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

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Showing posts with label Paul Coulter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Coulter. Show all posts

Nov 19, 2017

Sunday, Nov 19, 2017 Paul Coulter

Theme: "Twists and Turns" - Two words in each common phrase change place, in all but one where one word is replaced by its homophone.
 
1A: With 22- and 126-Across, saying about the difficulty of dieting? : A WAIST

22A. See 1-Across : IS A TERRIBLE THING. And 126A. See 1-Across : TO MIND. A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

36A: Proverb about creeps getting their just deserts? : TIME WOUNDS ALL HEELS. Time heals all wounds.

69A: Handles every objection? : ANSWERS ALL THE NOES. Knows all the answers.

96A. Fed up with a corporate VIP? : BORED OF THE CHAIRMAN. Chairman of the board.

114A. Spars during dance music? : PUNCHES TO THE BEAT. Beat to the punches. Isn't the saying "beat to the punch"?

The last one has no homophone change, turned, but not twisted.

I don't think I've seen a theme entry broken into three symmetrical parts. Very creative. Otherwise, we would have lost a 30-letter fun themer.

Across:  

7. 1956 hot spot : SUEZ. Suez Canal Crisis. We also have 86. '60s hot spot : NAM

11. Healthful getaway : SPA

14. Lodge : STOW

18. Social classes : CASTES. Caste system still exists in India.

19. Trick joint? : KNEE

20. Consequently : THEN

21. Big name in spydom : HARI (Mata)

25. Part of Kurdistan is in it : IRAN

26. Code word : DAH. DIT too.

27. Bluesman Redding : OTIS

28. Nada, across the Pyrenees : RIEN. "De rien".
 
29. Grocery section : AISLE

30. Mrs. Addams, to Gomez : TISH

33. Deck (out) : TOG

34. Like the most popular beaches : SANDIEST. When was the first time you saw the ocean?
 
42. World Heritage Site org. : UNESCO

45. Surgeon's patient? : TREE. Tree surgeon.

46. __ Aviv : TEL

47. Difficult position : SPOT. In a spot.

48. Middle X or O : TAC

49. "Things Fall Apart" novelist Chinua __ : ACHEBE


52. Crisis of the middle ages? : SAG. Ha ha.

54. Flour may be made with it : SOY. I eat tons of soy products. Never tried flour though.

55. "__, Sing America": Langston Hughes poem : I TOO

57. Prynne's stigma : RED A. "The Scarlet Letter"

58. Street fleet : CABS. Not CARS.

61. Irregularly notched : EROSE. Like these leaves.


63. Tidal extreme : LOW WATER

66. Calf-roping loop : NOOSE

68. Cartoon genre : ANIME

72. __-Roman wrestling : GRECO

73. Like cornstalks : EARED


74. Cadillac SUV : ESCALADE
 
77. Mercury astronaut Cooper, to friends : GORDO. Learning moment for me.




78. Website for techies : CNET

79. Big celebration : FEST

81. More than tickle : SLAY. Our Peg! We also have 93. Tickled : AMUSED

82. Troy, N.Y., tech school : RPI.  Our Spitzboov & Irish Miss!

83. Lao Tzu's "way" : TAO. Lao Tzu spoke Mandarin, so he would have used DAO.


85. You don't have to face the music to do it : LISTEN. Thought the answer would be a noun.


87. Cremona crowd? : TRE. Three.

88. Lined up, with "in" : A ROW

90. IV league? : RNs. Cute.

92. Democratic donkey designer : NAST (Thomas)
 
101. Comic book artist's supply : INDIA INK. Ink was invented in China. Paper too.

102. __ Friday's : TGI

103. Winter cord : WOOD

106. Plant life : FLORA

109. "__ Nacht": German parting : GUTE

110. Vintner's prefix : OENO

111. Lingerie item : BRA

113. Noble title : LORD

119. Biblical brother : ABEL. Also the given name of The Weekend.


120. Principal : ARCH

121. Whaler's direction : THAR

122. Home to Napoli : ITALIA

123. Like a yenta : NOSY

124. "Not impressed" : MEH

125. __-Coburg: former German duchy : SAXE
 
Down:
  
1. Vinegary : ACID. Any of you tried sherry vinegar?

2. Attended : WAS AT

3. Japanese beer brand : ASAHI

4. Shades-wearing TV cousin : ITT

5. "Didn't I tell you?" : SEE

6. Original Dungeons & Dragons co. : TSR. It stands for Tactical Studies Rules.

7. Trail access aid : SKI TOW

8. Tolerant : UNBIGOTED. I only know BIGOTED.

9. Fish that can swim backwards : EELS

10. What's at the heart of every calzone? : ZEE. Just the middle letter.


11. Reacted skittishly to : SHIED AT

12. Broke : PENNILESS

13. "The Ice Storm" director Lee : ANG

14. Islamic worshippers : SHIITES. I spell it as "worshipers". You?


15. Experienced crew : TARS

16. __ agreement : ORAL

17. Press release? : WINE. Nailed it.

20. Dilutes : THINS

23. Mechanically, after "by" : ROTE

24. Business : TRADE

29. Hearth residue : ASH

31. Google Maps lines: Abbr. : STs

32. Kool-Aid alternative : HI-C


34. Bygone blade : SNEE

35. "Enchanted" girl in a 2004 film : ELLA. The film title is "Ella Enchanted".

