Sunday September 29, 2024 Gary Larson & Doug Peterson

Theme:  "To Be or Not To Be" - BE is added and removed from each common phrase.

22. Final task on a medical supply manufacturer's assembly line?: PROBE BOXING. Pro boxing.

33. Fer sure, totally give birth?: BEHAVE LIKE A CHILD. Behave like a child.

47. Spring-loaded necklace element?: POPUP BEAD. Pop-up ad.

63. Tree surgeon's undergrad degree?: BABE IN THE WOODS. Babe in the woods.

70. Like the Ugly Duckling on the verge of adulthood?: BECOMING SOON. Coming soon.

85. Public perception of certain evergreens?: FIBER OPTICS. Fiber optics.

99. Tolerate a weekend marathon of a Bette Midler tearjerker?: STOMACH BEACHES. stomach aches.

112. Parade entry carrying sports fans?: ROOTBEER FLOAT. Root beer float.

Orderly execution: BE is added, then removed from the next theme entry.

From the byline order, we can see that Gary came up with the theme, then Doug came up with more theme entries and together they made the grid. Lots of great clues in today's puzzle.

Across:

1. Metric feet: IAMBS. 

6. Scotch mixer: SODA. I had my first Cola-Cola in 1987.

10. Put out: EMIT.

14. "__ bon!": TRES.

18. Sound (off): SPOUT.

19. Major alternative for a composer: MINOR.

20. Inspiring figure: MUSE.

21. Home of the stadium nicknamed the "Taj Mahal of Tenpins": RENO. The National Bowling Stadium. Boomer would have entertained you with his Reno stories. He went there a few times for some tournament. 

24. Baum princess: OZMA.

25. "How unfortunate": ALAS. And 17. "How unfortunate": SO SAD.

26. Phillies div.: NL EAST.

27. Board that supposedly chose its own name: OUIJA. Oh really? I know it's just Yes and Yes.

29. Honeydew relative: CASABA. Told you about Hami last time. It's sweeter than casaba.

31. Supermodel Bündchen: GISELE.

36. GOP org.: RNC.

37. Make an effort: TRY.

39. Soak up the sun: BASK.

40. Stevenson villain: MR HYDE.

41. Retro console: ATARI.

43. Exclusive British school that originally served the poor: ETON. Didn't know this.

45. Admit: COP TO.

49. Start to care?: OBAMA. Obamacare.

51. Harpo Productions CEO: OPRAH.

56. Baaing mamas: EWES.

57. Last word in the "Gilligan" theme song: ISLE. "Here on Gilligan's Isle!"

58. Uncommon event: RARITY.

60. Caramel-filled treat: ROLO.

61. Hard-to-hit pitch: HIGH C. Not CURVE-ball.

65. In a power pose, perhaps: AKIMBO.

68. __ Dame: NOTRE. Suspended their men's swimming this year due to gambling. Sad for Chris Guiliano.

69. Occupies, as a table: SITS AT.

73. Biblical possessive: THINE.

75. Put up with: BEAR.

76. Esquire: LAWYER.

77. Unpaid: OWED.

78. Track for some small cars: SLOT. And 11. Elevator tracks?: MUZAK. Different tracks.

82. Sleep clinic study: APNEA.

84. Leaves in stitches: MENDS.

87. 100 centimes: FRANC.

89. Baby-faced: CUTE.

90. Shelter org.: ASPCA.

91. Critic Gene: SHALIT.

94. Free TV spots: PSAS.

96. Moo __ pork: SHU. Never had this in China.

98. Brita alternative: PUR.

103. Fragrant compounds: ESTERS.

105. "I Hope You Dance" singer Lee Ann: WOMACK.

106. Luke's bot: ARTOO. _Artoo -Detoo.

107. Came to a mutual decision: AGREED.

109. Actress Lena: OLIN.

110. Site of Napoleon's exile: ELBA.

116. Tear to shreds: REND.

117. Common merch: TEES.

118. Lucy's sitcom chum: ETHEL.

119. Eyelike openings: OCULI. Latin for "eyes".

120. "Orinoco Flow" singer: ENYA.

