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Just for Fun

New York Times, Sunday, December 8, 2024

Author:
John Kugelman
Editor:
Joel Fagliano
Blog:
27-Across : Desire
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
87/30/202312/8/20241
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7100000
ScrabDebutFresh
1.627954%
John Kugelman

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 138, Blocks: 69 Missing: {BQVX} Spans: 2 This is puzzle # 8 for Mr. Kugelman. Sunday freshness: 66%
Joel Fagliano notes:
John Kugelman, of Gainesville, Va., is a software engineer and musician. When he isn't making puzzles, John likes to spend his time off rock climbing and attending weekly trivia ... read more
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© 2024, The New York Times12/8/24 ( No. 27,424 )
Across
1
Candy that resembles a tube of lipstick : PUSHPOP
8
Italian title for Puccini's "Butterfly" : MADAMA
14
Over the line : TOOFAR
20
"Nothing weird about that" : ASYOUDO
21
Figure of speech? : ORATOR
22
Tarot card group : ARCANA
23
"What a beautiful tackle box!," "Nice casting!" and such? : COMPLIMENTSFORFISHING
26
Youngest-ever World Cup winner : PELE
27
Desire : WISH
28
Hold 'em declaration : CALL
29
"I'll handle that" : ONIT
30
Actor Steve of "The White Lotus" : ZAHN
32
Month, in Monterrey : MES
33
Snail-paced : POKY
34
Group formed from the 2023 W.W.E.-U.F.C. merger : TKO
35
41
Daytime TV staple : SOAP
42
Firebirds and Fieros : PONTIACS
43
___ de toilette : EAU
44
Canonized king of Norway : STOLAF
46
Dump : STY
47
Utmost degree : NTH
48
Fleece : GRIFT
50
Ryan with 12 Olympic swimming medals : LOCHTE
53
Leaning forward and holding the reins? : POSITIONFORJOCKEYS
57
Certain erogenous zone, familiarly : GSPOT
60
Ambulance destinations, for short : ERS
61
Focus of a House committee : ETHICS
62
Liable (to) : APT
63
Dutch astronomer with an eponymous ice cloud : OORT
64
Singer Del Rey : LANA
66
Country between Ghana and Benin : TOGO
67
Family ___ : TREE
68
A in French class? : UNE
69
Commenced : LEDOFF
71
Branded item at a bank, maybe : PEN
72
Instrument heard on the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black" : SITAR
73
Accidentally using salt instead of sugar, say? : DISASTERFORARECIPE
78
Fills in for : ACTSAS
79
Great Lakes people : ERIES
80
Cuisine with sticky rice : LAO
81
Mascot of the Baltimore Ravens : POE
84
One-up, militarily : OUTGUN
87
___ vez (once, in Spanish) : UNA
88
Toy-centered theme park : LEGOLAND
90
Tusked Warcraft race : ORCS
92
Marathon fee or campaign donation? : ONESMONEYFORARUN
95
Agcy. that determined fluoride prevents tooth decay : NIH
96
Cousins of magpies : JAYS
97
Cause of a big bang : TNT
98
It's bigger than a butte : MESA
99
Saxophonist Getz : STAN
101
Cowpoke's compadre : PARD
102
Slacked, say : IMED
104
Wharton major, in brief : ECON
106
Not being allowed to lick the spatula clean? : PUNISHMENTFORAGLUTTON
112
Bested a birdie : EAGLED
113
Salt, say : SEASON
114
Join in : PARTAKE
115
Completes, as a circuit : CLOSES
116
___ Biggums, memorable character on "Chappelle's Show" : TYRONE
117
"The other thing is …" : ANDALSO
Down
1
___-Man : PAC
2
Troop grp. : USO
3
One of over 100 for Haydn : SYMPHONY
4
"Fingers crossed that you're wrong" : HOPENOT
5
Sway : PULL
6
Pooch in the funnies : ODIE
7
When doubled, something seen atop a pyramid? : POM
8
Philosophical believer in essential unity : MONIST
9
Kennedy Center focus : ARTS
10
Skedaddle : DASH
11
Anti-trafficking org. : ATF
12
Toddler's term for a farm animal : MOOCOW
13
Spice planet in the "Dune" universe : ARRAKIS
14
Shadow : TAIL
15
Certain Boolean operators : ORS
16
Number of eyes for a tarántula : OCHO
17
Squeamish : FAINTOFHEART
18
Sorenstam of golf : ANNIKA
19
Convertible, casually : RAGTOP
24
Still-life vessels : EWERS
25
Larry ___, founder of Hustler magazine : FLYNT
30
Hits with a ray gun : ZAPS
31
Over and over : ALOT
32
Chewy Japanese dessert : MOCHI
33
Fluffy footstool : POUFFE
36
Merlot alternative : PINOT
37
Top section of the food pyramid : FATS
38
___ journey (story framework) : HEROS
39
Common sound from a white noise machine : RAIN
40
Totally lose it : GOLOCO
41
Can : SACK
45
Dreaded hairstyle : LOCS
48
Animal that fights by "necking" : GIRAFFE
49
Sways : TOTTERS
51
Far from laid-back : TYPEA
52
Fruity-smelling compound : ESTER
53
"___, meet kettle" : POT
54
Bocelli, e.g. : TENOR
55
Waterway through Lake Geneva : RHONE
56
Little celebration : JIG
57
Cheese that's often smoked : GOUDA
58
Like some waves : SONIC
59
Wand-waving words : PRESTOCHANGO
64
"Woo-hoo, that's awesome!" : LETSGO
65
Suffix with block or stock : ADE
67
Love all, say : TIE
69
Exam for aspiring attys. : LSAT
70
Discussion sites : FORUMS
71
Song of praise : PAEAN
72
Bloodhound's trail : SPOOR
74
Laptop brand : ASUS
75
Acronymic epithet for one who's not conservative enough : RINO
76
Chin feature : CLEFT
77
"Aladdin" character who hates crackers : IAGO
81
PG-13 word : PARENTAL
82
Burden : ONUS
83
Mrs. Krabappel's first name on "The Simpsons" : EDNA
85
Fix, as a printer : UNJAM
86
"Advance to the ___ Railroad" (Monopoly directive) : NEAREST
88
Carter who played Wonder Woman : LYNDA
89
"Raging Bull" boxer Jake : LAMOTTA
90
How freelancers work : ONSPEC
91
Confirmation, e.g. : RITUAL
93
Capital of New South Wales : SYDNEY
94
Everlasting, poetically : ETERNE
100
Lofgren of the E Street Band : NILS
101
Many think-tank hires, in brief : PHDS
102
"Assuming that's true ..." : IFSO
103
Word before jelly or Pie : MOON
104
Gusto : ELAN
105
Morsel for Miss Muffet : CURD
107
"What did I tell you!" : SEE
108
Salt : TAR
109
Résumé fig. : GPA
110
Gives the nod : OKS
111
Agent Smith's nemesis : NEO

Answer summary:
13 unique to this puzzle.

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