Theme: "The Clothier's Apprentice" — Sewing puns![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: Poor prep technique earned the apprentice the nickname __ (TURKEY BASTER).
- 34A: He thought NASA sewed astronauts' uniforms with the __ (SPACE NEEDLE).
- 48A: Mixing up orders from a cop and a priest, he __ (COLLARED THE WRONG MAN).
- 65A: He designed a shirt, but wound up with a vest because he __ (LOST THE THREAD).
- 82A: Jogging, he forgot about the pin cushion in his pocket and __ (GOT A STITCH IN HIS SIDE).
- 100A: He thought inferior fabric came from __ (WORSTED WOOL).
- 113A: Upon reviewing the apprentice's work, the boss said, "Truly you are a __" (TAILOR'S DUMMY).
Everything Else — 1A: Yak (JABBER); 7A: A to A, to Puccini (SCALA); 12A: Cape Town's country: Abbr. (RSA); 15A: Country bumpkin (RUBE); 19A: Farm vet's specialty (EQUINE); 20A: Like a purring Jaguar (TUNED); 21A: Gambler's haunts, briefly (OTB); 22A: Numbered Beethoven work, e.g. (OPUS); 25A: Langley operative (CIA AGENT); 27A: Rotated car parts (TIRES); 28A: Ultimatum ender (ELSE); 29A: Subj. concerned with habitats (ECOL.); 31A: Fencing move (LUNGE); 32A: Early prog rock gp. (ELO); 33A: All over (ANEW); 36A: Dirty deed doer (DASTARD); 39A: Eggs in labs (OVA); 41A: "The Chosen" author Chaim (POTOK); 42A: Divinity sch. (SEM.); 43A: Shout in a ring (OLÉ); 44A: Finish, as a cake (FROST); 46A: Kilmer poem ending (A TREE); 54A: Sultan's wives (HAREM); 55A: Alleviate (EASE); 56A: Yoga class needs (MATS); 57A: Feline greeting (MEOW); 59A: Repeats (ITERATES); 61A: Vinyls, for short (LPS); 62A: Robust (HEARTY); 64A: Sale indicator (TAG); 70A: Get __: score 100 (AN A); 71A: Bordeaux choice (CLARET); 73A: Not much of a racehorse (NAG); 74A: Response to a ring (I'LL GET IT); 76A: Hägar's daughter (HONI); 77A: Censor's target (SMUT); 79A: Approaching (NIGH); 81A: Choose (ELECT); 87A: Lucy's chum (ETHEL); 88A: "The Planets" composer (HOLST); 89A: 1963 Cleo player (LIZ); 90A: Spot order? (SIT); 93A: Enjoys a bath (SOAKS); 95A: Like a bather (WET); 96A: Flamboyance (PANACHE); 103A: Tel __, Israel (AVIV); 105A: Family mem. (REL); 106A: "Au revoir" (ADIEU); 107A: Speedy (FAST); 108A: Flex at the barre (PLIE); 109A: Wagner work (OPERA); 111A: Varied assortment (MIXED BAG); 116A: Brief confession (IDID); 117A: GI morale booster (USO); 118A: Kick out (EXPEL); 119A: "Enclosed __ please find ..." (HEREIN); 120A: Dates (SEES); 121A: St. Helens, e.g. (MTN.); 122A: Clarinet and oboe (REEDS); 123A: Carol opening (AD ESTE); 1D: Took a red-eye, e.g. (JETTED); 2D: Eagle constellation (AQUILA); 3D: Forty-niners' carriers (BURROS); 4D: You can pop a wheelie on one (BIKE); 5D: Hydrocarbon endings (-ENES); 6D: King, in Spain (REY); 7D: Like old bread (STALE); 8D: Geezer's invectives (CUSS WORDS); 9D: Part of a.m. (ANTE); 10D: Poe's Annabel (LEE); 11D: Spot seller (AD REP); 12D: Fragonard's paintings exemplify it (ROCOCO ART); 13D: Sharp-looking heels? (STILETTOS); 14D: Legal org. (ABA); 15D: Rapscallion (ROGUE); 16D: Overturns (UPENDS); 17D: Botch (BUNGLE); 18D: Venerate (ESTEEM); 24D: Flex (BEND); 26D: Source of a draft? (ALE KEG); 30D: Seal, as an oil well (CAP); 33D: Locale (AREA); 34D: Accessory indicating rank, perhaps (SASH); 35D: Norse goddess of fate (NORN); 37D: Chan portrayer (TOLER); 38D: Stag (ALL-MALE); 40D: It's cast in a booth (VOTE); 44D: Big spread (FEAST); 45D: Play the vamp (TEMPT); 47D: Austen novel (EMMA); 48D: Mail order book (CATALOG); 49D: Pasta sauce herb (OREGANO); 50D: Roger of "Cheers" (REES); 51D: Bathe (WASH); 52D: Like hot tub water (AERATED); 53D: Nasty (NOT NICE); 54D: Pull (up), as pants (HITCH); 58D: One of the Earps (WYATT); 60D: Tiny one (TOT); 61D: An April fooler might pull yours (LEG); 62D: Cartoonist Foster (HAL); 63D: Enters stealthily (EDGES IN); 66D: Wood fastener (T-NUT); 67D: Concoct (HATCH); 68D: "Exactamundo!" ("RIGHT!"); 69D: K-12 catchall (EL-HI); 72D: Ceremony (RITE); 75D: Alfred Doolittle's daughter (ELIZA); 77D: Ever dedicated (STEADFAST); 78D: Bygone delivery vehicle (MILK WAGON); 79D: Cleo's river (NILE); 80D: Set up, as software (INSTALLED); 83D: Like some retired racehorses (AT STUD); 84D: Horse's footwear (SHOE); 85D: Wolf's cry (HOWL); 86D: Croat or Serb (SLAV); 90D: Hindu masters (SWAMIS); 91D: Salt used in thyroid treatments (IODIDE); 92D: "Hi and Lois" baby (TRIXIE); 94D: "Help!" at sea (SOS); 96D: Place to tie up (PIER); 97D: Thickish liqueurs (CREMES); 98D: No social butterfly (HERMIT); 99D: Comic Boosler (ELAYNE); 101D: Bird feeder filler (SEEDS); 102D: Furry river critter (OTTER); 104D: Early strings (VIOLS); 108D: Old King Cole's smoke (PIPE); 109D: Used too much (OD'ED); 110D: Squeaky clean (PURE); 112D: Dover derrière (BUM); 114D: Forest feller (AXE); 115D: Syllable in oldies (SHA).
