Thursday, November 8, 2012 Robert Fisher

Theme: "Fly by night..."

This is a "definition" type puzzle, where the same clue typically has totally different meanings in each answer.  In this case, they are all the same meaning.  But each one gets the point across in a different way.

17S. Fly : OBSERVER ON A WALL. "I'd love to be a fly on the wall when he gets the axe..." Origin.

25A. Fly : SWATTER'S TARGET. Here's how President Obama did it during a BBC interview. 0:36

42A. Fly : SPIDER'S INVITEE. "Will you walk into my parlor?" from the poem by Mary Howett.

56A. Fly : OINTMENT SPOILER. "There's a fly in the ointment..."  Just a slight drawback.

Nice theme, and I smiled at each "definition" of this annoying pest. So let's see what else Mr. Fisher has for us this week.

Across:

1. Act the troubadour : STRUM. Not my first guess.  Left it blank and came back to it.

6. Gp. that includes Venezuela : OPEC. Not my first guess. Left it blank and came back to it.

10. Show disapproval : JEER. Not my first... (Are you sensing a pattern here?)

14. Despicable character : LOUSE. ...came back to it.

15. ___ stick : POGO. Chop? Drum? Glue? Yard? Slap? Sigh....

16. Drive train component : AXLE. Yay! I finally filled in an answer.

20. End of eternity? : WYE. The letter "y" at the end of the word "eternity." Clever clue.

21. Script snippet : LINE.

22. Like some excuses : FLIMSY.

23. Seafood order : SOLE. Like this.

24. Rural valley : GLEN.

31. Lo-cal : LITE. The commercial-ese clue suggests the commercial-ese spelling for the answer.

32. Longtime Mississippi senator : LOTT. Chester Trent Lott, who served from 1989 to 2007.

33. Two-minute warning giver : REF.eree

35. From scratch : ANEW.

36. Opted for : CHOSE.

38. Twofold : DUAL.

39. Uncle Sam poster word : YOU.

40. Give it up, so to speak : CLAP. Did you ever wonder where that phrase came from? Let's give it up for The Grammarphobia Blog!

41. Church alcove : APSE.

47. Stuff : CRAM.

48. Barrel-bottom stuff : LEES. Dregs are never singular, are they?

49. Go up against : TAKE ON.

52. Smelting waste : SLAG.

53. Sailor's assent : AYE.

59. Show whose cast holds the record for the most charted songs on the Billboard Hot 100 : GLEE. It's on my Netflix list...

60. Protein-rich bean : SOYA.

61. Soft palate projection : UVULA. Ewwww...word of advice: Do NOT search for "uvula images" on google!!!

62. Between ports : ASEA.

63. It usually loses in war : TREY. The card game "War" uses a standard French deck. The "trey" is the card with a value of 3.  The only card it would beat is the 2. Hence, unlikely. (Bill G., what are the exact odds of a trey beating a deuce?)

64. Holiday hires : TEMPS.

Down:

1. Brake : SLOW. My first entry in the NW.

2. Country singer Keith : TOBY. You remember him, don't you? 4:05

3. Bit of subterfuge : RUSE.

4. Manipulate : USE.

5. Red wine choice : MERLOT. Mine would be Carménère. And not in a red solo cup, either!

6. Warmup act : OPENER.

7. Epidermal opening : PORE. Does that make it a warmup act?

8. It can be bruised : EGO.

9. Fuse into a single entity : CONFLATE. Interesting that this word comes from the Latin root word "flatus," meaning "blasts." Gives a whole new erudite meaning to flatulence, don't you think?

10. Gabfest activity : JAWING.

11. Entrance requirement, often : EXAM.

12. Plumbing bends : ELLS. Not to be confused with the 2012 Open winner Ernie.

13. Bank (on) : RELY.

18. Beastly : VILE.

19. On the qui vive : ALERT. Another interesting clue. "Qui vive" is French for "Live [short 'i'] who?"  A sentry would shout this out to an approaching person, as a short form of the question "Long live...who?"  By answering, the approaching person would reveal their loyalties.  I guess a good answer would be "The king"?

