Ricci of fashion: NINA. I thought her name was Christina.

27. CEO aide: ASST.

28. Actor Rob: LOWE. He's been in lotsa stuff, but I remember him best as Sam Seaborn in The West Wing. I binge-streamed the whole series not long ago.

33. Opposite of paleo-: NEO. Played opposite Morpheus in The Matrix.

35. Like a diving catch in baseball: ONE HANDED.

36. Summer hrs.: DST. Some love it. Some hate it. Some are ambidexterous.

38. Windy City daily, familiarly: TRIB. Chicago Tribune.

39. "Today" co-anchor Kotb: HODA. She just got engaged at 55.

40. Pitcher sans arms: EWER. That clue reminds me of this movie scene.

41. Specks: IOTAS. Could'a been MOTES.

42. Winter warm spell: THAW.

47. Inane: ABSURD. Not STUPID.

49. Comic-book store owner on "The Big Bang Theory": STUART.

51. 2000 Olympics city: SYDNEY. (Guess who spelled it with an I?)

52. Drink served with mint: ICE TEA. Let the arguments begin...

53. Danish toasts: SKOALS. Not to be confused with the smokeless tobacco.

55. Fuji, for one: APPLE. Because MOUNTAIN and VOLCANO were too long.

56. Yelp contributor: RATER. Does anybody here trust/use Yelp?

57. Negatives: NOS.

61. Silent speech syst.: ASL. American Sign Language. In case you'd like to learn...

62. Quilting party: BEE. Are there other "bees" besides quilting and spelling? Discuss.

63. Legged it: RAN.

64. Reddish-brown horse: BAY. News to me. I always assumed it was gray, like San Francisco Bay.

65. Busy mo. for a CPA: APR. I've completed my IRS certification to be a Tax-Aide volunteer again next year. This may be my last year. Between the IRS and AARP, they've thrown up so many roadblocks that the compensation is becoming inadequate to the exertion.

That brings us to the deep end of the Poole. It's been fun subbing. Desper-otto out.

The Grid:

Here's that list of the ten plagues. I managed to remember four of 'em. I'll bet you did better.

Blood
Frogs
Lice or gnats
Flies
Livestock (??? How can this be a plague? Raining cats and dogs?)
Boils
Hail
Locust
Darkness
Death of firstborn

Tuesday, December 17, 2019; Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Do You Think I Am Gaining Weight?  Yes, this is the dreaded circle puzzle.  And, yes, I found this to be a bit of a challenge for a Tuesday.  Very clever, though.  The circled letters (which interestingly do not span words, but are contained completely in one word of the answer) are all measures of weight ~ beginning with a very small unit and growing progressively to a very large unit.

17-Across. Very exciting episode: HIGH DRAMA.  According to Britannica "an avoirdupois DRAM  contains 27.344 grains (1.772 grams) and is equal to one-sixteenth avoirdupois ounce of 437 1/2 grains. The term also refers to the fluid dram, a measure of capacity equal to one-eighth fluid ounce."  Clear, right?

26-Across. One doing the play-by-play: SPORTS ANNOUNCER.  An OUNCE is 1/16 of a Pound.

44-Across. Stand-up comic who is a recurring panelist on "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me": PAULA POUNDSTONE.

60-Across. Subject of the 2019 biopic "Rocketman": ELTON JOHN.  A long TON is 2,240 pounds. A Short Ton is 2,000 pounds.  The Short Ton is used in the United States.

And the unifier, of sorts:

65-Across. Device related to the circled letters: SCALE.

Across:

1. Spanish kiss: BESO.   Today's Spanish lesson.

5. Tax law pros: CPAs.  As in Certified Public Accountants.  I think a few of our regulars are CPAs.

9. Shaving scratches: NICKS.

14. Tune from "Tosca": ARIA.

15. The "A" in SATB: ALTO.  Think of the singing voices:  Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass.

16. It's sent with a click: E-MAIL.

19. Rich boy in "Nancy" comics: ROLLO.  Nancy is a comic strip that began in the 1930s.  Apparently there was a recent up-date and revision.

