Theme: "Child's Play" - The last words are all kids' toys.
22A. Obstacles : STUMBLING BLOCKS
32A. Wild pair, sometimes : ONE-EYED JACKS
50A. "The Phantom of the Opera" setting : MASQUERADE BALL
65A. Morsel mentioned in '80s Australian tourism ads : SHRIMP ON THE BARBIE. Barbie is their slang for BBQ. The original 1959 barbies are worth thousands.
85A. Abstained, in a way : WENT ON THE WAGON
97A. Take the gold : COME OUT ON TOP. The guy to watch in Rio.
114A. Snap : LOSE YOUR MARBLES
Fun
theme. When I was a kid, there were no blocks, or wagon or barbies or
any plastic toys, we sewed our own little bags filled with beans or corn
and played a very simple backyard game. Similar to this, except mine
were prettier.
Across:
1. Tie-dye locale : CAMP. I like to nail 1-Across entry. Not today.
5. "Sonic the Hedgehog" developer : SEGA
9. Skunk Le Pew : PEPE
13. Pileggi of "The X-Files" : MITCH. Recognized his face. Not his name.
18. Suffix for stink : AROO
19. Sea once fed by the Amu Darya River : ARAL
20. Round Table array : ARMOR
21. Cape Cod vacation destination : TRURO
25. End-of-term hurdle : FINAL
26. Put out there : AIR
27. Pealed : RANG
28. Barroom disorder : MELEE
29. Special Olympics founder Shriver : EUNICE
30. Picked up on : SENSED
34. Biblical verb : HAST
36. Playwright Ensler : EVE. Stranger to me.
37. Technology in Pixar films, briefly : CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery)
38. "Wicked Game" rocker Chris : ISAAK
41. Boastful opening : VENI . "Veni, vidi, vici"
43. Civil War historian Shelby : FOOTE
46. Aquarium fish : OPAH
53. With reason : SANELY
55. Coal industry org. : UMW
56. Conspiracy : PLOT
57. Get under the tag, hopefully : SLIDE
58. Hades, to Satan : REALM
59. Amanda of "2012" : PEET. Oh, I liked her Something's Gotta Give. Very pretty.
61. Like drag strips : LOUD. I don't get this clue.
63. 24-hr. convenience : ATM
64. A hitchhiker might have one : GAS CAN
70. Spots : ESPIES
72. Area usually not mowed : LEA. Simple in retrospect.
73. Pelican St. metropolis : NOLA
74. Spanish 101 verb : ESTA
77. Dummy on Bergen's knee : SNERD
78. As a companion : ALONG
80. "Herding Cats: A Life in Politics" author : LOTT (Trent)
82. Bargain basement letters : IRR
83. Seasoned sailor : SEA DOG
88. Cries from one standing on a chair, maybe : EEKs
89. Obeys : HEEDS
91. Kudrow of "Friends" : LISA. Phoebe.
92. Navel concavity : INNIE
93. "__ appétit!" : BON
94. NYC visitor's final destination, perhaps : JFK. Or first.
95. 1998 home run record chaser : SOSA (Sammy)
104. Puts into words : UTTERS
108. Unprincipled : AMORAL. Out of the $80,000 Eliot Spitzer spent on his self-destructive sexual liaisons, not one penny is from public money. I'd vote him for the Comptroller post, Splynter!
109. Reduce : LOWER
110. Pigeon shelter : COTE
112. Half-pretentious? : CHI. Chichi. Recognize him?
113. Shows pluck : DARES
117. Play, as Julius Caesar : ENACT
118. Curved moldings : OGEES
119. Blew the whistle : SANG. And 120. Blows the whistle : RATS. "Rat" always sets off Whitey Bulger. I'd eat worms if he's not a FBI informant.
