Sunday October 24, 2021 Gary Larson

Theme:  "Sporting Chance" - Each theme entry consists of two sports team in singular form.

23A. *Grizzly, for one: BROWN BEAR.  Cleveland Browns. Chicago Bears. Two NFL teams.

25A. *Olaf II of Norway, notably: VIKING SAINT. Minnesota Vikings.  New Orleans Saints. 
Two NFL teams.

46A. *It goes up in cold weather: HEAT BILL. Miami Heat (NBA).  Buffalo Bills (NFL).

69A. *Nickname for Joe DiMaggio: YANKEE CLIPPER. New York Yankees (MLB).  LA Clippers (NBA).

93A. *The sun will eventually be one: RED GIANT. Cincinnati Reds (MLB). San Francisco Giants (MLB) Or New York Giants (NFL), whatever you prefer..

117A. *ICBM booster until 1987: TITAN ROCKET. Tennessee Titans (NFL).  Houston Rockets (NBA).

36D. *Kipling's Shere Khan is one: BENGAL TIGER. Cincinnati Bengals (NFL). Detroit Tigers (MLB).

42D. *"Virtuous Woman" reggae singer: WARRIOR KING. Golden State Warriors (NBA). Sacramento Kings (NBA) or LA Kings (NHL)

Reveal:

120. They're on the same side ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues: TEAMMATES.

I explored a similar theme a few months ago (with D-Otto's help), but I gave up after I found out this puzzle last October with a DOUBLE TEAM reveal. I wonder if MM and TTP recall that theme.

Glad to see that Rich now allows 84 black squares. His limit used to be 78.

Across:

1. Model in the Beach Boys' "Fun, Fun, Fun": T BIRD. Also 35. Hose clamp tightener: T BOLT.

6. "Nightmare" street: ELM.

9. Middles: WAISTS.

15. Demonstrating skill: ABLY.

19. Subtle glows: AURAE.

20. Wasikowska of "Damsel": MIA. Australian actress.

21. Allergic outburst: AHCHOO.

22. Hudson Bay nation: CREE.

27. Ornamental vase: URN.

28. Earthly: TERRENE. Not a word I use.

30. MLB Hall of Famer Fox and journalist Bly: NELLIES. Here's Fox.

31. __ a soul: NARY.

32. Va. winter hours: EST. Eastern Standard Time.

34. Genesis twin: ESAU.

37. More klutzy: GAWKIER. So different from the GAWK meaning.

40. Prepare, as a contract: DRAW UP.

45. Like some dorms: COED.

48. Sound of shock: GASP.

49. Sharply hit baseball: LINER. 68. NL Central club: STL. And 12. Slugger's creation: SHINER.

51. Relax, maybe: LIE. Lie down. Helps when Boomer's hernia acts up.

52. Wolf down: EAT.

54. Guru's residence: ASHRAM. My landlord in Shanghai was a Buddhist. He burned incense and chanted every night.

56. Pool concern: ALGAE.

57. Loses steam: FLAGS.

60. Claim no longer allowed on cigarettes: LESS TAR. Remember this type of ads? Amazing what you can find in those old Life magazines.

62. Fortune: WEALTH.

64. Show with constant cliff-hangers: SOAP.

66. Cell division: MITOSIS.

73. Words of understanding: OHS.

75. Uses, as a scale: STEPS ON. We have a mechanical scale. It's not accurate, maybe it's old.

77. Candy bar with a Nordic name: SKOR.

78. Self-reproach: REGRET.

80. Thinks: IDEATES.

82. Played really badly: STANK. These are infamous Stinky Tofu. The tofu is fermented.

85. Comic book artist: INKER.

86. Mentally assimilate: DIGEST.

88. A musician usually has a good one: EAR. 92. Willing to listen (to): OPEN.

90. Originally called: NEE. Chinese women keep their names at marriage. Same tradition in Korea.

91. Bête __: NOIRE.

97. Button alternative: SNAP.

98. Posse carriers: HORSES.

101. Max Ernst, for one: DADAIST.

102. True: ALIGN.

104. Yearn: ACHE.

106. Eye, to a poet: ORB. Also the horse who won the 2013 Kentucky Derby.

107. Pickup relatives, briefly: UTES.

108. Condemnation: REPROOF.

111. Zip one's lip: KEEP MUM.

114. "Rugrats" dad: STU.