20. Many garden flowers: ANNUALS.

21. Responding to an Evite: RSVP-ING.  RSVP is a derived from the French phrase Répondez S’il Vous Plaît, which means Please Respond.  The -ing ending makes it a bit clunky, but one should always respond yea or nay to an invitation.

23. CD-__: data holders: ROMS.

25. Tot's little piggy: TOE.

34. Hoisting device: WINCH.

35. Snobbish attitude: AIRS.

36. Road service org.: AAA.  As in the American Automobile Association.

37. Irish New Ager: ENYA.  Her given name is Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin (b. May 17, 1961).  No wonder she goes by ENYA.

38. Full of sass: LIPPY.

40. Dead set against: ANTI.  //  Fun to see this directly above 43-Across. Gets in on the deal: ANTES.

41. DDE's WWII domain: ETO.  As in the European Theater of Operations.

42. Hula-Hoops and Pogs: FADS.

 The Hula-Hoop came out in 1958.

Pogs were popular in the 1990s.

48. Orbiting research facility: Abbr.: ISS.  As in the International Space Station.

49. Spa treatment: PEEL.  I would prefer a Pedi(cure) over a Facial PEEL.

50. Turned on an axis: PIVOTED.  I initially tried Rotated.

54. Caviar choice: SHAD ROE.

59. __ acids: protein components: AMINO.

62. Baltimore NFLer: RAVEN.

63. Kind of pressure: PEER.

64. Oklahoma city NNW of Oklahoma City: ENID.  Enid, Oklahoma makes frequent appearances in the crossword puzzles.  It is the 9th largest city in the State and has one of the largest grain storage capacity in the world.

66. PC scrolling key: PGDN.  It's the Page Down key.

67. British mil. honors: DSOs.  As in the Distinguished Service Order.

Down:

1. __ Men: "Who Let the Dogs Out" band: BAHA.  The Baha Men are a Bahamian band.

2. Leprechaun land: ERIN.

3. Talk with one's hands: SIGN.  It is important that the individual hired to sign, especially in the public arena, be qualified to do so.

4. Island near Maui: OAHU.  The two islands are near each other, but not next to each other.

5. Guitarist Santana: CARLOS.  Carlos Santana (b. July 20, 1947) is a Mexican-American guitarist and musician.

6. Red Cross supply: PLASMA.

7. Bodega convenience: ATM.  As in the Automatic Teller Machine.

8. Go sky-high: SOAR.

9. On edge: NERVOUS.

10. "No plans that day": I'M OPEN.  I initially wanted I'm Free.

11. Colombian metropolis: CALI.  I think this is a CSO to our friend Chickie.  I think she lived in Cali, Columbia.

12. Pottery oven: KILN.

13. Laborious walk: SLOG.

18. Vader in "Star Wars": DARTH.

22. Stephen King work: STORY.  I would have classified his work as Horror novels.  We both share the same alma mater, although he graduated several years before I entered the university.

24. Buys eagerly: SNAPS UP.

26. Look (for), as electronic bugs: SWEEP.

27. Vessel of 1492: PINTA.  One of Christopher Columbus's ships.

28. "The joke's __!": ON YOU.

29. Color TV pioneer: RCA.

30. __ in the bud: NIP.

31. "The Divine Comedy" segment: CANTO.

32. In one's tummy: EATEN.

33. Salary increase: RAISE.

38. Go unrenewed: LAPSE.

39. Bachelor's famous last words?: I DO.  My favorite clue of the puzzle.

40. Raid target: ANT.

42. Slick trick: FAST ONE.

43. C.S. Lewis lion: ASLAN.  I can never remember this lion's name.  Aslan is a major character in the book The Chronicles of Narnia.

45. Model train giant: LIONEL.  In 1900, Joshua Lionel Cowen (Aug. 25, 1877 ~ Sept. 8, 1965) and Harry C. Grant founded the Lionel Corporation.  Although it made a number of novelty toys, it is best known for its model trains.  In 2006, the Lionel electric train became the 1st electric toy to be inducted into the  National Toy Hall of Fame.

