[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: Military overstock seller (ARMY SURPLUS STORE).
- 33A: 21-Across are taken on it (WITNESS STAND).
- 38A: Nickname at the Derby (BLUEGRASS STATE).
- 65A: "No verdict yet" ("THE JURY IS STILL OUT").
- 92A: Applying to all (ACROSS THE BOARD).
- 101A: Exerts influence (PULLS STRINGS).
- 116A: 1952 Jane Russell film (THE LAS VEGAS STORY).
- 118D: Earlier flight hidden in the seven longest puzzle answers (SST).
Everything Else — 1A: Ed of "Lou Grant" (ASNER); 6A: Lou Grant's ex (EDIE); 10A: Cuts the crop (REAPS); 15A: Even start? (EQUI-); 19A: Dutch big wheel? (GOUDA); 20A: Falana of "Golden Boy" (LOLA); 21A: Formal promises (OATHS); 22A: Arrivals at home, perhaps (RUNS); 26A: "Sorry, can't" ("NOPE"); 27A: Stonewall Jackson et al. (REBS); 28A: Sales chart metaphors (PIES); 29A: R&B singer __ Marie (TEENA); 30A: Sean of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (ASTIN); 31A: Jun. grads (SRS.); 32A: Corp. moneymen (CFO'S); 35A: Yoo-__: beverage (HOO); 36A: 50-Across wrong? (AIN'T); 37A: Deli array (MEAT); 44A: Often critical innings (NINTHS); 49A: Turner on the screen (LANA); 50A: 36-Across right? (ISN'T); 51A: Pro foe (ANTI); 54A: All worked up (IN A LATHER); 56A: List of rounds (BAR TAB); 58A: Stock holder? (BARN); 59A: Skins (PELTS); 60A: Chair designer Charles (EAMES); 62A: Reason for a court replay (LET); 64A: Born (NÉE); 71A: "Ginger __": 1952 Newbery Medal-winning book (PYE); 73A: Big rig compartment (CAB); 74A: Pitch-related (TONAL); 75A: "A Paper Life" autobiographer (O'NEAL); 78A: Spanish bread (EURO); 80A: Places under siege (BESETS); 83A: San Bernardino suburb (LOMA LINDA); 86A: Draft choices (ALES); 87A: A TV Maverick (BRET); 88A: Notice (ESPY); 89A: Go off the deep end (SNAP); 90A: Play the siren (SEDUCE); 97A: Ray Stevens's "Ahab the __" (ARAB); 99A: Skin soother (ALOE); 100A: River to the Rhone (AIN); 106A: Bribes, with "off" (PAYS); 108A: Pepper, e.g.: Abbr. (SGT.); 111A: Novelist Nin (ANAÏS); 112A: Engineer Nikola (TESLA); 113A: Ball role (MAME); 114A: Restaurateur Toots (SHOR); 115A: Devils' playground? (RINK); 119A: Old Venetian elder (DOGE); 120A: Brings down the house? (RAZES); 121A: Start of an Andy Capp toast ('ERE'S); 122A: Backs up (SAVES); 123A: Tens neighbor (ONES); 124A: Controversial explosion (A-TEST); 125A: Unschooled signers (X'ERS); 126A: Lott of Mississippi (TRENT); 2D: More put out (SORER); 3D: Uses an icepack on (NUMBS); 4D: Slow Churned ice cream brand (EDY'S); 5D: Dorm bosses, briefly (RA'S); 6D: Ventura County town who name means "the river" (EL RIO); 7D: Chowderheads (DOPES); 8D: Afflictions (ILLS); 9D: Mer filler (EAU); 10D: Nile home of an historic stone (ROSETTA); 11D: Moth tail? (EATEN); 12D: Satisfaction of a sort (ATONEMENT); 13D: It's elegant when turned (PHRASE); 14D: Opposite of NNW (SSE); 16D: Limit of a kind (QUOTA); 17D: Let down, as hair (UNPIN); 18D: "Children, Go Where __ Thee": spiritual (I SEND); 24D: Raring to go (UP FOR IT); 25D: Hitch (STINT); 30D: Italian wine city (ASTI); 32D: ___ railway (COG); 33D: Badger's st. (WIS.); 34D: Florida resort island (SANIBEL); 35D: A "4-H" H (HEALTH); 36D: Bad way to be led (ASTRAY); 38D: Radar signal (BLIP); 39D: Spot for a strike (LANE); 40D: The same as always (UNALTERED); 41D: Reminder of an old flame? (ASH); 42D: Disdainful glance (SNEER); 43D: Road topper (TAR); 45D: Collar (NAB); 46D: Dish alternative (TV ANTENNA); 47D: Bring aboard (HIRE); 48D: Having no screws loose? (SANE); 52D: Like a hard-to-fill order (TALL); 55D: "Hang on __" (A SEC); 56D: Córdoba kisses (BESOS); 57D: AAA part: Abbr. (ASSN.); 61D: You might have a hand in it (MITT); 63D: Shop item (TOOL); 66D: Goes on and on (JABBERS); 67D: It's over for Hans (ÜBER); 68D: "Unto the Sons" novelist (TALESE); 69D: Postgame recap? (I LOST); 70D: A choir may sing in it (UNISON); 71D: Pod fillers (PEAS); 72D: Time for carols (YULE); 76D: Purim's month (ADAR); 77D: "Dragnet" gp. (LAPD); 79D: The Beavers of the Pac-10 (OSU); 81D: Boardwalk cooler (SEA BREEZE); 82D: More of the same, briefly (ETC.); 84D: NASCAR stat (MPH); 85D: Madagascan lemurs (AYEAYES); 91D: Mama of pop (CASS); 93D: Didn't outrace anyone (RAN LAST); 94D: Gymnast Korbut et al. (OLGAS); 95D: "Mamma Mia" number (SOS); 96D: Grafton's "__ for Burglar" (B IS); 98D: In addition (AT THAT); 101D: "SNL" announcer (PARDO); 102D: Group for people in labor? (UNION); 103D: "Tootsie" role winner (LANGE); 104D: eHarmony category (LIKES); 105D: Archipelago units (ISLES); 106D: Sales rep's gadget (PAGER); 107D: Get a load of (AMASS); 108D: Sail, with "off" (SHOVE); 109D: Bridge immortal (GOREN); 110D: Risky rendezvous (TRYST); 113D: It often precedes technicalities (MERE); 114D: Bronze __ (STAR); 116D: Part of a chorus line? (TRA); 117D: Bug (VEX).
