Constructed by: Kim Alswager
Edited by: Will Shortz
Not your puzzle? Try today’s …
… syndicated NY Times crossword
Today’s Theme: Down the Tubes
Themed answers relate to the “Super Mario” franchise, In the and the grid art mimics the game visuals with WARP PIPES, split power-ups FIREF/LOWER and MUS/ROOM, and red bricks. The yellow question marks are placed under the collectible COIN, VINE and ONE UP, as they are in the game (I think … never played it!). Oh, and MARIO is highlighted in circled letters near the center of the grid:
- 41D “Catchphrase of this puzzle’s subject” : IT’S A-ME, MARIO
- 24A “Whom this puzzle’s subject must save!” : PRINCESS PEACH!
- 38A “Green friend of this puzzle’s subject” : YOSHI
- 88A “Antagonist of this puzzle’s subject” : WARIO
- 110A “Enemy lair where 24-Across is held captive” : BOWSER’S CASTLE
- 122A “Brother of this puzzle’s subject” : LUIGI
- 14D “What this puzzle’s subject uses to travel to a new location” : WARP PIPE
- 87D “With 30-Down, power-up that supersizes this puzzle’s subject” : MUSH/ROOM
- 30D Space : ROOM
- 82D “With 31-Down, power-up that lets this puzzle’s subject throw flames” : FIRE F/LOWER
- 31D Let down : LOWER
- 4D “Collectible item from the box below” : COIN
- 7D “Green transport from the box below” : VINE
- 64D “”Extra life” item from the box below” : ONE-UP
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Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
I am attending a friend’s 70th birthday celebration today. As such, I only found time to solve this complex puzzle, and write up this abbreviated post. I will get to the full past just as soon as I can.
Apologies, and thank you for your understanding.
Bll
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1A “Joanie Loves ___” (“Happy Days” spinoff) : CHACHI
7A Peddles : VENDS
12A Chain whose merch includes mulch : LOWE’S
17A Encase in protection : COCOON
18A Something might disappear into it : THIN AIR
20A Lacking sense : INANE
21A Darlings : CUTIES
22A Yoga style in which each movement is synchronized with a breath : VINYASA
23A Bag : PURSE
24A “Whom this puzzle’s subject must save!” : PRINCESS PEACH!
26A Source of fries, informally : SPUD
27A On : ATOP
28A Nuggets of wisdom : PEARLS
33A Pizza parlor purchase : PIE
34A Hough of “Dancing With the Stars” fame : DEREK
38A “Green friend of this puzzle’s subject” : YOSHI
42A Elitist : SNOOT
43A “___ be an honor” : IT’D
44A Not say, say : ELIDE
45A “___ right!” : THAT’S
47A Vehicle puller : TOW ROPE
49A Disqualifies (oneself) : RECUSES
52A “Waaaah!” : I’M SAD!
54A Union Army general who was victorious over Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg : MEADE
55A Texter’s caveat : IMO
56A How a “miracle product” is said to work : LIKE MAGIC
59A Host of the 2016 Olympics : RIO
60A Old pros : VETS
62A Primates’ realm : APEDOM
63A Batman and Robin, e.g. : DUO
65A Many a musical chord : TRIAD
69A Total heat content of a thermodynamic system : ENTHALPY
71A “Platform with a “Super” popular character, in brief?” : NES
73A “Kind of” : IN A SENSE
75A Decorous : STAID
76A “Scrumptious!” : YUM!