37. Bygone bird : MOA

38. Graffiti and such : URBAN ART

39. Hydrated magnesium sulfate : EPSOM SALTS. For hot baths.

40. Baggy : LOOSE

41. Eye affliction : STYE. Also 76. Checked out : EYED. Any of you wear Acuvue Oasys? I had two abrasions on my right eye. Been having antibiotic drops. Need to see the doctor again next week.

42. Payment made each mo. : UTIL

43. Gp. joined by Montenegro in 2017 : NATO

44. Environmental activist : ECO-WARRIOR

50. Canadian tribe : CREE

51. German gentlemen : HERREN. Plural of HERR.

53. Italy's largest port : GENOA

56. Had : OWNED

58. Ultra-aloof type : COLD FISH

59. Nova Scotia hrs. : AST

60. Strong request : BEHEST

62. Cambodian currency : RIELS. Like Chinese, their language do not have plural form.

64. English race place : ASCOT

65. Small partnership : TWO

67. "Bravo!" : OLE

68. RSA ruling party : ANC. African National Congress

70. Ed.'s request : SAE

71. Ferrara family name : ESTE. Often clued as [Noble Italian family].

72. Start playing for money : GO PRO. Tiny clue dupe with 80. Going rate? : ESTATE TAX
 
75. Challenge : DARE

77. Screen __ : GRAB. Not SHOT.


78. Assemble, as a computer system : CONFIGURE

84. J.Lo's main squeeze : A-ROD.  Beautiful couple.


85. Deficiency : LACK
 
89. In a strange way : WEIRDLY

91. Firm in principle : STAUNCH. Consonant-rich.

92. "Buffalo Stance" singer Cherry : NENEH. Another learning moment for me.


94. Big mouth : MAW

95. A, in Acapulco : UNO

97. Paternity suit evidence : DNA

98. Thumb : HITCH

99. Brush aside : IGNORE

100. Very funny one : RIOT

104. Dagger-shaped editing marks : OBELI. Plural of Obelus. No dagger here.


105. Exhaust : DRAIN

106. Custard concoction : FLAN. Amazed that pie crusts were nowhere to be found yesterday at Cub Foods. Did get rutabaga though. We only eat rutabaga once a year, thankfully.


107. Western wolf : LOBO

108. Mining haul : ORES

110. Dept. of Labor arm : OSHA

112. Hardly more than not at all : A TAD

114. Nonstick cooking spray : PAM

115. UFO crew, so it's said : ETs

116. Big success : HIT

117. WWII command : ETO (European Theater of Operations, 1942-1945)

118. Emeril catchword : BAM



Lemonade spent three weeks in Thailand with his wife Oo. Look at these two amazing pictures. He said "It was good to be king".



Oct 8, 2017

Sunday October 8, 2017 Paul Coulter

 Theme: "Top This!" - Seven food items and their toppers are stacked.

18. Know one's __: master a subject : ONIONS

22. It's not a teeny wienie : FOOTLONG HOTDOG

24. Gusto : RELISH

27. Cookout favorite : HAMBURGER

43. Lively Cuban dance : SALSA

50. Crunchy snack choice : TORTILLA CHIP
 
60. Big __ : CHEESE

66. Trattoria selection : SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS. Grid spanner is not easy to maneuver for a 21*21 grid.

 
81. Green shade : LIME

86. Beef on the patio : GRILLED STEAK
 
99. "Drab" color : OLIVE

109. Dorm breakfast, maybe : COLD PIZZA
  
112. Nabisco noshes : OREOS

116. Dessert with syrup : ICE  CREAM SUNDAE - Dessert is saved as the last themer. How fitting.

Six of the toppers are clued as non-food related. OREOS is an exception. There are just no other ways to clue OREOS.

This type of stacked theme is notoriously hard to pull it off cleanly. Hence Paul's extra four black squares in this grid.
 
Across:
      
1. Seabird related to the booby : GANNET. Wiki says "Gannet" is derived from Old English ganot "strong or masculine". It does look very strong.


