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Puzzle by Tony Orbach & Patrick Blindauer, edited by Will Shortz
This standard Sunday crossword puzzle has 140 defined “words” and 140 entries with 7 of those “defined words” and their entries alluding to the title of the puzzle "REAR AXLE". Ax the ending letters “L“ and “E“ in one of the words contained in each of the phrase entries, e.g.: “dangle” becomes “dang”, “trickle” becomes “trick”, etc. -- resulting in a play on words of phrases of common usage.
REAR AXLE
The seven defined words and their entries are: DANGCARROTS (24A Yosemite Sam’s cursing of Bugs Bunny’s food?); TRICKDOWNTHEORY (28A Explanation for why some pillows do weird things?); BREADANDBUTTERPICK (47A Basic food choice?); THETEMPOFDOOM (68A Short-term worker who causes utter disaster?); BOOGIEWOOGIEBUGBOY (86A Jazz-loving young entomologist?); FAMILYSTYDINNER (112A Meal for the Three Little Pigs?); and THEJUNGBOOK (118A Work on analytical psychology?).
DESOTO (29D Car famous for its 1950s tailfins)
The remaining 133 defined words with their strong 133 resulting entries are quite good and of exceptional interest -- The clues for same follow...
Across: 1 Smears; 7 Fells; 11 Looks for help; 15 1954 sci-fi movie with an exclamation point in its title; 19 Arctic wear; 20 “Il mio tesero,” e.g.; 21 1980s fad item; 22 Blood: Prefix;25 That’s a lot to do; 27 Then preceder; 30 Domingo, e.g.; 31 Wash (out); 33 Photo lab abbr.; 34 “Stupid,” in Spanish(!); 35 Armpit, to a doctor; 37 Oscar winner Helen; 39 Psychiatrist’s scheduling; 41 Theological schools: Abbr.; 43 Part of baking powder; 46 Letters from Atlanta; 55 Noontime service; 56 Handi-Wrap alternative 57 Flavor tasted in some wine; 58 Frees; 62 [Knock], in poker; 64 Mile-high world capital; 66 Be the 4 in a 5-4 decision; 67 Natl. Safe Toys and Gifts Mo.; 73 Jackie’s “O”; 74 They’re beside sides; 76 Boat propeller; 77 Singer K.T. ____; 79 Walnut and others; 80 Kind of tape; 83 “Livin’ on ____ time” (lyric in a #1 Don Williams country hit); 85 Lineman’s datum; 90 Bon ___; 93 Imp; 94 Slew; 95 Precipitately; 98 Artificial, in a way; 102 Has-been; 106 Puffball seed; 107 Draft pick?; 109 Puts up; 111 ____Nuevo; 116 Lola, e.g. in “Damn Yankees”; 117 Intrinsically; 118 Work on analytical psychology?; 121 Czech composer Janacek; 122 Stretched out; 123 Sports Illustrated 1998 co-Sportsman of the year; 124 Brown shade; 125 Sea eagle; 126 Abbr. At the bottom of a business letter; 127 Too-too; 128 “Ready to go?”
Down: 1 Too-too; 2 Stuck; 3 Stuntwork?; 4 As a result; 5 Varnish ingredient; 6 Some Jamaican music; 7 Early casino proprietor; 8 Beethoven’s Third; 9 Occult; 10 N. Dak. Neighbor; 11 Do something about; 12 Cover for a grandmother; 13 Hot spot; 14 Put (away); 15 “_____Company”; 16 Pleasure-filled; 17 Boston college; 18 “Gilligan’s Island” castaway; 24 Way to go: Abbr.; 26 ____law; 29 Car famous for its 1950s tailfins; 31 Ran; 32 “Falcon Crest” co-star; 36 Measurers of logical reasoning, for short; 38 Ballpark fig.; 39 “how ya doing’?”; 40 Designer Pucci; 42 Winds; 44 Narc’s agcy.; 45 Bug; 47 “P.S. I Love You” and “Revolution,” e.g.; 48 “Be saved!”; 49 Bet to win and place; 50 “Darn it all!”; 51 Naïf; 52 Coin word; 53 ____girl; 54 Floors; 59 Experimental underwater habitat; 60 “Lucia di Lammermoor” baritone; 61 Like Limburger cheese; 63 Position that’s an anagram appropriately, of “notes”; 65 Providers of cuts; 66 Water seeker; 69 Announcer’s call after three strikes; 70 Numerical prefix; 71 Dance seen on TV’s “Hullabaloo”; 72 Hello ___, shop frequently seen on Letterman; 75 Tease; 78 Certain NCO’s; 80 1953 Wimbledon winner Seixas; 81 Small chuckle; 82 Ran through, as a card; 84 Rearward, at sea; 87 College sir’s test; 88 1980’s “double Fantasy” collaborator; 89 They’re encountered in “close encounters” 90 Lose in one’s drawers; 91 Not oral; 92 James who wrote “Rule, Britannia”; 96 Melodic; 97 “Note to ____…”; 99 Portuguese Mister; 100 Swiss-American composer Bloch; 101 Record keeper?; 103 They do dos; 104 Chant; 105 Ogle; 107 Stuffy spot; 108 Rhone’s capital; 110 French wine classification; 113 Site of Beinecke Library; 114 Digitize, maybe; 115 “____girl!”; 116 Biblical brother; 119 Intelligence grp.; 120 Poet/musician ___ Scott-Heron.
1D and 127A same clue, nice; 15A I remember those big bugs; 19A getting used to this one; 34A is hilarious; 35A it needs a name?; 37A twice 1932 and 1975; 64A Denver won’t fit; 74A cute clue; 76A could be clued so many ways; 79A could be a lot of things; 85A didn’t know; 94A another one with so many meanings; 102A cold, cold!; 107A maybe SSS classification too; 116A should be vamp -- remember “Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets’?; 117A Ooo, good one; 128A nice final across clue; 2D fresh clue; 3D tricky one; 4D fair enough; 12D not just your grandmother; 13D a bit corny; 14D wants to be SAVE; 18D Never watched a single episode; 29D the biggest in the business!; 31D wants to be FLED; 39D there’s a better clue for this; 42D lotsa possible answers; 47D who knew?; 48D enthusiastic proselytism; 49D wouldn’t know, never bet; 51D wide open with possibilities; 53D and 115D same clue, different result; 54D could be AWE; 60D like anyone knows; 61D and how!; 63D the best and biggest free-pass give-away clue so far this year!; 65D very tricky; 66D always want the W to be a U, why, I dunno; 69D had YEROUT; 71D never did it, never will; 72D been there, spoke with Rupert, really great guy; 81D or HAH, HEH, TEE, HEE, etc.; 82D now that’s a switch; 89D if you don’t get this on the first shot, turn in your solver license; 90D very risqué!; 91D making up for 90D?; 92D whoever says they commit this stuff to memory needs help; 96D OK; 100D more arcanum; 101D another nice turn; 103D if it’s “dos” and not “DOS” it’s hair; 105D you mean one can’t “look”?; 107D depends on the housekeeping habits; 119D had CIA.
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