8.28.2011

08.28 Sun (calendar)

S U N D A Y
August 28, 2011
Merl Reagle


[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: "Invasion of the Tree People" — The grid is overrun with well-known people whose last names are types of trees.

Theme answers:

  • 21A: "Boyz n the Hood" co-star (MORRIS CHESTNUT).
  • 27A: Star of a 1970s cop sitcom (HAL LINDEN).
  • 34A: "Grumpy Old Men" star (JACK LEMMON).
  • 37A: Cosmetics queen (MARY KAY ASH).
  • 47A: "Other woman" in 1990s tabloids (MARLA MAPLES).
  • 58A: "Saps at Sea" co-star (STAN LAUREL).
  • 80A: Grammy-winning pianist-singer (FIONA APPLE).
  • 87A: Actress in TV's "Picket Fences" and "NCIS" (LAUREN HOLLY).
  • 98A: "CHiPs" actress, 1979-82 (RANDI OAKES).
  • 101A: "American Beauty" co-star (THORA BIRCH).
  • 112A: He played The Chief in "Dirty Harry" (JOHN LARCH).
  • 121A: Why there are so many tree people in this puzzle? (BY POPLAR DEMAND).
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Everything 1A: Anthony's "Psycho" co-star (JANET); 6A: JFK sight, once (SST); 9A: Manchurian border river (AMUR); 13A: Sack preceder (KNAP-); 17A: Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie ___" (AMOUR); 18A: Great service? (ACE); 19A: NYC neighborhood (SOHO); 20A: Noted positive thinker (PEALE); 21A: "Boyz n the Hood" co-star (MORRIS CHESTNUT); 24A: "The ___ Queene" (FAERIE); 25A: Ecto's opposite (ENDO); 26A: War zone, 1853-56 (CRIMEA); 27A: Star of a 1970s cop sitcom (HAL LINDEN); 29A: ___ Lanka (SRI); 30A: "It's either them ___" (OR US); 31A: Long intro? (ERE); 33A: No effort (EASE); 34A: "Grumpy Old Men" star (JACK LEMMON); 37A: Cosmetics queen (MARY KAY ASH); 43A: Turkish title (AGA); 44A: Adulterated (IMPURE); 46A: Sunburn sites (NECKS); 47A: "Other woman" in 1990s tabloids (MARLA MAPLES); 52A: "See ya, Sophia" (CIAO); 55A: Sch. on the Charles (MIT); 56A: Losing line in a game (OXO); 57A: Dude (GUY); 58A: "Saps at Sea" co-star (STAN LAUREL); 62A: Tinseltown turkey (BOMB); 64A: Toon collectible (CEL); 65A: English school (ETON); 66A: "___ doozy!" (IT'S A); 67A: "Twice-Told Tales" writer, with 70 Across (NATHANIEL); 70A: See 67 Across (HAWTHORNE); 74A: Voting district (WARD); 75A: Brazilian highlands, the ___ Grosso (MATO); 77A: Aliens, briefly (ET'S); 78A: Slangy sustenance (EATS); 80A: Grammy-winning pianist-singer (FIONA APPLE); 83A: Mae West play, "Diamond ___" (LIL); 84A: Water gate? (TAP); 85A: Be up (BAT); 86A: TV chef Ming (anagram of 66 Across) (TSAI); 87A: Actress in TV's "Picket Fences" and "NCIS" (LAUREN HOLLY); 92A: Shake like ___ (A LEAF); 95A: "Who art thou that ___ to the king?" (I Sam. 26:14) (CRIEST); 97A: Humongous span (EON); 98A: "CHiPs" actress, 1979-82 (RANDI OAKES); 101A: "American Beauty" co-star (THORA BIRCH); 107A: "Born Free" lioness (ELSA); 108A: Greek letter (TAU); 110A: Medal deserver (HERO); 111A: Great time (ERA); 112A: He played The Chief in "Dirty Harry" (JOHN LARCH); 117A: Tiny bit (SMIDGE); 119A: Word related to "admiral" (EMIR); 120A: Repugnant (ODIOUS); 121A: Why there are so many tree people in this puzzle? (BY POPLAR DEMAND); 124A: Bad-service upshot (NO TIP); 125A: First lady's home? (EDEN); 126A: Wrath (IRE); 127A: Hint (TINGE); 128A: Course completer (GRAD); 129A: Artist Magritte (RENÉ); 130A: Hill dweller (ANT); 131A: Pilgrim John (ALDEN); 1D: "Cinderella Man" subject, ___ Braddock (JAMES J.); 2D: Egyptian sun god, variantly (AMON-RA); 3D: From Scandinavia (NORDIC); 4D: Multi-country dough (EURO); 5D: Plex prefix (TRI-); 6D: Pelvis part (SACRUM); 7D: Rift (SCHISM); 8D: Swarm (TEEM); 9D: ___ on the Walk of Fame (A STAR); 10D: Pt. of a three-day weekend (MON.); 11D: Slangy denial (UH-UH); 12D: "The Godfather" composer (ROTA); 13D: Superb visual sense (KEEN EYE); 14D: Aromatic ointment (NARD); 15D: "I cannot tell ___" (A LIE); 16D: Hammer part (PEEN); 20D: Slangy comrade (PAISAN); 22D: Beatlemania sound (SCREAM); 23D: Carly Simon tune, "Have You ___ Lately?" (SEEN ME); 24D: Strong criticism (FLAK); 28D: "The Conquest of Space" author Willy (LEY); 30D: Olympic first name (OLGA); 32D: Outback dweller (EMU); 35D: ___ Kan (KAL); 36D: Slick (OILY); 38D: Secret stuff (ARCANA); 39D: Rider's handful (REIN); 40D: Pinnacle (ACME); 41D: Power-tool brand (SKIL); 42D: Pres. from Missouri (HST); 45D: Sibilant summons (PSST); 47D: Overwhelm with people (MOB); 48D: Impulse carrier (AXON); 49D: Tomato variety (ROMA); 50D: They might be hidden (AGENDAS); 51D: Hungarian sheepdog (PULI); 53D: Somewhat (A LITTLE); 54D: Some are solemn (OATHS); 59D: Japanese studio that made the original "Godzilla" (TOHO); 60D: GI R&R provider (USO); 61D: Few and far between (RARE); 63D: Stealth plane (B-TWO); 64D: Diamond unit (CARAT); 65D: Tel Aviv server (EL AL); 68D: Chewie's chum (HAN); 69D: New York, the ___ State (EMPIRE); 71D: Small dam (WEIR); 72D: Countrywide: abbr. (NATL.); 73D: Latin abbr. (ET AL.); 76D: Cast opening? (TELE-); 79D: Camp intruder (SPY); 80D: FDR's terrier (FALA); 81D: Hwy. thru Houston (I-TEN); 82D: Prepare for a trip (PACK); 83D: Protestant in Garrison Keillor stories: abbr. (LUTH.); 85D: Tavern (BAR); 88D: Dumb as ___ (A STUMP); 89D: Got closer to (NEARED); 90D: Freight-train hopper (HOBO); 91D: Sea-based covert org. (ONI); 93D: Tonsil's neighbor (ADENOID); 94D: Pump purchase (FILL-UP); 96D: Tour's end? (-IST); 99D: She-bears, in Seville (OSAS); 100D: Swiss river (AAR); 102D: "Aw, geez!" ("OH DARN!"); 103D: Contrite feeling (REGRET); 104D: Send back, in law (REMAND); 105D: Draw back (CRINGE); 106D: Set (HARDEN); 109D: In unison (AS ONE); 112D: "Fear of Flying" author (JONG); 113D: "P.U." elicitor (ODOR); 114D: ___ homer (HIT A); 115D: Radio-using trucker (CB'ER); 116D: Jekyll's alter ego (HYDE); 118D: Skating gold medalist Kulik (ILIA); 119D: Man's name (or backward, a citrus fruit) (EMIL); 122D: Write (PEN); 123D: Airport abbr. (ETA).

