Theme: Christmas Potluck - All the 7 food theme entries are humorously interpreted and clued as if they're brought by the usual holiday favorite characters.
23A. The Little Drummer Boy brought __ : BREAD STICKS
34A. Tiny Tim brought __ : LITTLE SMOKIES
51A. Cupid the reindeer brought __ : ARTICHOKE HEARTS. Too stringy for my taste, Steve!
66A. Jack Frost brought __ : COLD-CUT SANDWICHES
86A. The Nutcracker brought __ : SHELLS AND CHEESE. Never had it. Don't eat cheese.
99A. Rudolph brought __ : RED VELVET CAKE
117A. The Salvation Army volunteer brought __ : BELL PEPPERS
C.C. here. Merry Christmas!
I bet Doug considered putting the cake as the last theme entry, but settled down on the current layout as it produced the smoothest fill. I could be wrong. Maybe Doug wants us to think BELL PEPPERS actually taste better. After all, Gisele Bündchen has been misleading her son (with Tom Brady) that broccoli is "dessert".
Here are more Christmas-related fill Doug gave to us:
1A. Enjoy a home-cooked Christmas dinner, say : EAT IN
25A. "The stockings were __ ..." : HUNG
61A. Santa __ : ANA
89A. "A Christmas Carol" epithet : BAH
122A "Four Christmases" actress Witherspoon : REESE
4D. Kid's Christmas Eve cry : I CAN'T WAIT. I can picture how excited Barry G's Joshua is this morning.
6D. Like Kris Kringle : ROTUND
24D. Nick's status? : SAINTHOOD. St Nick.
69D. "The Gift of the Magi," e.g. : TALE. Such a moving love story.
Across:
6. Linear opening : RECTI. Rectilinear. Prefix for "straight".
11. "Don't leave!" : STAY
15. Pretense : SHAM
19. "Funny Girl" subject : BRICE (Fanny)
20. Midnight follower : ONE AM
21. 2011 Home Run Derby winner Robinson __ : CANO. Second baseman for the Yankees. Doug & Tinbeni's team.
22. Dustin's "Tootsie" co-star : TERI (Garr)
26. Barrel of laughs : RIOT
27. Come by honestly : EARN
28. War hero Murphy : AUDIE. I saw this Life magazine with him on the cover at the flea market once. Very musty.
29. Baby barker : PUP
30. In the thick of : AMIDST
32. Kerbside container : DUST BIN
37. 81-Down scanners : WANDS. And 81D. Bag-checking agcy. : TSA.
39. Bosox legend : YAZ. Carl Yastrzemski. Another great player who spent his whole career with one team. LaLaLinda's husband might have no problem spelling his Polish surname. I just can't.
40. See-through piece : PANE. Oh, not this, Splynter!
41. Easily influenced : PLIANT
44. In a frenzy : AMOK
47. 1974 Peace Nobelist from Japan : SATO. Guessed. #1 surname in Japan. ITO is popular there also. Li/Lee is #1 in China.
48. Smartphone component, for short : CPU
55. "__ Theme": "Doctor Zhivago" tune : LARA'S. Love the movie.
57. Military assignment : POST
58. Drums out : OUSTS
59. Scuff, say : MAR
60. Song title words before "music" or "rock 'n roll" : I LOVE. Only know the latter.
62. Fire starter? : BON. Bonfire.
63. Serving to punish : PENAL
65. Prominent landmark : TOWER. Like the Eiffel Tower.
74. Point-and-click shopping : E-TAIL
75. Videotape format : VHS
76. Groovy : FAB
79. Orange-skinned Muppet : ERNIE
80. Word of unanimity : ALL
81. "Of __ Sing" : THEE I
84. Carter of "Gimme a Break!" : NELL
85. Runs through a sieve : RICES
90. Brickmaker's oven : KILN
92. Verdi villain who sings "Era la notte, Cassio dormia" : IAGO. In "Otello". We often has it clued as "Shakespearean villain".
93. Display deference : KOWTOW. Brought back my childhood.
94. "Bossypants" author Fey : TINA. So witty. Dennis loves her.
95. Humanities degs. : BAs
97. One-horse carriages : SHAYS
105. Get comfortable with : ADAPT TO
109. 1992 Wimbledon champ : AGASSI. Wow, he and his wife has been hot in Xword lately.