23. Jambalaya, e.g. : STEW.

24. Mustang contemporaries : GTOS.

25. More than amuse : SLAY. "You just slay me!"

26. Skid row types : WINOS. How about us carménère types?

27. Really enjoyed : ATE UP.

28. Pours messily : SLOPS.

29. Blow : ERUPT. In Latin, "erumpant" (...is that why it is called a rump?)

30. Offer with no intention of giving, say : TEASE. Oooohh...so many photos I can't link here.

34. Beat a hasty retreat : FLEE.

36. Detergent ad superlative : CLEANEST.

37. Hippocratic oath no-no : HARM. "Primum non nocere" (or, "Primum nil nocere"). "First: do no harm." Is there a doctor in the house?

38. Spot for a lectern : DAIS.

40. Data storage medium : CD ROM.

43. Summer beverage : ICE TEA.

44. "No argument from me!' : I'LL SAY.

45. Spring-___ cycle: tidal phenomenon : NEAP.

46. Watch the boob tube, say : VEG OUT.

49. Frat party wear : TOGA.

50. Has a bug, or bugs : AILS.

51. Joint sometimes replaced : KNEE. "Hip" was too short.

52. Eyelid affliction : STYE.

53. Grad : ALUM.

54. Sharp cry : YELP.

55. Distinctive periods : ERAS.

57. Hide-hair connection : NOR. We saw neither hide nor hair of CrossEyedDave for a week!

58. "To All the Girls ___ Loved Before": 1984 #1 country hit : I'VE. Albert Hammond's original version was overshadowed by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson. 3:06

It's been real.  See you next week!

Hugs,

Marti

Note from C.C.:

Here is an adorable Halloween picture Irish Miss sent to me.

She said:

"Dahlia, dressed as Eliza Doolittle after her transformation, is my 10 year-old great, great niece and Amelia, dressed as Cat-woman, is my 5 year-old great-niece."

Wednesday, November 7, 2012, James Sajdak

Theme: i'd like to buy a vowel

ok, sorry, i know that's a lame title. but hey, it's election night and i'm a little distracted.

18A. Tropical headgear : PANAMA HATS.  wikipedia: a traditional brimmed hat of
ecuadorian origin that is made from the plaited leaves of the toquilla straw plant. 

27A. Deal-closing aids : SWEETENERS. 'sweeten the deal.'

36A. Urbana-Champaign NCAA team : FIGHTING ILLINI. complete unknown to me. illini (pronounced "ih-LIE-nee") is a european adaptation of the illinois indians' original word for themselves, illiniwek, which means "the best people".

50A. Powerful pin cushion? : VOODOO DOLL. i'm guessing there are a few voters who wish they had one about now.

58. False : UNTRUTHFUL

melissa here.

this had to be a bear to construct, with every theme answer having only one repeating vowel, with those vowels appearing in alphabetical order. very impressive. the middle one is an even 14-letter answer, hence the grid is 15*16 (16 columns).

there were several unknown / obscure entries that delayed my solve time a bit - guess you gotta expect that in order to pull this off.   

across:

1. Dash, e.g. : RACE. timely entry.

5. Head-hanging emotion : SHAME

10. Altoids alternative : CERTS. mints.

15. Fan favorite : IDOL

16. Earthling : HUMAN

17. Absorbed the loss : ATE IT

20. Passover ritual : SEDER

21. Dix halved : CINQ. french, dix = 10, cinq = 5.

22. Calendar abbr. : TUES

24. Prior to, in verse : ERE

25. Low-tech note taker : STENO.  short for stenographer or stenotype.

30. Unblemished : PURE

31. Line winder : REEL

32. Baking by-products : AROMAS

33. Creative enterprise : ART

34. On the fence : TORN. like all those undecided voters.

35. Six-stringed instrument, usually : VIOL

41. Two pages : LEAF. wikipedia: A single sheet within a book is called a leaf, and each side of a leaf is called a page. i guess thats where the phrase 'turn over a new leaf' comes from.

