10.09.11 — Grin and Bear It

Sunday, October 9, 2011

GRIN AND PARROT, Crossword by Brendan Emmett Quigley

Edited by Will Shortz

Phonetic puns, substituting P for B in nine familiar phrases, constitutes the interrelated group of this Sunday crossword:

DEFENSIVE PAX (24A. Détente as a means of self-preservation?), “backs"
POISON THE HOOD (40A. Make a homie’s turf unit for habitation?), “Boyz in”
PASTE ON A TRUE STORY (67A. Lay out some newspaper copy the old-fashioned way?), “based”
PLAQUE DIAMOND (95A. Rhombus on an award?), “black”
SECRET PALATE (112A. What a mysterious restaurant critic has?), “ballot”
PIZZA RETREAT (4D. Getaway where Italian pies are consumed?), “beats a”
JACK POWER (16D. Strength required to lift a car?), “Bauer”
PRAWNS MEDAL (66D. Awards won by shrimps?), “bronze”
SUGAR POLL (77D. Where you opinion on “One lump or two?” counts?),
"bowl”

Other — AMAZED AT, ARAPAHO (14D. Foe of the Pawnee), CUE WORD (64D. Last thing a fellow actor says, maybe), FEEDERS, IN A WINK, PAPUANS (40D. Some New Guineans), RATTING, SALAD BAR.

Six-letter — ANODES, ASSISI, ENFOLD, ERNANI, INCHES, IT HELP (39D. What PC gurus provide), LARVAE, NADIRS, NANANA, ONE PIN, ON MEDS, OR LESS, ROXANE, SENT TO, SNIVEL, SPARKS, SPEED, SPIRED, TROOPS, UNESCO, WADDED, WALESA, YVETTE (70D. Actress Mimieux), ZANTAC.

Five — AERIE, ALEXI, ALTER, ANEAR, ASAHI, AVERY, AVOID, BAHTS, CIGAR, CLARO, CRABS, DIANA, Fire EATER, ELIDE, ERRED, ERUPT, EVERS, FLOCK, GEODE, INTRA, IONIA, KMART, LOFTY, LUTSK (59D. Ukrainian city), MATZO, NITRO, OSRIC, OSTER, PAPER, PILOT, PIQUE, PLENA, RAHAL, SNITS, SPIRO, STAVE, TSARS, XS OUT.

Short stuff — ACAI, ALLY, ANAP, AOL, ARLO, AWRY, AXE and AXIS, BRUT, CCV, DYAD, EARS, EDE, ESC, EZER, GEL, GAPS, GMA and GPA, ILE, ITZA, JAY, KEMP, KOS, LCD, LULU, MAGI, NED, ORAL, “Yes OR NO?”, PULP, RAG, RAZZ, RBI, REAM, RED and REN, RHO, ROD, ROPE, ROUX, RUNE, SABE, SCAR, SHOE, SOLI, STYX, TIP and TRIP, TYRA, UOFA, WERE, YEA, YETI.

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fire eater from jonny baker on Vimeo.

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Dancing misstep; 5. Time’s 1981 Man of the Year; 11. Churchill item; 16. Chattering bird; 19. Subject of a blurry photo, maybe; 20. Some terminals; 21. Mild 11-Across; 22. Ice climber’s tool; 23. Ride; 26. World Factbook publisher, in brief; 27. Floored by; 29. Some extra bills, maybe; 30. Symbols of a budding romance; 32. Big name in office supplies; 33. “The ___ Bride” (Rimsky-Korsakov opera); 36. Take ___ (rest); 37. Like most churches; 44. Adjust; 45. “Today” rival, for short; 47. Veep Agnew; 48. Off; 49. Thai money; 50. Dissertation; 53. Where the 34^th Infantry Division fought: Abbr.; 54. Joint legislative assemblies; 55. Israel’s Weizman; 56. Seven, for one; 58. Songs for one; 60. Eye part; 61. Diminutive of a common Russian man’s name; 63. Antiulcer pill; 65. Juice component; 71. Debating two options, say; 72. Whine; 73. Barrel part; 75. Match closers, for short; 78. Tucson sch.; 80. Quickly; 82. “While you ___ out …”; 84. Go off; 86. They’re laid by aves; 88. Shiny, hollow paperweight; 89. Prefix with venous; 90. Star men?; 91. Churchgoers; 93. Electoral map shade; 94. Blender maker; 95. Rhombus on an award?; 99. Taking drugs; 100. Dead letter?; 101. Concern for ___ (2007 event); 102. Highflier’s home?; 104. Derailleur settings; 106. Cartoon character whose last name is Hoek; 107. Dressing place; 111. P; 116. 1968 live folk record; 117. Company with Patch Media; 118. Sourpusses; 119. Precipitation prediction; 120. Something special; 121. Many a shampoo; 122. Court nobleman in “Hamlet”; 123. Bottoms; 124. “Mr. Roboto” band, 1983. — DOWN: 1. Banks raking in the money?; 2. Criticize severely, with “out”; 3. Chichen ___ (Mayan ruins); 5. Crumpled (up); 6. Close to, in poetry; 7. Skyscraping; 8. Dutch city; 9. Mailed; 10. Setting of the castle Rocca Maggiore; 11. Early third-century year; 12. France’s Belle-___-en-Mer; 13. Vacancies; 15. Cyrano de Bergerac wooed her; 17. Revolutionary line; 18. What a raised hand may mean; 25. “Can’t beat that contract”; 28. Duke ___, Rocky’s manager/trainer; 31. 1986 Indy 500 winner; 34. Weapon in Clue; 35. Ticked-off states; 37. “Quien ___?” (“Who knows?”); 38. Shopping center; 41. Army units; 43. Couple; 45. Scholastic measure: Abbr.; 46. Seder serving; 51. Title character in love with Elvira; 52. Snitch’s activity; 54. Light on the stove; 56. Drag-racing fuel; 57. Grubs, e.g.; 59. Ukrainian city; 62. Obliterates; 68. Surround; 69. Drop a letter or two; 74. Dropped the ball; 75. Dole’s running mate of 1996; 76. Like some contraception; 79. Skirt; 81. Nascar Hall-of-Famer Jarrett; 83. Spots for hammers and anvils; 85. Sharp irritation; 87. Berry in some energy boosters; 89. Slice of old Turkey?; 91. Bird hangouts; 92. Target competitor; 96. Intl. humanities group; 97. Bowler’s target; 98. Refrain bit; 99. Ending of a pricing phrase; 102. Japanese beer; 103. Fire-___ (carnival performer); 104. Home for a certain old woman; 105. Tattoo removal reminder; 108. Like some sparkling wines; 109. Side (with); 110. Sauce thickener; 111. Car wash need; 113. A single may get you one, briefly; 114. PC key; 115. Like some flat-screen panels, for short.