0312-17 New York Times Crossword Answers 12 Mar 17, Sunday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Alan Arbesfeld
THEME: Taking the Fifth
Each of today’s themed answers are common phrases that have been amended by adding an “E” sound to the end; they each “take the fifth” letter of the alphabet:

23A. “Put that Southern state on next month’s agenda”? : TABLE TENNESSEE (from “table tennis”)
32A. What a male babysitter may sport? : NANNY GOATEE (from “nanny goat”)
56A. Like a fired Broadway star? : OFF THE MARQUEE (from :off the mark”)
78A. Sweaty, irritable rabbit? : HOT, CROSS BUNNY (from “hot cross bun”)
101A. What’ll feed everyone at a tailgate party? : THE BIG CHILI (from “The BIg Chill”)
114A. Reformed barbarian? : ATTILA THE HONEY (from “Attila the Hun”)
17D. Turnaround too tempting to pass up? : IRRESISTIBLE UIE (from “Irresistible You”)
44D. “Check out the Argentine soccer star!”? : LOOK AT THAT MESSI! (from “look at that mess”)

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 23m 44s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
I am currently on vacation in Chicago, with my two brothers from Ireland. and so I only found the time to make a basic post for today’s puzzle. Thank you for your understanding, and apologies for the inconvenience.

Bill

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Chest protectors : STERNA
7. The 2000s, with “the” : NAUGHTS
14. Camry competitor : ALTIMA
20. Fisher of fashion : EILEEN
21. Coming up : IN STORE
22. 1943 conference site : TEHRAN
23. “Put that Southern state on next month’s agenda”? : TABLE TENNESSEE (from “table tennis”)
25. Like some wedding cakes and stadiums : TIERED
26. Sulk : BROOD
27. Pooh’s pal : ROO
28. New York : The Big Apple :: ___ : The Big Guava : TAMPA
30. Pain in the neck : PEST
31. Go off course : YAW
32. What a male babysitter may sport? : NANNY GOATEE (from “nanny goat”)
36. Panama, e.g.: Abbr. : ISTH
37. Numbskull : DODO
38. Minuscule, informally : EENSY
39. Romantic liaison : AFFAIRE
42. Shared with, as a story : TOLD TO
45. Ending with chick : -ADEE
46. Spoils, in a way : RAINS ON
47. Playing a fifth N.F.L. period, say : IN OT
48. Romanian currency : LEU
50. Capital of Yemen : SANA’A
54. Race pace : TROT
55. ___ volente (God willing) : DEO
56. Like a fired Broadway star? : OFF THE MARQUEE (from :off the mark”)
59. Small handful : IMP
62. Comedian Smirnoff : YAKOV
64. Auric Goldfinger, to James Bond : FOE
65. Leave thunderstruck : STUN
66. Color in “America the Beautiful” : AMBER
68. Do to do : SCALE
69. A.A.A. and B.B.B. : ORGS
71. Jai ___ : ALAI
72. One in a crowd at a bookstore? : WALDO
73. Total : UTTER
74. Billiards feature : RAIL
75. South American greeting : ALO
76. Eskimo-___ languages : ALEUT
77. Winter hrs. in Vail : MST
78. Sweaty, irritable rabbit? : HOT, CROSS BUNNY (from “hot cross bun”)
83. Suffix with nod- : -ULE
84. Follow : HEED
86. Really bother : EAT AT
87. Grp. in the Oscar-winning documentary “Citizenfour” : NSA
88. Kunis of “Black Swan” : MILA
89. Stuck : UP A TREE
92. Bit of bar food : WING
94. Real hoot : SCREAM
96. Commotions : POTHERS
97. Setting for many Stephen King novels : MAINE
99. “The Persistence of Memory” artist : DALI
100. “Pencils down!” : TIME!
101. What’ll feed everyone at a tailgate party? : THE BIG CHILI (from “The BIg Chill”)
104. “What else could it be?!” : DUH!
107. Road to the Forum, e.g. : ITER
108. “Lovergirl” singer ___ Marie : TEENA
109. Christmas song contraction : ‘TIS
110. Broadway star Rivera : CHITA
112. Supermodel Bündchen : GISELE
114. Reformed barbarian? : ATTILA THE HONEY (from “Attila the Hun”)
118. Start of a marital spat? : HE SAID …
119. 2000s TV hit set in Baltimore : THE WIRE
120. Guinness entry : RECORD
121. Vocal quavers : TRILLS
122. A cross might be given for it : HEROISM
123. Invites across the threshold : ASKS IN

Down
1. Held in reserve : SET BY
2. Queen topper : TIARA
3. Jostle : ELBOW
4. Move, informally : RELO
5. Is unobliged to : NEED NOT
6. Soldier, for one : ANT
7. Curtain fabric : NINON
8. Ticked off : ANNOYED
9. Wear and tear : USE
10. Some sporty cars : GTS
11. Popular landscaping plants : HOSTAS
12. Compact : TREATY
13. Dreaded comment on a returned exam : SEE ME
14. Lead-in to boy or girl : ATTA
15. Island chain? : LEI
16. 1993 film that garnered Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress Oscars : THE PIANO
17. Turnaround too tempting to pass up? : IRRESISTIBLE UIE (from “Irresistible You”)
18. Wand wielder : MAESTRO
19. “What happened next?” : AND THEN?
24. Puzzle inventor Rubik : ERNO
29. Brandy fruit : PEAR
33. Unpopular baby name : ADOLF
34. Formation fliers : GEESE
35. Hour in the graveyard shift : ONE AM
37. Target of a 1972 ban : DDT
40. It’s inescapable : FATE
41. “Shoot!” : FIRE AWAY!
42. Nice piece of change : TIDY SUM
43. Plays without a break : ONE-ACTS
44. “Check out the Argentine soccer star!”? : LOOK AT THAT MESSI! (from “look at that mess”)
45. 500, e.g. : AUTO RACE
49. Exercitation : EFFORT
51. Grp. that might have a launch party : NASA
52. Where kids get creative in school : ART LAB
53. Diving equipment co-invented by Jacques Cousteau : AQUALUNG
56. Shout from an arm waver : OVER HERE!
57. Exodus : HEGIRA
58. They may have many chapters : UNIONS
60. Part of the brain that controls involuntary functions : MEDULLA
61. Reds, Blues or Browns : PRO TEAM
63. World Cup chant : OLE!
67. Start to practice? : MAL-
70. Schedule position : SLOT
79. Baltic Sea feeder : ODER
80. 2005 horror sequel : SAW II
81. Undercover operation : STING
82. Stuffy-sounding : NASAL
85. Heavenly : ETHEREAL
88. Picture of health, in brief? : MRI
89. Tense : UPTIGHT
90. First African-American to win a Best Actor Oscar : POITIER
91. Tivoli’s Villa d’___ : ESTE
93. Attractions for bees : NECTARS
95. They’re always tired : CLICHES
97. French ice cream flavorer : MENTHE
98. Lessener : ABATER
99. Gossip : DISH
102. Moor : HEATH
103. “___ where they ain’t” : HIT ‘EM
104. Natural history museum exhibits, for short : DINOS
105. Centers of early development : UTERI
106. Composer who taught Beethoven : HAYDN
108. “Bill & ___ Excellent Adventure” : TED’S
111. Pawn : HOCK
113. Short, for short : LI’L
115. 1945 battle site, informally : IWO
116. 2018 Super Bowl number : LII
117. Internet ___ (what we live in) : ERA

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