9 comments:
An excellent puzzle, but I think Pamela is pulling our chain. Most of us veteran solvers are always cussing out the overuse of SST in puzzle constructions, so she proceeds to pepper the entire grid with SST’s. Okay Pam, now you got us DOPES all IN A LATHER.
All is forgiven though, because you used the perfect clue for SOS (95D)… ABBA’s song in Mamma Mia. Here’s a clip of my heart throb of years past,
Agnetha Fältskog singing SOS. What a doll!
In this day and age, the alternative to a Dish is a TV CABLE, surely not a TV ANTENNA.
For me, solving any Sunday puzzle in less than 40 minutes is good… today I did it… and without consulting my Uncle Google either.
Soooo, time for some blueberry pancakes.
Have a funday Sunday, y’all!
Take one of the most overused answer's ever, SST, and hide it in the themes. Works for me!
@Van55, I hope this didn't cause you to slit your wrists!
Always great to see our new 'best friend' Nikola TESLA.
SANIBEL and Captiva Islands, here on the W.Coast of Florida is considered the 3rd BEST place to go 'shelling' in the world.
I've been a regular visitor there for over 55 years. Yup, started as a tyke of 3yo.
Very laid back, beautiful beaches (like my Pinellas beaches, NO OIL during this whole mess).
Perfect place to get away and re-charge the soul.
Excellent spot for a sunset Toast!
Florida at it's best!
I only know Jewish months from xwords. ADAR seems to be the one used most often and is now a gimmie.
ATEST for the A-Bomb thingy also falls into my 'only know this term from xwords' category.
AIN River, I think this is the first time I have seen it here. Hey that makes it a Sunday learning moment! (Always a plus but rare for the "day-of-the-week").
Got to the end of the usual Sunday slog and thought the same thing as @Tibeni about @Van55 and @sfingi!
I must admit, I laughed at the SST theme!
@Tin, glad to hear there is no oil on the powdered sugar west coast beaches, as I'm headed there in a few days to see the fam!
We had PYE,PIES & PAYS; LOLA and LANA, NOPE and DOPES, ASTI & ASTIN, EDYS & EDIE; LAN(G)E, LANE & SANE; Fun to see just the the letter manipulation.
115A Devil's Playground? RINK (My personal favorite!) Love my NJ Devils!
Raining here. Hope to see some sun tomorrow AND Sylvia's puzzle!
Headed out later to see the new Robert Duvall movie, "Get Low." Reviews sound good. Happy Sunday, all.
Very interesting. Take a loathed crosswordese 101 answer and turn it into a theme. I liked it.
113A: (Ball Role) Why is my hand so fast at writing in LUCY? Damn, that royally screwed me in that section. I finally got it, but no longer will I be tricked by that. Only minor gripe I really don't like homonyms in a puzzle even if it is legal. EDYS EDIE PIES PYE
@JNH There is not a chance I'm going to click that link as long as it has to do with ABBA. I told my son I would disown him if he ever went to see that movie. (I hope he knows I was kidding.) CHEERS!
@CCL
Maybe Pamela will construct a whole series of these Sunday puzzles using CW101:
CIX, VIC or XIC (Yeah! Roman Numerals!)
EEL
ELI
ENE (I just *LOVE* direction clues)
NEE
OLEO
OLIO
ORR
OTT
SSN (Van55's other "all time favorite).
@ddbmc
There was a lot of tension here.
Some canceled their vacations.
I even noticed a local BP Station changed to Exxon.
"F***ing BP" is now considered a cuss word in the Tampa Bay area!
To date (knock on wood!) not ONE SINGLE DROP of OIL has hit the beaches from Tarpon Springs on South here on the West Coast of Florida.
As pristine as you please ...
As for that Devil's playground, I only gave in to RINK because Hedonism II, Negril, Jamaica wouldn't fit.
Sliding the SSTs into the theme answers didn't bother me at all. While it's not a particularly inventive or difficult thematic trick, it's in no way worse than dropping the R from movie titles or adding some other random letter. And the reveal answer was not stuck maddeningly lazily at the ends of three other answers
What did irk me a bit about this puzzle was the plethora of obscure to semi-obscure proper names -- 37 of them if I counted correctly.
Still an enjoyable solve overall for me.
Wow, only 6 commenters today. Does that mean the Sunday LAT's are getting too tough or is everyone at the beach?
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