Sunday July 2, 2023 Amie Walker

Theme: "Film Adaptations" - The first words and last words of 6 films are switched.

22. Film about double agents at the card table?: SPIES OF BRIDGE. Bridge of Spies.

38. Film about college kids trying to clean up the dorm before parents weekend?: ROOM PANIC. Panic Room.

48. Film about an out-of-this-world job?: SPACE OFFICE. Office Space.

61. Film about the morning meals of a 1980s pop star?: TIFFANY'S AT BREAKFAST. Breakfast At Tiffany's.

82. Film about the installation of red carpets?: LINE THE WALK. Walk the Line.

88. Film about a bird on a Firebird?: HOOD ROBIN. Robin Hood.

Reveal:

109. Reverse course dramatically, or an alternate title for this puzzle: FLIP THE SCRIPT.

Is there a further layer to cohere the set? I fear I'm missing something here. 

I don't recall seeing so many great long fill in a Sunday puzzle. Stunning grid work.

Across:

1. Present inaccurately: SKEW.

5. Pen __: PAL. Oh I have an incredible pen pal: Janice Leavitt from Ohio, who sent me these sweet Malley's Buckeyes. Janice reads our blog faithfully. She just does not comment. Thank you, Janice!

8. Challah unit: LOAF. More food: 21. Polish dumplings: PIEROGI. 53. Khao kha mu meat: PORK. 104. Sandwich selection: ROAST BEEF.  Steve probably knows khao kha mu. From Wikipedia: "hao kha mu is an individual dish consisting of stewed pig's trotter in seasoning condensed hot pottage (some recipes are mixed with cocoa powder or boiled peanuts), then it will be cut into thin slices and topped on steamed rice."

12. Two-dimensional: PLANAR.

18. Dialect that may be part of code-switching, for short: AAVE. African-American Vernacular English.

19. "Notorious" SCOTUS justice: RBG.

20. Model Macpherson: ELLE.

25. Truly enjoy something: EAT IT UP. More great long fill: 26. Controversial topic: HOT POTATO.
9D. The one that got away, maybe: OLD FLAME.15D. Lead-in to a potentially hurtful comment: NOTHING PERSONAL.28D. Hive inhabitant: DRONE BEE. 44D. Some barkers: CARNIVAL WORKERS. 81D. Bargain hunter's aim: GOOD DEAL. 82D. Fancy way to the airport: LIMO RIDE. What I said earlier. Stunning.

27. Gently add, as egg whites to batter: FOLD IN.

29. Cries of comprehension: AHAS.

30. Really wow: AWE.

31. Corn throwaway: COB. And  32. Melon __: BALLER. Both made me think of Agnes.

34. Old Dodge: OMNI.

36. Train for a relay, say: RUN.

37. Granada greeting: HOLA.

42. Jaunty neckwear: ASCOT.

45. Agenda unit: ITEM.

46. Short, secret passages?: NDAS. Non-Disclosure Agreements.

47. "Minions: The Rise of __": GRU.

51. Like ground turkey: LEAN.

52. Mimics: APES.

54. Mouse sound: CLICK.

55. Coddle: BABY. How do you call your loved ones? I hear "Honey" a lot in Minnesota. In Xi'an, it's simple: "Bao Bei" (Baby) for "boyfriend", "Lao Gong" for "husband".

56. Shift or sheath: DRESS.

57. Source of UV rays: SUN.

58. Tony-winning actress Hagen: UTA. 71. Pop singer Rita: ORA. 79. Actress Mireille: ENOS. 21D. Louvre Pyramid architect: PEI.Vowel-friendly 3-letter names. This one is heavy in vowel also: 14. "7 Rings" singer Grande: ARIANA.

59. Great Lake that touches four states: ERIE.

60. Clairvoyant: SEER.

68. Cello kin: VIOL.

69. Smartphone array: APPS.

70. Young man: BOY.

73. Faculty leaders: DEANS.

75. Sebastian of "The Little Mermaid," for one: CRAB.

76. Firefighting equipment: HOSES.

80. Scotland's __ of Skye: ISLE.

81. Shiva and Brahma: GODS.

84. NNE opposite: SSW.

85. Comedian Mabley: MOMS.  First female comedian to perform at the Apollo Theater.

86. Farsi-speaking land: IRAN.

87. Spills: TELLS.

91. Beer ingredient: MALT. And 115. Dutch beer: AMSTEL.

92. Variety show hosts, briefly: MCS.

93. Joy of MSNBC: REID. Boomer kept asking me to check on her hairstyle.

94. Call it a night: GO HOME.

96. Neither win nor lose: TIE.

97. Intel org.: NSA.

100. Thousand __, California: OAKS.

102. Actress Blythe: DANNER. Gwyneth Paltrow's mom.

107. Full arm tattoos: SLEEVES.

111. Dreamlike: SURREAL. 

112. "M*A*S*H" star: ALDA.

