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MARRIED COUPLES

New York Times, Sunday, December 25, 2016

Author:
Kevin G. Der
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
45-Across : Makes minor observations?
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
423/12/20077/9/20223
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1221241110
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
861.6538284%
Kevin G. Der

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 140, Blocks: 69 Missing: {KQXZ} Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is puzzle # 37 for Mr. Der. Sunday freshness: 21%
Kevin G. Der notes:
Based on my notes, the idea for this puzzle came about three years ago when noticing a different way to interpret "calm before the storm." Finding more theme entries involved identifying ... read more
Jeff Chen notes:
It took me forever to figure out what was going on here, so lemme try to explicitly explain it. Kevin started with common phrases, i.e. [Handle with care] and [Calm before the storm], and ... read more
Jim Horne notes:

Terrific puzzle. One of my favorites this year.

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E
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N
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O
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M
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W
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G
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B
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B
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D
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T
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P
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N
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© 2016, The New York Times12/25/16 ( No. 24,519 )
Across
1
Leave a permanent mark on : ETCH
5
Stows, as a banner : FURLS
10
Ice carving? : FJORD
15
Frequently : OFT
18
Romance writer Roberts : NORA
19
Ultimately succeed : PANOUT
20
Coin portraying Queen Victoria, once : RUPEE
21
Quaint cry of disapproval : FIE
22
Play by heart? : DRAMATICPIECENTER
25
Monastery title : FRA
26
Sphere : ORB
27
Personal problems : ISSUES
28
Relay segment : LEG
29
Roman emblem of power adopted by Mussolini : FASCES
31
Big name in grills : WEBER
33
Toward the back : AFT
34
Gymnastics event : VAULT
36
Means of death for Judas Iscariot : NOOSE
37
A plus average? : SYMBOLFORAMPEREGULAR
41
Tight-lipped : MUM
42
Took first : WON
43
2007 Peace Prize recipient : GORE
44
Rio greeting : OLA
45
Makes minor observations? : BABYSITS
50
Gum that comes in Fire and Ice varieties : DENTYNE
53
Begot : BRED
54
Letterhead? : ELL
55
"Star Trek: T.N.G." counselor : TROI
57
Leeway : ROOM
58
Life force in Eastern medicine : CHI
60
Handle with care? : ALIASSISTANCE
64
Chart of the heavens : STARMAP
68
River more than 2,700 miles long that crosses the Equator twice : CONGO
69
Two turtledoves, e.g. : PAIR
70
Cry at a surprise party just before the honoree arrives : HIDE
72
Get a groove on? : SCORE
73
Drink Gatorade after a workout, say : HYDRATE
75
Calm before the storm? : SERENITYPHOON
78
Blow it : ERR
79
Red-haired biblical twin : ESAU
80
Marco Polo crossed it : GOBI
81
"Gnarly!" : RAD
82
What a lead runner sets : PACE
85
Learns : ABSORBS
88
Some Bavarian brews : RYEBEERS
91
Under the weather : ILL
92
"Pronto!" : ASAP
93
Part of a film studio tour : LOT
95
Disney Channel's "___ and Maddie" : LIV
96
Grab and go? : CLUTCHINESEBOARDGAME
104
Land bordering Nepal : TIBET
105
Errands, e.g. : TRIPS
106
A.T.M. expense : FEE
107
Provider of limited coverage? : THONG
109
Subject to a recall, maybe : UNSAFE
111
Ginger ___ : ALE
112
"You betcha!" : SUREDO
114
Middle X or O : TAC
115
Milne young 'un : ROO
116
Stay ahead of the curve? : ABIDECEPTIVEPITCH
120
December 31, e.g. : END
121
___ Hawkins dance : SADIE
122
Glossy fabric : SATEEN
123
Baja's opposite : ALTA
124
Setting for much of "Lord Jim" : SEA
125
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse ___ : TYSON
126
Stuck-up sort : PRISS
127
Spot for brooding : NEST
Down
1
Support, as a foundation : ENDOW
2
Dara who swam at five Olympics : TORRES
3
Curmudgeonly : CRABBY
4
Common Christmas entree : HAM
5
Former Saudi king : FAISAL
6
Release from shackles : UNCUFF
7
Way up a bunny slope : ROPETOW
8
San ___ Obispo, Calif. : LUIS
9
Thérèse, e.g.: Abbr. : STE
10
Make available : FREEUP
11
Bars for swingers? : JUNGLEGYM
12
Go (for) : OPT
13
Coral bleaching locale : REEF
14
Drive mad : DERANGE
15
Salty or spicy : OFFCOLOR
16
Event with steeply discounted prices : FIRESALE
17
Interest piquer : TEASERAD
19
Sports team tally: Abbr. : PTS
23
Boeing competitor : AIRBUS
24
Dollar, in slang : CLAM
30
Pittance : SOU
32
One of nine for Tina Fey : EMMY
34
Swedish lake that's the largest in the European Union : VANERN
35
Suffix with beta or cyclo- : TRON
38
Drops : OMITS
39
Metaphor for punishment : ROD
40
Standing : ERECT
45
Luau locale : BEACH
46
Cupronickel, e.g. : ALLOY
47
Like some uncertain dates : BLIND
48
Poppycock : TRIPE
49
1998 N.L. M.V.P. : SOSA
51
Night at the museo? : NOCHE
52
___ the line (obeying) : TOEING
53
Canoe builder's bark source : BIRCH
56
"Quite true" : ITISSO
59
Padlock's place : HASP
61
Find common ground : AGREE
62
What spirits can do : SOAR
63
Toward the back : AREAR
64
Kept for later : SETBY
65
"A Visit From St. Nicholas" writer : MOORE
66
Very loud : AROAR
67
Isn't over yet : PENDS
71
Maker of the fragrance Sauvage : DIOR
74
Wreck, informally : TRASH
76
Russian moolah : RUBLES
77
Triangular road sign : YIELD
79
Big purveyor of sports talk : ESPNRADIO
82
Imagines : PICTURES
83
Like a machine that prints, scans and faxes : ALLINONE
84
Provider of the fizz in a gin fizz : CLUBSODA
86
Worm or fly : BAIT
87
Blubber : SOB
89
Setting for some aerial maneuvers : BIGTOP
90
"Well, Did You ___?" (Cole Porter tune) : EVAH
92
"Hurry!" : ACTFAST
94
Soy-based frozen dessert brand : TOFUTTI
97
Flight attendant's offering : TEA
98
Fisher of fashion : EILEEN
99
Design feature : SPEC
100
Hawks' hangouts : AERIES
101
"John Wick" star : REEVES
102
Mark with spots : MOTTLE
103
Passes : ENACTS
108
Onetime alternative to Facebook Messenger : GCHAT
110
Website with a Watch list : EBAY
112
Vigorously debate (with) : SPAR
113
Man cave, maybe : DEN
117
Employee badges, e.g. : IDS
118
It's a "gift" : ESP
119
Name whose Italian equivalent is Giovanni : IAN

Answer summary:
8 unique to this puzzle, 2 debuted here and reused later, 1 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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