7. Bold & Crispy Fries maker : ORE-IDA. We also have a few other food items: 58. Hero : SUB. 102. Deli bread : RYE. 103. Saigon soup : PHO.  19. "The one who makes it, takes it" breakfast brand : EGGO.  78. Juicy fruit : PEAR. 111. Pasta choice : ZITI
  
13. Rural "reckon" : S'POSE

19. It's intoxicating : ETHANOL

20. Willow twigs : OSIERS. Our old friend.

25. Place to put down stakes?: Abbr. : OTB. Nice clue as well.

26. Learned ones : SAGES

29. Marsh growths : REEDS

32. For, to Fernando : POR

33. Org. that does searches : TSA

35. "The Kiss" sculptor : RODIN

36. Seine feeder : OISE. EURE as well.

38. Chain that sells Grand Slam breakfasts : DENNY'S. Boomer would love this.

40. Masterpieces : GEMS

45. New Zealand native : MAORI

47. The Beatles' "__ Mine" : I ME

49. One-eighty : UIE Also 50. Eighty-six : TOSS

52. Confident solver's choice : PEN. Pen and Wite-Out here.


53. Gardner of mystery : ERLE. Gimme for regulars.

54. Major work : OPUS

55. "Et voilà!" : TA DA

56. Three-time NFL rushing yards leader Adrian : PETERSON. He was with the Vikings for a long time.


 59. Some sodas : RCs

65. "Big Blue" : IBM. Hi there, T!
 
73. Unagi or anago : EEL

74. Antenna housing : RADOME. Learning moment to me.


75. Parisian pronoun : ILS. They.

76. Federation in OPEC : UAE

77. Please : APPEAL TO

83. Magazine founder Eric : UTNE

84. Stink : REEK

85. "Exodus" hero : ARI

90. Canal locale : EAR

91. Seoul soldier : ROK. Republic of Korea. Chinese military force is called PLA (People's Liberation Army).

92. Closely packed : DENSE. Also 124. Bright circle? : MENSA. Those not in the "Bright circle" are in the less bright DENSA.

93. Rwandan people : TUTSI

94. Oil acronym : ARCO. Atlantic Richfield Company.

96. Some polytheists : PAGANS

98. "Coriolanus" setting : ROME
 
105. High-quality : PRIME

114. Reverse pic : NEG

115. Serious plays : DRAMAS
 
121. Take back to the lab : RE-TEST. I've relapsed in my quiet for more iron-rich food.
 
122. Stretched to the limit : TENSEST. Also  126. Least ingenuous : SLYEST. Most puzzles' bottom edges are S-rich.
 
123. Gets in shape : TRAINS
 
125. Worthy principles : IDEALS

 Down:

1. Enjoy : GO FOR

2. Make __ of: write down : A NOTE

3. Weeper of myth : NIOBE. She was turned into a stone.


4. Excluding : NOT

5. Blowup: Abbr. : ENL

6. Chinese menu possessive : TSO'S. Chicken does taste better when breaded and fried.

7. Catchall category : OTHER

8. P's on frat jackets : RHOs

9. Dig in, so to speak : EAT. Tiny clue dupes with 61. Ate : HAD

10. Lake Mich. state : IND

11. He played Scotty on "Star Trek" : DOOHAN. Forgot.


12. Pond growth : ALGA


13. TV's Hercules Kevin __ : SORBO.  I forgot his name also.


14. Pretentious sort : PSEUD

15. Offshore equipment : OIL RIG

16. Feudal lords : SEIGNEURS. New word to me.

17. Language that gave us "plaid" : ERSE
 
21. Nasdaq unit: Abbr. : SHR

23. Pickup place? : NAPE. Pet.

28. Hook's mate : MR. SMEE

30. Knuckleheads : DOLTS

31. Amigo's assent : SI SI

33. Garr of "Mr. Mom" : TERI

34. Impertinent sort : SNIP

37. Dispenser made obsolete by the shaker : SALT CELLAR. So many nice salts and salt shakers at Bed Bath & Beyond.

38. Cry from Homer : D'OH

39. Winner's cry : YIPPEE

41. Cat pal of Otis : MILO

42. Caught in the act : SEEN


43. Absorb : SOP UP

44. Its capital is Oranjestad : ARUBA

45. "Spy vs. Spy" magazine : MAD

46. Mimosa family tree : ACACIA


48. Eligible for : ENTITLED TO

51. At the back of the pack : LAST

53. Aunt with a "Cope Book" : ERMA

57. Drops off : EBBS

59. Seehorn of "Better Call Saul" : RHEA. Don't know her.




62. "Another Green World" musician : ENO

63. Oilers, on NHL scoreboards : EDM (Edmonton)

64. Seems suspicious : SMELLS

67. Nerd : GEEK

68. Horse-drawn vehicle : TROIKA

69. Parisian lover's word : AIME

70. Fretted instruments : LUTES

71. Hawaiian island : LANAI. Owned by Steve's boss Larry Ellison.

72. Hunt for : SEEK

77. Carpeting calculation : AREA

79. Brew, in a way : PERCOLATE

80. Saint-__: French Riviera resort : TROPEZ

82. Martinique, par exemple : ILE

83. Complete : UTTER

86. Aussie greeting : G'DAY

87. Mathematician Descartes : RENE

88. Election winners : INs

89. Water collection pit : SUMP

95. "No Country for __" : OLD MEN. Directed by the Coen Brothers.

