Theme: 4 x 4 - Each theme entry consists of 4 words, each word consisting of 4 letters.
23A. "We'll find out in due course" : ONLY TIME WILL TELL. This and its symmetrical partner are my favorite pair.
39A. Hotel ad phrase : HOME AWAY FROM HOME
53A. "Stay alert!" : KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN
72A. Act rashly : LEAD WITH ONE'S CHIN
88A. Cry to players in hiding : OLLY OLLY OXEN FREE
106A. Often skeptical words of encouragement : GOOD LUCK WITH THAT. Just excellent.
Again, very long answers, hence only 6 theme entries. It'd be awesome if every word in the theme entries has one syllable. Might be an impossible task. Already tough job for the constructor to ferret out the ones we have today.
Several great long non-theme Down entries:
4D. Swimming and diving, e.g. : OLYMPIC SPORTS. Very seldom do we see a 13-letter non-theme fill.
16D. Petrify : TURN TO STONE. 11s are rare too.
57D. Like hobnobbers : WELL-CONNECTED
63D. It was once described as an "odious column of bolted metal" : EIFFEL TOWER. Lovely.
Also several fill for Dennis:
60A. Brilliant bunch : MENSA. He's the cleverest Dummy I know of.
68A. Japanese canine : AKITA. He owned one.
41D. Watch for the wealthy : ROLEX. He's wearing one.
All in all, a solid grid. Quite a few names, but none obscure.
Across:
1. '50s pin curls style, e.g. : UPDO
5. Sean Combs, on stage : P. DIDDY. So flashy.
11. Things of beauty : GEMs
15. Ratatouille, e.g. : STEW
19. Stick-up stash : HAUL
20. Mumbai garments : SAREES. Or SARIS.
21. Stratford's river : AVON
22. "Reason is ... the slave of the passions" writer : HUME (David). Not familiar with this line.
26. Idle in show biz : ERIC. Eric Idle.
27. 2002 hit for Cam'ron : HEY MA. Well, Avg Joe might know this song. I've got no idea.
28. "Junebug" Oscar nominee Adams : AMY. She is very talented. Pretty too.
29. "That __ fair!" : ISN'T
30. Divine food : MANNA. I wonder what it tastes that.
31. Ramble on : PRATE
33. Thumper's pal : BAMBI. Thumper is a rabbit.
35. Near the end : LATTER.
36. One who harnesses the power of midi-chlorians : JEDI. "Star Wars".
42. Throws out : EVICTS
44. Senate passings : BILLs
45. Fancy moldings : OGEEs.
46. Sunshine __: old detergent : RINSO
47. Bug : GERM
48. Letter-shaped track : T-SLOT. No idea. Carpenter term, Splynter/Jerome?
50. Big initials in comedy syndication : TBS
57. It may be spun : WOOL. Not TALE/YARN.
58. "What a klutz I am!" : OOPS
59. Ricoh competitor : XEROX
61. Applies, as effort : EXERTS
64. Dummkopf : HALF-WIT. Dummkopf is a new word to me. Dumm = Dumb. Koph = Head.
67. Grade of beef : SELECT
69. Cruise, for one : CELEB. Tom Cruise. And SEA (87D. Cruise milieu).
70. "The Baroque Cycle" sci-fi author Stephenson : NEAL. Stranger to me. Has anyone read the clued book?
71. Linesmen's co-workers : REFs
79. Disturbing bank letters : NSF. Disturbing indeed.
80. Far from mega- : MICRO
81. Crafted, as a tale : WOVE
82. French wine valley : LOIRE
83. Town in a Carlo Levi title : EBOLI. "Christ Stopped at Eboli" .
85. "Had __ and couldn't ..." : A WIFE
87. Subject involving subjects : SYNTAX. Oh, sentence.
93. Starling's home : NEST
94. Ragtag : MOTLEY
95. Author Blyton et al. : ENIDs
96. Airbus product : PLANE
98. Treat as taboo : AVOID
99. City near Anaheim : BREA. Spanish for "tar".
100. You might give him the business : SON. Clever clue.
101. Ghana's capital : ACCRA
105. Cut down : HEWN
110. Downwind : ALEE
111. Not loose : SNUG
112. "The Ministry of Fear" author : GREENE (Graham). Here is the book cover. I bet it's a gimme for Lemonade.
113. __ Indies : EAST
114. Some paparazzi gear, briefly : SLRs
115. Carry : TOTE
116. Sunshine cookie : HYDROX. Is it still on the market?
117. Time of reckoning : D-DAY
Down:
1. "Trouble's a-comin'!" : UH OH
2. Stained-glass piece : PANE
3. How some things are noted : DULY. Duly noted.
5. Penultimate Greek letter : PSI
6. 1980s-'90s New York senator : DAMATO (Alfonse)
7. Coming-back words : I REMEMBER. Oh, this coming-back.
8. Like a field at sunrise : DEWY
9. Opus __: "The Da Vinci Code" sect : DEI
10. Pricey handbag inits. : YSL
11. Carraway's Long Island neighbor, in classic fiction : GATSBY. The Great Gatsby.
12. Supposing : EVEN IF
13. Jump out of one's skin? : MOLT. Fun clue.
14. Show with '70s samurai sketches, briefly : SNL
15. Put away, as a dagger : SHEATHE
17. "Love the Way You Lie" rapper : EMINEM. Weird song name.