121. Shades : TINTS
122. Gamer's title island : MYST
123. Nice sweetheart : AMIE. The French city Nice.
124. Brief writer: Abbr. : ATTY. Legal brief.
Down:
1. Places on una avenida residencial : CASAs
2. Fictional Ziff infatuated with Marge Simpson : ARTIE. I'm just not into The Simpsons.
3. Wear black, perhaps : MOURN
4. Little Spitz, briefly : POM. Hello Spitzboov!
5. Dieters' lunch orders : SALADS
6. "__ Brockovich" : ERIN
7. Turf controller : GANG
8. Subj. with exponents : ALG. For Bill G. Thanks to his post last Tuesday, I learned the differences between "Hay" and "Straw".
9. Worker, informally : PROLE
10. Host : EMCEE
11. Gumby's sidekick : POKEY. The pony.
 |
| Gumby & Pokey |
12. Relatives of ums : ERs
13. Honshu Isl. peak : MT FUJI
14. Youngest of the three Prozorov sisters : IRINA. Three Sisters.
15. Forum wear : TUNIC
16. Figure out : CRACK
17. Case weaknesses : HOLES
20. Coeur d'__ : ALENE
23. Dissolution : BREAK-UP
24. Low-budget flicks : B MOVIES
29. Advantages : EDGES
31. "Inside the NBA" analyst, to fans : SHAQ
33. Outer: Pref. : ECT
35. Wii locale : TV ROOM
36. Tight position? : END. Tight end.
38. Morning announcement : I'M UP
39. Word before time and place : SAME
40. At this very moment : AS WE SPEAK
42. Flip over : EAT UP
43. Trust : FAITH
44. "Grumpy" film title characters : OLD MEN. Grumpy Old Men.
45. Fútbol shout : OLE. Football in Spanish.
46. Part of a layette : ONESIE
47. Hippie bus decal : PEACE SIGN
48. __ marsala : ALLA
49. Choir number : HYMN
51. Perry of fashion : ELLIS
52. Hardly inconspicuous : BLATANT
54. Egyptian, usually : ARAB
60. Show places? : THIRDS. Nice clue.
62. Dressed to the nines, with "up" : DOLLED
64. Log holder : GRATE
66. Take back to the drawing board : RE-DO
67. Eye-catching signs : NEONS
68. Nuts go-with : BOLTS. Nuts and bolts.
69. Island greetings : ALOHAS
70. __ quam videri: North Carolina motto : ESSE. To be, rather than to seem (to be).
71. Three-time All-Pro Giant lineman Chris : SNEE. Knew him only because I needed a new clue for SNEE once. "Old dagger" just would not work.
75. Half-Betazoid aboard the Enterprise : TROI
76. "Alfred" composer : ARNE. More familiar with his "Rule Britannia".
78. It might be inspired : AWE
79. Driving instructor : GOLF PRO. In the driving range.
81. Storm that's chased : TWISTER
84. Grave offender? : GHOUL
86. Neat finish? : NIK. Neatnik.
87. Med sch. subject : ANAT
90. Fangorn Forest inhabitant : ENT. The Lord of the Rings.
93. Toots one's horn : BOASTS
94. Outback young : JOEYS. Baby kangaroos.
96. Reason for oversleeping : OUTAGE. Since the alarm clock would not work? Not true for Husker Gary!
97. Future officer : CADET
98. Saudi neighbor : OMANI
99. Bugs with weapons : MORAN. Bugs Moran the gangster. Al Capone's rival.
100. Like a Siberian Husky's ears : ERECT
101. Informal science : OLOGY
102. Sketch artist's array : NOSES. "Array" made me think of the tools the sketch artist uses, not the stuff he draws.
103. Certain follower's reading : TWEET
105. Ostentation : ECLAT
106. One giving Scarlett a fever? : RHETT. Great clue.
107. No tough guy : SISSY
110. Study all night : CRAM
111. Luxury hotel chain : OMNI
114. "Ten Little Indians" actor Herbert : LOM. He's also in The Pink Panther.
115. Today preceder : USA. USA Today.
116. Victoria's Secret buy : BRA. Dave's daughter works there. Speaking of Dave, he mentioned last time "My Dentist has this poster on his door to keep your mind busy while he drills." I just could not see the man. You?
C.C.
