Sunday April 21, 2024 Julian Kwan

Theme: "Getting in the Way" - two letters are added to each common phrase. Those letters orderly spell out photobombing.

23. Ode to a much-loved Galaxy?: SOME PHONE LIKE YOU. Someone Like You.

40. Magical ottoman?: ENCHANTED FOOTREST. Enchanted forest.

58. Constantly thinking about escaping?: BREAKOUT OBSESSION. Breakout session.

80. Intention of one without morals?: DOOM THE RIGHT THING. Do the right thing.

98. Must-haves for a fashion doll?: BARBIE NECESSITIES. Bare necessities.

116. Converse with one more party guest?: GO THE EXTRA MINGLE. Go the extra mile.

Another Sunday debut. Congrats, Julian! Kwan is the Cantonese spelling of Mandarin Guan. Same character as the Quan (Vietnamese) in Ke Huy Quan, the director of "Everything Everywhere All at Once".

Hope the circles show up in your local paper. Otherwise, you might have missed the message in this puzzle.

Across:

1. Aural danger for Odysseus: SIREN.

6. Snit: HUFF.

10. Slow Churned ice cream brand: EDY'S. 27. Slush Puppie maker: ICEE.

14. High-and-mighty: SMUG.

18. Edge or Firefox alternative: OPERA. Never used Opera browser.

19. Camembert kin: BRIE.

20. Penn State's Nittany __: LIONS.

22. Fabled second-place finisher: HARE.

26. Actress Kurylenko: OLGA. She's a Bond Girl.

28. Camera type, for short: SLR.

29. Bygone news source: TOWN CRIER.

31. Pessimist's word: CAN'T.

33. Political cartoonist Thomas: NAST. The guy who designed the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey. I wonder why he did not pick up tiger or lion.

36. Had tea, to a Brit: ATE.

38. "Cat __ your tongue?": GOT.

39. Solo homer result: RBI.

47. Unsure sounds: UHS.

48. Restrain, as one's enthusiasm: BATE.

49. Poetic preposition: O'ER.

50. Experienced veteran: OLD TIMER.

51. Traditional fare of Japanese New Year: MOCHI. Sticky rice. Same thing in Chinese Tang Yuan.

Mochi Soup

Tang Yuan

53. Rockefeller Center's "American Progress" muralist: SERT.

55. Breeze (by): SAIL.

57. Division symbols: OBELI. Plural of obelus.

62. HIIT unit: REP. HIIT =  High-Intensity Interval Training .

63. "The Idol" star Lily-Rose: DEPP. Daughter of Johnny Depp.  She looks more like her mom.

64. Scrooge outburst: BAH.

65. Word after door or lock: STEP.

66. Computer clickers: MICE. I'm experiencing big Blogger glitch at this moment. Suddenly I can't save or access the blog Drafts folder. (One hour later: TTP came to the rescue. I can access the Drafts now,  but picture embed remains a problem. Sigh. Blogger!)

67. Treasure __: CHEST.

69. Give guidance: EDIFY.

71. Slanted: ATILT.

73. Co. founders, often: CEOS.

74. Level in a loyalty program: TIER.

77. Easter preceder?: NOR. Nor'easter.

78. Upper arm muscles, briefly: TRIS.

79. Football stat: ATT.

86. "The Cloister and the Hearth" author: READE. Charles Reade.

88. Learned: WISE.

89. Handle with __: CARE.

90. "Ciao!": LATER.

91. Avenue next to Reading Railroad: ORIENTAL.

93. __ date: DUE.

95. Tennis great with a namesake stadium: ASHE.

97. Kid's cry: MAA.

101. Raiding org.: ATF. And 102. Screening org.: TSA.

103. Equals: ARE.

104. Robe securer: SASH.

105. Unit of speed that's approximately 1.15 mph: KNOT.

106. Latte server: COFFEE BAR.

111. Gingerbread __: MAN.

113. Thought: IDEA.

115. One side of a sports bet: OVER.

122. Rose bowl?: VASE. Sweet clue.

123. SEC athlete in orange and blue: GATOR. Florida Gators. 

124. Garish: LOUD.

125. How to play without knowing the score?: BY EAR.

126. "Above all __ ... ": ELSE.