113. Deg. for many a CEO: MBA.

114. Upfront bet: ANTE.

116. Ballet supporters?: TOES. 8. Pacific ring?: LEI. Nice clues.

117. Madrid's Puerta del __: SOL.

118. Russian ruler until 1917: TSAR.

Down:

1. Malia Obama's sister: SASHA.

2. "Wham!": KAPOW.

3. Paperless party announcement: EVITE.

4. "Read 'em and __!": WEEP.

5. Three-quark particle: PROTON.

6. Britcom based on a "French and Saunders" sketch: AB FAB.

7. Pride initials: LGBT.

10. Early computer language: ALGOL.

11. Subtle inquiry: FEELER.

12. Semi-autobiographical Billy Joel song: PIANO MAN.

13. Permit: LET.

16. __ fresca: AGUA.

17. Scams, with "off": RIPS.

23. "How precious!": SO CUTE.

24. Unemotional: ROBOTIC.

33. Smart __: ALECK.
 
35. Westminster reps.: MPS. Members of Parliament.

36. Genre with many subgenres: ROCK.

37. Classic LP player: HIFI.

39. Jazz singer Anita: ODAY.

40. Riles up: IRES.

41. Swear: CUSS.

42. Egyptian cobras: ASPS.

43. Teapot feature: SPOUT.

49. In base eight: OCTAL.

50. Custard dessert: FLAN. Durians are custardy. High in fat, high in sugar, the smell offends many, but I love them so much. Just wish they were cheaper.

51. Hibernation station: LAIR.

52. Neck of the woods: AREA.

55. Texter's "Hold that thought": BRB.

56. Stand up to: DEFY.

58. 59-Down carriers: UFOS. 59. 58-Down passengers: ETS.

60. Little bit: SKOSH.

62. "Whatever": FINE.

63. Show of political support: YARD SIGN.

64. Me-time spots: SPAS.

65. Urgent PD call: APB.

66. Provide a fake alibi for, say: ABET.

67. Doll with fluffy hair: TROLL. Lots of trolls at our local flea market. I just don't see the appeal.

72. Seeks answers: ASKS. Please can you leave an Amazon review once you complete my puzzles?
You'll make me very happy!

73. Course component: DISH.

74. Canadian fuel giant: ESSO.

75. Rooster topper: COMB.

76. Whisky-maker Walker: HIRAM.

77. Vigilant: ON ALERT.

78. Text status: SENT.

79. Flock females: EWES.

83. "Yada, yada, yada": ETC ETC.

85. CT scan kin: MRI.

89. Mojave, for one: DESERT.

90. Like some yogurt: NON-FAT. Been loving my own soy yogurt.

92. Liturgical text: MISSAL.

95. "You there?": HELLO.

96. Martial arts-based fitness system: TAE BO.

97. German dissents: NEINS.

98. Way around Philly: SEPTA. OK, stands for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.

99. Following: AFTER.

100. Thessaly peak: OSSA.

101. Homecoming guest: ALUM.

103. Comm. system in the film "CODA": ASL.

105. __ Law: electrical principle: OHM'S.

106. German sausage, for short: BRAT.

108. Valiant leader?: VEE. Valiant.

110. Ballet step: PAS.

Thank you so much for the sweet posts, emails and cards for my birthday. I hiked the outside loop at Springbrook, then had a few long calls with my close friends. Will meet with the nice Church couple Bill and Margaret for a birthday lunch once I get this cough out of my system. They really love me despite the fact that I'm still not ready to be a Catholic (yet). I like being a lost lamb.

Congrats to Dennis and his wife Linda who just celebrated their 35-year wedding anniversary! Dennis was always the first to comment on our blog in the earlier days. Come back, Dennis!

Dennis & Linda, Wedding Day

Dennis & Linda, 35 Years Later

C.C.