97. Adorned : GRACED

98. One of nine Clue cards : ROOM

100. Bridge declaration : I PASS

101. Windows XP successor : VISTA

103. Cider maker : PRESS. Honeycrisp season. $1.99/lb at our local Cub Foods.

104. Recipe verb : HEAT

106. Many a Sundance film : INDIE

107. Stands for : MEANS

108. Discharge : EGEST

109. USN officer : CDR. Our Spitzboov retired as a Commander. Also 120. Stubborn sailor's response : NAY. 

110. City near Provo : OREM

112. Baseball's Hershiser : OREL


113. Retired fliers : SSTS

117. Charlotte-to-Raleigh dir. : ENE

118. Civil War letters : CSA

119. Modern address : URL


Here is a picture I grabbed from Misty's Facebook. It's from her 55th high school reunion. She's with her classmates Irene and Bonnie.

Left to Right: Misty, Irene & Bonnie
Happy birthday to dear Jayce, who's been with our blog for eight years. Jayce reads every blog post and comment carefully and his posts are always thoughtful and caring.

Jayce also speaks fluent Chinese, hence his unique way of understanding my quirks. Off the blog, he's a great friend. Always there to help me when I' need his advice on blood pressure, diet, or any problem I might encounter.


Jayce, June 2013, Santa Barbara

Aug 13, 2017

Sunday August 13, 2017 Paul Coulter

Theme: "Past Due"- One word in each common phrase is replaced by its past tense.

22A. Chant by lumberyard workers during a lockout? : LONG TIME NO SAW. Long time no see, which originated in Chinese, right?  好久不见 is literately "long time no see".

37A. Citi Field shortstop or second baseman? : MET IN THE MIDDLE. Meet in the middle.

53A. Timid FBI agent? : CHICKEN FED. Chicken feed.

67A. Bunch of cattle reading menus? : DROVE IN RESTAURANT. Drive-in restaurant.

83A. One evoking yawns on an Alaskan island? : KODIAK BORE. Kodiak bear.

97A. Help when it's time to give up? : LENT ASSISTANCE. Lend assistance.

119A. Provide with surfacing material, as a pool parlor? : GET THE FELT FOR. Get the feel for.

Of the seven theme entries, two changes happen in the front, three in the back, one is in the middle. A nice mix. Consistently putting the changes in front or back are quite daunting, as Paul's choices are rather limited. 

MET IN THE MIDDLE and LENT ASSISTANCE are a bit different, as they themselves are solid in the language phrases. 

So many sparkling long fill in the Down slots, Paul!

Across:       

1. Make out : NECK

5. Barley brew : ALE

8. Swedish cinematographer Nykvist : SVEN. Unfamiliar to me. Wiki says he was nominated for Academy Award for Best Cinematography for The Unbearable Lightness of Being.


12. Candy mogul Harry : REESE

17. Brazilian berry : ACAI. This Acai Bowl looks amazing. Trader Joe's now carries frozen acai puree packets.

18. Subject for a bar discussion : LAW

19. Pew's place : NAVE

20. Certain Ukrainian : ODESSAN

25. Brunch cocktails : MIMOSAs

26. Scene of sworn statements : ALTAR

27. Finish second : PLACE. Win. Place. Show. We also have 23. Horse race pace : TROT

28. Gothic architecture feature : GABLE

30. You can dig it : ORE

31. Chop off : LOP

33. "Be __": "Help me out here" : A PAL

34. Like real estate moguls : ACRED. Not a word I use.

35. Hit hard : SMITE. Not a word I use.

43. WWII org. that froze food costs : OPA. Googled afterwards: Office of Price Administration.

44. Ring spot, maybe : TUB. Nice clue.

46. Old Nair competitor : NEET

47. "Manhattan" Oscar nominee Hemingway : MARIEL

48. Hound : NAG

49. Anti: Abbr. : OPP. Followed by 50. Adversaries : FOES

52. Advisories : ALERTS

56. Beverage with a lizard logo : SoBe. Short for South Beach

60. Moore of "G.I. Jane" : DEMI

61. Pen : ENCAGE

62. Oft-quoted auth.? : ANON

64. Fall lead-in : PRAT

66. Canadian capital? : CEE. Canadian.

72. Lith., once : SSR

74. To be, in Tours : ETRE

75. It may be raised at a party : CAIN. Raise Cain. I was thinking of toast.

76. Accustomed (to) : INURED

79. Jack of "Rio Lobo" : ELAM. He's a gimme to me now.

81. Narcissus' love : SELF. Ah, not ECHO.

85. Chinese temple : PAGODA. This Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is very close to our home. It was built in 652 to to store the Buddhist scriptures.