42. "Zip-__-Doo-Dah" : ADEE. from 1946 disney movie 'song of the south".

43. Tram car filler : ORE. mining car.

45. Totally absorbed : ENRAPT

48. Hon : DEAR. aw.

49. Pontiac muscle cars : GTO'S

52. "It __ hit me yet" : HASN'T

53. Mao follower? : IST. maoist.

54. Scientology's __ Hubbard : L. RON

55. Sushi bar soup : MISO

56. Cook-off potful : CHILI

63. Mixer for a mixologist : TONIC

64. Boyfriends : BEAUS

65. Couple in a rowboat : OARS

66. Run through a reader, as a debit card : SWIPE

67. Footlocker : TRUNK

68. Sandstorm residue : GRIT

down:

1. Split : RIP. i guess.

2. Org. concerned with crowns : ADA. american dental association.

3. Mozart works : CONCERTI

4. Pal of Jerry Seinfeld : ELAINE

5. Retired seven-foot NBAer : SHAQ

6. "Say that again?" : HUH

7. "I __ Rock" : AM A. 

8. Fisher-Price parent company : MATTEL

9. Follow logically : ENSUE

10. Potluck staple : CASSEROLE

11. Summer on the Seine : ETE. french.

12. Turn in for cash : REDEEM

13. Spain's __ de Campos : TIERRA. another unknown for me.

14. Underline, say : STRESS

19. Trio on a phone keypad : MNO. #6 key.

23. Online shopkeeper : E-TAILER

25. Place for pampering : SPA

26. Area of expertise : TURF

27. Calligrapher's flourish : SERIF

28. Question of time, to Telemann : WENN. this seems both really obscure, and a little weak … but maybe i'm missing something. so georg philipp telemann was a german composer (1681-1767), and "when" in german is wenn. 

29. __ me tangere : NOLI. more obscurity.

31. Barbecue spit, e.g. : ROTATOR

34. "Every Breath You Take" band : THE POLICE

35. "Myra Breckinridge" author : VIDAL

37. Tickled pink : GLAD. roughly half of america today.

38. Scottish Celt : GAEL

39. "As of yet, no" : NOT SO FAR

40. Pressing need? : IRON. cute.

44. Inexact fig. : EST. estimate.

45. Throws out : EVICTS

46. Reservation waster : NO SHOW. ugh - i get those a lot.

47. Spiral pasta : ROTINI

48. One of Dancer's partners : DONNER. two of santa's reindeers.

49. Far-from-efficient vehicle : GAS HOG

51. Reservations : DOUBT. partial clecho.

52. Best-seller : HIT

55. Perfumery scent : MUSK

57. Blistex target : LIP

59. Frat house letter : TAU

60. Flee : RUN

61. The Rams of the NCAA's Atlantic 10 Conf. : URI. another unknown to me, university of rhode island.

62. D-Day vessel : LST. landing ship tank.

 melissa

Tuesday, November 6, 2012 Neville Fogarty

Theme: "O, say can you see" - Various terms for flags are the ends of the theme entries.

18A. Real attitude underlying a facade : TRUE COLORS

25A. The Hulk's alter ego : BRUCE BANNER

45A. Song covered by Michael Bublé, say : POP STANDARD

57A. Aunt Jemima competitor : HUNGRY JACK

65A. Flier on a pole, and at the ends of 18-, 25-, 45- and 57-Across : FLAG

Argyle here. Get out and vote. This Tuesday is a good companion for yesterday's puzzle so let's run it up the flag pole and see who salutes it.