122. Pizzazz: ELAN.

123. Spiritualist Deepak: CHOPRA.

124. Bagpiper's topper: TAM.

125. Past pudgy: OBESE. You won't find this word in any of Don G's grids.

126. Target of a military press: DELT.

127. "Dear Evan __": 2015 musical: HANSEN.

128. Mahershala of "Moonlight": ALI. He won an Oscar for his role in "Moonlight".

129. Grown-up efts: NEWTS.

Down:

1. Perfume that sounds forbidden: TABU. Taboo.

2. VP under Jefferson: BURR.

3. Par-3 choice, often: IRON. Not a long par-3. You'll need a driver.

4. Not even rare?: RAW.  Mmm, sashimi!

5. Insurance that covers dams?: DENTAL. Dental dams.

6. Manicurist's board: EMERY.

7. Yarn spinner: LIAR.

8. Dark area on the moon: MARE.

9. Surfboard/kayak hybrid: WAVESKI. Amazing.

10. Yellowfin tuna: AHI.

11. Response to goo: ICK.

13. Shades: TONES.

14. "I'm __ to hear from you!": SO GLAD. Rare 6-letter partial.

15. Smoothie fruit: ACAI.

16. Cheese on crackers: BRIE.

17. Telescope part: LENS.

18. To this day: YET.

24. Docking place: BERTH.

26. Result of one too many, maybe: SLUR.

29. Rookie, briefly: NEWB. Newbie.

31. "I can't agree to this": NO DEAL.

33. Scrabble piece: TILE.

35. Going places?: TOILETS. Any of you have a heated toilet seat?

37. Author Sheehy: GAIL.

38. Relaxed: AT EASE.

39. Airline with an all-kosher menu: EL AL.

41. Turkish bigwigs: AGHAS.

43. Solheim Cup team: USA. It was held here in Edina, MN in 2002. We saw lots of big potatoes there.

44. Fluoride-in-water meas.: PPM. Parts Per Million.

45. Cat's weapons: CLAWS.

47. Little trickster: ELF.

50. Confirms, as a password: RE-TYPES.

53. Sub: TEMP.

54. China __: showy bloom: ASTER. So pretty.

55. Use for preservation, as wine barrels: STORE IN.

58. Takes off: GOES.

59. Pass rusher's stat: SACKS.

61. Small intake: SIP.

63. Attacks: HAS AT.

65. Story line: PLOT.

67. Singer Ed featured in the 2019 film "Yesterday": SHEERAN. The guy in glasses.

70. "Just kidding!": NOT.

71. Place for a pad: KNEE.

72. Modern Persians: IRANIS. Iranians more common.

74. __ throat: STREP.

76. Utopias: EDENS.

79. Knowledge of spiritual matters: GNOSIS. Not a word I use.

81. Bareilles of "Waitress": SARA.

83. Without ice: NEAT.

84. Understanding: KEN.

86. Quote from Homer: D'OH. Homer Simpson.

87. 2012 Facebook event, for short: IPO. The wise guys on our blog are not on Facebook.

89. Overhaul: REDO.

94. Sunbather's pride: DARK TAN.

95. Poke fun at: GIBE.

96. Best Supporting Actress before Ingrid: TATUM. Tatum O'Neal ("Paper Moon"). Ingrid Bergman ("Murder on the Orient Express").

