S U N D A Y November 7, 2010 Verge (syndicated)

Theme: "Placing Changes" — Two-word phrases with the pattern [word]ing [word] switch the words around. Wackiness ensues.

[Note: This is the syndicated L.A. Times puzzle. It does not appear in the actual newspaper, but is available for free at cruciverb.com.]


Theme answers:

• 23A: Discussion about which way to go? (HEADING TALK).
• 33A: Sunbeam, e.g.? (IRONING BRAND).
• 39A: Defensive karate move? (BLOCKING CHOP).
• 56A: Identical gift container? (MATCHING BOX).
• 64A: Bird dog's rest? (POINTING BREAK).
• 78A: Cause of a power tool failure? (BUSHING BURN).
• 90A: Ornithologists' bird-tagging outing? (BANDING MARCH).
• 97A: Stage players taking a nap? (COUCHING CAST).
• 114A: Music to pitch hay by? (FORKING TUNE).

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 26A: Galway Bay site (EIRE).
• 28A: City accessible by ferry from Marseilles (ORAN).
• 37A: Turkish leader (AGHA).
• 60A: Hair removal product (NEET).
• 72A: Some Spanish medals (OROS).
• 83A: Gardner of fiction (ERLE).
• 113A: "Dies __" (IRAE).
• 118A: Skyward, in Hebrew (EL AL).
• 120A: Mars, to the Greeks (ARES).
• 41D: Graceful molding (OGEE).
• 64D: Taro dish (POI).
• 76D: Type of pear (BOSC).
• 106D: "The dele is off" notations (STETS).

Everything Else — 1A: Mercedes line (E CLASS); 7A: Go 12-Down (SNAP); 11A: Turns seaward (EBBS); 15A: Traffic (CARS); 19A: Jams (TIE-UPS); 20A: Wooden team, once (UCLA); 21A: Skin (PARE); 22A: It's a sign (OMEN); 25A: Part of a shutter (SLAT); 27A: Senator Hatch (ORRIN); 29A: Many virtuoso performances (SOLI); 30A: Prophet (AUGUR); 31A: Asian parting (SAYONARA); 36A: Microbrew, maybe (ALE); 38A: __' Pea (SWEE); 44A: Actress Bankhead (TALLULAH); 49A: Movement in some Bach suites (GIGUE); 50A: Pickled (LIT); 51A: Family nickname (SIS); 52A: Supporting __ (ROLE); 53A: Judge's decision (OVERRULED); 61A: "The World Factbook" publisher (CIA); 62A: Spewed magma (LAVA); 63A: Afternoon rest (SIESTA); 68A: Pre-tied tie (CLIP-ON); 73A: Gardner on screen (AVA); 74A: Japanese noodle (SOBA); 81A: Had between meals (SNACKED ON); 84A: Pulldown beneficiary, for short (LAT); 85A: Pull someone's leg (KID); 86A: "Victory was not mine" ("I LOST"); 87A: Rouse again (REAWAKEN); 94A: Hit on the head (CONK); 95A: Ebro and Guadalquivir, por ejemplo (RIOS); 96A: More or less, e.g.: Abbr. (ADJ.); 102A: Most racers, after the race (ALSO-RANS); 107A: Bug (ANNOY); 108A: Old Plymouth (FURY); 109A: It's out on a limb (HAND); 111A: Bug (NAG AT); 112A: Installed, as brick (LAID); 116A: Dieter's catchword (LITE); 117A: Authenticated: Abbr. (CERT.); 119A: Split equally (BISECT); 121A: Stevenson villain (HYDE); 122A: Tony winner Neuwirth (BEBE); 123A: Flips the "Open" sign (CLOSES); 1D: Group cultural values (ETHOS); 2D: Cutlass model (CIERA); 3D: "Rescue Me" star Denis (LEARY); 4D: It may be muted (AUDIO); 5D: Sail for a downwind course (SPINNAKER); 6D: IRS ID (SSN); 7D: Hindu spiritual manual (SUTRA); 8D: Frozen Four org. (NCAA); 9D: Like most cramming (ALL-NIGHT); 10D: Bangladesh was once part of it: Abbr. (PAK.); 11D: Printer maker (EPSON); 12D: Wild (BALLISTIC); 13D: Indoctrinate (BRAINWASH); 14D: Place (SET); 15D: Affaire de __ (COEUR); 16D: Pablo's gal pal (AMIGA); 17D: Syndication staple (RERUN); 18D: Bergen dummy (SNERD); 24D: "Contract Bridge Complete" author (GOREN); 29D: Afternoon "opera" (SOAP); 30D: Cain's victim (ABEL); 32D: "The Louisville Lip" (ALI); 34D: Pi-sigma link (RHO); 35D: Toothpaste option (GEL); 37D: What lawn liming reduces (ACID); 39D: Weed __: lawn-care product (B GON); 40D: Unexploded (LIVE); 42D: Short (CURT); 43D: Gather little by little (GLEAN); 45D: Hankering (URGE); 46D: High court returns (LOBS); 47D: Very much (A LOT); 48D: Quadri- plus bi- (HEXA-); 51D: Desperation guess (STAB); 54D: The Huskies of the 8-Down's Big East (U. CONN.); 55D: XIII x IV (LII); 56D: Massenet opera (MANON); 57D: Hits-per-AB stats (AVGS.); 58D: Son of Sarah (ISAAC); 59D: Neat ending? (NIK); 62D: Commuter line with a Montauk Branch: Abbr. (LIRR); 65D: Promote in a big way (TOUT); 66D: "Amazing" magician (RANDI); 67D: Actress __ Longoria Parker (EVA); 68D: Handle holder (CBER); 69D: Imitation fish food (LURE); 70D: Land surrounded by agua (ISLA); 71D: "That was close!" ("PHEW!"); 74D: Ward of "CSI: NY" (SELA); 75D: Sensible emanation (ODOR); 77D: "Oxford Book of Eng. Verse," e.g. (ANTH.); 79D: Co-writer of many Eagles hits (GLENN FREY); 80D: Financial security of a kind (BANK GUARD); 81D: Caesar and others (SIDS); 82D: Asian leader with a degree from a university named for his father (KIM JONG-IL); 85D: Board vacancy? (KNOT HOLE); 88D: Sore (ACHY); 89D: Carp from Kyoto (KOI); 90D: Act like an ass (BRAY); 91D: "__ for Alibi": Grafton novel (A IS); 92D: Nita of silents (NALDI); 93D: Mdse. (GDS.); 97D: Lily variety (CALLA); 98D: Broadcasting (ON AIR); 99D: Confederate (UNITE); 100D: Programmers' output (CODES); 101D: Island WSW of Rhodes (CRETE); 102D: Leg-foot link (ANKLE); 103D: Dustin's '69 Oscar-nominated role (RATSO); 104D: Flu-like symptoms (AGUES); 105D: 1980s-'90s NBA forward Larry (NANCE); 110D: Many a Saudi (ARAB); 113D: German "I" (ICH); 114D: Time period that isn't always the same: Abbr. (FEB.); 115D: Peacock network (NBC).