Sunday September 25, 2022 Gary Larson & Amy Ensz

Theme: "Plush" (Plus -H) - H is added to each common phrase.

23A. Dormitory where honor roll students sleep?: HALL FOR THE BEST. All for the best.

46A. Ingredient for discerning brew masters?: SPECIAL HOPS. Special ops.

71A. Take care of eggs by sitting on them?: HEAT LIKE A BIRD. Eat like a bird.

92A. Learns about crops like maize?: HEARS OF CORN. Ears of corn.

117A. Cheap toupee?: BUDGET HAIRLINE. Budget airline.

15D. Light-up pumps?: ELECTRIC HEELS. Electrical eels.

57D. Weekly night for leftovers?: HASH WEDNESDAY. Ash Wednesday.

I linked this this interview about Gary Larson last time. Amy is his wife.

Gary is probably the most prolific LAT Sunday puzzle-maker the past few years. He's very fond of letter addition/deletion theme.

Across:

6. Crunchy brownie piece: EDGE.

10. Natural bandage: SCAB. If your white blood count is low, your wound won't heal quickly.

14. Storm relief org.: FEMA.

18. Sierra Nevada lake: TAHOE.

19. Connections: TIES.

20. Skyline obscurer: HAZE. Xi'an is pretty polluted.

21. Ruck of "Spin City": ALAN.

22. Semis followers: FINALS.

26. Name of Davy Crockett's rifle: OLD BETSY. Unknown to me.

28. Enjoy again, as a favorite book: RE-READ.

29. Cubbies home: CHI. And 45. Cub's home: DEN.

30. __ carte: ALA.

31. "Fun Factory" clay: PLAY-DOH.

35. Tuft of feathers: CREST.

37. Name of B.B. King's guitar: LUCILLE. Also unknown to me.

41. Actor Mulroney: DERMOT.

43. Santa-tracking org.: NORAD.

48. Jazz lick: RIFF.

51. Sudoku digit: NINE.

52. Birdie topper: EAGLE.

53. Historical record: ANNAL.

54. App symbol: ICON.

55. Suzuki with 10 MLB Gold Gloves: ICHIRO.  See what comes up when you google  "August in Kansas City ..."

58. "Yosemite Valley Winter" photographer: ADAMS.

62. Do needlework: STITCH.

64. Dietary fiber: BRAN.

65. Forecast: PREDICT.

67. Charge for using, as an apartment: LEASE TO.

70. Apple platform: IOS.

74. New __: cap brand: ERA.

75. Cream cheese serving: SCHMEAR.

77. Genre revitalized by Britney Spears: TEEN POP. Christina Aguilera as well.

78. Thicken, as cream: CLOT.

79. Some year-end lists: WORSTS. Ken Tucker's year-end interviews with Terry Gross are always so good.

81. Calf's suckling spot: UDDER.

82. Turns way up: BLASTS.

84. Stadium level: TIER.

86. Rivendell inhabitants: ELVES. "The Lord of the Rings".

88. __ Island: ELLIS.

90. Tacks on: ADDS.

91. Went platinum?: DYED. Ha.

98. Lost cause: GONER.

100. Words on an orange juice container: NO PULP.

102. "Way to go, fella!": ATTA BOY.

103. Dodge: ELUDE.

106. Edible part of a pistachio: NUTMEAT.

108. Mystery writer Grafton: SUE.

109. Many pop-ups: ADS.

111. Refuse: LITTER. Noun "refuse".

113. Baggage handler?: TSA AGENT. Another great clue.

122. Duel choices: SWORDS.

123. Morales of "Ozark": ESAI.

124. With 112-Down, fish story: TALL. And 112. See 124-Across: TALE.

125. Song that might prompt a "Brava!": ARIA.

126. Cast: HEAVE.

127. Texter's "until next time": TTYL.

128. Turow book set at Harvard: ONE L. Just had this fill last Monday.

129. Burt's Bees product: BALM.

130. Fragrant compound: ESTER.

Down:

2. Parker who was the 2020 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year: CANDACE. I bet this is Patti's clue.

3. "Pequod" captain: AHAB.

4. Mexican sauce flavored with chocolate: MOLE.

5. Fly, e.g.: PEST.

6. __ alcohol: ETHYL.

7. Jueves, por ejemplo: DIA. Thursday.

8. Salon goop: GEL.

9. Subj. for some citizenship applicants: ESL. Some of the questions on the citizenship test are pretty tough.

10. Help for a tight fit: SHOEHORN.

11. "Virgin River" novelist Robyn: CARR.

12. Tenochtitlan native: AZTEC.

13. "Joy Shtick" writer/comedian: BEHAR.

14. Terrif: FAB.

16. Classic TV series set in Korea: M*A*S*H.

17. Averse to: ANTI.

22. Farm young: FOALS.

24. Gift tag word: FROM.

25. Genesis plot: EDEN. D-Otto has mentioned Eden Prairie a few times. His sister and niece live here.

27. Be in a bee: SPELL.

32. Bustle: ADO.

33. "Okey-doke": YEP.

34. OB-GYNs, e.g.: DRS.

36. Former Seattle team, familiarly: SONICS.

38. Trap during a winter storm, say: ICE IN.

39. False witness: LIAR.

40. Spanish lake: LAGO.

42. Sardine cans: TINS.

44. "I'll take that as __": A NO.

47. Ticker: HEART.

49. Fistfight souvenir: FAT LIP.

50. Circular: FLIER.

53. Go up: ASCEND.

55. Sacred Nile bird: IBIS. The African sacred ibis.

56. Colorful clog: CROC.

59. Shoulder muscle, for short: DELT.

60. Parting words: ADIEUS.

61. Ready to be recorded: MIKED.

63. Bit: TAD.

65. To some degree: PARTLY.

66. Sealing stuff: TAPE.

68. Home run run: TROT. All Rise!

69. Stallion feed: OATS.

71. HRH part: HER.

72. Lightened (up): EASED.

73. Drill, e.g.: BORER.

76. Bite: MORSEL.

78. "Julius Caesar" role: CASCA.

80. Kristoff's reindeer in "Frozen": SVEN.

82. Dab at, as lipstick: BLOT.

83. British elevator: LIFT.

84. Graffiti signature: TAG.

85. Rite answer?: I DO. Good old clue.

87. Three-time "Modern Family" Emmy nominee: ED O'NEILL.

89. Future JDs' exams: LSATS.

92. Simple shelter: HUT.

93. Furniture wood: ELM.

94. Animal that beats its chest: APE.

95. Witness: OBSERVE.

96. Not as flat: ROUNDER.

97. Russian rejections: NYETS.

99. Govern: RULE.

101. Smooth engine sound: PURR.

104. "Likewise": DITTO.

105. One of the filmmaking Coen brothers: ETHAN. Both are working on their own projects now.

107. Crack squad: A TEAM.

109. Turn off the security cameras for, maybe: ABET.

110. Roomba target: DUST.

114. Queens, New York, stadium namesake: ASHE.

115. Dazzles: AWES.

116. Capricorn critter: GOAT.

118. Hodges who managed the Miracle Mets: GIL.

119. Chemist's workplace: LAB.

120. 401(k) kin: IRA.

121. Not a thing: NIL.

Boomer got his blood infusion last Monday. He has not perked up yet. The nurses said it might take up 5 to 7 days for him to feel better.

It was another challenging week, but it would be unimaginable without the generous help of Tom Pepper, who came to our house immediately after I called, drove us to the VA, spent a few hours with us at the VA and drove us back. He's been amazing, all these years.

 Tom Pepper, the 3rd MN Crossword Tournament, 6/23/2014