Theme: "Dropping In" - In is dropped from the start of each theme entry.
23A. Knowing one makes the best moonshine? : STILL CONFIDENCE. Instill confidence.
30A. Pressing concern? : CREASE QUALITY. Increase quality. "Improve quality" sounds more idiomatic.
42A. Vessel for the corporate lake outing? : BOARD MOTORBOAT. Inboard motorboat is new to me.
64A. Where geese learn the ABCs of Vs? : FORMATION CENTER. Information center.
88A. Passable publicity? : DECENT EXPOSURE. Indecent Exposure.
95A. Close examination of past and present English? : TENSE SCRUTINY. Intense scrutiny.
110A. Priest's fashion consultant? : VESTMENT ADVISER. Investment adviser.
All IN's are dropped from the start of the first word. Quite consistent.
I like when the new words change meanings drastically: STILL/CREASE/BOARD/FORMATION/TENSE/VESTMENT. They're all nouns, which tend to have shades of meanings, so easier to maneuver.
Not much change from INDECENT to DECENT though. Just a prefix drop. Adjective before and after.
Across:
1. Harder to see : DARKER
7. Heavenly bear : URSA
11. East Lansing sch. : MSU. The Spartans.
14. Vice __ : VERSA
19. "Seinfeld" role : ELAINE. KRAMER and NEWMAN have the same letter count.
20A. Groups on its covers included 'N Sync and Hanson : TEEN BEAT. Hanson is the "MMMBop" boy band.
22. Alternate strategy : PLAN B. Sitting next to by 25. "I Am the Walrus" was one : SIDE B. Tiny dupe.
26. Fair instrument : CALLIOPE. I only know the Muse meaning.
27. Many a stray : CUR. Not CAT.
28. Land of the banshee : EIRE
29. Songwriter Sands : EVIE
36. Energy pricing unit : BARREL
39. Submerged ridge : SHOAL
40. "Friendly Skies" co. : UAL
41. Quicken product : E-LOAN. So now E-loan has become a common word rather than the company E-Loan?
48. Put (on) hastily : SLAP
49. Metallic hybrids : ALLOYS
50. Stand __ : PAT. Not OUT/INS.
51. Green shelter : ARBOR
53. Destroys totally : TORPEDOES. Great fill.
55. Hitting : AT BAT
57. Moist : DEWY
58. Canonized ones: Abbr. : STs
59. Sticky stuff : GOO
60. Cook with high heat : BROIL. Chinese kitchens don't have ovens. We steam everything, including our bread (Mantou).
62. Ominous ending : OR ELSE
68. Vote for : CHOOSE
71. Côtes du __: wine region : RHONE. Also 107. Normandy department : ORNE. Not OISE.
72. "Clickbait" was added to it in Sep. 2016 : OED. Nailed it.
73. Not letting things slide, briefly : TCB. Take Care of Business.
76. Influence : PULL
77. Some Jutland natives : DANES
79. Stood : STOMACHED
82. Excavate anew : RE-DIG
84. '70s-'80s Pakistani president : ZIA. Learned from doing crosswords.
85. NFL's Oilers, since 1999 : TITANS. Learning moment to me.
87. "__ Land": 2016 Stone/Gosling film : LA LA. Oh, hi, LaLaLinda! She still reads our blog and comments.
91. How prancing is done : GAILY
92. Emmy-winning scientist : NYE (Bill)
93. Wear : ERODE
94. Liquor from currants : CASSIS. I never had currants, You?
101. Ado : FUSS
102. Not do, maybe : OMIT
103. Canberra school : UNI (University)
104. Classic Cadillac : ELDORADO. My idea of "Classic" is the old beat-up green Jeep Chinese Army used to have. Very cool. All other cars are the same. Just cars.
108. Mini successors : NANOs
114. Cries from sties : OINKs
115. Sweet-talked : WHEEDLED
116. Like the pre-Easter season : LENTEN
117. Candidate's handout : FLYER
118. Canon offering, briefly : SLR
119. Bros, say : SIB. My brother is chasing his Go 4d rank.
120. Driving force : ENGINE
Down:
1. Genealogy abbr. : DESC. Hi there, PK! Great to see you back.
2. Utah ski resort : ALTA
3. Complain : RAIL
4. Game that sells consoles, say : KILLER APP. Another great fill.
5. Pep up : ENLIVEN
6. Shrink back : RECOIL
7. __ Reader : UTNE. Our local Barnes & Noble does carry this magazine.
