SUNDAY, May 16, 2010 — Bonnie L. Gentry

Theme: "Mark Time" — The letter string GPA is hidden in each theme answer

[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:

• 27A: It's a racket (PING PONG PADDLE).
• 41A: S.O.S, for one (SCOURING PAD).
• 64A: "Come again?" ("BEG PARDON?").
• 89A: Group in power (RULING PARTY).
• 101A: State of inaction (HOLDING PATTERN).
• 15D: You might get it in your pajamas (MORNING PAPER).
• 58D: More than a walk-on (SPEAKING PART).
• 110D: Scholastic mean, briefly, hidden in this puzzle's seven longest answers (GPA).

Crosswordese 101 Round-Up:

• 40A: Bobby Orr, for most of his career (BRUIN).
• 44A: Gelling agents (AGARS).
• 81A: "Gymnopédies" composer Satie (ERIK).
• 114A: Duel-purpose equipment (ÉPÉES).
• 39D: One making a good impression? (APER).
• 70D: '20s-'30s Flying Cloud, e.g. (REO).

Everything Else — 1A: Group of notes (CHORD); 6A: Is, in Ixtapa (ESTÁ); 10A: Prefix with grain (MULTI-); 15A: National League East team (METS); 19A: Renée's "Chicago" role (ROXIE); 20A: Milky Way ingredient? (STAR); 21A: Guesstimate word (ABOUT); 22A: Speed-skating rink, e.g. (OVAL); 23A: Invites the public (OPENS); 24A: You can't go when you're in it (PARK); 25A: Districts (ZONES); 26A: Pantheon site (ROME); 30A: New Englander (YANKEE); 32A: Begin to use, as resources (TAP); 33A: Just so (NEAT); 34A: Most violent (GORIEST); 35A: __ de corps (ESPRIT); 38A: Caravan stopovers (OASES); 43A: Trevi Fountain coin count? (TRE); 48A: Having just seen a ghost, maybe (PALE); 49A: Mechanical connectors, half the time (MALES); 50A: Jumping contest entrants (FROGS); 52A: __ du jour: bistro special (PLAT); 53A: Hundreds of wks. (YRS.); 54A: Cavalry blade (SABER); 55A: "I've __ thinking ..." (BEEN); 56A: Venezia's land (ITALIA); 58A: Feed store? (SILO); 59A: Alpine mont (BLANC); 60A: Managing (COPING); 61A: Acts of faith? (LEAPS); 68A: Like urban populations (DENSE); 69A: In __ and out ... (ONE EAR); 71A: Pottery ovens (KILNS); 72A: Frankenstein aide (IGOR); 74A: Throw a feast for (REGALE); 75A: Data transfer unit (BAUD); 76A: Odessa's home (TEXAS); 78A: "Like that's gonna happen!" ("HAH!"); 82A: 1936 Olympics champ (OWENS); 84A: Simple fellow (SIMON); 85A: Seat of Hawaii County (HILO); 86A: Plebe's denial (NO SIR); 88A: Some hangings (ART); 91A: Asian menu assurance (NO MSG); 93A: Musical "don't play" (TACET); 94A: "Very well" ("SO BE IT"); 95A: Disconnects (HANGS UP); 98A: Knot, as of hair (HANK); 99A: Bi- plus one (TRI-); 100A: Justice of the peace customer (ELOPER); 108A: Big butte (MESA); 109A: "Enough already!" ("I GIVE!"); 111A: Dig find, perhaps (TOOL); 112A: Part of a TV signal (AUDIO); 113A: Constantly (EVER); 115A: Command after "Oops!" (UNDO); 116A: Touches the tarmac (LANDS); 117A: Brooding place (NEST); 118A: Soup scoop (LADLE); 119A: Thorn in one's side (PEST); 120A: Cut drastically (SLASH); 1D: Harvester's haul (CROP); 2D: Northern Arizona native (HOPI); 3D: Farmer's helpers (OXEN); 4D: Sound right (RING TRUE); 5D: Lose heart (DESPAIR); 6D: Armchair QB's channel (ESPN); 7D: Men-only affair (STAG); 8D: Field shield (TARP); 9D: Hot Springs National Park state (ARKANSAS); 10D: Tribute and Miata (MAZDAS); 11D: It might have a nut at each end (U-BOLT); 12D: Sans companions (LONE); 13D: Digital watch abbr. (TUE); 14D: Dress shop compliment (IT'S YOU); 16D: Draw forth (EVOKE); 17D: Emulates a horse whisperer (TAMES); 18D: Frozen drops (SLEET); 28D: Most favorable (OPTIMAL); 29D: Scout's good work (DEED); 31D: Mezzo's moment (ARIA); 34D: Sportscaster Gumbel (GREG); 35D: See from afar (ESPY); 36D: Wound remnant (SCAR); 37D: Campaign vets (POLS); 38D: Eye impolitely (OGLE); 40D: Mile High athlete (BRONCO); 42D: Mover and shaker (NABOB); 43D: Exit poll indication (TREND); 45D: Exhausted (ALL IN); 46D: Gully fillers (RAINS); 47D: Frontier transport (STAGE); 50D: What the dauntless lack (FEARS); 51D: [Quoted verbatim] ([SIC]); 54D: Rope fiber (SISAL); 55D: Needing spicing (BLAND); 57D: Ruckuses (TO-DOS); 59D: High 80s, roughly (B-PLUS); 61D: "Space Cowboys" actor __ Dean (LOREN); 62D: Start of a new año (ENERO); 63D: Tutelage (AEGIS); 65D: "La Dolce Vita" actress (EKBERG); 66D: Beanstalk menace (GIANT); 67D: President who appeared on "Laugh-In" (NIXON); 73D: Rap genre (GANGSTA); 76D: Scrabble piece (TILE); 77D: Throw off (EMIT); 78D: Expand the staff (HIRE); 79D: Cathedral voices (ALTI); 80D: Baseball Hall of Famer Wilhelm (HOYT); 83D: Slender-bodied stinger (WASP); 84D: Silently endure difficulty, in slang (SUCK IT UP); 85D: Chronic (HABITUAL); 87D: Greeted the judge (ROSE); 89D: "Atlas Shrugged" author (RAND); 90D: Internet gateways (PORTALS); 92D: Spark in a bookshop (MURIEL); 93D: "Thy Neighbor's Wife" author (TALESE); 95D: Studly sorts (HE-MEN); 96D: Naproxen brand (ALEVE); 97D: Small victory margins (NOSES); 98D: Crude abode (HOVEL); 101D: Zipped (HIED); 102D: Zip (NONE); 103D: Pantheon figures (GODS); 104D: Conspiracy theorist's subject (PLOT); 105D: "Show Boat" author Ferber (EDNA); 106D: Clears (of) (RIDS); 107D: Small snack (NOSH).