Across:

1. Things to wear : GARB

5. Chemists' rooms : LABS. They wear lab coats.

9. One who asks too many questions : PRIER. Where do the pollsters go now?

14. Campus sports gp. : NCAA. (National Collegiate Athletic Association)

15. Irish name for Ireland : ÉIRE

16. Christina of "Speed Racer" : RICCI. IMDb

17. Dough dispensers : ATM's

20. Letter to Santa, essentially : WISH LIST. Seasonal work.

22. Pennsylvania in Washington, for one : AVENUE

23. Summer in Lyon : ÉTÉ. Clearer than when Nancy cooks, eh?

24. Sent a quick note online : IMed. (Instant Message)

30. Barnyard brayer : ASS

33. Woman in Poe's "The Raven" : LENORE

34. J. Paul Getty or J.R. Ewing : OIL BARON. But only one is real.

36. Dubai bigwig : EMIR

37. "... to __ it mildly" : PUT

38. Piece of ice : CUBE

39. Revolutionary toy of the '70s-'80s? : SIT'N SPIN. Cute play on revolutionary.

42. "Boyfriend" singer Justin : BIEBER. This is the first of many musical links today. Link.(2:53)

44. Fr. holy woman : STE.

47. Glasgow vetoes : NAEs

48. Toronto's prov. : ONT. (Ontario)

49. Dining room necessities : CHAIRS

52. Photos at the precinct : MUGSHOTS

59. Auth. unknown : ANON. We all got this one.

60. Perfumer Lauder : ESTÉE

61. "As I see it," online : IMHO. (in my humble opinion)

62. Maker of Duplo toy bricks : LEGO. Duplo is the preschool size of Lego.

63. Just behind the runner-up : THIRD

64. Overly compliant : MEEK

Down:

1. Emulate a beaver : GNAW

2. Play beginning : ACT I

3. Farm butters : RAMS. They butt-ers.

4. Big party : BASH

5. Beatles tune that starts, "When I find myself in times of trouble" : "LET IT BE". Link.(4:09)

6. Like some Navy rescues : AIR/SEA

7. Champagne designation : BRUT. Unsweetened; very dry.

8. Set eyes on : SEE

9. "Ignorance is bliss," e.g. : PROVERB. "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." - Thomas Gray

10. Upset : RILED

11. Clickable pic : ICON

12. Sandy-colored : ECRU

13. Levitate : RISE

19. Humped beast : CAMEL. Also ecru.

21. Sidelong look : LEER

24. Mid. name substitute : INIT. (initial)

25. Anoint : BLESS

26. Put the check in the mail : REMIT

27. Bring together : UNITE

28. Veggie on a cob : CORN

29. Pride and prejudice, e.g. : NOUNS. Such trickery on a Tuesday!

30. Caribbean resort : ARUBA

31. Like a teetotaler : SOBER

32. Bergen's dummy Mortimer : SNERD

35. Scored 100 on : ACED. Do they still score tests this way?

37. Domino dots : PIPS

40. Practiced in the ring : SPARRED

41. Art of verse : POESY. Really.

42. Thailand's capital : BANGKOK. Musical link. (3:57)

43. QB's mistakes : INT's. (Quarterback/interception)

46. "Well said" : "TOUCHÉ". French fencing term.

47. African river : NIGER. Map.

49. Atkins of country : CHET. Link.(2:09)

50. Silence : HUSH

51. Pro debater : ANTI

52. Auntie of the stage : "MAME". Link(2:45)

53. 45 minutes, in soccer games : HALF

54. Scott Turow work : "ONE L": The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School.

55. Roman robe : TOGA

56. Smooch, in Staffordshire : SNOG. Learned from Harry Potter.

58. __-dandy : JIM. Final link.(2:13)

Argyle

Monday, November 5, 2012 Patti Varol

Theme: Who's there? - Theme entries start with ways to get someone to come to the door.

17A. Return on one's investment, in slang : BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

26A. Plain dessert : POUND CAKE

38A. Prada imitation, perhaps : KNOCK-OFF HANDBAG

46A. Jay-Z, for one : RAP ARTIST

61A. Announce one's arrival gently ... as opposed to words that start 17-, 26-, 38- and 46-Across : RING THE DOORBELL

Argyle here. I felt this was a very smooth puzzle, what with three grid-spanning entries. The intensity of the entries seem to diminish until you were merely using your finger. In real life, it would go the other way.

