google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Feb 28, 2016

Sunday, Feb 28, 2016 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: "Putting in Overtime" - OT is added to each theme answer.

21A. Cold weather moisturizer? : THE LOTION IN WINTER. "The Lion in Winter". I discovered this two winters ago. Very moisturizing.


36A. Moor's money pool? : OTHELLO KITTY. Hello Kitty.

57A. Best Western fishing amenities? : MOTEL BROOKS. Mel Brooks.

66A. Business where lines are discouraged? : BOTOX OFFICE. Box office.

88A. Child-friendly? : SUITED TO A TOT. Suited to a T.

106A. Queen's body double? : OTHER ROYAL MAJESTY. Her Royal Majesty.
 
14D. Spoils at your neighbor's house? : THE BOOTY NEXT DOOR. The Boy Next Door.

35D. Did away with voting? : DROPPED THE BALLOT. Dropped the ball.

I think this is Jeffrey's first Sunday puzzle. Congrats, Jeffrey! 

Despite heavy themage, Jeffrey packed a bunch of long fill in this 138-word grid. Two 10's, two 9's and ten 8's, four of which are placed side by side, which is very hard to pull off cleanly.

I also liked lots of today's clues, esp 91. Periods in sentences : TERMS

Across:
     
1. __ Picchu : MACHU

6. Library fixture : LAMP. Not BOOK or DESK.

10. Early name in late TV : PAAR (Jack)

14. Bit : TAD

17. They help define a lot : ACRES

18. "Eraserhead" star Jack : NANCE. Unknown figure to me.

19. __ à manger: dining room : SALLE. "Room" in French.

20. Pink, for example : HUE

24. "More of the same" letters : ETC

25. Boards : STEPS ONTO

26. Trig function : SINE

27. Real Madrid's game : FUTBOL. Called Zu Qiu in Chinese. Literally "foot's ball".

29. Bar offerings : SHOTS

30. Campus challenges : FINALS

32. Judd of country music : NAOMI. We had her last Sunday.

33. Freed (of) : RID

39. Zen paradox : KOAN. Any of you familiar with the Japanese anime Ikkyu san? Very popular in my teens. Ikkyu is a little monk.


40. Features of some traffic signals : ARROWS

42. Charged atoms : IONS

43. Hi-__ image : RES

44. Mini- analog : ETTE

45. Sheltered spots : NOOKS

46. Lionel Hampton's instrument : VIBES. Vibraphones. Google shows that he was called "King of Vibes".


48. Fulfill the requirements : QUALIFY. Easy crossing QUO (48. Status __ ). Otherwise, I might not have got it.

50. Econ. statistics : GNPs. Of course I had GDPs first.

51. Target of icing : CAKE. 52. Target of icing : PUCK. Nice clue echo.

53. Linguistic source of "pajamas" : HINDI. Also "guru", "shampoo", "pundit" and a few more. We also have 110. Dish name from the Tamil for "sauce" : CURRY

56. Ability scorned by many : ESP
 
60. Unhidden : OVERT

61. Affixed, in a way : TIED ON

63. Voyage segment : LEG

64. Top spots : APEXES

65. Not as expected : ODDER. The answer is indeed "Not as expected".

72. Defunct carrier : TWA

73. Seller of chew toys : PETCO

74. From scratch : ANEW

75. Secretary of Education Duncan : ARNE. Not any more. Needs "former".

76. Shaft access : ADIT. Also 99. Needle holder : ETUI. Our old friends are back.

77. Flattering : HONEYED

79. Meir's successor : RABIN

81. Go on and on, with "on" : DRONE

82. Maker of Veriton computers : ACER. My monitor is an Acer. Great quality.

84. "How could I not see that?!" : DOH!

85. Assistant to millions : SIRI. Did you get this immediately, Gary?

86. Some factory workers : ROBOTS

87. Noodle variety : SOBA. Made of buckwheat flour. Often served cold.


92. Poppycock : ROT

93. Steaming : IRATE

95. European travel guide author Rick __ : STEVES. He's on NPR a few times. So glad we don't need to clue it as a plural given name any more.