46. Stacked like Tupperware: NESTED.

47. Do a ranch vet's job: DEHORN.

50. They beat bogeys: PARS.  Golfing reference.

51. Apple computer: iMAC.

52. "Choose-A-Sheet" paper towels brand: VIVA.

53. Captain Sparrow portrayer: DEPP.  Johnny Depp (né John Christopher Depp, II; b. June 9, 1963) played Captain Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

55. Kept the party hopping, for short: DJ'ED.  As in the individual who is the Disc Jockey.

56. Howard and Silver: RONS.  As in actors Ron Howard (né Ronald William Howard; b. Mar. 1, 1954), also known as Opie from the Andy Griffith Show; and Ron Silver (né Ronald Arthur Silver; July 2, 1946 ~ Mar. 15, 2009).  The latter died of cancer at age 62.

57. Lake Erie state: OHIO.  It's the State that's Round on the Ends and HI in the Middle!

58. Circle's lack: ENDS.

61. Journey segment: LEG.

Here's the Grid:

QOD:  The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.  ~  William Arthur Ward (Dec. 17, 1921 ~ Mar. 30, 1986), American writer

Monday December 16, 2019 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: LINES (68. Botox targets ... or what 17-, 28-, 45- and 60-Across all have) - Different lines are featured in the four theme entries

17. Screenwriter's creation: FILM SCRIPT.

28. Gucci or Versace, notably: FASHION HOUSE.

45. Grand Central, for one: TRAIN STATION.

60. Math student's plotting sheet: GRAPH PAPER.

Boomer here.

Christmas is coming and my former employer, Graybar Electric, from which I am a retiree, hosted a fine lunch at the Minneapolis Golf Club in St. Louis Park, MN. This was a new location because a young lady and friend, assumed the promotion to District Vice President of the Minneapolis District last February. DVP's receive a private club membership of their choice. One of the Board of Directors from St. Louis attended and gave a long talk after the meal and let us know that the people that were hired to replace us are doing a helluva lot better than we ever did. 

C.C. and I were spiffed up for the occasion.

Across:

1. Be indecisive: WAVER.  I saw many of these during the MLB playoffs. I still am convinced that the Minnesota Twins started the Wavers of Homer Hankies in 1987.  

6. Crop-raising business: FARM.  Old MacDonald had one.

10. Tightly closed: SHUT. UP !

14. San Antonio landmark: ALAMO.  High up Santa Ana, we're killing your soldiers below, so the rest of Texas will know, and remember the ALAMO.

15. Almay rival: OLAY.  I think this is an European Rider Cup cheer.

16. Whittle (down): PARE.

19. Ferris wheel, e.g.: RIDE.  I think Coney Island is the biggest.  At least it made a GEICO commercial.

20. Oblong pastry: ECLAIR.  This is not a city in Wisconsin.  I think chocolate ones are the best.

21. Outback and Legacy autos: SUBARUS. We are still looking at a Santa Fe.

23. Outdoor gear giant: REI.

24. Chickadee kin: TITS.  I'll leave this one alone.

27. Beam of light: RAY.  A player on the Tampa Bay Team.

33. Nest egg letters: IRA. Was a tax haven until you get to 70 1/2.

35. Office sub: TEMP.  We have not been above 32 degrees here for a couple of weeks.

36. Poker pot pay-ins: ANTES.  Many games in the caddy shack when I was a kid.  Earned a pretty nice fee for eighteen holes and got to play free on Monday morning.

37. Leave high and dry: ABANDON.  I watched the Thanksgiving Day parade and they had A BAND ON.

39. "Are we on for the project?": IS IT A GO.  It is in Cribbage if you just have high cards.

41. Social slip-up: GAFFE.

42. Cole Porter's "Well, Did You __?": EVAH.

44. "Of course!": AHA.

48. Civil War side: Abbr.: CSA.  It's really difficult to remember a time when Americans fought other Americans.

49. Poker table giveaway: TELL.  I heard he shot an apple off his son's head.  Did the cell phone still work after that ??