121. Home of the Whiffenpoofs: YALE.

122. Mil. awards: DSMS.

123. Round flatbreads: ROTIS.

Down:

1. Surfer's need, briefly: ISP. Internet surfer.

2. Bank loan abbr.: APR.

3. Crater-pocked vista: MOONSCAPE.

4. Crooner Michael: BUBLE. I loved his version of "All I Want For Christmas Is You".

5. Dart feature: STEEL TIP.

6. __ sense: SIXTH.

7. U.S. maritime agcy.: ONI.

8. Soccer Hall of Famer Landon: DONOVAN. Soccer's MVP award was named after him.

9. Makes one's case: ARGUES.

10. Angry Face With Horns, for one: EMOJI.

12. Marx follower: ISM.

13. Server on wheels: TEA CART.

14. Lowbrow: TRASHY.

15. Installed again, as linoleum: RE-LAID.

16. Provide power to: ENABLE.

19. Calendar pgs.: MOS.

23. Prizefighter Max: BAER. Beat in "Cinderella Man".

28. Type: ILK.

30. Blessed sound?: ACHOO.

31. Chardonnay, for one: GRAPE.

32. Like repos, often: IN TOW.

34. Quarters: ABODE.

35. Feeler in a sci-fi novel: EMPATH.

38. "Oh, come on!": YEESH.

42. South Dakota memorial: RUSHMORE.

44. Soft mineral in some cosmetics: TALC.

45. __ asada: CARNE.

46. Not name: OMIT.

48. Well-financed lobbying group?: BIG OIL. Well-clued. Also 63. Wasn't cheer-ful?: BOOED. 95. Got the point?: SCORED.

49. Stump figures: ORATORS.

50. Scottish tyke: BAIRN.

52. Boycotts or strikes: PROTESTS.

53. Some bounders: ROOS.

54. Swit co-star: ALDA.

55. Zoom meeting initiator: HOST. Every time I Zoom with David, he's in dress shirt. Must be a British thing, yeah?

59. Words of affirmation: YES I DO. And 67. Volunteer's offer: I CAN.

62. Tech giant with more than 120,000 patents: IBM.

64. Connect four in Connect Four, say: WIN.

65. "Voulez-Vous" singers: ABBA.

66. Castle stronghold: KEEP.

68. PopOdyssey Tour headliners: NSYNC. New clue angle.

71. MVP of the 1969 Super Bowl: NAMATH.  "Broadway Joe".

72. Hailee's "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" voice role: GWEN. Hailee Steinfeld. Gwen Stacy (Spider Woman).

73. Ninny: TWIT.

74. Toast starter: HERE'S.

77. Handy: OF USE.

79. Rolled across the edge of a golf hole: LIPPED OUT.

80. Come about: OCCUR.

81. Deposed autocrats: TSARS.

83. Insurance company with a quacking mascot: AFLAC.

86. Stop briefly to allow: PAUSE FOR.

88. Ready to tumble down: RICKETY.

89. (In) a secret partnership (with): CAHOOTS. Not many ways to clue this.

91. Lifted: STOLEN.

92. Hulled corn used in grits: HOMINY.

93. "Insecure" actress Seales: AMANDA.

94. "__ the Bunny": touch-and-feel baby book: PAT.

97. Bach title: HERR.

99. Made an oath: SWORE.

100. Tower of __: BABEL.

101. Make blank: ERASE.

102. Fills past full: SATES.

104. Phone service outfit: TELCO.

108. Type of manicure: GEL.

111. Broadway star Salonga: LEA.

113. Omega, on a physics test: OHM.

114. 2001 film depicting the Rumble in the Jungle: ALI.

115. "__ a pity": TIS.

Saturday, September 28, 2024, Rachel Fabi & Rebecca Goldstein

   Saturday Themeless by Rachel Fabi and Rebecca Goldstein

Rachel is a Associate Professor 
of Bioethics and Humanities at 
SUNY Upstate Medical University.

Rebecca is a research scientist 
at Merck, developing 
cancer immunotherapies. 

Today we have an another challenge from our two constructors who are prominent in the Medical field. I blogged their first collaborative Saturday LA Themeless over a year ago.

Across:

1. Body suit?: SKIN 😀

5. Case study?: LSAT PREP 😀

                

13. To: UNTIL  - My sub days run from 7:45 UNTIL/to 3:45.

15. "Heavens above!": OH ME OH MY.