96. Geek Squad pros : TECHS

98. First named Atlantic storm in 10 different years to date : ARLENE. I don't understand the clue.

100. Johann : "Sehr gut" :: Jacques : "__ bien" : TRES. Very good.

101. Compel to accept, as ideas : FORCE UPON

105. Up to, on invites : TIL

109. Words with a certain ring : I DO. Sweet clue also.

111. Stymies : FOILS

112. Danny __, Shel Silverstein's "dancin' bear" : O'DARE. Unknown to me.


113. Crookshanks, in Harry Potter fiction : CAT. Learning moment as well.

114. Moves it : HIES

115. Animal rights issue : FURS

116. Utterly enchant : BESOT
  
Down:

1. Pilates class array : MATS

2. Zwei quadrupled : ACHT. Luckiest number in Chinese/Japanese culture.

3. First Nations tribe : CREE

4. Makes it easier : HELPS

5. Hope venues for 50 yrs. : USO SHOWS. Bob Hope.

6. Ancient Chinese sage : LAO-TSE. Quite a few different spellings. Lao-tzu seems to be more common in the west. It's just Lao-zi in China.


7. Latin dating word : ANNO

8. It merged with WorldCom in 1998 : MCI. Drew a blank also.

9. Retirement plans : PENSIONS

10. Classic delivery vehicle : PANEL TRUCK

11. Space bar neighbor : ALT

12. Beth preceder : ALEF. First Hebrew letter

13. TV Land fare : RERUN

15. Defunct self-serve eatery : AUTOMAT

16. Just say no : DECLINE

18. Like Pluto, once : NINTH. Simple in respect.

19. Exodus high point : SINAI

22. Attention-getters on the road : TOOTS. And 23. Attention-getters at a bar : WINKS

28. Relax : TAKE FIVE

30. Antarctic sight : FLOE

31. Outback fare : STEAKS

33. Kitchen remodeling selection : RANGETOP

34. '60s-'70s TV detective : IRONSIDE. Never saw it.

37. Fact-checking can help avoid it : LIBEL. Got via crosses.

38. Haute couture initials : YSL. I really like Mulberry.

41. Gives a thumbs-up : OKs

46. Brewery container : VAT

47. Harry's successor : IKE

49. Wishful words : I HOPE

51. Flimflam : CON

52. Possum pal of Porky Pine : POGO

54. Gradually made a member of : DREW INTO

55. "Just checking the alarm, folks" : IT'S A TEST. Nice pair of 8's.

57. Nincompoop : MORON

58. Squander : BLOW

59. "Toy Story" dinosaur : REX. Gimme for me.

62. Work on a tree, maybe : DECORATE. Christmas tree.

64. Blackjack need : ACE

66. Gulf Coast environs : BAYOUS

67. Nearly flawless diamond highlights : ONE-HITTERS. Loved the clue & answer.

68. Red Sox legend Williams : TED. Frozen. He might come back to life someday. Who knows.

69. One-named Milanese model : FABIO

70. Calendar abbr. : FRI

71. Holiday __ : INN

76. Wall St. hedger : ARB

78. Script fixers, for short : EDs (Editors)

79. Gets out of Dodge : RIDES OFF

80. Applied __ : ARTS. Not familiar wit the term. You?

81. Get it finished : DO THE JOB. Great entry.

82. Like some lions : ASIATIC

83. Contest with picadors : CORRIDA

85. Cut : SEVER

86. "CBS Sunday Morning" correspondent Mo : ROCCA. He appears on "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" regularly. Who's your favorite "Wait Wait ..." panelist? Paula Poundstone is hilarious.



89. Absorbent cloth : TERRY

90. Micronesia components : ATOLLS

94. Father of Methuselah : ENOCH

97. Blue shoe material of song : SUEDE

101. Pretty, maidenwise : FAIR. OK, I get it. Fair maiden.

102. Antismoking TV spots, e.g. : PSAs

103. Alberto's alternative, with "el" : OTRO. The other.

104. Omsk objection : NYET

107. Charlemagne's realm: Abbr. : HRE

108. "As __ Like It" : YOU

C.C.