Remember this one? (2:36)

Across:

1. Chinese temple instrument : GONG

5. Nestling noises : PEEPS

10. Leave at the altar : JILT

14. Diva's showpiece : ARIA

15. Group of experts : PANEL

16. Pierre's possessive : À MOI

20. Replay technique, briefly : SLO-MO

21. Relaxing time in the chalet : APRÈS-SKI

22. "There oughta be __" : A LAW

25. Hi-fi spinners : LP's. That's vinyl records, for you youngsters.

30. Playing decks : CARDS

35. Diplomatic bldg. : EMB. (embassy)

36. Juanita's aunt : TÍA

37. Yukon's country : CANADA. Yukon is still a territory, along with Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

42. More greasy : OILIER

43. Extended family : KIN

44. "Bon voyage!" : "BYE!"

45. Fruity-smelling compound : ESTER

49. L.A. bus-and-rail org. : MTA. (Metropolitan Transit Authority)

51. Speak indistinctly : SLUR

52. Begin : INITIATE

57. Gate-hanging hardware : HINGE

64. Voting no : ANTI

65. In an unusual way : ODDLY

66. Student's stressor : EXAM

67. Very familiar note recipient? : SELF

68. "Fetch my smelling salts!" : "EGADS!"

69. Avg. levels : STD's. (standard)

Down:

1. Goes on and on : GABS

2. Unwritten : ORAL

3. Barcelona boy : NIÑO

4. Joke writer : GAGMAN

5. HMO alternative : PPO. (Health Maintenance Organization/Preferred Provider Organization)

6. Musical sensitivity : EAR

7. One-named Irish folk singer : ENYA

8. Magazine with a Stylewatch spinoff : PEOPLE

9. Eat noisily, as soup : SLURP

10. Elbows rudely : JABS

11. "In the morning" radio host : IMUS. Where to Listen, if you want to.

12. Security device : LOCK

13. __ torch: patio light : TIKI

18. Finish the laundry : FOLD. It's not finished until it's put away.

19. Perform another MRI on : RESCAN

23. Oldman or Newman : ACTOR. (Gary or Paul)

24. Ragamuffin : WAIF. Child of the street.

26. Orange __ tea : PEKOE

27. Old Dodge autos : OMNIs. Want one? I have three.

28. Horseshoe-shaped fastener : U-BOLT

29. "The Trial" writer Franz : KAFKA. 1883--1924, Czech novelist writing in German. In his two main novels The Trial (1925) and The Castle (1926), published posthumously against his wishes, he portrays man's fear, isolation, and bewilderment in a nightmarish dehumanized world. (Collins English Dictionary)

31. Furthermore : AND

32. Synagogue scholar : RABBI

33. Times to send in the troops : D-DAYS

34. "Full House" co-star Bob : SAGET

37. Panama crosser : CANAL

39. Co. in Paris : CIE. (abbrev. for compagnie)

40. "Sesame Street News Flash" reporter : KERMIT. (the frog)

41. Hula swivelers : HIPS

46. Family-friendly, filmwise : RATED G

47. German coal valley : RUHR

48. Native American groups : TRIBES

50. Sierra Nevada resort : TAHOE

52. Tax-sheltered accts. : IRA's

53. Store opening time : NINE

54. The "I" in IHOP: Abbr. : INTL. (International House of Pancakes)

55. End-of-the-week letters : TGIF

56. Scandinavian literary collection : EDDA

58. Bakery call : "NEXT!"

59. Happy : GLAD

60. Spreading trees : ELMS

62. Ancient : OLD

63. Yiddish cries of dismay : OYs

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

I think "How I Met My Wife"  (from the New Yorker) is the gruntled article Bill G linked some time ago.

Sunday Nov 4, 2012 Robin Stears

 Theme: "All Fired Up" - Fire can precede both words in each two-word theme entry.

 23A. Extra-strength panic button? : POWER ALARM. Fire power. Fire alarm.

29A. "No hitting below the belt" et al.? : FIGHTER CODE. Fire fighter. Fire code.

