Theme: "Sporting Chance" - Each theme entry consists of two sports team in singular form.
23A. *Grizzly, for one: BROWN BEAR. Cleveland Browns. Chicago Bears. Two NFL teams.
25A. *Olaf II of Norway, notably: VIKING SAINT. Minnesota Vikings. New Orleans Saints.
Two NFL teams.
46A. *It goes up in cold weather: HEAT BILL. Miami Heat (NBA). Buffalo Bills (NFL).
69A. *Nickname for Joe DiMaggio: YANKEE CLIPPER. New York Yankees (MLB). LA Clippers (NBA).
93A. *The sun will eventually be one: RED GIANT. Cincinnati Reds (MLB). San Francisco Giants (MLB) Or New York Giants (NFL), whatever you prefer..
117A. *ICBM booster until 1987: TITAN ROCKET. Tennessee Titans (NFL). Houston Rockets (NBA).
36D. *Kipling's Shere Khan is one: BENGAL TIGER. Cincinnati Bengals (NFL). Detroit Tigers (MLB).
42D. *"Virtuous Woman" reggae singer: WARRIOR KING. Golden State Warriors (NBA). Sacramento Kings (NBA) or LA Kings (NHL)
Reveal:
120. They're on the same side ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues: TEAMMATES.
I explored a similar theme a few months ago (with D-Otto's help), but I gave up after I found out this puzzle last October with a DOUBLE TEAM reveal. I wonder if MM and TTP recall that theme.
Glad to see that Rich now allows 84 black squares. His limit used to be 78.
Across:
6. "Nightmare" street: ELM.
9. Middles: WAISTS.
15. Demonstrating skill: ABLY.
19. Subtle glows: AURAE.
20. Wasikowska of "Damsel": MIA. Australian actress.
22. Hudson Bay nation: CREE.
27. Ornamental vase: URN.
28. Earthly: TERRENE. Not a word I use.
30. MLB Hall of Famer Fox and journalist Bly: NELLIES. Here's Fox.
31. __ a soul: NARY.
32. Va. winter hours: EST. Eastern Standard Time.
34. Genesis twin: ESAU.
37. More klutzy: GAWKIER. So different from the GAWK meaning.
40. Prepare, as a contract: DRAW UP.
45. Like some dorms: COED.
48. Sound of shock: GASP.
49. Sharply hit baseball: LINER. 68. NL Central club: STL. And 12. Slugger's creation: SHINER.
51. Relax, maybe: LIE. Lie down. Helps when Boomer's hernia acts up.
52. Wolf down: EAT.
54. Guru's residence: ASHRAM. My landlord in Shanghai was a Buddhist. He burned incense and chanted every night.
56. Pool concern: ALGAE.
57. Loses steam: FLAGS.
60. Claim no longer allowed on cigarettes: LESS TAR. Remember this type of ads? Amazing what you can find in those old Life magazines.
62. Fortune: WEALTH.
64. Show with constant cliff-hangers: SOAP.
66. Cell division: MITOSIS.
73. Words of understanding: OHS.
75. Uses, as a scale: STEPS ON. We have a mechanical scale. It's not accurate, maybe it's old.
77. Candy bar with a Nordic name: SKOR.
78. Self-reproach: REGRET.
80. Thinks: IDEATES.
82. Played really badly: STANK. These are infamous Stinky Tofu. The tofu is fermented.
85. Comic book artist: INKER.
86. Mentally assimilate: DIGEST.
88. A musician usually has a good one: EAR. 92. Willing to listen (to): OPEN.
90. Originally called: NEE. Chinese women keep their names at marriage. Same tradition in Korea.
91. Bête __: NOIRE.
97. Button alternative: SNAP.
98. Posse carriers: HORSES.
101. Max Ernst, for one: DADAIST.
102. True: ALIGN.
104. Yearn: ACHE.
106. Eye, to a poet: ORB. Also the horse who won the 2013 Kentucky Derby.
107. Pickup relatives, briefly: UTES.
108. Condemnation: REPROOF.
111. Zip one's lip: KEEP MUM.
114. "Rugrats" dad: STU.