50. Vanilla extract meas.: TSP.  Vanilla is good stuff.  I think you need more than a teaspoon.

53. "That's deplorable!": I HATE IT.  Thanksgiving dinner??  I did not HATE it, I ATE it.

57. Strange thing: ODDITY.

59. Supermarket section with a scale: DELI.

63. Sailors' patron saint: ELMO.

64. "That stings!": OUCH.

65. Partner of well: ALIVE.  ALIVE and WELL, Well, Well, Well.

66. Mathematician Turing: ALAN.

67. Have to have: NEED.  "As long as he NEEDS me."  Minnesota's own Judy Garland 1964.

Down:

1. Communion bread: WAFER.  My aunt, Sister Caroline used to make these in a convent in Clyde, Mo. Please don't call them wafers.  Most people I know call them hosts.

2. Wonderland visitor: ALICE.  "This is the story of Alice, told without any Malice.  Alice was very beautiful, ... Except for one little thing.  (Chad Mitchell Trio, of Course).

3. The 4 Seasons frontman Frankie: VALLI.  I hooked up with three other guys at Fort Campbell and we sang "Sherry" at the Top Five Club.

4. Jane Austen classic: EMMA.

5. Spanish-speaking Muppet: ROSITA.

6. Tit-tat link: FOR. FOR all we know.

7. "Thrilla in Manila" victor: ALI.  Yup, I was alive then.  I could not believe all the hype.  But I was never a boxing fan.

8. Knocks hard: RAPS.  Why not just ring the doorbell ?

9. "I'm up!": MY TURN.

10. Artificial bronzing product: SPRAY-ON TAN.  Never used it.  I use the sun streaming on the golf course.

11. Beauty salon focus: HAIR.  "She asked me why, Why I'm a hairy guy.  ... Stylin' , Streamin', Gleamin', Flaxen Waxen.  One of my favorite Karaoke numbers.

12. Pakistani tongue: URDU.

13. Many short-sleeved shirts: TEES.  Also many golf ball holders.

18. "The Count of Monte __": CRISTO.

22. Iranian faith featuring a 19-day feast: BAHAI.

25. Big place to surf: THE NET.

26. __ card: smartphone component: SIM.  I only have a dumb phone.

28. Stories by devoted readers: FAN FICTION.

29. Percocet, e.g.: OPIATE.  I took a little OXY when my back was hurting, but I quit it pretty quickly.

30. Great Salt Lake state: UTAH.  I've driven by that lake a number of times (On my way to Nevada to bowl).  I believe it is a wonder of the world.  It is huge and I believe it is over 4000 feet above sea level.

31. Genesis creator: SEGA.

32. That, in Toledo: ESO.

33. Letter-shaped beam: I BAR.  You may go to an I BAR, but you cannot get a drink.

34. Tennis rival of Roger, familiarly: RAFA.  I am not a great tennis fan, but this guy Mr. Nadal is very good.

37. Actor's rep.: AGT.

38. Like thick fog: DENSE.  I drove into this once in South Dakota, on my way to see Mount Rushmore.  I never got there because there was no way I would have been able to see it in the fog.  Maybe some day.

40. 1862 Tennessee battle site: SHILOH.  I read a book about this battle site many years ago.  Shiloh is near the Tennessee River and there is a memorial there.

43. Brewery vessel: VAT.  Sven says to Ole. "VAT are you doing ?"  Ole replies "None uff your business."

46. Former name of Vietnam's most populous city: SAIGON.  Now Ho Chi Minh City.

47. Longtime chum: OLD PAL.  "Can you imagine us years from today. sharing a park bench quietly, how terribly strange to be seventy."  (Simon and Garfunkel). 

50. Easy hoops shot: TIP IN.  Looks like our Gophers are in for a rough season.  I am not much of a hoops fan.

51. Tech mogul Jobs: STEVE.  He was Mr. Apple Inc. until he passed in 2011.

52. Combustible heaps: PYRES.

53. Thought: IDEA.  "If I only had a brain."  Never mind, we had all that last week.  

54. Land down under?: HELL.  I don't think that there are Angels there, but some motorcycle owners think there are. 

55. __ mater: ALMA.  Also a city in Wisconsin.  On the eastern shore of the Mississippi.