16. Coming out of anesthesia, maybe: POST OP.

18. More effervescent: BOUNCIER - Not bubblier it turns out

19. People at a swap meet?: BARTERERS.

21. Source of child support?: KNEE 😀

22. Fell behind: LOST A STEP - Some think 40-yr-old Aaron Rodgers has LOST A STEP

24. Sudden-death NHL periods: OTS.

25. Couture initials: YSL.  

27. Raised eyebrow, e.g.: ARC.

28. Hollywood haze: SMOG.

The result of a stay-at-home order

30. More than half: MOST.

32. "This is kind of a big favor ... ": I HATE TO ASK.

37. Get ready to play: CUE UP - Dr. Johnny Fever is playing a record and CUEING up the next one

39. Main character energy: EGO.

40. Lippy: SALTY and 38. Lippy: PERT.

41. Fine print specialists: ART DEALERS - Any talk of fine art reminds me of our sorely-missed constructor and art curator Jeffrey Wechsler. Here he is amid what seems to be some 55. Works in a gallery: OILS.

44. "going afk": TTYL - I'm afk (away from keyboard), TTYL (talk to you later) 

45. Dane of "Euphoria": ERIC.

Dr. Mark Sloan                  Cal Jacobes
Grey's Anatomy                    Euphoria

46. "Me, that's who!": I AM.

48. Letters on some kitchen gadgets: OXO.

49. The U.K.'s Auntie Beeb: BBC.

52. Tag-teams: TRADES OFF.

57. Offensive lines on the field: TRASH TALK.

Just fine, how are you? 😁

59. Grin-and-bear-it philosophy: STOICISM.

61. Bring into harmony: ATTUNE.

63. Garam masala element: CINNAMON.

64. Didn't immediately announce: SAT ON - The media can have a big effect by what stories they report and which ones they have SAT ON 

65. Becomes more inclined: STEEPENS.

66. Adult: LEWD.

Down:

1. [Raises eyebrows]: SUP.

2. Key turning point?: KNOB 😀

3. "You just have to show up": IT'S ALL SET - Uh, the devil is in the details

4. Cold brew variety: NITRO.

5. Occipital, limbic, et al.: LOBES.

6. Shirley Jackson collection: SHORT STORIES ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

7. "I'm bored! Fix it!": AMUSE ME.

8. X: TEN - Roman numeral

9. Scar: POCK.

10. Creature in a crash: RHINO - Learning for me

11. "Nice to __ you": virtual greeting: E-MEET - I suppose...

12. Funerary heaps: PYRES - Hear PYRE at 1:00

… The time to hesitate is through 

No time to wallow in the mire 

Try now we can only lose 

And our love become a funeral PYRE…

14. "__ luck!": LOTSA.

17. Washington Post columnist Alexandra: PETRI.

Clever title!

20. Marine biologist posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Jimmy Carter: RACHEL CARSON.

23. Cookware that may nest: POTS.

25. Where to go "when you're short on your dough," per a disco classic: YMCA - The official 1978 video.

26. Like some beer served in a tulip glass: SOUR.

29. Symbol in many Chagall paintings: GOAT ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

31. Lip, informally: TUDE 😀

33. Life time: AGE.

34. High wind: ALTO FLUTE.

$2,300

35. Goddess of the underworld whose name means "shuddering": STYX - Also the river

36. Han's son: KYLO - I only watched the original, which turned out to be #4 in the chronology of the franchise. 

42. When a pilot takes off?: AIR TIME - 😁 When a TV pilot makes it on the air

The gang watching the pilot

43. "RuPaul's Drag Race" winner Velour: SASHA 

47. Apple product brand: MOTTS - None of all my computer products, just the item in my lunch box

49. European pears: BOSCS.

50. Wiped out: BIT IT 

51. Copy cats?: CLONE.

53. Apt rhyme for slams: DAMNS 😀 - DAMNING something is a step up from merely slamming it

54. Catastrophic, as an error: FATAL.

56. Cosecant reciprocal: SINE - More than you'd ever want to 58. Feel in one's bones: KNOW.

60. Fitted __: CAP - Too small for me

62. Put a stop to: END - Okay...