78A Way : MANNER
80A Someone who might put you on a list : DEAN
81A U.K. military branch : RAF
83A Classic kids’ toy weapon : POTATO GUN
85A Sleepover “comfies” : PJS
86A Bialik of “The Big Bang Theory” : MAYIM
88A “Antagonist of this puzzle’s subject” : WARIO
89A Shoe style with a small opening in the front : PEEP-TOE
92A Man whom Jesus raised from the dead in John 11 : LAZARUS
94A Salmon and coral : PINKS
96A Takes full advantage of : MILKS
97A Dot follower : COM
98A “Beau ___” : GESTE
100A ___ Davis, actor and eulogist for Malcolm X : OSSIE
102A Until now : AS YET
103A Big name in trucks : RAM
104A Useful : OF HELP
106A Sportscaster Andrews : ERIN
108A Excessively uptight : ANAL
110A “Enemy lair where 24-Across is held captive” : BOWSER’S CASTLE
118A “To me, ‘sexy’ is a ___ with confidence”: Allegra Versace : WOMAN
120A Striking feature of Jessica Rabbit : RED HAIR
121A Achieve : ATTAIN
122A “Brother of this puzzle’s subject” : LUIGI
123A Author and entrepreneur Huffington : ARIANNA
124A Virtual animal companion popularized in the 2000s : NEOPET
125A Secret supply : STASH
126A Tabasco, for one : STATE
127A Highlight for a QB : TD PASS
1D Cyrillic way to write “U.S.S.R.” : CCCP
2D Short hand? : HOUR
3D When “One Day More” is sung in “Les Misérables” : ACT I
4D “Collectible item from the box below” : COIN
5D Fried cornbread concoctions : HOECAKES
6D ___ map : INSET
7D “Green transport from the box below” : VINE
8D Best-selling Irish solo musical artist : ENYA
9D Image Awards org. : NAACP
10D Spills : DISHES
11D Madrid Mrs. : SRA
12D Word before service or sync : LIP
13D Duty : ONUS
14D “What this puzzle’s subject uses to travel to a new location” : WARP PIPE
15D Like many primary bathrooms : EN SUITE
16D Like teams in March Madness : SEEDED
18D Expensive Super Bowl purchase : TV SPOT
19D In : HIP
25D ___ lecithin (food additive) : SOY
29D Raid target, at times : ANT
30D Space : ROOM
31D Let down : LOWER
32D Sea connectors : STRAITS
34D Obtains (from) : DERIVES
35D Gold or silver, but not bronze : ELEMENT
36D This might be stuffed inside a shell : RICOTTA
37D Dot follower : EDU
39D Recoiled : SHIED
40D Jupiter ___, first African American poet published in North America : HAMMON
41D “Catchphrase of this puzzle’s subject” : IT’S A-ME, MARIO
46D Wilt : SAG
48D Scented : ODORED
50D Carrier that takes its name from the Book of Hosea : EL AL
51D ___ cup : SIPPY
53D Achieved : DID
57D Excite : KEY UP
58D Job for a stage assistant, maybe : CUING
61D Australia’s most popular wine : SHIRAZ
64D “”Extra life” item from the box below” : ONE-UP
66D How a total dummkopf might handle something : INEPTLY
67D In jest : AS A JOKE
68D Like New Jersey among all U.S. states, population-wise : DENSEST
70D In the very recent past : A DAY AGO
72D Gown fabrics : SATINS
74D ___ Duncan, education secretary under Obama : ARNE
77D Razor blades? : MOW
79D Cozy corners : NOOKS
82D “With 31-Down, power-up that lets this puzzle’s subject throw flames” : FIRE F/LOWER
84D Alternative to “sparkling” : TAP
86D “Catchphrase of this puzzle’s subject” : MAMMA MIA
87D “With 30-Down, power-up that supersizes this puzzle’s subject” : MUSH/ROOM
90D Flowed (from) : EMANATED
91D Some film noir figures, for short : PIS
92D Give for a time : LOAN OUT
93D Business address abbr. : STE
95D Popular GMC pickup : SIERRA
97D Proceeds like congested traffic : CRAWLS
99D Mount ___, highest peak in the Rockies : ELBERT
101D Mumbled stumbles : ERS
105D Daises : PODIA
107D “Sorry, my calendar’s full” : I CAN’T
109D Falls behind : LAGS
111D “?!?!?!?!” : WHAT?!?!?!?!
112D Sensible : SANE
113D ___ für alle Mal (once and for all, in German) : EIN
114D What a rest indicates … or a word after rest : STOP
115D Small bite abroad : TAPA
116D Makeup of a certain web : LIES
117D Docs who really get in your face? : ENTS
119D Medical research ctr. : NIH
120D Dorm leaders, in brief : RAS
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