SUNDAY, May 23, 2010 — Merl Reagle (calendar)

Theme: "Can(i)nes Film Festival, Part 2" — Dog/Movie Puns (Merl's Note: That other film festival (in France) ends today, but ours is still quite frisky. (Basset on.))

[Note: This is the puzzle that appears in the Sunday L.A. Times newspaper. If you don't get the paper, you can find the puzzle here. Scroll down to see today's syndicated puzzle.]


Theme answers:

• 23A: Blue-eyed dog star? (PAW NEWMAN).
• 25A: 1957 Tyrone Power film about a dog that's left behind? (ABANDON SHEP).
• 34A: Film about the happiest dog in the West? (WAGGIN' MASTER).
• 38A: Popular canine character that sheds a lot? (HAIRY POTTER).
• 52A: War film starring Snoopy as a flying ace? (WHERE BEAGLES DARE).
• 63A: Dogs' favorite actress? (DROOLIA ROBERTS).
• 75A: Film whose poster slogan is "Scratch me if you can"? (LORD OF THE FLEAS).
• 86A: Dogs' second favorite actress? (MARY LOUISE BARKER).
• 101A/104A: "Scariest movie ever," according to dogs? (ATTACK OF THE / GIANT LEASHES).
• 118A: "Scariest actor ever," according to dogs? (DAVID SPAYED).
• 122A: Where the festival is held? (COLLARADO).

Everything Else — 1A: Some hayride participants (GALS); 5A: Tot spot (CRIB); 9A: Remove a blockage from (UNCLOG); 15A: Michael Ondaatje novel, "___'s Ghost" (ANIL); 19A: "... is ___ forever" (A JOY); 20A: A Mrs. Chaplin (OONA); 21A: Holy city? (TOLEDO); 22A: Really teed off (SORE); 27A: Build (ERECT); 28A: Aid, in a way (ABET); 30A: QB's error: abbr. (INT.); 31A: River under the Pont Neuf (SEINE); 32A: Top Egyptian's first name (HOSNI); 42A: Tiffany of lamp fame (LOUIS); 43A: Undergo diffusion (OSMOSE); 44A: Chimp's cousin (ORANG); 47A: Takeoff time, approx. (ETD); 48A: Busy place (HUB); 51A: Ms. Merkel (UNA); 57A: Pola of the silents (NEGRI); 60A: Hectic hosp. areas (ERS); 61A: "Unhappily ..." ("ALAS…"); 62A: Cumming of "Spy Kids" (ALAN); 67A: "The Governator" (ARNOLD); 69A: Tabloid tidbits (DIRT); 70A: Highest: abbr. (ULT.); 71A: Booty (SWAG); 72A: Muffin alternatives (SCONES); 82A: Actress Sommer (ELKE); 83A: Enlist anew (REUP); 84A: Nasdaq debut, perh. (IPO); 85A: ___ Haute (TERRE); 92A: Palindromic writer (NIN); 93A: Rhoda's TV mom (IDA); 94A: Sphere (ORB); 95A: Sea birds (TERNS); 96A: Nuclear experiments, in headlines (A-TESTS); 99A: Bar none (OF ALL); 109A: Volume setting? (SHELF); 110A: Future seed (OVULE); 111A: Daisy or Fannie follower (MAE); 112A: John's lady (YOKO); 114A: New grandparent, often (DOTER); 124A: "Go right ___" (ON IN); 125A: How mud might move (OOZILY); 126A: Island shimmy (HULA); 127A: King Kong victim, briefly (1933) (T-REX); 128A: Antler feature (TINE); 129A: Repetitive buzzer? (TSE-TSE); 130A: Command to a dog (STAY); 131A: VAIO computer maker (SONY); 1D: Look amazed (GAPE); 2D: Partly open (AJAR); 3D: "The West Wing" co-star (LOWE); 4D: Prefix meaning "occurring together" (SYNCHRO-); 5D: Dairy sight (COW); 6D: Funny Ray (ROMANO); 7D: Shortly (IN A BIT); 8D: Bringer of ill (BANE); 9D: Acting teacher's first name (UTA); 10D: "___ deal" ("forget it") (NO BIG); 11D: Cable car sound (CLANG); 12D: Soup ingredient (LENTIL); 13D: Quirky (ODD); 14D: Hot tar, e.g. (GOO); 15D: Put a value on (ASSESS); 16D: Superbly pitched (NO-HIT); 17D: Cara or Castle (IRENE); 18D: Ben-Hur's mother becomes one (LEPER); 24D: Playthings bought online (ETOYS); 26D: Aspirin and ibuprofen, for example, in pharmacy parlance (NSAIDS); 29D: Quaint contraction ('TWERE); 33D: Gush (SPEW); 35D: Mecca resident (ARAB); 36D: Christmas carols (NOELS); 37D: Sound-killing button (MUTE); 38D: Dog in a Doyle tale (HOUND); 39D: Grant portrayer (ASNER); 40D: Insect stage (IMAGO); 41D: Upper body (TORSO); 45D: Close by (NEAR TO); 46D: Ayn Rand's John (GALT); 48D: Circle of light (HALO); 49D: Russia's ___ Mountains (URAL); 50D: Compromise (BEND); 53D: Peppery intensity (HEAT); 54D: Go wrong (ERR); 55D: Ford filler (GAS); 56D: Hang loosely (DANGLE); 58D: Chevy, Bill, and Ted's "Caddyshack" co-star (RODNEY); 59D: "Would ___?" (I LIE); 64D: Return-checking org. (IRS); 65D: Seed company (BURPEE); 66D: "Ragtime" author's initials (ELD); 67D: Veneration (AWE); 68D: Rapids transit (RAFT); 71D: Large family's home, in a rhyme (SHOE); 72D: Partly (SEMI); 73D: Attired (CLAD); 74D: Soup veggie (OKRA); 75D: 126 Across accessory (LEI); 76D: Unseat (OUST); 77D: "For starters ..." ("FIRST…"); 78D: Toll rte. (TPK.); 79D: He directed Greta in "Ninotchka" (ERNST); 80D: Grade school subj. (ARITH.); 81D: Impression (SENSE); 83D: Bit of change, in Russia (RUBLE); 87D: Hit high (LOFTED); 88D: ___ exam (ORAL); 89D: Highland hillside (BRAE); 90D: Restless (ANTSY); 91D: Lawn tool (RAKE); 97D: ___ fib (TOLD A); 98D: Exertions (EFFORTS); 99D: Seeing the sites? (ONLINE); 100D: Labor class? (LAMAZE); 102D: Invite to a movie, say (ASK OUT); 103D: Cactus garden option (CHOLLA); 104D: Literary no-show (GODOT); 105D: 14th century Russian prince (IVAN I); 106D: Coq ___ (AU VIN); 107D: "Don't hold back!" ("SAY IT!"); 108D: Cobbler's supply (HEELS); 113D: Folk singer Phil (OCHS); 115D: Tropical tuber (TARO); 116D: Paradise lost (EDEN); 117D: Classic theater name (ROXY); 119D: Barfly (SOT); 120D: Terminal abbr. (POS); 121D: Fuchsin, for one (DYE); 123D: Frito follower (-LAY).