49A. Saltine special? : CRACKER SALE. Firecracker. Fire sale.

71A. Subdivision at the mannequin factory? : ARM DEPARTMENT. Fire arm. Fire department.

95A. First critters on a farm? : STARTER ANTS. Fire starter. Fire ants.

113A. Legion of ventriloquist dummies? : WOOD BRIGADE. Firewood. Fire brigade.

124A. Sharon's home? : STONE PLACE. Firestone. Fireplace. Sharon Stone.

43D. Hard-to-read preliminary print? : LIGHT PROOF. Firelight. Fireproof.

48D. Head judge on "Top Chef"? : CHIEF EATER. Fire chief. Fire-eater.

Robin is back! Remember her "Front money" puzzle a while ago? With a dollar sign in the grid. Simply amazing.

Today's theme is also intricate. You need the new phrases to have surface sense and pair up symmetrically.

 Across:

1. Weathered the storm : COPED. Timely clue. Sorry about your lost cottage, Linda. Will you build another one?

6. Crocodile's greeting? : G-DAY. "Crocodile" Dundee then.

10. Turquoise relative : AQUA

14. Comment to the audience : ASIDE. Dodo told me Bill G also called her about her computer problem. Thanks for caring, Bill!

19. Fade away : ABATE

20. Dramatic solo, often : ARIA

21. Abridges : CUTS

22. Host at a communion : WAFER. I don't get this clue.

25. Lukas of "Witness" : HAAS

26. Photographer Adams : ANSEL

27. Kevin's "Footloose" role : REN. Kevin Bacon. I don't know any REN other than "Stimpy's pal".

28. Spin doctor's concern : IMAGE

31. St. Clare's town : ASSISI

33. Kingdom : REALM

35. "Silent Spring" subj. : DDT

36. "I __ mean it" : DIDN'T

39. Orbital shape : ELLIPSE

42. Detrained, say : ALIT

46. Acronymic candy company : NECCO (New England Confectionery Company)

52. Grammar best-seller "Woe __" : IS I. Guessed.

53. Filmmaker who alternates top billing with his brother : ETHAN COEN. And Joel Coen. The pride of Minnesota.

55. SeaWorld barker : SEAL

56. Babydoll : SUGAR

58. Hidden retreat : LAIR. CrossEyedDave must be going crazy without internet. Pas de chat, remember the "Puff, the Magic Dragon" verses you & AriadneArts wrote a few weeks ago? Dave was so impressed that he sent the blog discussion to the Peter, Paul & Mary fan club.

59. Savory gelatin : ASPIC. Sure miss my grandma's aspic and dumplings.

61. Tap type : SOFT SHOE

63. Schumann songs : LIEDER. Plural of lied.

65. "Magic Hour" author Susan : ISAACs. Never heard of the book.

69. Destined : MEANT

70. Mischievous sort : ELF

74. La Jolla winter hrs. : PST

77. Willies-inducing : EERIE

79. World's largest desert : SAHARA

80. More beloved : DEARER.  

82. Pots-and-pans noises : CLATTERS

85. "Fiddler" meddler : YENTE

87. Oak trunk : BOLE

88. Gate fastener : LATCH

89. Yom Kippur War prime minister : MEIR (Golda)

92. Ho-hum : WEARISOME

94. "You __ My Sunshine" : ARE

99. Upholstery jobs : SOFAS

100. Curiosity destination : MARS

102. Notable 1968 groom : ONASSIS (Ari). He actully loved Maria Callas.

103. Hombre's title : SENOR

105. Time's 2006 Person of the Year : YOU. Cop-out choice.

107. Joint at the corner : MITER

109. Turns to swing : AT BATS

118. Texas attraction : ALAMO

121. __ kwon do : TAE

122. Product suffix suggesting noodles : A-RONI

123. Theater level : LOGE

126. Zellweger of "Chicago" : RENEE

127. The Auld Sod : ERIN

128. "Shucks" : HECK

129. Flop or lop follower : EARED

130. Gets in the game : PLAYS

131. Faction : SECT

132. Silk Road locale : ASIA

133. "NYPD Blue" actor : SMITS (Jimmy). He played the cool Bobby Simone.