88. Bring down : RUIN

90. Flue residue : ASH

91. Church kitchen server : URN

92. Hunk : ADONIS

93. British submachine gun : STEN. We saw this entry a lot in the old Wayne R. Williams days.

95. ER personnel : RNs

96. Crib sheet user : TOT. Cute clue.

101. Hidden : INNER

104. Sarducci in early "SNL" skits : GUIDO

105. Pastoral plaints : BAAs

106. Iowa campus : COE. Coe College.

107. Entrepreneur's deg. : MBA

110. Like Cheerios : OATEN. I like overnight oats. Just can't get into Cheerios.

111. Pays to play : ANTES

113. "Transcendental" Liszt piece : ETUDE

117. Place with care : ARRANGE

122. Fountain treats : SUNDAES. What's your favorite dessert?

123. Sheltered at sea : ALEE

124. Baseball rally killers, briefly : DPS (Double Plays)

125. Hang loosely : LOLL

126. Counter seat : STOOL

127. Lays down the lawn : SODS. Also 95. Tends to a lawn's bare spot : RESEEDS

128. '60s radical gp. : SDS. Students for a Democratic Society.

129. Direction in Durango : ESTE

Down:

1. "The Lion King" lion : NALA

2. Earth Day subj. : ECOL

3. Prominent angle : CANT. Can you give me an example?

4. Capital of Rwanda : KIGALI. Got via crosses.

5. Ring master? : ALI. Great clue as well.

6. Spot for a bulb : LAMP

7. Young female sheep : EWE LAMB

8. Vehicle with caterpillar treads : SNO-CAT. I did not know there's a term for those continuous treads.

9. Healing aid patented in 1872 : VASELINE. Great fill.

10. Actress Mendes : EVA

11. Historic London prison : NEWGATE. Wiki says "The gate/prison was rebuilt in the 12th century, and demolished in 1904. The prison was extended and rebuilt many times, and remained in use for over 700 years, from 1188 to 1902."

12. Like some summer school classes : REMEDIAL

13. Spaniard's "that" : ESO

14. "Happy Motoring" company : ESSO

15. Moselle tributary : SAAR. Not ORNE.

16. Bay State motto opener : ENSE. This will appear again. You just need to remember it.

20. Old card game named for the Spanish for "man" : OMBRE. Helpful clue.

21. Fix : DILEMMA. Noun "Fix".

24. Where small animals may be picked up : NAPE

29. Eight, in Essen : ACHT

32. Bugbear : PET PEEVE. Another great fill.

35. Hall of Fame pitcher Warren : SPAHN. This is the original Hartland statue. He was with Milwaukee Braves then. We have a copy made in the 1980s I think.


36. Puff, notably : MAGIC DRAGON. Puff is the only Magic Dragon I know. Chinese are often called "Descendants of the Dragon". You'll see dragon dance in Chinese Spring Festival. "Hoping one's son will become a dragon" is an idiomatic saying, meaning you hope your son succeed.


38. Capone nemesis : NESS

39. 1856 Stowe novel : DRED

40. Beeline : DIRECT ROUTE

41. "I can help" : LET ME

42. Dinsmore of kid lit : ELSIE. Learning moment for me.



43. First word of "The Raven" : ONCE

45. "Buffy" airer after The WB : UPN

49. Rock band known for quirky, viral videos : OK GO. Unfamiliar with the band.

50. Aromatic herb : FENNEL

51. Carbon monoxide's lack : ODOR

54. Wheels : CAR

55. Laissez-__ : FAIRE

57. Alternative : OPTION

58. Stigmatize : BRAND. Oh, I learned a new word from my eye doctor the other day: Astigmatism.

59. Evian, e.g. : EAU

63. Japanese computer giant : NEC

65. Period of the first dinosaurs : TRIASSIC. New word to me also.

68. Sci-fi staples : ETs,. Also 114. Roswell sightings : UFOS

69. Storytelling pseudonym : SAKI. I sure need "H.H. Munro" in the clue.

70. Pharaoh's symbol : ANKH. Chinese emperor's symbol is dragon. All emperors wore dragon ropes.


71. Essence : NUB

72. Flower part : SEPAL

73. English glam rockers since the '70s : SLADE

77. Diamond flaw : ERROR. Baseball.

78. Bad impression? : DENT

80. Alpes sight : MONT

82. Guitar line : FRET

84. "At Seventeen" singer Janis : IAN

86. Slash : DIAGONAL

87. Soften : ASSUAGE

89. With sustained force : UNABATED

93. Pro or con : SIDE

94. 1992 presidential also-ran Paul : TSONGAS. No idea. He lost to Clinton. 


98. Positions : SITES

99. 1598 edict city : NANTES. Edict of Nantes. I learned from doing crosswords.