110. Kitty, maybe : PET
111. Dinero : LUCRE
113. Illegal USMC status : AWOL. Illegal in every military branch.
114. Attention : CARE
115. Glittery mineral : MICA
119. Change one's story? : EDIT. Great clue.
120. Period of prosperity : BOOM
121. Followers of various animals? : EIEIO. Another fun clue.
123. HR dept. data : SSNs
124. Inning sextet : OUTS
125. 2001 bankruptcy filer : ENRON. We have the Crooked E golf balls in our display case.
126. "What the Butler Saw" playwright : ORTON (Joe). Forgot. This guy stumped me last time.
Down:
1. Drew away : EBBED
2. Horowitz contemporary : ARRAU (Claudio). Chilean pianist.
3. Fan belts? : TIERS. Oh, in the stadium.
5. Marge's TV neighbor : NED
7. Seat of Oklahoma's Garfield County : ENID
8. Director DeMille : CECIL
9. He played Sulu on "Star Trek" : TAKEI (George)
10. Facebook exchanges, briefly : IMs
11. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" writer : SCHULZ (Charles). Grew up here in MN.
12. Hosiery hue : TAUPE. Like the color of her dress.
13. Raggedy redhead : ANN
14. Pad for posers? : YOGA MAT. Ha ha, Marti, JD and Lucina are all posers!
15. Light, as a match : STRIKE
16. Temple title role : HEIDI. Shirley Temple is still alive.
17. Developed : AROSE
18. Hands, slangily : MITTS
29. Sch. meeting group : PTA
31. Yosemite's El Capitan and others : MONOLITHS. Same as obelisks, right?
33. French bench : BANC. And "French bank" is "banque".
35. Trike rider : TYKE
36. Getaway destinations : SPAs
38. The shoe department in its flagship store has its own zip code : SAK'S. 10022 SHOE.
41. Storybook bear : PAPA
42. Scientology guru Hubbard : L RON
43. "No sweat!" : IT'S A CINCH. Great entry.
45. Encountered : MET
46. Noncommittal comments : OHs
47. Manger bedding : STRAW. Interesting for me to read your STRAW & HAY education a few days ago. Avg Joe is no ordinary guy.
48. Squinter's lines : CROW'S FEET. Annoying wrinkles.
49. Cover with concrete : PAVE
50. Icon clicker : USER
52. Gold unit : OUNCE
53. Mass conclusion : AMEN
54. Mapmaker __ McNally : RAND
56. Itch soother : ALOE
62. What are "smiling at me" in an Irving Berlin classic : BLUE SKIES. Like the song, Bill G? So cheery.
63. Amigo : PAL
64. Subsisted (on) : LIVED
67. Route 66 migrant : OKIE
68. Many a Jazz fan : UTAHN. Utah Jazz.
70. Threshold : SILL
71. Songbird with an onomatopoeic name : CHICKADEE. What tree is this?
72. Basil or rosemary : HERB
73. Teatro Rossini highlight : ARIA
77. "And don't forget ..." : ALSO
78. Cooled, in a way, with "on" : BLEW
82. "Macbeth" trio member : HAG. Argyle knows the "Macbeth" lines quite well.
83. Grandson of Eve : ENOS
84. Times, at times : NEWSPAPER. And 88D. The __: Georgetown University 84-Down : HOYA.
86. Balkan native : SLAV
87. Grace's "Rear Window" role : LISA. Another great movie. My favorite Grace Kelly movie is "To Catch a Thief". Yours?
91. Left hanging : IN LIMBO
94. Sports bar array : TV SETS
95. Second-string squads : B TEAMS
96. Charade : ACT
98. Obsess over : HARP ON. I'm obsessed over Mac's Lady Gaga pink lipstick. I'm not HARPING ON it though.
99. Olympic events : RACES
100. Old-school oath : EGADS
101. "Mack the Knife" singer : DARIN (Bobby). Boomer's Karaoke must-sing song.
102. Lake Buena Vista attraction : EPCOT
103. Anne or Calvin of couture : KLEIN. Love Anne Klein's silk scarves, the solid color ones.
104. Swiss mathematician : EULER
106. Message since 2006 : TWEET
107. Statue subject : TORSO
108. Pal of Kent and Lane : OLSEN (Jimmy). "The Daily Planet".
112. Adman's award : CLIO
116. Broke poker player's note : IOU
117. Blossom buzzer : BEE. Hi there Melissa!
118. Debate side : PRO. And CON.
Answer grid.
I'd like to share with you this HAIKU (72A. Three-line verse) from the wonderful "Baseball Haiku" book Ant kindly sent to me:
home run drive
into the cornfield-
fielder and girlfriend disappear
Happy Birthday to Fermatprime and Yellowrocks! Make today special!