8. Flag thrower : REF
9. Cinque e uno : SEI
10. "Wait, there's more ... " : AND
11. Diner host's stack : MENUs
12. "__ bleu!" : SACRE. Bleu to replace "Dieu". "Mon Dieu".
13. Colorado native : UTE
14. Bush and Gore: Abbr. : VPs. Bush Sr.
15. Architect Saarinen : ELIEL. Eero's father. We also have 32. St. Louis bridge architect : EADS
16. Circle lines : RADII
17. Dik Browne dog : SNERT. "Hägar the Horrible".
18. Monk's home : ABBEY
21. Immobilize at sea, in a way : BECALM. I suppose it's a common word for sailors, Spitzboov/D-Otto.
24. Expose in verse? : OPE
30. Bedlam : CHAOS
31. One of the Gilmore girls : RORY. Not etymological related to ROARS (Also 38. Comedy club reactions)
33. Marketing target : QUOTA
34. Short-lived Egypt-Syr. alliance : UAR. Also 109. Abbr. on old Eurasian maps : SSR
35. Goya's "Duchess of __" : ALBA
36. Outplays : BESTS
37. Give in shares : ALLOT
39. One and only : SOLE
42. Flower : BLOOM
43. Some kind of nerve : OPTIC
44. Statistician's aid : TABLE
45. Information for a waiter : ORDER. The clue dupes the original word "Information" in 64A. Hard to detect this in a Sunday grid.
46. Biblical brother : ABEL
47. Garage services : TOWS
49. Couldn't get enough of : ADORED
52. White alternative : RYE. Bread.
54. They may clash in debates : EGOS. So true!
55. Supreme : A ONE
56. Carved poles : TOTEMS
60. IMDb.com entries : BIOs. IMDb is a great cluing source for constructors, full of great trivia.
61. Director Howard : RON
63. Shameful fictional symbol : RED A
64. __ acid : FOLIC. Not AMINO.
65. Golf great, to his "army" : ARNIE
66. What an unproductive worker might get : THE AX
67. Herman's Hermits frontman Peter : NOONE. Stranger to me. Same with 99. Oscar-winning actress Mercedes __ : RUEHL. I still have not fully figured out why Rich sometimes uses ___ in name clues. Here 67D has no ___, but 99D does. But person with ___ tends to be unknown to me.
68. Hosp. administration : CPR
69. Tinged : HUED
70. Quaint store adjective : OLDE. What I feel about the clue for 73. Massenet opera : THAIS
74. Symphonic strings : CELLI
75. Occasions for cake, briefly : B DAYS. Not in my childhood. Always noodles & two eggs.
78. Nahuatl speaker : AZTEC
79. Detailed analysis : STUDY
80. Container weight : TARE
81. Senior's memento : CLASS RING
83. Hereditary code carrier : GENE
85. Spelling on TV : TORI. Tori Spelling seems to have a very chaotic life.
86. Has the stage : IS ON
89. Finger Lakes locale: Abbr. : NYS (New York State)
90. Dress size : PETITE
91. Appliance with a pilot : GAS OVEN
94. Get snuggly : CUDDLE
95. Beaucoup, with "a" : TON OF
96. User's service : EMAIL. So disappointed with Outlook/Hotmail's last update. One day I'll move to Gmail completely.
97. Fool : NINNY
98. Fuel : STOKE
100. Indy 500 family name : UNSER
101. St. with a panhandle : FLA
104. LAX postings : ETDs
105. Piedmont wine region : ASTI
106. "Paula's Home Cooking" host : DEEN. I bet you all want to try our own "Steve's Home Cooking". His Facebook pictures are often mouthwatering. He even makes Sashimi himself.
110. Bug and Golf : VWs
111. ER VIPs : MDs.
112. Yalie : ELI
113. Lincoln's place: Abbr. : NEB
23A. Knowing one makes the best moonshine? : STILL CONFIDENCE. Instill confidence.
30A. Pressing concern? : CREASE QUALITY. Increase quality. "Improve quality" sounds more idiomatic.
42A. Vessel for the corporate lake outing? : BOARD MOTORBOAT. Inboard motorboat is new to me.
