Constructed by: Peter A. Collins
Edited by: Will Shortz
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Today’s Theme: Help!
Themed answers each comprise three words starting with the letters “SOS”. And, we have some grid art today as the black squares in the middle of the grid spell out “SOS”:
- 109A Critical message that’s a hint to the six longest entries in this puzzle : SOS
- 24A Tired tale : SAME OLD STORY
- 115A 1973 Beach Boys song : SAIL ON, SAILOR
- 3D Not exactly hit the ground running : START OUT SLOWLY
- 7D Showed ’em what we’ve got : STRUTTED OUR STUFF
- 41D Slippery vendor : SNAKE OIL SALESMAN
- 56D 1978 Dire Straits hit : SULTANS OF SWING
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Bill’s time: 19m 25s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
I’m over in Ireland right now taking care of some personal family issues. I only found time today to slip away, solve the puzzle, and write up an abbreviated post.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Bill
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 It might end up in a sack : PASS RUSH
9 E neighbor : D-SHARP
15 Nada : ZIPPO
20 Robots : AUTOMATA
21 “Not exactly, but close …” : IN A WAY …
22 Filmmaker Coen : ETHAN
23 Checkout devices : SCANNERS
24 Tired tale : SAME OLD STORY
26 Seriously annoy : TRY
27 Roll out, as a flag : UNFURL
29 Stuff in a muffin, say? : EAT
30 Neighbor of Okla. : TEX
31 Exciting, in modern lingo : LIT
32 Rock, maybe : PUT TO SLEEP
36 Danson’s “Cheers” role : MALONE
38 End of some hybrid dog breed names : -POO
39 N.Y.C. dance company : ABT
40 Hounds : PESTERS
42 Tidbits for aardvarks : ANTS
43 Bearded beast : GNU
44 They go with potatoes in soup : LEEKS
46 Sting operator : CON MAN
49 Regarding : AS TO
51 Vitamin stat : RDA
52 Hosts, in brief : MCS
55 Italian cheese : PARMESAN
59 Peel place : SPA
61 Out at a library, say : ON LOAN
63 “Yeah, why not” : OKAY, SURE
64 Cyrus who sang the 2013 #1 hit “Wrecking Ball” : MILEY
66 Once did : USED TO
67 States, informally : SEZ
68 Be prone : LIE
69 Radiated : SHONE
70 Leafy salad ingredient : RADICCHIO
72 Didn’t delay : ACTED
74 Inexperienced : NEW
75 Fool : ASS
76 Something frequently found in pink lipstick : SHORT I
77 Pupil’s location : CLASS
78 Stabilizes with a heavy load : BALLASTS
81 Lump in the throat : TONSIL
82 Geologic period : EON
83 Get upset over : CRY ABOUT
84 Lincoln-to-Madison dir. : ENE
85 Sunrise direction, in Stuttgart : OST
87 River in a 1914 battle : YSER
90 Skim : NON-FAT
92 Not a science, but ___ : AN ART
94 With 95-Across, what often seems to disappear in a dryer : ONE …
95 See 94-Across : … SOCK
98 N.C. military installation : FT BRAGG
102 “___ Trois Mousquetaires” : LES
103 Big do : ‘FRO
104 Appealed to a higher authority? : PRAYED
107 Religious time in spring : EASTER WEEK
109 Critical message that’s a hint to the six longest entries in this puzzle : SOS
110 Circular components? : ADS
111 Cave dweller : BAT
113 Caruso and Pavarotti : TENORS
114 It makes for a boring job : AWL
115 1973 Beach Boys song : SAIL ON, SAILOR
119 “Three Stooges” insult : IMBECILE!
123 Sal of “Rebel Without a Cause” : MINEO
124 Course of action : AVENUE
125 Stretched tight : TAUTENED
126 Caribbean game fish : SNOOK
127 Changes back to 0000 : RESETS
128 Swollen : ENGORGED
Down
1 Ballet step : PAS
2 They have lots for sale : AUCTIONS
3 Not exactly hit the ground running : START OUT SLOWLY
4 PlayStation company : SONY
5 L.B.J. follower : RMN
6 Home of the Burj Khalifa: Abbr. : UAE
7 Showed ’em what we’ve got : STRUTTED OUR STUFF
8 “It ___ hit me yet” : HASN’T
9 State of abandonment : DISUSE
10 Traffic troubles : SNARLS
11 Where the phrase “To thine own self be true” comes from : HAMLET
12 What shocked people stand in : AWE
13 Raja ___, Indian author of “The Serpent and the Rope” : RAO
14 Ernie ___, Pulitzer-winning journalist of W.W. II : PYLE
15 Keebler cracker brand : ZESTA
16 Member of TV’s Addams Family : ITT
17 Something scientists make light of? : PHOTON
18 Rear : PARENT
19 Some cameo stones : ONYXES
25 Obstacle for a fish : DAM
28 Dandies : FOPS
31 Tour grp. : LPGA
32 Bro : PAL
33 Cab alternative : UBER
34 Common Market org. : EEC
35 Starting point in logic : PROPOSITION
37 Swimmers’ assignments : LANES
41 Slippery vendor : SNAKE OIL SALESMAN
45 The Wildcats of the N.C.A.A. : KANSAS STATE
47 Jason with the 2008 hit “I’m Yours” : MRAZ
48 Poet Lowell : AMY
50 Store window sign : OPEN
52 Dress seller : MODISTE
53 Take root : CATCH ON
54 Sweet summer treat : SNO-CONE
56 1978 Dire Straits hit : SULTANS OF SWING
57 The Ram : ARIES
58 Doesn’t just want : NEEDS
60 Word said in passing? : AYE
62 Headed up : LED
64 “Morning Joe” airer : MSNBC
65 Rumor starter : I HEAR …
71 Timecard abbr. : HRS
72 Prized pitcher : ACE
73 Please too much : CLOY
75 “Unto us ___ is given” : A SON
79 Like a string bean : LANKY
80 Blood-typing letters : ABO
86 Word with bay or family : TREE
88 Course registrant : ENROLLEE
89 Cars that disappeared during the Depression : REOS
91 “Don’t know yet,” on a schedule : TBA
92 Prefix with industry : AGRO-
93 Bit of shaming : TSK
95 Involuntary actions : SPASMS
96 Make official : ORDAIN
97 House of cards? : CASINO
99 “Wheel of Fortune” sextet : R-S-T-L-N-E
100 Eschewed home cooking : ATE OUT
101 Mystery and romance, for two : GENRES
105 Download for a tablet : E-BOOK
106 Skilled judoist : DAN
108 Draft : WRITE
112 Nicholas II was the last one : TSAR
114 Big name in laptops : ACER
116 The Lion : LEO
117 “___, Imperator!” : AVE
118 “-y” pluralizer : -IES
120 Irk : BUG
121 W.W. II arena: Abbr. : ETO
122 Baseball Hall-of-Famer Roush : EDD
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