100. Like the Pope: Abbr. : CATH (Catholic).

102. Carol : NOEL

103. Irritate : NETTLE

107. Come together : MASS. I did not know MASS can be a verb.

108. Champagne designation : BRUT

109. New Yorker cartoonist Peter : ARNO

112. Bay Area cop gp. : SFPD

115. Chowderhead : DOLT
 
116. Agatha contemporary : ERLE

118. Big deal : ADO

120. "Eldorado" rock gp. : ELO

121. Double curve : ESS



Happy Birthday to dear Chickie (Leah), who joined our blog in 2008. So happy to see her stay busy and active.
Chickie & Bill
Happy Birthday to Spitzboov's sweet wife Betty as well! They've been married for 52 years. Does Betty solve crosswords, Al?


Jun 2, 2017

Friday, June 2, 2017, Paul Coulter

Title: It's all backasswards!

4 in the language two-word phrases have the words reversed and are then re-clued to match the new phrase. This is the third Friday from Paul this year and each have featured a a combination of two words. It is also the first time HG did not blog one of these in my stead but I have enjoyed all of them. Thank you HG, and I return with lots of short fill that is not easy. There are some nice 7 and longer fill such as BEAN BAG,  FOX NEWS,  ALSO RAN,  IDEA MEN,  LIGATES,  ELUSIVE, KLEENEX,  CABINET,  ELASTIN,  OGREISH but some of the shorter fill are very challenging. MOAS, KIRS, MILOS, SPRIT and GIGUE - I look forward to the crowd response.

19A. *Idle : NOTHING DOING (12). Doing Nothing is what makes one idle.

27A. *Athlete's time-out on a hot day : BREAK WATER (10). A Water Break feels good these days here in sunny South Florida.

34A. *Maestro's signals : BEATS DOWN (9). Down Beat is the downward stroke of a conductor's arm or baton indicating the first or accented beat of a measure. Various.

44A. *Returned : BACK HANDED (10). Handed Back is how you return things.

The reveal:

51A. "Nice" expression ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues : TURN OF PHRASE (12).
I do love a reveal that brings what seems like a meaningless bunch of fill together in a sensible fashion.

Across:

1. Prickly case : BUR. I learned this word from the old westerns on TV where the bad guy would put a BUR under the saddle of the good guy.

4. Retired flier : SST.

7. Wombat relatives : KOALAS. Not sure why but I knew this.

13. Pittsburgh-to-Scranton dir. : ENE.

14. School gp. : PTAParent  Teacher Association.

15. "Hannity" airer : FOX NEWS.

16. Loser : ALSO RAN.

18. Thoughtful guys? : IDEA MEN. Mad Men?

21. Crow : BOAST.

22. Protein producer : RNA.

23. "Eldorado" rockers : ELOElectric Light Orchestra.

26. Communiqué segue : AS TO.

31. "Holy cow" : GEE.

32. Extinct New Zealanders : MOAS. The fooled me for a while making me think of people not the BIRDS.

33. Court call : ORDER.

37. "Amadeus" director Forman : MILOS. An amazing man who directed 8 different actors who were nominated for best actor, three won.  BIO.

40. Sushi kitchen supply : EELS.

41. Albanian coin : LEK. I think I have a few in my pocket.

47. See 20-Down : KILL. 20D. With 47-Across, in a drop-dead gorgeous outfit : DRESSED TO. DRESSED TO KILL.

48. "Go on ... " : AND.

49. In shape : FIT.

50. Lively French dance : GIGUE. I am part French but did not know this DANCE.
.
55. Group that's mostly secretaries : CABINET. The best clue of the puzzle.

58. Protein that allows skin to stretch or contract : ELASTIN. If you know elastic....

59. Monstrous : OGREISH.

60. Get into : DON.

61. Time to prepare : EVE.

62. Scarcity : DEARTH. Nice $5.00 word.

63. Marienbad, for one : SPA. I think only Tinman knew this RESORT.

64. Census datum : SEX.

Down:

1. Dorm room seat : BEAN BAG. We all had them, mine was red vinyl.

2. Let free : UNLOOSE.

3. Put another way : RESTATE.

4. Nautical pole : SPRIT. (nautical) a light spar pivoted at the mast and crossing a fore-and-aft quadrilateral sail diagonally to the peak.

5. "South Park" boy : STAN.

6. Pungency : TANG.

7. Big bear : KODIAK.

8. Big bovines : OXEN. Back again.

9. Course for Crusoe?: Abbr. : ANAGram.

10. The Eagle, briefly : LEM(onade?) Nope, Lunar Excursion Module.

11. Amazement : AWE.

12. 81-yr.-old ID : SSNSocial Security Number.

15. Musical Apple : FIONA.

17. Quite : OH SO.

23. LAX posting : ETD. ETA ETD, flip a coin or wait.

24. "Malcolm X" director : LEE. Spike.