C.C.
23A. The Little Drummer Boy brought __ : BREAD STICKS
34A. Tiny Tim brought __ : LITTLE SMOKIES
51A. Cupid the reindeer brought __ : ARTICHOKE HEARTS. Too stringy for my taste, Steve!
66A. Jack Frost brought __ : COLD-CUT SANDWICHES
86A. The Nutcracker brought __ : SHELLS AND CHEESE. Never had it. Don't eat cheese.
99A. Rudolph brought __ : RED VELVET CAKE
117A. The Salvation Army volunteer brought __ : BELL PEPPERS
C.C. here. Merry Christmas!
I bet Doug considered putting the cake as the last theme entry, but settled down on the current layout as it produced the smoothest fill. I could be wrong. Maybe Doug wants us to think BELL PEPPERS actually taste better. After all, Gisele Bündchen has been misleading her son (with Tom Brady) that broccoli is "dessert".
Here are more Christmas-related fill Doug gave to us:
1A. Enjoy a home-cooked Christmas dinner, say : EAT IN
25A. "The stockings were __ ..." : HUNG
61A. Santa __ : ANA
89A. "A Christmas Carol" epithet : BAH
122A "Four Christmases" actress Witherspoon : REESE
4D. Kid's Christmas Eve cry : I CAN'T WAIT. I can picture how excited Barry G's Joshua is this morning.
6D. Like Kris Kringle : ROTUND
24D. Nick's status? : SAINTHOOD. St Nick.
69D. "The Gift of the Magi," e.g. : TALE. Such a moving love story.
Across:
6. Linear opening : RECTI. Rectilinear. Prefix for "straight".
11. "Don't leave!" : STAY
15. Pretense : SHAM
19. "Funny Girl" subject : BRICE (Fanny)
20. Midnight follower : ONE AM
21. 2011 Home Run Derby winner Robinson __ : CANO. Second baseman for the Yankees. Doug & Tinbeni's team.
22. Dustin's "Tootsie" co-star : TERI (Garr)
26. Barrel of laughs : RIOT
27. Come by honestly : EARN
28. War hero Murphy : AUDIE. I saw this Life magazine with him on the cover at the flea market once. Very musty.
29. Baby barker : PUP
30. In the thick of : AMIDST
32. Kerbside container : DUST BIN
37. 81-Down scanners : WANDS. And 81D. Bag-checking agcy. : TSA.
39. Bosox legend : YAZ. Carl Yastrzemski. Another great player who spent his whole career with one team. LaLaLinda's husband might have no problem spelling his Polish surname. I just can't.
40. See-through piece : PANE. Oh, not this, Splynter!
41. Easily influenced : PLIANT
44. In a frenzy : AMOK
47. 1974 Peace Nobelist from Japan : SATO. Guessed. #1 surname in Japan. ITO is popular there also. Li/Lee is #1 in China.
48. Smartphone component, for short : CPU
55. "__ Theme": "Doctor Zhivago" tune : LARA'S. Love the movie.
57. Military assignment : POST
58. Drums out : OUSTS
59. Scuff, say : MAR
60. Song title words before "music" or "rock 'n roll" : I LOVE. Only know the latter.
62. Fire starter? : BON. Bonfire.
63. Serving to punish : PENAL
65. Prominent landmark : TOWER. Like the Eiffel Tower.
74. Point-and-click shopping : E-TAIL
75. Videotape format : VHS
76. Groovy : FAB
79. Orange-skinned Muppet : ERNIE
80. Word of unanimity : ALL
81. "Of __ Sing" : THEE I
84. Carter of "Gimme a Break!" : NELL
85. Runs through a sieve : RICES
90. Brickmaker's oven : KILN
92. Verdi villain who sings "Era la notte, Cassio dormia" : IAGO. In "Otello". We often has it clued as "Shakespearean villain".
93. Display deference : KOWTOW. Brought back my childhood.
94. "Bossypants" author Fey : TINA. So witty. Dennis loves her.
95. Humanities degs. : BAs
97. One-horse carriages : SHAYS
105. Get comfortable with : ADAPT TO
109. 1992 Wimbledon champ : AGASSI. Wow, he and his wife has been hot in Xword lately.
110. Kitty, maybe : PET
111. Dinero : LUCRE
113. Illegal USMC status : AWOL. Illegal in every military branch.
114. Attention : CARE
115. Glittery mineral : MICA
119. Change one's story? : EDIT. Great clue.
120. Period of prosperity : BOOM
121. Followers of various animals? : EIEIO. Another fun clue.
123. HR dept. data : SSNs
124. Inning sextet : OUTS
125. 2001 bankruptcy filer : ENRON. We have the Crooked E golf balls in our display case.