Down:

1. "Lost Horizon" director : CAPRA (Frank)

2. Bright-toned winds : OBOES

3. Little men : PAWNS

4. When Nancy bakes? : ETE. Nancy the French city.

5. Mockery : DERISION

6. Jamboree : GALA

7. Big snooze : DRAG

8. ABC or BET, e.g. : AIRER

9. Versatile veggie : YAM. Not versatile to me.

10. Paris was too much for him : ACHILLES. Paris killed Achilles, who had killed his brother Hector. But, "We'll always have Paris".

11. Serious predicament : QUAGMIRE

12. Its motto is "Industry" : UTAH

13. Busy ed.'s request : ASST.  Has to be Rich's clue. He's one busy "editor".

14. Cy Young, e.g. : AWARD. No one will top his 511 career wins.

15. Safe places : SANCTA

16. In that case : IF SO

17. Transfer document : DEED

18. Della's creator : ERLE. Della Street.

24. In the center of : AMID

29. Columbo portrayer : FALK (Peter)

30. Biographer Leon : EDEL. Henry James biographer. I learned from doing Xwords.

32. Wallet item : ID CARD. 104. 32-Down datum : NAME

34. Common Market inits. : EEC

37. Some PX patrons : NCOs

38. Apprehensive : TREPID. I've only used Intrepid.

40. Antidrug commercials, e.g., briefly : PSAs

41. Seven-veil dancer : SALOME

44. Golfer Aoki : ISAO. Literally "achievement". Aoki = "Green tree".

45. Freeway roller : TIRE

46. Harper Lee's first name : NELLE.  Did not know this. She's as reclusive as J.D. Salinger.

47. Online commerce : E-TAIL

50. Ouzo flavorings : ANISES

51. Big spread : ESTATE

54. "Sex and the City" role : CARRIE

57. Adm.'s milieu : USN

60. Bit of bullring gear : CAPA. "Cape" in Spanish.

62. Dent site : FENDER

64. "At the __ Core": Burroughs novel : EARTH'S. Never developed an interest for science fiction.

66. Reclining chair user's sigh : AAH

67. Supercomputer name : CRAY

68. Scattered : STREWN

72. Broadway's first Oakley : MERMAN (Ethel). New trivia to me.

73. "The Luncheon on the Grass" and "Olympia," e.g. : MANETs. Both are at Musée d'Orsay. Very daring eyes.

"The Luncheon on the Grass"

"Olympia"

75. Alabama march city : SELMA

76. Maple and pine : TREES

78. Inclusive abbr. : ETC

81. Soak up : ABSORB

82. Chowder tidbit : CLAM

83. Zhivago's love : LARA. Also love Julie Christie in "Away from Her".

84. Antitoxin sources : SERA

86. Put a charge into? : TASE

90. "I can't explain how I did that" : IT'S MAGIC. No one with a K in their first name has lost a presidential re-election! It's magic.

91. Junk mail addressee : RESIDENT

93. Chemical variants : ISOTOPES

96. __ de force : TOUR

97. Baptism, for one : RITE

98. Polymer ending : ASE

101. Bondi Beach city : SYDNEY. I associate Bondi Beach with Kazie & Jessica Hart.

106. Stage prizes : OBIEs

108. Motel posting : RATES

110. Asteroids creator : ATARI

111. "Don't play," on a score : TACET. Must have the same root as Tacit.

112. Origins : SEEDS

113. Bend : WARP

114. Hershiser of ESPN : OREL

115. Chaplin's fourth wife : OONA. Long time no see.

116. French cruise stops : ILES

117. Bush fighter : GORE. I'm excited about next Tuesday. First time to cast a vote for a US president.

119. Centers of activity : LOCI

120. "My Way" lyricist : ANKA (Paul)

124. '50s song syllable : SHA

125. Hasty escape : LAM

C.C.