64A. Where geese learn the ABCs of Vs? : FORMATION CENTER. Information center.
88A. Passable publicity? : DECENT EXPOSURE. Indecent Exposure.
95A. Close examination of past and present English? : TENSE SCRUTINY. Intense scrutiny.
110A. Priest's fashion consultant? : VESTMENT ADVISER. Investment adviser.
All IN's are dropped from the start of the first word. Quite consistent.
I like when the new words change meanings drastically: STILL/CREASE/BOARD/FORMATION/TENSE/VESTMENT. They're all nouns, which tend to have shades of meanings, so easier to maneuver.
Not much change from INDECENT to DECENT though. Just a prefix drop. Adjective before and after.
Across:
1. Harder to see : DARKER
7. Heavenly bear : URSA
11. East Lansing sch. : MSU. The Spartans.
14. Vice __ : VERSA
19. "Seinfeld" role : ELAINE. KRAMER and NEWMAN have the same letter count.
20A. Groups on its covers included 'N Sync and Hanson : TEEN BEAT. Hanson is the "MMMBop" boy band.
22. Alternate strategy : PLAN B. Sitting next to by 25. "I Am the Walrus" was one : SIDE B. Tiny dupe.
26. Fair instrument : CALLIOPE. I only know the Muse meaning.
27. Many a stray : CUR. Not CAT.
28. Land of the banshee : EIRE
29. Songwriter Sands : EVIE
36. Energy pricing unit : BARREL
39. Submerged ridge : SHOAL
40. "Friendly Skies" co. : UAL
41. Quicken product : E-LOAN. So now E-loan has become a common word rather than the company E-Loan?
48. Put (on) hastily : SLAP
49. Metallic hybrids : ALLOYS
50. Stand __ : PAT. Not OUT/INS.
51. Green shelter : ARBOR
53. Destroys totally : TORPEDOES. Great fill.
55. Hitting : AT BAT
57. Moist : DEWY
58. Canonized ones: Abbr. : STs
59. Sticky stuff : GOO
60. Cook with high heat : BROIL. Chinese kitchens don't have ovens. We steam everything, including our bread (Mantou).
62. Ominous ending : OR ELSE
68. Vote for : CHOOSE
71. Côtes du __: wine region : RHONE. Also 107. Normandy department : ORNE. Not OISE.
72. "Clickbait" was added to it in Sep. 2016 : OED. Nailed it.
73. Not letting things slide, briefly : TCB. Take Care of Business.
76. Influence : PULL
77. Some Jutland natives : DANES
79. Stood : STOMACHED
82. Excavate anew : RE-DIG
84. '70s-'80s Pakistani president : ZIA. Learned from doing crosswords.
85. NFL's Oilers, since 1999 : TITANS. Learning moment to me.
87. "__ Land": 2016 Stone/Gosling film : LA LA. Oh, hi, LaLaLinda! She still reads our blog and comments.
91. How prancing is done : GAILY
92. Emmy-winning scientist : NYE (Bill)
93. Wear : ERODE
94. Liquor from currants : CASSIS. I never had currants, You?
101. Ado : FUSS
102. Not do, maybe : OMIT
103. Canberra school : UNI (University)
104. Classic Cadillac : ELDORADO. My idea of "Classic" is the old beat-up green Jeep Chinese Army used to have. Very cool. All other cars are the same. Just cars.
108. Mini successors : NANOs
114. Cries from sties : OINKs
115. Sweet-talked : WHEEDLED
116. Like the pre-Easter season : LENTEN
117. Candidate's handout : FLYER
118. Canon offering, briefly : SLR
119. Bros, say : SIB. My brother is chasing his Go 4d rank.
120. Driving force : ENGINE
Down:
1. Genealogy abbr. : DESC. Hi there, PK! Great to see you back.
2. Utah ski resort : ALTA
3. Complain : RAIL
4. Game that sells consoles, say : KILLER APP. Another great fill.
5. Pep up : ENLIVEN
6. Shrink back : RECOIL
7. __ Reader : UTNE. Our local Barnes & Noble does carry this magazine.
8. Flag thrower : REF
9. Cinque e uno : SEI
10. "Wait, there's more ... " : AND
11. Diner host's stack : MENUs
12. "__ bleu!" : SACRE. Bleu to replace "Dieu". "Mon Dieu".