99. Merit: EARN.

100. Discolor by burning: SCORCH.

101. Military alert state: DEFCON. Defense Ready Condition Levels.

103. Jack of "Some Like It Hot": LEMMON.

105. To-do: HOOHA.

107. It was added to create an everyday quintet in 1990: UMAMI. Fish sauce. Soy sauce. Miso paste, etc.

108. Tick off: RILE.

109. Series finale: Abbr.: ET AL.

110. Huff and puff: PANT.

112. R&B great James: ETTA. We really need another famous ETTA.

113. Ring at a wedding: PEAL.

114. State of suppressed worry: STEW.

115. Reason to cram: TEST.

116. List for a versatile tool: USES.

117. Talk acronym: TED. Ted Talks.

118. Mil. mess duties: KPS.

119. Before, poetically: ERE.

121. Presidential nickname: ABE.

Dear Agnes (Irish Miss) is feeling better, still weak but no more coughing. I'm just so happy to be able to email her and receive emails from her again. 

C.C.

Saturday, October 23, 2021, Jamey Smith

 Saturday Themeless by Jamey Smith

I had a good time on this puzzle from our Lone Star State constructor, Jamey Smith: Here is what he had to say about this puzzle: 

Hi again everyone,

With so many possibilities to choose from, it’s no surprise themeless constructors tend to gravitate toward things they find pleasing and worthy to feature as marquee entries. And indeed many of today’s selections give me the warm fuzzies. 

CLEAN ENERGY, of course, and TONY BENNETT — who doesn’t love Tony? — as well as MOVIE PALACE and ORIGIN STORY. (The latter two bring to mind a fun visit to Santa Barbara, a highlight of which was seeing the exploits of young Han in "Solo: A Star Wars Story” at the gorgeous Arlington Theatre.)

Also glad to include a smattering of other faves from the entertainment world. Hope the proper names didn’t give anyone too much trouble. My thanks to Gary for his enlightening recaps, and to Rich for smoothing up my rough edges.

Until next time,

Jamey

I told Jamey I was still baffled by ECGTESTS even after I had filled in all the cells and then suddenly ECG and beating made sense and I had it. Jamey replied, "Ha! Forgive and forget, okay? I was just riffing on “heartbeats” with that one and thought it was a fun little misdirect. Luckily it looks like Rich agreed…"

Across:

1. Yellow __: LAB.

4. Keen: AVID - Describes our crossword interest here

8. Best Actress Oscar winner before Hepburn's last such award: SPACEK - We saw both of these movies, enjoyed them and wonder where such films are now

14. Wong of "American Housewife": ALI.

15. Elaborate theater: MOVIE PALACE - The Orpheum in Omaha is one but like most of these PALACES, it does not show MOVIES any more. We Just paid $315 to watch Omaha's Mannheim Steamroller perform there on December 22.

17. Yank: TUG.

18. Green juice source: CLEAN ENERGY.

19. Aptly nicknamed section of D.C.'s Massachusetts Avenue: EMBASSY ROW.

21. Campus cadet org.: ROTC.

22. Sniffish sort: SNOB - David Ogden Stiers played one perfectly in this cast

23. Research outpost co-developed by NASA: ISS - Click on this site, give it ten seconds to load and you'll see where the International Space Station is right now.

24. Rural expanse: LEA.

25. Hoaxes perpetrated by IRS impostors: TAX SCAMS - Jamey told me his cluing was, "25-A: Evasive maneuvers"

29. Not right: AMISS.

31. Sedimentary rock, from the Greek for "egg": OOLITE.

33. French toast part: SANTE - "To your health!" Great cluing!

34. Exposes: TELLS ON - A grade schooler's delight

37. Olds until 1999: CUTLASS.

39. Deep animosity: ODIUM.

40. Show deference, in a way: GROVEL.

42. "Law & Order" actor Jeremy: SISTO.

