S U N D A Y August 15, 2010Merl Reagle (calendar)

Theme: "S-capade" — Theme answers are familiar phrases with an S added to them, creating new wacky phrases, clued "?"-style.

[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:

• 22A: Q: "How did you know I was a tea connoisseur?" A: "___" (BY YOUR LEAVES).
• 28A: Glasses for really, really sensitive eyes? (NIGHT SHADES).
• 31A: Raft? (RAPIDS TRANSIT).
• 45A: What the preacher's kid likes to play? (JACKS IN THE PULPIT).
• 66A: Punch actor George? (BELT SANDERS).
• 69A: "If you cut your hair that way, Alice, you're goin' straight to the moon!" ("BANGS ZOOM!").
• 75A: The real thing at southern diners? (TRUE GRITS).
• 79A: Tool with many uses? (MULTIPLIERS).
• 96A: What Dad the fisherman is tired of getting every Christmas? (THE PELICAN BRIEFS).
• 109A: Whence rock 'n' roll came? (OUT OF THE BLUES).
• 115A: Cookie Monster's usual newspaper request in N.Y.? (GIVE ME TIMES).
• 124A: Filmin' Jeremy? (SHOOTIN' IRONS).

Everything Else — 1A: Popular ocean liner name (EMPRESS); 8A: Vietnam's ___ Dinh Diem (NGO); 11A: Word before go or "go!" (LET'S); 15A: Canadian prov. (QUE.); 18A: Artist's community (BOHEMIA); 19A: First Dog of the 1940s (FALA); 20A: Suggestion (IDEA); 21A: Coffee container (URN); 24A: Wins at cards, perhaps (GINS); 25A: In the past (AGO); 26A: Choice: abbr. (SEL.); 27A: Mac's intro (TAR); 36A: Drum site (EAR); 37A: Carte opener (ALA); 38A: Swiss river (AAR); 39A: Capek play (RUR); 41A: Meditation techniques (YOGAS); 52A: Birds and snakes do it (MOLT); 53A: Mugful for Muggeridge (ALE); 54A: School near PHX (ASU); 55A: Monorail relatives (ELS); 56A: Harry who does many voices on "The Simpsons" (SHEARER); 58A: Type of spy (MOLE); 60A: Polite refusal (NO MA'AM); 64A: Loaf end (HEEL); 65A: Actress Joanne (DRU); 71A: One way to turn? (RED); 72A: Wapiti (ELK); 73A: Courtroom VIPs (DA'S); 74A: Reset setting (OOO); 84A: "Alley ___" (OOP); 85A: Ages and ages (EONS); 86A: One on a quest (SEEKER); 87A: Drain pain (CLOG); 88A: Take a chance (GO FOR IT); 90A: "Mystery solved!" ("AHA!"); 91A: Driver's club (AAA); 94A: Boozehound (SOT); 95A: English school (ETON); 102A: Newbies (TYROS); 104A: Building wing (ELL); 105A: Calendar pgs. (MOS.); 106A: Grafton's "___ for Alibi" (A IS); 107A: Arrest (NAB); 119A: Great weight (TON); 120A: Grad topper (CAP); 122A: Kimono closer (OBI); 123A: Furthermore (PLUS); 129A: "You rang?" ("YES?"); 130A: Wolf describer (LONE); 131A: High schooler (TEEN); 132A: "Happy Days" malt shop (ARNOLD'S); 133A: Feller's tool (AXE); 134A: Some merinos (EWES); 135A: Tearful (SAD); 136A: Most cunning (CAGIEST); 1D: Recedes, as the tide (EBBS); 2D: Pitcher Jamie (MOYER); 3D: Animal kingdom divisions (PHYLA); 4D: Speedwagon maker (REO); 5D: Flightless bird (EMU); 6D: Knight's title (SIR); 7D: Epsom product (SALTS); 8D: Part of sonar: abbr. (NAV.); 9D: Early orbiter (GLENN); 10D: Camel stop (OASIS); 11D: Start to smoke (LIGHT UP); 12D: Shorten a sentence? (EDIT); 13D: In need of a massage (TENSE); 14D: Walk in a showy way (SASHAY); 15D: University square (QUAD); 16D: Implore (URGE); 17D: Slugger Slaughter (ENOS); 19D: Co-star with Kate and Jaclyn (FARRAH); 23D: Really bother (EAT AT); 29D: Ladies, first (GIRLS); 30D: Cafe emanation (AROMA); 32D: Golfer Se Ri ___ (PAK); 33D: Casablanca visitor (ILSA); 34D: Roasting platform? (DAIS); 35D: Art, nowadays? (ARE); 40D: Gone up (RISEN); 42D: Astronaut Cooper's nickname (GORDO); 43D: Last Oldsmobile model (ALERO); 44D: Play the uke (STRUM); 45D: Door feature (JAMB); 46D: Medicinal herb (ALOE); 47D: Room on the block? (CELL); 48D: Ex-senator Sam (NUNN); 49D: Potpie morsels (PEAS); 50D: Einstein's birthplace (ULM); 51D: Republicans (THE GOP); 57D: It shines on Mejico (E LSOL); 59D: Raison d'___ (ÊTRE); 61D: "Golden Boy" penner (ODETS); 62D: TV diner (MEL'S); 63D: Floater on the Flood (ARK); 64D: Impulsiveness (HASTE); 67D: "Like a Rock" singer (SEGER); 68D: Skillful (ADROIT); 69D: Pitching error (BALK); 70D: Meso finish (-ZOIC); 73D: Expected (DUE); 75D: Hard ___ (rare) (TO GET); 76D: Like turnip fields (ROOTY); 77D: Ready to face (UP FOR); 78D: ___ pink (IN THE); 79D: Corn-coction? (MEAL); 80D: Where Yazd is (IRAN); 81D: Other than this (ELSE); 82D: It's on the house (ROOF); 83D: Some noncoms (SGTS.); 86D: Elle, over here (SHE); 89D: Hiking cue, often (ON ONE); 90D: "... and pulled out ___" (A PLUM); 92D: Rhyme scheme (ABAB); 93D: Seed covering (ARIL); 97D: Plaza waif et al. (ELOISES); 98D: World finance org. (IMF); 99D: T-shirt material (COTTON); 100D: ___ in the dark (A SHOT); 101D: Terre Haute sch. (ISU); 103D: Taste (SAMPLE); 108D: Downstairs, at sea (BELOW); 110D: Lab work (TESTS); 111D: Entertainer Tessie (O'SHEA); 112D: Early computer (ENIAC); 113D: French school (ÉCOLE); 114D: Smooths, in a way (SANDS); 115D: Spanish painter (GOYA); 116D: Wild goat (IBEX); 117D: Workshop squeezer (VISE); 118D: Adjust, as a lute (TUNE); 121D: ("Hey you ...") ("PSST …"); 125D: Big ref. (OED); 126D: Org. under FDR (NRA); 127D: End for end? (-ING); 128D: Louis XIV, par exemple (ROI).