13. Colorado native : UTE
14. Bush and Gore: Abbr. : VPs. Bush Sr.
15. Architect Saarinen : ELIEL. Eero's father. We also have 32. St. Louis bridge architect : EADS
16. Circle lines : RADII
17. Dik Browne dog : SNERT. "Hägar the Horrible".
18. Monk's home : ABBEY
21. Immobilize at sea, in a way : BECALM. I suppose it's a common word for sailors, Spitzboov/D-Otto.
24. Expose in verse? : OPE
30. Bedlam : CHAOS
31. One of the Gilmore girls : RORY. Not etymological related to ROARS (Also 38. Comedy club reactions)
33. Marketing target : QUOTA
34. Short-lived Egypt-Syr. alliance : UAR. Also 109. Abbr. on old Eurasian maps : SSR
35. Goya's "Duchess of __" : ALBA
36. Outplays : BESTS
37. Give in shares : ALLOT
39. One and only : SOLE
42. Flower : BLOOM
43. Some kind of nerve : OPTIC
44. Statistician's aid : TABLE
45. Information for a waiter : ORDER. The clue dupes the original word "Information" in 64A. Hard to detect this in a Sunday grid.
46. Biblical brother : ABEL
47. Garage services : TOWS
49. Couldn't get enough of : ADORED
52. White alternative : RYE. Bread.
54. They may clash in debates : EGOS. So true!
55. Supreme : A ONE
56. Carved poles : TOTEMS
60. IMDb.com entries : BIOs. IMDb is a great cluing source for constructors, full of great trivia.
61. Director Howard : RON
63. Shameful fictional symbol : RED A
64. __ acid : FOLIC. Not AMINO.
65. Golf great, to his "army" : ARNIE
66. What an unproductive worker might get : THE AX
67. Herman's Hermits frontman Peter : NOONE. Stranger to me. Same with 99. Oscar-winning actress Mercedes __ : RUEHL. I still have not fully figured out why Rich sometimes uses ___ in name clues. Here 67D has no ___, but 99D does. But person with ___ tends to be unknown to me.
 |
| Peter Noone |
 |
| Mercedes Ruehl |
68. Hosp. administration : CPR
69. Tinged : HUED
70. Quaint store adjective : OLDE. What I feel about the clue for 73. Massenet opera : THAIS
74. Symphonic strings : CELLI
75. Occasions for cake, briefly : B DAYS. Not in my childhood. Always noodles & two eggs.
78. Nahuatl speaker : AZTEC
79. Detailed analysis : STUDY
80. Container weight : TARE
81. Senior's memento : CLASS RING
83. Hereditary code carrier : GENE
85. Spelling on TV : TORI. Tori Spelling seems to have a very chaotic life.
86. Has the stage : IS ON
89. Finger Lakes locale: Abbr. : NYS (New York State)
90. Dress size : PETITE
91. Appliance with a pilot : GAS OVEN
94. Get snuggly : CUDDLE
95. Beaucoup, with "a" : TON OF
96. User's service : EMAIL. So disappointed with Outlook/Hotmail's last update. One day I'll move to Gmail completely.
97. Fool : NINNY
98. Fuel : STOKE
100. Indy 500 family name : UNSER
101. St. with a panhandle : FLA
104. LAX postings : ETDs
105. Piedmont wine region : ASTI
106. "Paula's Home Cooking" host : DEEN. I bet you all want to try our own "Steve's Home Cooking". His Facebook pictures are often mouthwatering. He even makes Sashimi himself.
110. Bug and Golf : VWs
111. ER VIPs : MDs.
112. Yalie : ELI
113. Lincoln's place: Abbr. : NEB
Thanks for the kind comments and emails on our blog birthday. Each means a
lot to me. Nice to learn that BunnyM has been quietly with us for three
years. So glad you finally joined us after your birthday!
Happy 71st Birthday to our grid master and friend John Lampkin, who is now living in Florida. I was very lucky to get to know John & blog his puzzles at the start of my blogging/constructing venture. I just love this picture. Are you still in contact with Annette, Lemonade?
Happy 71st Birthday to our grid master and friend John Lampkin, who is now living in Florida. I was very lucky to get to know John & blog his puzzles at the start of my blogging/constructing venture. I just love this picture. Are you still in contact with Annette, Lemonade?
 |
| Lemonade and John |