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Decent. Hal Linden -- drove me nuts because I could/couldn't remember his name from the Barney Miller credits. That corner was touch and go for me.

As was the area around the big pun -- until It dawned on me "Poplar" for Popular.

A fun 60 minutes or so. Like some clues - but others felt vague.

Great blog!

Dean.

Anonymous said...

I've only heard of a few of these people, like Jack Lemmon, Hal Linden, Marla Maples, and Stan Laurel. Oh, and of course, Nathaniel Hawthorne! There's nothing like crossword puzzles and "Jeopardy" to show up your age! But the tree clue was fun and helped fill in the rest. Great way to start a Sunday morning (in California, at least). Hope you folks back East get your electricity back soon!

MN

Margaret said...

I always like Merl's puzzles, the punnier the better, so BYPOPLARDEMAND was my favorite theme answer. Had trouble with the intersection of MATO and TOHO, otherwise pretty fun and easy today.

Anonymous said...

THORNBIRCH threw me for a loop. Wha' happened to ELMer Fudd, SEQUOIA (the only word with 4 vowels in a row), ALDERman, Old HICKORY, HOLLY Hunter,Olaf PALMe, SPRUCE up, and Ima SUMAC??

JIMMIE said...

Fun but finally had to google to fill in RANDIOAKES and FIONAAPPLE.

I hope you avoided mess from Irene, PG. And thanks again for the post.

Anonymous said...

You omitted Nathaniel Hawthorne; Hawthorn is a tree as well.

Thanks for the blog!