56. "T" on a test: TRUE.

58. Surrealist Salvador: DALI.

61. Top pitcher: ACE.  High ranking card.  Would like four on a draw poker machine.

62. Scholar's deg.: PHD.  Pronounced FUDD.

Boomer

Sunday December 15, 2019 Robin Stears

Theme: *Black Magic"- Both words in each theme entry can follow "Black".

23. *Landmark near Waikiki: DIAMOND HEAD. Black diamond. Blackhead.

29. *Down time on Wall Street?: BEAR MARKET. Black bear. Black market.

47. *It's larger than a littleneck: CHERRY STONE. Black cherry. Blackstone.

50. *Where land and ocean meet: SEA BOARD. Black Sea. Blackboard.

66. *Cowhide accessory: LEATHER BELT. Black leather. Black belt.

81. *Negative-studier's aid: LIGHT BOX. New phrase to me. Black light. Black box.

83. *Kozy Shack dessert: RICE PUDDING. Black rice. Black pudding.

104. *Fancy decoration particles: GOLD POWDER. Black gold. Black powder.

112. *Former Queens home of the US Open: FOREST HILLS. Black Forest. Black Hills.

I don't often see a title with an asterisk mark. This type of theme often has a reveal.

Don and I did this Black Monday puzzle ages ago. It was a hard work then. I'm just so amazed at the number of entries in Robin's theme.

Across:

1. Pulitzer-winning Ferber novel: SO BIG. 1924 novel.

6. PC key not used by itself: CTRL.

10. "Joy to the World," e.g.: CAROL.

15. Costa del __: SOL.

18. Mocedades song covered by Eydie Gormé as "Touch the Wind": ERES TU. It's You.

20. Riskily off base: AWOL.

21. All-inclusive adjective: EVERY.

22. Peak pique: IRE.

25. Carafe size: LITER.

26. Opposite of trans: CIS. Cisgender. Transgender.

27. Comes down with: GETS.

28. Printer supply: TONER.

31. 67.5 deg.: ENE.

32. Junior: SON.

33. '80s soap rebooted in 2017: DYNASTY. Looks intriguing.

35. __ podrida: Spanish dish: OLLA. Pork and beans.

36. "Sweeney Todd" tool: STROP.

38. Mary __: KAY.

40. One-named Deco artist: ERTE.

41. Sick to the max: ILLEST. Odd form.

43. What prospective borrowers compare: RATES.

45. Discipline with poses: YOGA.

46. 2015 Best Actress Larson: BRIE. "Room". I don't remember the film at all.

54. Cascades peak: SHASTA.

55. Bethesda medical agcy.: NIH.

56. Cut: SEVER.

57. Society page word: NEE.

58. Duck named for the long-feathered part of its anatomy: PINTAIL. Helpful clue.

60. Stand-up quality?: POSTURE. That duck has good posture.

63. "Straight Up" singer: ABDUL (Paula)

65. Bad road condition?: RAGE. Minnesotans are generally polite drivers.

69. One often has ticks: LIST.

70. "Consequently ... ": AND SO.

72. Snuggled, in a way: SPOONED.

73. Broad Eurasian region: SIBERIA. Remember this Siberian family?

75. GATT successor: WTO.

76. Plain __: obvious: TO SEE.

78. Gist: NUB.

80. Recall targets: LEMONS.

86. MTV sci-fi show "__ Flux": AEON.

87. Quick run: DASH.

88. Tough tests: ORALS.

89. 1964 Nobel Prize decliner: SARTRE. Here with Simone de Beauvoir.

92. Tenth: Pref.: DECI.

93. Narc's org.: DEA.

94. Best way to leave the casino: AHEAD. Boomer loves nickel poker.

98. "A Death in the Family" writer: AGEE.

99. Land adjoining a mansion: DEMESNE. New word to me.

101. "Miss Saigon" setting: NAM.

