Theme: "It's a Z-in" — The letter Z is added to familiar phrases.
[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:- 24A: A nation's sluggards? (THE LAZY OF THE LAND).
- 39A: Cheat Franz out of his change? (SHORT LISZT).
- 50A: Toured westernmost Cornwall? (DID PENZANCE).
- 71A: State of Israel? (ZIONOSPHERE).
- 82A: Obfuscating? (MAKING HAZY).
- 99A: Cold autocrat? (REFRIGERATOR CZAR).
- 3D: Houseplant refreshers? (WATER SPRITZES).
- 53D: Do a marathon in Egypt? (RUN AROUND SUEZ).
Everything Else — 1A: Rubberneck (GAWK); 5A: Adequate (PASSABLE); 13A: Seraglio section (ODA); 16A: ThinkPad co. (IBM); 19A: Olympic skater Lysacek (EVAN); 20A: Tallinn native (ESTONIAN); 21A: Pinch (NAB); 22A: Miss Piggy's pronoun (MOI); 23A: "I can't believe --- ..." (I ATE); 27A: Direct (STEER); 29A: Begrudges (ENVIES); 30A: Dally (LOLLYGAG); 31A: Apollo Theater locale (HARLEM); 33A: Sample (TEST); 34A: Meaningless amount (SOU); 35A: Sup (DINE); 36A: MGM motto opener (ARS); 37A: Mist (VAPOR); 42A: Mister (SPRAYER); 44A: Rose (STOOD); 46A: "Giant" ranch (REATA); 47A: Stallone screen persona (RAMBO); 48A: Stockpile (HOARD); 49A: James who was in "Misery" (CAAN); 52A: Louis XIV et al. (ROIS); 53A: Buff (RUB); 56A: "The First --- the Deepest" (CUT IS); 57A: Thus (ERGO); 58A: Piaf, for one (CHANTEUSE); 60A: Ricelike pasta (ORZO); 61A: Till bills (FIVES); 63A: Pony's paces (GAITS); 64A: No-see-um (GNAT); 65A: Media briefing spot (PRESS ROOM); 67A: Rhine city (BONN); 68A: Rugged rocks (CRAGS); 69A: Carrier to Copenhagen (SAS); 70A: Big name in Vegas (WYNN); 74A: Silk, in Alsace (SOIE); 75A: Manilow hit (MANDY); 76A: "You --- right!" (ARE SO); 77A: Lament (MOURN); 79A: Smooths wood (SANDS); 80A: B.C. ruler of great wealth (CROESUS); 84A: Apple drink (CIDER); 85A: Eggy drink (NOG); 87A: Rapper turned TV detective (ICE-T); 88A: Beehive State native (UTE); 89A: Smidgen (WHIT); 91A: Be a buttinsky (MEDDLE); 93A: Seminary study (THEOLOGY); 96A: Zhivago portrayer (SHARIF); 98A: Cellist's purchase (ROSIN); 102A: "Bro!" ("DUDE!"); 103A: DOJ division (ATF); 104A: Tide competitor (ALL); 105A: Most elementary (SIMPLEST); 106A: Will of "The Waltons" (GEER); 107A: Rocker Tommy (LEE); 108A: Marina del --- (REY); 109A: Birthday bounty (PRESENTS); 110A: Pound of poetry (EZRA); 1D: Osaka entertainer (GEISHA); 2D: Online chat icons (AVATARS); 4D: Prepare to be knighted (KNEEL); 5D: Favorite (PET); 6D: Tennis star Arthur (ASHE); 7D: Loud speaker (STENTOR); 8D: Puzzle enthusiast (SOLVER); 9D: Writer Nin (ANAÏS); 10D: "Carmen" composer (BIZET); 11D: Chip brand (LAYS); 12D: Roxy Music's Brian (ENO); 13D: Promoting a new release, say (ON TOUR); 14D: Writer Roald (DAHL); 15D: Genesis son (ABEL); 16D: Amy Lowell, for one (IMAGIST); 17D: Series about Ben and his boys (BONANZA); 18D: Auto-racing class (MIDGET); 25D: Inundate (FLOOD); 26D: From 80A's kingdom (LYDIAN); 28D: Overhauls (REVAMPS); 32D: "We'll see" (MAYBE); 34D: Sporting loafers (SHOD); 38D: Drudge (PEON); 39D: Ticked off (SORE); 40D: Gets in shape (TRAINS); 41D: Minimum (LEAST); 43D: Transmits (RADIOS); 44D: "Free Bird" and "Wild Horses" (SONGS); 45D: Tex-Mex menu item (TACO); 48D: Seraglio (HAREM); 49D: Layer of polish (COAT); 50D: Sorghum variety (DURRA); 51D: "Werewolves of London" singer (ZEVON); 52D: Warner Music label (RHINO); 54D: Custom (USAGE); 55D: Gets into the pool? (BETS); 56D: The heat (COPS); 58D: Astute (CANNY); 59D: Way out (EGRESS); 61D: Using a skillet (FRYING); 62D: Donovan's actress daughter (IONE); 63D: Merchandise (GOODS); 66D: Under oath (SWORN); 67D: Tight spot (BIND); 68D: Team fan, often (CHEERER); 71D: Madcap (ZANY); 72D: Chalcedony variety (SARD); 73D: Intro (PROEM); 74D: Pitcher of woo (SUITOR); 75D: Labyrinth (MAZE); 77D: Bush whacker (MACHETE); 78D: Painter Georgia (O'KEEFFE); 79D: Sylvan deity (SATYR); 80D: Potential juror (CITIZEN); 81D: More substantial (SOLIDER); 82D: Kind of heart valve (MITRAL); 83D: In a big way (HUGELY); 84D: Word with inner or winner's (CIRCLE); 86D: Biological groups (GENERA); 89D: Phrase provoking "Yeah, you!" ("WHO ME?"); 90D: Stringed instruments (HARPS); 92D: Get out of the way (DODGE); 94D: Tale spinner (LIAR); 95D: Give the glad eye (OGLE); 96D: Use a swizzle stick (STIR); 97D: Quick (FAST); 100D: Nile biter (ASP); 101D: ACLU concerns (RTS.).
2 comments:
Took a team of three generations to complete, but did so perfectly.
A little harder than most Sunday CWs, with fun french: SOU, CHANTEUSE,SOIA, MOI. CUTE theme.
Thanks Sylvia and PG.
I thought that puzzle constructors stopped using esoteric, outdated words long ago, using, rather, their wittiness to find clever defs. for common words. I guess Sylvia hasn't advanced that far (i.e ODA, SOIA, STENTOR all of which aren't even in Spell Check!!). And the Def for WATER SPRIT(Z)ER was really lame. Otherwise, a good puzzle if you had lots of time to Google (I did)
Post a Comment