25. "Catch-22" pilot : ORR. A very good read.

27. Fluffy accessory : BOA.

28. Double-crosser : RAT. The best...WATCH

29. Blows away : WOWS.

30. Prince Valiant's son : ARN. A puzzle favorite for many years and last week.

32. Dovetail : MESH.

34. __ choy : BOK.   Bok choy or pak choi is a type of Chinese cabbage. Chinensis varieties do not form heads and have smooth, dark green leaf blades instead, forming a cluster reminiscent of mustard greens or celery

35. Sandra who was the first to play "Gidget" : DEE.
36. Dated : OLD. Some date young.

37. CEO's degree : MBA.

38. McKellen of "X-Men" : IAN. And Harry Potter , the Hobbit, and Beauty and  they Beast and more.

39. TV screen type : LCD.

41. Ties surgically : LIGATES. The root word for ligature.

42. Hard to pin down : ELUSIVE.

43. Soft tissue : KLEENEX.

45. From the top : AFRESH. An A word.

46. Beethoven's __ : NINTH.

47. White wine apéritifs : KIRS. This is a drink made from dry white wine and crème de cassis.

50. Ivory Coast neighbor : GHANA.

51. Bleacher feature : TIER.

52. Ton, for one : UNIT.

53. Govt. enforcers : FEDS.

54. Fall, as into a chair : PLOP.

55. Whiting cousin : COD. The fish of fish and chips.

56. Sensitive subject, to some : AGE.

57. Source of support : BRA. Nice clue. And time to go.

I enjoyed this work out, but it has left me drained, so I bid you adieu. Lemonade out. Thanks Paul.

May 7, 2017

Sunday May 7, 2017 Paul Coulter

Theme: "French Connection" - Two words of the same meanings & same letter count are placed side by side. The first one is of French origin.

22A. Outcome : DENOUEMENT. Notice all the French-rooted words are English words.   J'AI FAIM & I'M HUNGRY won't work. Wrong letter count also.

24A. Outcome : RESOLUTION

38A. "Win some, lose some" : C'EST LA VIE

41A. "Win some, lose some" : THAT'S LIFE. Same clues too of course.
 
65A. Bare : AU NATUREL

68A. Bare : BUCK-NAKED
  
91A. "Confidentially ... " : ENTRE NOUS. Also the title of this popular book. The author is actually an American.
 
94A. "Confidentially ... " : BETWEEN US
 
110A. Fine dining aficionados : BON VIVANTS

113A. Fine dining aficionados : EPICUREANS. Our Steve is one. Does the new consulting gig mean you've left Oracle?

All the French words are placed in front. Very consistent.

The separate 10 theme entries work like grid-spanners, in a way. I don't believe Paul put those black square stair steps in the middle on purpose. Just the result of grid design restrictions.

Across:    

1. Starbucks serving : LATTE. Not MOCHA.

6. Pound foot? : IAMB. Ezra Pound.

10. Busy co. on Mother's Day : FTD. Our flea markets here officially kick off on Mother's Day. Some open today. Yay!

13. Put forward : POSED

18. Get too close to : CROWD

19. Françoise's friend : AMIE. 98. Coup target : ETAT. Stray French.

20. __ moment : AHA. Not IN A.

21. Capricious : FICKLE

26. It's a long story : SAGA

27. Advanced legal deg. : LLM. Master of Laws. Not LLD today. Also 44. Legal agreement : LEASE

28. Souvenirs with three holes in them : TEES. I was picturing a bowling ball. Pricey souvenir.

30. Is down with : HAS

31. Dr.'s order : MRI. Not EEG/MED


32. Keisters : CABOOSES

35. 640 acres: Abbr. : SQ MI. Drew a blank.

37. Hosea contemporary : AMOS. Biblical prophets. Also 52. Mount delivery : SERMON
 
45. Countryman of Gary Player : ERNIE ELS. George (Big Easy on our blog) has met Ernie Els a few times. Different format at Zurich Classic this year.

47. Training group : CADRE

50. One may be named for a president : ERA

51. Spread out : SPLAY
 
53. Onward in time : FORTH. Not AHEAD.

56. Often elided pronoun : YOU ALL

58. Grandpa Walton portrayer : GEER (Will). Used him in my own grid once.

60. Like Perot in the 1992 pres. election : IND (Independent)

61. The '70s, in a Tom Wolfe essay : ME DECADE

63. "When We Were Kings" subject : ALI

64. __ club : GLEE. Not GOLF.

70. Put __ appearance : IN AN. I had ON AN.

71. Org. with lanes : PBA.  Lisa, one of Boomer's bowling friends, had two perfect games in a row in February. Their Monday league has many top bowlers.