103. TiVo predecessor: VCR.

107. Come to pass: OCCUR.

109. Phony (up): HOKE. Is "hoke up" a common phrase? Never heard of it.

110. The "E" in BCE: ERA.

111. Alaskan native: ALEUT.

114. Not of the cloth: LAY.

115. Victoria, to William IV: NIECE.

116. Computer __: USER. Never used a computer until 1995. How about you?

117. Gets to the bottom of: SOLVES. I just wait for D-Otto.

118. Cry of success: YES.

119. Unloaded?: SOBER.

120. Submerged threat: REEF.

121. Art of verse: POESY.

Down:

1. Papyrus plants, e.g.: SEDGES.

2. Get situated: ORIENT.

3. Jalopy: BEATER.

4. Things to believe in: ISMS.

5. '60s song car with "three deuces and a four-speed and a 389": GTO.

6. "Call Me Irresponsible" lyricist: CAHN (Sammy)

7. Outdoorsy, taste-wise: TWEEDY. Another learning moment for me.

8. Detroit Lions' mascot: ROARY. Big Easy and I used this word in our CHIEF JUSTICE puzzle a few years ago.

9. Honorary degree for attys.: LLD.

10. Sugar Plum Fairy's instrument: CELESTA.

11. Fly: AVIATE.

12. Take another shot: RETRY.

13. City on Utah Lake: OREM.

14. Vega's constellation: LYRA.

15. Tool with a curved blade: SICKLE.

16. Protruding windows: ORIELS.

17. "The Vampire Chronicles" vampire: LESTAT. Tom Cruise.

19. Word that may precede itself: UNTO. Unto itself.

24. Shrek's bestie: DONKEY.

29. River transport: BARGE.

30. Loggers' contest: ROLEO.

32. Peloponnesian War victor: SPARTA.

34. Noble gas: NEON.

37. Electra's brother: ORESTES.

39. PGA part: Abbr.: ASSN.

41. "Dies __": IRAE.

42. Early fall baby's sign: LIBRA.

44. Are losing: TRAIL.

45. Talk Like a Pirate Day refrain: YO HO HO.

46. Cuts at an angle: BEVELS.

47. Red wine: CHIANTI.

48. Sad sack: HANGDOG.

49. Walk quietly: TIPTOE.

50. Desertlike: SERE. Fixture in our old Tribune Media days.

51. Hearth item sometimes called a firedog: ANDIRON.

52. Extending the life of: REUSING.

53. Mouth formations: DELTAS.

54. Urban planner's concern: SPRAWL.

56. Pin in a ring, say: SUBDUE. Verb "pin".

59. Textbook section: LESSON.

61. Six-yr.-term pol: SEN.

62. Ditch: TRENCH.

64. Complexion spoiler: BLEMISH.

67. High point: APEX.

68. Actress Swinton: TILDA. She's in "Burn After Reading".

71. Weasel relative: OTTER.

74. Madhouse: BEDLAM.

77. Shawm descendant: OBOE.

79. Fraternal gp.: BPOE.

82. Despised: HATED.

83. Indy entrant: RACER.

84. Egyptian fertility goddess: ISIS. And 87. Harvest goddess: DEMETER.

85. Voyager 2 destination: URANUS.

89. How Yoda spoke: SAGELY.

90. Trading places?: AGORAE. They wouldn't believe how we shop today.

91. Track events: RELAYS.

92. Figure out: DEDUCE.

93. Formal order: DECREE.

95. Advance in the race?: EVOLVE. Human race.

96. "Supernatural" co-star Jensen __: ACKLES. No idea.

97. Beyond "business casual": DRESSY.

99. Dimwitted "We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story" dinosaur: DWEEB.

100. Rope loop: NOOSE.

102. Liberal __: ARTS.

105. Chef's collection: PANS. Have you tried Tuscan chicken before?

106. Potpourri: OLIO.

108. Random House co-founder: CERF.

109. Hawaii County seat: HILO.

112. Pelt: FUR.

113. Kangaroo move: HOP.