122. Pizzazz: ELAN.
123. Spiritualist Deepak: CHOPRA.
124. Bagpiper's topper: TAM.
125. Past pudgy: OBESE. You won't find this word in any of Don G's grids.
126. Target of a military press: DELT.
127. "Dear Evan __": 2015 musical: HANSEN.
128. Mahershala of "Moonlight": ALI. He won an Oscar for his role in "Moonlight".
129. Grown-up efts: NEWTS.
Down:
2. VP under Jefferson: BURR.
3. Par-3 choice, often: IRON. Not a long par-3. You'll need a driver.
4. Not even rare?: RAW. Mmm, sashimi!
5. Insurance that covers dams?: DENTAL. Dental dams.
6. Manicurist's board: EMERY.
7. Yarn spinner: LIAR.
8. Dark area on the moon: MARE.
9. Surfboard/kayak hybrid: WAVESKI. Amazing.
11. Response to goo: ICK.
13. Shades: TONES.
14. "I'm __ to hear from you!": SO GLAD. Rare 6-letter partial.
15. Smoothie fruit: ACAI.
16. Cheese on crackers: BRIE.
17. Telescope part: LENS.
18. To this day: YET.
24. Docking place: BERTH.
26. Result of one too many, maybe: SLUR.
29. Rookie, briefly: NEWB. Newbie.
31. "I can't agree to this": NO DEAL.
33. Scrabble piece: TILE.
35. Going places?: TOILETS. Any of you have a heated toilet seat?
37. Author Sheehy: GAIL.
38. Relaxed: AT EASE.
39. Airline with an all-kosher menu: EL AL.
41. Turkish bigwigs: AGHAS.
43. Solheim Cup team: USA. It was held here in Edina, MN in 2002. We saw lots of big potatoes there.
44. Fluoride-in-water meas.: PPM. Parts Per Million.
45. Cat's weapons: CLAWS.
47. Little trickster: ELF.
50. Confirms, as a password: RE-TYPES.
53. Sub: TEMP.
54. China __: showy bloom: ASTER. So pretty.
55. Use for preservation, as wine barrels: STORE IN.
58. Takes off: GOES.
59. Pass rusher's stat: SACKS.
61. Small intake: SIP.
63. Attacks: HAS AT.
65. Story line: PLOT.
67. Singer Ed featured in the 2019 film "Yesterday": SHEERAN. The guy in glasses.
70. "Just kidding!": NOT.
71. Place for a pad: KNEE.
72. Modern Persians: IRANIS. Iranians more common.
74. __ throat: STREP.
76. Utopias: EDENS.
79. Knowledge of spiritual matters: GNOSIS. Not a word I use.
81. Bareilles of "Waitress": SARA.
83. Without ice: NEAT.
84. Understanding: KEN.
86. Quote from Homer: D'OH. Homer Simpson.
87. 2012 Facebook event, for short: IPO. The wise guys on our blog are not on Facebook.
89. Overhaul: REDO.
94. Sunbather's pride: DARK TAN.
95. Poke fun at: GIBE.
96. Best Supporting Actress before Ingrid: TATUM. Tatum O'Neal ("Paper Moon"). Ingrid Bergman ("Murder on the Orient Express").
99. Merit: EARN.
100. Discolor by burning: SCORCH.
101. Military alert state: DEFCON. Defense Ready Condition Levels.
103. Jack of "Some Like It Hot": LEMMON.
105. To-do: HOOHA.
107. It was added to create an everyday quintet in 1990: UMAMI. Fish sauce. Soy sauce. Miso paste, etc.
108. Tick off: RILE.
109. Series finale: Abbr.: ET AL.
110. Huff and puff: PANT.
112. R&B great James: ETTA. We really need another famous ETTA.
113. Ring at a wedding: PEAL.
114. State of suppressed worry: STEW.
115. Reason to cram: TEST.
116. List for a versatile tool: USES.
117. Talk acronym: TED. Ted Talks.
118. Mil. mess duties: KPS.
119. Before, poetically: ERE.
121. Presidential nickname: ABE.
Dear Agnes (Irish Miss) is feeling better, still weak but no more coughing. I'm just so happy to be able to email her and receive emails from her again.
C.C.