72. Elegantly, to Vivaldi : GRAZIOSO. New word to me. Sounds thankful.

74. Offense : SIN

75. Bell curve figure : MEAN. Got via crosses.

76. Like a quarter's edge : REEDED. Not a word I use.

77. Coagulates : CLOTS

81. Rifled : LOOTED

83. In the cards : FATED

84. Routine first baseman? : WHO. Who's on First?

85. Go after : ENSUE. TTP is chasing morels these days. Do you eat them fresh or do you dry them?

86. Mushers' transports : DOG SLEDS

89. "I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie" author : EBERT

96. Gospel singer Winans : CECE. Same pronunciation as my name, right?
 
99. The 3rd Avenue line was the last of them to operate in Manhattan : EL TRAINS. Drew a blank.

101. Beatle bride : ONO

102. Actress Garner, familiarly : JEN. Wish they were still together.

103. Fill past full : SATE

105. Singer DiFranco : ANI

106. Sorts : ILKS

 116. Senescence : OLD AGE. Senescence sounds old.

117. Even so : YET

118. Take-out order? : DELE. Gimme for regulars.

119. Snowy __ : EGRET

120. Holds up : LASTS

121. News letters : UPI

122. Cheek : SASS

123. Chinese toys, for short : PEKES. Toy dogs.

Down:

1. Some SLR displays : LCDs

2. Side squared, for a square : AREA

3. Chinese secret society : TONG. A bit obscure.

4. Feature of many Broadway musicals : TWO ACTS

5. Email ending : EDU

6. 1975 Jackson 5 hit : I AM LOVE. The answer filled in itself.

7. Autobiographical subtitle : A MEMOIR

8. Time div. : MIN

9. Actress Davis : BETTE

10. Make out : FARE

11. Site of Mount Olympus : THESSALY. Somewhere here.


12. "__ Kapital" : DAS

13. Name of 12 popes : PIUS

14. Fall mo. : OCT

15. Whole alternative, in Nottingham : SKIMMED MILK. Skimmed makes better sense.

16. Ecuadoran province once famous for its gold : EL ORO

17. Patron saint of France : DENIS. Sometimes it's DENYS.

21. Swing wildly : FLAIL

23. Island near Corsica : ELBA. BunnyM is going to her little island in the Mexican Caribbean next week. They go there every year to celebrate their wedding anniversary, I think.

25. Resistance units : OHMs

29. Co-star of Bea, Betty and Rue : ESTELLE. "The Golden Girls"

33. Amber __ : ALE

34. Erotic : SENSUAL

36. Parts of gals. : QTs

37. A long way off : AFAR

38. Pitch indicator : CLEF. Musical pitch!

39. Architect Saarinen : EERO

40. Coal-rich German region : SAAR

42. Get better : HEAL. Positive thoughts to our Lemonade and a few others. Hope all's good, Spitzboov!


43. Champagne bucket, e.g. : ICER

46. Apple variety : iPAD

48. Actress Blakley : RONEE. Forgot. We had  her a while ago.

49. Cut off : ENDED

52. Watch word? : SEIKO. Tricky clue. Plus, so many five-letter watch brands.

54. Fed after tax evaders : T-MAN

55. Worked (up) : HET

56. __ Buena, town that became San Francisco : YERBA

57. Continental divide? : OCEAN. Great clue.

58. Surgical dressing : GAUZE

59. Castilian hero : EL CID

62. Had : DUPED

64. Canterbury pen : GAOL. Jail.

65. Bridal path : AISLE. Side by side with 66. Wedding : UNION

67. They go by in a flash : NANOSECONDS. Another great clue/fill combo.

68. Banker's bane : BAD DEBT

69. Pres. advisory team : NSC

72. Prepares : GETS SET

73. It holds the line : REEL

75. Face : MEET

76. Popular pasta topping : RAGU. Staple in our household.

78. Actor Wilson : OWEN

79. By way of, briefly : THRU

80. Tipplers : SOTS

82. Air : TUNE

83. One may echo in an alley : FOOTSTEP. The image reminds me of the frequent plot device in Chinese movies about 1940's.



86. Chain letters? : DNA. Fun clue also.


87. Obstructs the progress of : DERAILS

88. Batting positions : STANCES

89. Poetic dusk : E'EN. Evening.

90. Surround : BESIEGE

92. Superman player : REEVE

93. It towers over Taormina : ETNA. Not familial with Taormina. I do know 104. Italian wine center : ASTI



95. 2012 Nintendo debut : WII U

96. Early computer language : COBOL

97. __ Gay: WWII bomber : ENOLA

100. West Yorkshire city : LEEDS

102. Sprightly dances : JIGS

107. Frolic : LARK

108. Cap site : KNEE. Kneecap.


109. Retired fliers : SSTs

111. Winery sight : VAT

112. Manhattan sch. : NYU

114. Patch grower : PEA. No peas in our small garden. I do love sugar peas.

115. Gym unit : REP