18. Words of support : WE CARE
24. Driveway option : TAR
25. Beans that are a good source of manganese : LIMAs. Boomer loves lima beans.
30. "Wag the Dog" co-screenwriter : MAMET (David). Drew a blank.
32. Wistful sounds : AHs
33. Mild : BALMY
34. Belt maker's tool : AWL
35. Start using Facebook, say : LOG ON
36. Weightlifting move : JERK
37. Songwriter Sands : EVIE. Stumped me last time.
38. Eat in style : DINE
40. Seamus Heaney's homeland : EIRE. Seamus Heaney won Nobel literature in 1995, a la Wiki.
43. Matrix automaker : TOYOTA
47. Grissom of NASA : GUS. And 89D. Apollo 13 astronaut : LOVELL (Jim)
48. Semicircular moldings : TORI. Plural of torus like this. Think donuts.
49. Concern for Lady Macbeth : SPOT
51. Pear from Europe : BOSC
52. Bedframe part : SLAT
54. Psy-__: military propaganda, etc. : OPs
55. Like Deep Throat : EX-FBI. I'm glad Deep Throat revealed himself in the end.
56. Work on seams : SEW
60. Pitifully small : MEASLY
61. Take home : EARN
62. Vintage Jags : XKEs
64. Get wind of : HEAR
65. Gucci of fashion : ALDO. Did names give you trouble today?
23A. "We'll find out in due course" : ONLY TIME WILL TELL. This and its symmetrical partner are my favorite pair.
39A. Hotel ad phrase : HOME AWAY FROM HOME
53A. "Stay alert!" : KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN
72A. Act rashly : LEAD WITH ONE'S CHIN
88A. Cry to players in hiding : OLLY OLLY OXEN FREE
106A. Often skeptical words of encouragement : GOOD LUCK WITH THAT. Just excellent.
Again, very long answers, hence only 6 theme entries. It'd be awesome if every word in the theme entries has one syllable. Might be an impossible task. Already tough job for the constructor to ferret out the ones we have today.
Several great long non-theme Down entries:
4D. Swimming and diving, e.g. : OLYMPIC SPORTS. Very seldom do we see a 13-letter non-theme fill.
16D. Petrify : TURN TO STONE. 11s are rare too.
57D. Like hobnobbers : WELL-CONNECTED
63D. It was once described as an "odious column of bolted metal" : EIFFEL TOWER. Lovely.
Also several fill for Dennis:
60A. Brilliant bunch : MENSA. He's the cleverest Dummy I know of.
68A. Japanese canine : AKITA. He owned one.
41D. Watch for the wealthy : ROLEX. He's wearing one.
All in all, a solid grid. Quite a few names, but none obscure.
Across:
1. '50s pin curls style, e.g. : UPDO
5. Sean Combs, on stage : P. DIDDY. So flashy.
11. Things of beauty : GEMs
15. Ratatouille, e.g. : STEW
19. Stick-up stash : HAUL
20. Mumbai garments : SAREES. Or SARIS.
21. Stratford's river : AVON
22. "Reason is ... the slave of the passions" writer : HUME (David). Not familiar with this line.
26. Idle in show biz : ERIC. Eric Idle.
27. 2002 hit for Cam'ron : HEY MA. Well, Avg Joe might know this song. I've got no idea.
28. "Junebug" Oscar nominee Adams : AMY. She is very talented. Pretty too.
29. "That __ fair!" : ISN'T
30. Divine food : MANNA. I wonder what it tastes that.
31. Ramble on : PRATE
33. Thumper's pal : BAMBI. Thumper is a rabbit.
35. Near the end : LATTER.
36. One who harnesses the power of midi-chlorians : JEDI. "Star Wars".
42. Throws out : EVICTS
44. Senate passings : BILLs
45. Fancy moldings : OGEEs.
46. Sunshine __: old detergent : RINSO
47. Bug : GERM
48. Letter-shaped track : T-SLOT. No idea. Carpenter term, Splynter/Jerome?
50. Big initials in comedy syndication : TBS
57. It may be spun : WOOL. Not TALE/YARN.
58. "What a klutz I am!" : OOPS
59. Ricoh competitor : XEROX
61. Applies, as effort : EXERTS
64. Dummkopf : HALF-WIT. Dummkopf is a new word to me. Dumm = Dumb. Koph = Head.
67. Grade of beef : SELECT
69. Cruise, for one : CELEB. Tom Cruise. And SEA (87D. Cruise milieu).
70. "The Baroque Cycle" sci-fi author Stephenson : NEAL. Stranger to me. Has anyone read the clued book?