12 comments:
No CUSSWORDS from this geezer!
This was a very easy, but fun, Sunday puzzle. Had no problems with John Lampkin's construction... good words, straightforward clues, and a nice theme... a good HEARTY and solid puzzle overall.
The theme clues had me in STITCHES.
Now I can go have my scrambled OVA and ham, and off to church I go!
Have a wonderful Sunday AM (ANTE meridiem) y'all.
Something to perk up your Sunday morning---
ETHEL Mertz (Vivian Vance) does a Schaeffer Pen commercial. Oh, how I loved those snorkles!
All in all a fine puzzle for me. The STEADFAST/FAST crossing had me scratching my chin a bit wondering if it would draw praise or criticism from the experts.
@Van55
I thought the same about LIZ crossing with ELIZA... both are versions of Elizabeth.
@JNH & @Van55
I actually like those types of crosses.
LIZ/ELIZA & FAST/STEADFAST
TURKEY BASTER how that fits as a theme clue eluded me. I know baste is a stitch but thats a stretch.
Wanted bastard for the Dirty Deed Doer DASTARD. Hey, I like CUSS WORDS (If used expeditiously).
Liked the EQUINE, NAG, AT STUD & SHOE horse mini-theme.
ELHI, K-12 catchall I have only seen in CW. Does anybody use this?
For the second day in a row, a poem I know the ending, Kilmer's A TREE. (I'm toast on any more of these).
Minor Snafu, ELAYNE Boosler was in a puzzle recently and I still spelled it elaine, easy fix.
Finally, if they aren't going to put my Scotch in the puzzle, do I have to endure that CLARET SMUT? LOL
Gotta be honest, did about two thirds of today's puzzle, maybe a bit more, and I gave up. Looking at the blog and answers got me feeling a bit dumb, missed some simple stuff! Don't know if it's because I had a busy day or just couldn't get my head into it.
@JNH - always enjoys the clips u throw in
@Tinbeni, loved scotch myself til I had to give it up, enjoy some for me!
@Rasta
First off, I am sipping some and saluting you.
Sencondly, about the I.D., I have been going to Hedonism II twice a year since 1985, the Rasta's are some of my favorite individuals on the planet. And all that involves.
Finally, doing crosswords is a little like doing a card trick, you need to do them over and over to be really good at it.
All I am really saying is that over my life I have had times I did them every day, then took a break because of work or life, etc. then came back.
Sunday is usually on the Wed./ Thur. level of difficulty but they take longer.
Enjoy the 2/3 you did, come here often and the fun gets better as you get better.
PS I slap my forehead many times when I see an answer that I knew, but my thinking was skewed in some way. Oh, well...
Couldn't get to this puzzle until after dinner, (PDT). Always good to see my nom de blog in a puzzle.
Had to google for The Chosen author 'cause didn't know the abbrev for South Africa nor the Norse Goddess. Also had a major groan with OD'ED at 109D. Otherwise a very enjoyable exercise.
P.S. I'm sorry, but I only think of one thing when I hear TURKEYBASTER.
Has anyone ever noticed that since JNH started dominating this blog that other regular posters have steered clear? Have you noticed that he DEMANDS constant attention from blog hosts?
He promised to quit commenting on MTW puzzles because they were "too simple" for him but then came back!!! John is either SUPER HAPPY!!!! or VERY UPSET!!!! but until there's less John there will be fewer comments here from people who have been doing puzzles for a long time.
I too am concerned about the shortage of comments to this blog. I certainly do not blame @JNH for this phenomenon. Come on some of you East coasters, help us out. And you West coasters, lets take an active part in furthering crosswordom in the West coast.
@Andrea, @SanFranMan, do your thing.
What does K-12. EL HI mean, refer
to?
@geri
In educ. circles ELHI is short for Elementary to High School, hence the K12 (kindergarten to 12th grade).
Very few laymen use this term.
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