127. Uses a touchscreen: TAPS.

128. Squeezed (by): EKED.

129. Barracks VIP: SARGE.

Down:

1. "Mamma Mia!" duet for Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep: SOS.

2. Stock market debut letters: IPO.

3. Talk about the good old days: REMINISCE. Carmen came here a few weeks ago and bought some delicious snacks. I used to live here. Very old part of Guangzhou.

4. Assemble, as a Lego tower: ERECT.

5. Necklace clasp spot: NAPE.

6. "The Last of Us" network: HBO.

7. Catering dispenser: URN.

8. Cinco de Mayo celebration: FIESTA.

9. Chop down: FELL.

10. State animal of Utah: ELK.

11. Tried a nutrition program: DIETED.

12. Spinning toy on a string: YO-YO.

13. Frosty's makeup: SNOW. Snow on our yard when I woke up this morning, but all gone now.

14. Slow-cooked beef piece: SHORT RIB.

15. Bamako's country: MALI.

16. Push (to): URGE.

17. Climber's backpack filler: GEAR.

21. Apollo or Ra: SUN GOD. RA is the Egyptian sun god.

24. Temporary tattoo medium: HENNA.

25. Raging: IRATE.

30. Second wedding anniversary material: COTTON.

31. Cookie leftover: CRUMB. Carmen bought these. Almond cookies on the upper left.

32. Loathe: ABHOR. Sad to get a text from my sweet neighbor Valerie that she's planning to move to Fridley. This scared both of us. This is where we live.

34. Seeks attention, maybe: ACTS UP.

35. Linen closet item: SHEET.

37. Straight to the point: TERSE.

40. Urban transport options: E-BIKES.

41. "Could be better": NOT BAD.

42. Inflict (upon): FOIST.

43. Skateboard stunt: OLLIE.

44. Chef Lagasse: EMERIL. "Kick it up a notch!"

45. Highlight, as text: SELECT.

46. Absolute rubbish: TRIPE.

52. Underworld king: HADES.

54. Julia of "Leave the World Behind": ROBERTS.

56. Mesopotamian civilization: ASSYRIA.

59. Go for: OPT TO.

60. Stand out: SHINE.

61. Moving image?: OP-ART.

66. Baryshnikov nickname: MISHA.

67. Latin for "the rest": CETERA. Et.

68. Balloon filler: HOT AIR.

70. Push and pull, in physics: FORCES.

72. Mr. and Mrs.: TITLES.

73. Ingredient in some vegan brownies: CAROB. I've never had brownies.

75. Hawkeye: IOWAN.

76. Novelist Zola: EMILE.

78. Ph.D. requirement: THESIS.

80. Fitness instructor Austin: DENISE.

81. Jon of "Napoleon Dynamite": HEDER.

82. Persona non __: GRATA.

83. Head of servers?: IT MANAGER. IT service. 

84. "Crackerjack!": NEATO.

85. Obtain illegally: GRAFT.

87. Ideal way to graduate: DEBT-FREE.

92. Asian snack steeped in spices: TEA EGG. Five-spice powder. Lesley loved these. 

94. "I'm here to help": USE ME.

96. Pronoun duo: HE/HIM.

99. Sonic waiter: CARHOP.

100. Could be better: ISN'T OK. Do dislike this new Blogger format. 

105. Tanzania neighbor: KENYA.

106. Sheltered inlet: COVE.

107. Shape of a powerful office: OVAL.

108. Admit, with "up": FESS.

109. Full house, in poker slang: BOAT.

110. Flour for some flatbread: ATTA.

112. Toll unit: AXLE.

114. "That one's mine!": DIBS.

117. Triage ctrs.: ERS.

118. Québec street: RUE.

119. Contribute (to): ADD.

120. Streaming annoyance: LAG.

121. Before, once: ERE.

C.C.