71. Linesmen's co-workers : REFs
79. Disturbing bank letters : NSF. Disturbing indeed.
80. Far from mega- : MICRO
81. Crafted, as a tale : WOVE
82. French wine valley : LOIRE
83. Town in a Carlo Levi title : EBOLI. "Christ Stopped at Eboli" .
85. "Had __ and couldn't ..." : A WIFE
87. Subject involving subjects : SYNTAX. Oh, sentence.
93. Starling's home : NEST
94. Ragtag : MOTLEY
95. Author Blyton et al. : ENIDs
96. Airbus product : PLANE
98. Treat as taboo : AVOID
99. City near Anaheim : BREA. Spanish for "tar".
100. You might give him the business : SON. Clever clue.
101. Ghana's capital : ACCRA
105. Cut down : HEWN
110. Downwind : ALEE
111. Not loose : SNUG
112. "The Ministry of Fear" author : GREENE (Graham). Here is the book cover. I bet it's a gimme for Lemonade.
113. __ Indies : EAST
114. Some paparazzi gear, briefly : SLRs
115. Carry : TOTE
116. Sunshine cookie : HYDROX. Is it still on the market?
117. Time of reckoning : D-DAY
Down:
1. "Trouble's a-comin'!" : UH OH
2. Stained-glass piece : PANE
3. How some things are noted : DULY. Duly noted.
5. Penultimate Greek letter : PSI
6. 1980s-'90s New York senator : DAMATO (Alfonse)
7. Coming-back words : I REMEMBER. Oh, this coming-back.
8. Like a field at sunrise : DEWY
9. Opus __: "The Da Vinci Code" sect : DEI
10. Pricey handbag inits. : YSL
11. Carraway's Long Island neighbor, in classic fiction : GATSBY. The Great Gatsby.
12. Supposing : EVEN IF
13. Jump out of one's skin? : MOLT. Fun clue.
14. Show with '70s samurai sketches, briefly : SNL
15. Put away, as a dagger : SHEATHE
17. "Love the Way You Lie" rapper : EMINEM. Weird song name.
18. Words of support : WE CARE
24. Driveway option : TAR
25. Beans that are a good source of manganese : LIMAs. Boomer loves lima beans.
30. "Wag the Dog" co-screenwriter : MAMET (David). Drew a blank.
32. Wistful sounds : AHs
33. Mild : BALMY
34. Belt maker's tool : AWL
35. Start using Facebook, say : LOG ON
36. Weightlifting move : JERK
37. Songwriter Sands : EVIE. Stumped me last time.
38. Eat in style : DINE
40. Seamus Heaney's homeland : EIRE. Seamus Heaney won Nobel literature in 1995, a la Wiki.
43. Matrix automaker : TOYOTA
47. Grissom of NASA : GUS. And 89D. Apollo 13 astronaut : LOVELL (Jim)
48. Semicircular moldings : TORI. Plural of torus like this. Think donuts.
49. Concern for Lady Macbeth : SPOT
51. Pear from Europe : BOSC
52. Bedframe part : SLAT
54. Psy-__: military propaganda, etc. : OPs
55. Like Deep Throat : EX-FBI. I'm glad Deep Throat revealed himself in the end.
56. Work on seams : SEW
60. Pitifully small : MEASLY
61. Take home : EARN
62. Vintage Jags : XKEs
64. Get wind of : HEAR
65. Gucci of fashion : ALDO. Did names give you trouble today?
66. "Ben-Hur" author Wallace : LEW
67. Date : SEE
69. Director DeMille : CECIL
70. Richmond-to-D.C. dir. : NNE
72. Evangeline __, who played Kate on "Lost" : LILLY. Looks familiar.
73. Target Field team : TWINS. My poor Twins!
74. "The Tao of Pooh" author : HOFF (Benjamin). I forgot.
75. Prove too strong for : OVERPOWER
76. "Women and Love" author Shere : HITE
77. Income sources for some srs. : IRAs
78. Subsequent : NEXT
80. Acted bullish? : MOOED. You comment, Windhover!
84. Writing credits : BYLINEs
85. Like a saucer's symmetry : AXIAL
86. Tie the knot : WED
88. Nebraska tribe members : OMAHAS
90. Bad news from home? : YER OUT! My favorite clue today.
91. Skittish : ON EDGE
92. Monsoon-affecting phenomenon : EL NINO
97. "I'll pass" : NAH
99. U2's lead vocalist : BONO
100. RR station posting : SKED (Schedule)
102. Niger neighbor : CHAD
103. Tabula __ : RASA
104. Trial fig. : ATTY
106. Clock std. : GST. What does this mean? I wanted GMT.
107. "How icky!" : UGH
108. Break down : CRY
109. Where Odessa is: Abbr. : TEX. Not UKR.
Answer grid.
Happy Birthday to my Lao Shi Don "Hard G"!
C.C.
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