Theme: "Gathering Eggcorns" — Note from Merl: "Eggcorns" are things people say and write that are technically incorrect but which have a logic of their own, like "wheelbarrel." Forthwith, some of my faves.
[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:
- 16A: Tantalize in a mouth-watering way? (WET ONE'S APPETITE).
- 21A: Disagreement of biblical proportions? (PARTING OF THE WAVES).
- 37A: Sharpen the focus of? (HONE IN ON).
- 41A: Completely exposed? (BUTT-NAKED).
- 50A: Counter to one's faith? (SACRELIGIOUS).
- 59A: Yard planning that requires no grass or watering? (ZEROSCAPING).
- 73A: Indicator of the winds of change? (BELLWEATHER).
- 83A: Loosely interested? (LAXADAISICAL).
- 92A: Formerly gung-ho sort who leaves the country? (EXPATRIOT).
- 94A: Agreeing words from one in attendance? (HERE HERE).
- 115A: Strange places where even hired boats never go? (UNCHARTERED WATERS).
- 120A: No easy matter, especially if there's asphalt? (A TOUGH ROAD TO HOE).
Everything Else — 1A: Inbox clogger (SPAM); 5A: Joan of art (MIRÓ); 9A: Tot's pop (DADA); 13A: Home of "The View" (ABC); 20A: It comes with status (QUO); 23A: Spigoted server (URN); 24A: UAE VIP (EMIR); 25A: Sickly pale (WAN); 26A: Words from "the great and powerful" (I AM OZ); 27A: Bring ruin upon (RAVAGE); 29A: Rice ___ (PILAF); 31A: Little diggers (ANTS); 32A: Frigid finale (-AIRE); 33A: Dance, slangily (CUT A RUG); 44A: Like a sequoia (GIANT); 46A: The old you (THOU); 48A: Good, Bad, Ugly / Clint, Lee, ? (ELI); 49A: Work with needles (KNIT); 53A: Patricia of "Hud" (NEAL); 55A: Having claws (TALONED); 57A: "___ the first cock crow" (Shak.) (ERE); 58A: Tornado dir., maybe (SSE); 62A: Leaped (SPRANG); 65A: Katey of "Married ... with Children" (SAGAL); 66A: CD followup (EFG); 67A: Bonus recipient, often (CEO); 68A: As good as dead (TOAST); 71A: Thinly scattered (SPARSE); 76A: Litigators' org. (ABA); 79A: Tax-deferred item (IRA); 80A: Type of singer or fisherman (TROLLER); 82A: "___ help you are" (SOME); 86A: Bern's river (AARE); 89A: Wedding figs. (JP'S); 90A: Rights defender (ACLU); 91A: Green beans (LIMAS); 97A: Orchestra leader (MAESTRO); 98A: Solved with ease (ACED); 99A: Toga party site (FRAT); 101A: Become one on the run (ELOPE); 105A: Not old-school (MODERN); 108A: Scare (SPOOK); 110A: Said twice, a treat (BON); 113A: Scientology founder, partly (L. RON); 114A: "___ in your way?" (AM I); 119A: Ltd. relative (INC.); 121A: Polygraph exciter (LIE); 122A: Romeo or Juliet, e.g. (ROLE); 123A: Becomes Jell-O (SETS); 124A: Marked down (LESS); 1D: Wise guy (SWAMI); 2D: Jeopardy (PERIL); 3D: Draw (ATTRACT); 4D: "Pretentious? ___?" ("MOI?"); 5D: Watt starter (MEGA-); 6D: Has begun (IS ON); 7D: Org. that flew Lancasters (RAF); 8D: Deciding (OPTING); 9D: Judges (DEEMS); 10D: Jukebox selection for a Lawrence Welk tune? (A-TWO); 11D: "Knight and Day" co-star (DIAZ); 12D: Off-road four-wheeler, briefly (ATV); 13D: Pool shade (AQUA); 14D: Harris or Vicks ending (BURG); 15D: Volcano top (CONE); 17D: Opp. of 58 Across (NNW); 18D: Excellent, slangily (PHAT); 19D: An ___ resemblance (EERIE); 21D: Vitality (PEP); 22D: Delhi dress (SARI); 28D: Large, at Starbucks (VENTI); 30D: Blue state? (FUNK); 31D: Sound portion: abbr. (AUD.); 32D: Buck feature (ANTLER); 34D: Beach shade (TAN); 35D: Yokohama woofer (AKITA); 36D: Fixes again, as a book spine (RETAPES); 37D: High-pressure pitch (HARD SELL); 38D: No longer separate (ONE); 39D: Cries of surprise (OHO'S); 40D: We, in Chamonix (NOUS); 41D: Auto pioneer Karl (BENZ); 42D: Peter Fonda film, "___ Gold" (ULEE'S); 43D: Princess topper (TIARA); 44D: Lovable bunch (GANG); 45D: Rocks, at a bar (ICE); 47D: Take off the shelf (USE); 50D: Dance partner? (SONG); 51D: Mighty mad (IRATE); 52D: Columbus's hometown (GENOA); 54D: Cabin walls, sometimes (LOGS); 56D: Mortal span (LIFETIME); 60D: Flavorful (SAPID); 61D: Nurse Barton (CLARA); 63D: Medieval weapon (POLEAXE); 64D: Goons' guns (GATS); 67D: Mobile phone (CELL); 69D: Japanese sliding screen (SHOJI); 70D: Largo or lento, e.g. (TEMPO); 72D: Complained bitterly (RAILED); 73D: Feathery scarves (BOAS); 74D: Finishes filming (WRAPS); 75D: Breather (REST); 76D: It's under Tenn. (ALA.); 77D: Fugue figure (BACH); 78D: Limo bar? (AXLE); 81D: Presley's label (RCA); 84D: Surrounding glows (AURAE); 85D: Military address (SIR); 87D: Singing mobster (RAT); 88D: French 101 verb (ÊTRE); 92D: Mom's dinner order (EAT); 93D: Take a chance, with 107 Down (ROLL THE); 95D: Hosiery hue (ECRU); 96D: Salon dye (HENNA); 97D: "From the ___ of ..." (MAKERS); 99D: Valley ___, Pa. (FORGE); 100D: Tim of "Pulp Fiction" (ROTH); 102D: Often-dipped snacks (OREOS); 103D: Skin-care subjects (PORES); 104D: Nav. rank (ENS.); 105D: It may be junk (MAIL); 106D: Old Dodge (OMNI); 107D: See 93 Down (DICE); 108D: "Out, out, out!" ("SHOO!"); 109D: Fast Eddie portrayer (PAUL); 110D: Exhausted (BEAT); 111D: Casino figures (ODDS); 112D: Area E of the Yukon: abbr. (NWT); 116D: Kennedy or Lincoln, for ex. (CTR.); 117D: Wade opponent (ROE); 118D: Comcast alternative (AOL).
9 comments:
It's "whet" not "wet" an appetite. I didn't even work this puzzle! -- just noticed that answer on the way down
dtw
I remember in 6th grade one of my teachers gave us a list of things Archie Bunker said and we had to correct them. For example, "You just sittin' there waiting for them eggs to foment?" instead of "ferment."
Thanks for the tip, Merl. I'd never heard of eggcorns before. My favorites:
-cut off one's nose despite one's face
-deformation of character
-doggy-dog world
-don't know buttkiss
-get one's nipples in a twist
-in lame man's terms
-like a bowl in a china shop
-social morays
Word of the day for me was "eggcorns." I probably should have looked it up before doing the puzzle. It would have saved me some time. It would also have stopped me from questioning my hearing and spelling ability.
Next time I hear someone refer to a mute (moot) point I'll remember eggcorns.
Merl, I loved the CW, having probably used all of the thematic eggcorns at one time or another. HEREHERE for you.
And thanks for the writeup, PG.
Again, for the sake of his desire to be "cute", Merle shows his ABSOLUTE disregard for our great English language with inane puns, misspellings and abbvs. only his simple mind could think up. His elitist "puzzlings" never have and still don't amuse me. Where, oh where can I find puzzles that test my word knowledge? Meanwhile, Reagle, may I suggest another line of work for your sophomoric mind? Writing copy for text messaging nerds - they don't use the power of our great language, either!
John,
i don't know where you got your eggcorns but I just feel the need to correct a few:
-doggy-dog world ("DOG_EAT_DOG WORLD")
-in lame man's terms ("IN LAY MAN'S TERMS")
-like a bowl in a china shop (it's "BULL IN A CHINA SHOP")
as for the others haven't heard them sorry. and for that sake I'm not sure these actually qualify as eggcorns
parting of the waves??? parting of ways maybe? I've never heard this either.
And there is no such word as Eggcorns either. It just goes along with all of Merl's puzzles being nonsense. This puzzle was easy to figure out, but are we supposed to be able to read Merl's mind when it comes to solving clues that have no basis in the English language - especially the abbreviations? Get with it and do something intelligent for once Merl!
Some of the commenters above are clearly idiots. What part of EGGCORN don't you understand? Why are you doing crosswords if you can't even grasp what the author intends?
Post a Comment