126. "What the Butler Saw" playwright : ORTON (Joe). Forgot. This guy stumped me last time.
Down:
1. Drew away : EBBED
2. Horowitz contemporary : ARRAU (Claudio). Chilean pianist.
3. Fan belts? : TIERS. Oh, in the stadium.
5. Marge's TV neighbor : NED
7. Seat of Oklahoma's Garfield County : ENID
8. Director DeMille : CECIL
9. He played Sulu on "Star Trek" : TAKEI (George)
10. Facebook exchanges, briefly : IMs
11. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" writer : SCHULZ (Charles). Grew up here in MN.
12. Hosiery hue : TAUPE. Like the color of her dress.
13. Raggedy redhead : ANN
14. Pad for posers? : YOGA MAT. Ha ha, Marti, JD and Lucina are all posers!
15. Light, as a match : STRIKE
16. Temple title role : HEIDI. Shirley Temple is still alive.
17. Developed : AROSE
18. Hands, slangily : MITTS
29. Sch. meeting group : PTA
31. Yosemite's El Capitan and others : MONOLITHS. Same as obelisks, right?
33. French bench : BANC. And "French bank" is "banque".
35. Trike rider : TYKE
36. Getaway destinations : SPAs
38. The shoe department in its flagship store has its own zip code : SAK'S. 10022 SHOE.
41. Storybook bear : PAPA
42. Scientology guru Hubbard : L RON
43. "No sweat!" : IT'S A CINCH. Great entry.
45. Encountered : MET
46. Noncommittal comments : OHs
47. Manger bedding : STRAW. Interesting for me to read your STRAW & HAY education a few days ago. Avg Joe is no ordinary guy.
48. Squinter's lines : CROW'S FEET. Annoying wrinkles.
49. Cover with concrete : PAVE
50. Icon clicker : USER
52. Gold unit : OUNCE
53. Mass conclusion : AMEN
54. Mapmaker __ McNally : RAND
56. Itch soother : ALOE
62. What are "smiling at me" in an Irving Berlin classic : BLUE SKIES. Like the song, Bill G? So cheery.
63. Amigo : PAL
64. Subsisted (on) : LIVED
67. Route 66 migrant : OKIE
68. Many a Jazz fan : UTAHN. Utah Jazz.
70. Threshold : SILL
71. Songbird with an onomatopoeic name : CHICKADEE. What tree is this?
72. Basil or rosemary : HERB
73. Teatro Rossini highlight : ARIA
77. "And don't forget ..." : ALSO
78. Cooled, in a way, with "on" : BLEW
82. "Macbeth" trio member : HAG. Argyle knows the "Macbeth" lines quite well.
83. Grandson of Eve : ENOS
84. Times, at times : NEWSPAPER. And 88D. The __: Georgetown University 84-Down : HOYA.
86. Balkan native : SLAV
87. Grace's "Rear Window" role : LISA. Another great movie. My favorite Grace Kelly movie is "To Catch a Thief". Yours?
91. Left hanging : IN LIMBO
94. Sports bar array : TV SETS
95. Second-string squads : B TEAMS
96. Charade : ACT
98. Obsess over : HARP ON. I'm obsessed over Mac's Lady Gaga pink lipstick. I'm not HARPING ON it though.
99. Olympic events : RACES
100. Old-school oath : EGADS
101. "Mack the Knife" singer : DARIN (Bobby). Boomer's Karaoke must-sing song.
102. Lake Buena Vista attraction : EPCOT
103. Anne or Calvin of couture : KLEIN. Love Anne Klein's silk scarves, the solid color ones.
104. Swiss mathematician : EULER
106. Message since 2006 : TWEET
107. Statue subject : TORSO
108. Pal of Kent and Lane : OLSEN (Jimmy). "The Daily Planet".
112. Adman's award : CLIO
116. Broke poker player's note : IOU
117. Blossom buzzer : BEE. Hi there Melissa!
118. Debate side : PRO. And CON.
Answer grid.
I'd like to share with you this HAIKU (72A. Three-line verse) from the wonderful "Baseball Haiku" book Ant kindly sent to me:
home run drive
into the cornfield-
fielder and girlfriend disappear
Happy Birthday to Fermatprime and Yellowrocks! Make today special!
C.C.