43. Lawless: ANARCHIC.

47. Wile E. Coyote's supply: TNT - That Acme Company had everything

48. "The Dutch House" author Patchett: ANN - The audio version read by some Hanks guy

50. Actress Chaplin: OONA - Mother: Geraldine Chaplin, Grandfather: Charlie Chaplin, Great Grandfather: Eugene O'Neill

51. "Ri-i-i-ght": I BET 

53. Test subjects: GUINEA PIGS.

57. Frank Sinatra School of the Arts co-founder: TONY BENNETT.

59. Tennis unit: SET.

60. Many a superhero adaptation: ORIGIN STORY - The most famous one

61. Sully: TAR.

62. Voiced: SONANT.

63. First-class seat, often: ONE A.

64. "It's a hit" letters: SRO - Standing Room Only. Not allowed on airplane above.

Down:

1. Cutting-edge: LATEST.

2. Barnard grad, e.g.: ALUMNA - The word for a female graduate. Since Barnard College in NYC is all women...

3. Walmart adjective: BIG BOX store

4. Hornets of the '70s: AMCS - The Pawn Stars bought the original AMC Pacer from the movie Wayne's World and then paid big money to have it restored

5. Knoxville-based SEC athletes: VOLS - Fans arriving for a Tennessee VOLunteer FB game do not "tailgate", the "sailgate" on the Tennessee River just below the stadium

6. "Hurlyburly" Tony winner Judith: IVEY - Here's a scene from that play 

7. Anne Frank, say: DIARIST - Nin gets the day off

8. Gushes: SPEWS.

9. Rave's opposite: PAN - Hilarious PANS of famous movies

10. Tiger or Twin, briefly: ALER - Jazzbumpa's Tigers, my Royals and Boomer's Twins all fared poorly in this year's AL Central

11. State name in a James Taylor classic: CAROLINA - Sweet Baby James singing this lovely ballad 52 years ago.

12. Beat reporters?: ECG TESTS  - JAMEY, I'm throwing a flag on this play! 😁 I put his response at the top of this write-up.

13. Accessories that preserve your access: KEY CASES.

16. 1961 space chimp: ENOS - Ham was put into a suborbital flight and then ENOS was put into orbit and then Allen Shepard's suborbital flight made him the first human American in space

20. Popular vodka brand: ABSOLUT  and 26. Vodka drink, briefly: COSMO. Here is a COSMOPOLITAN made with ABSOLUT Vodka

27. Teléfono greeting: ALO - Hello in many Spanish speaking countries

28. Artistic dynasty: MING.

29. Late bloomer: ASTER.

30. Shoplifter's concern: MALL COP.

32. B-school course: ECON - Students in Business Schools would certainly take ECONOMICS

34. Snack that comes in Rounds and Triangles: TOSTITOS  and...

35. Pennsylvania's __ University, home of the Fighting Scots: EDINBORO - EDINBORO and its university is a 1 hr and 49 min drive SW from Buffalo, NY along Lake Erie

36. Work with taps, maybe: LISTEN IN - During the Civil War, Lincoln ordered wire taps on telegraph lines

38. Where RFK got his LLB: UVA - Bobby Kennedy got his Bachelor of Law degree at the University of Virginia

41. Met unexpectedly: RAN INTO.

44. Lifting things: HOIST - Here a crane is shown HOISTING the first stage of a Saturn V rocket in the Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC    

45. Engaged: IN GEAR - My mother's motivating phrase was "Get it IN GEAR!"

46. Julián __, HUD secretary under Obama: CASTRO.

48. Broker: AGENT.

49. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams played them in "Doubt" (2008): NUNS - 73% on Rotten Tomatoes

52. "Rack City" rapper: TYGA - Google his lyrics if violence and profanity will improve your day.

54. Noble gas: NEON.

55. To be, in Toulouse: ETRE - When doing Hamlet on a stage in Toulouse, France you might say "ÊTRE ne pas ÊTRE"

56. "Back __!": ATYA - Saying "Back AT YA!" when someone says "I love you" seems tacky

58. Storage unit: BIN - I love shopping here!