S U N D A Y September 26, 2010 Damien Peterson (syndicated)

Theme: "Mal de Mer" — Theme answers are familiar phrase with the letter string MER added to them, creating new wacky phrases clued "?"-style.

[Note: This is the syndicated L.A. Times puzzle. It does not appear in the actual newspaper, but is available for free at cruciverb.com.]


Theme answers:

• 23A: Response to "What's a six-letter answer for 'Silent performer'?"? (MUMMER'S THE WORD).
• 50A: Seaside vacation disappointment? (BEACH BUMMER).
• 60A: Prison performer? (SLAMMER DANCER).
• 75A: Team in an agricultural all-star game? (THE FARMER SIDE).
• 84A: Station that exclusively plays rapper MC's hits? (HAMMER RADIO).
• 118A: Like steak cooked by an enchanting chef? (CHARMER BROILED).
• 32D: Sugary complaint? (CANDIED YAMMER).
• 34D: More cordial old-timer? (WARMER VETERAN).

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 52A: Sub in a tub (OLEO).
• 55A: Being, to Augustus (ESSE).
• 72A: Palindromic "before" (ERE).
• 79A: Rhein tributary (AARE).
• 101A: Flightless bird, nowadays? (SST).
• 109A: Repentant one (RUER).
• 15D: River inlets (RIAS).
• 74D: Grape soda brand (NEHI).
• 76D: P-like letter (RHO).
• 85D: Dada co-founder (ARP).
• 119D: Thames islet (AIT).
• 120D: Sch. in Troy, NY (RPI).

Everything Else — 1A: Railroad foundation (ROADBED); 8A: Short chat? (CONFAB); 14A: Destroys (WRECKS); 20A: Philosopher's term (A PRIORI); 21A: Portugal's second-largest city (OPORTO); 22A: __ reason (WITHIN); 25A: Superficiality (FACADE); 26A: Memo opener (AS PER); 27A: Spots for seaside strolls (PIERS); 28A: Professor's end? (-IAL); 30A: Spot for seaside strolls (SHORE); 31A: Agnus __: Mass prayers (DEIS); 32A: Poolroom array (CUES); 33A: Loud bird (MACAW); 35A: The whole shebang (A TO Z); 36A: Bermuda hrs. (AST); 37A: Five-time NBA championship-winning coach (PAT RILEY); 40A: Shah's land, once (IRAN); 42A: Manhattan cooler? (ICE); 43A: Siskel or Shalit (GENE); 44A: Sleeveless garment (VEST); 45A: Dinghy pair (OARLOCKS); 47A: Mountainous region in Genesis (GILEAD); 53A: Actress Lupino (IDA); 56A: Corn remnants (COBS); 66A: Full of team spirit (RAH-RAH); 68A: Different (ODD); 69A: Picture cards? (ID'S); 70A: Capital of Nord, France (LILLE); 71A: Super Bowl honoree (MVP); 73A: Agitated state (FRENZY); 78A: Roller on a Rolls (TYRE); 82A: Worked (up) (HET); 83A: Pair at the altar (I DOS); 90A: Sci-fi psychic (EMPATH); 92A: Declared (AFFIRMED); 95A: Powerful energy-market gp. (OPEC); 96A: Abbey titles (FRAS.); 97A: Mex. title (SRA.); 98A: Bench-presser's pride (PECS); 99A: "Risky Business" co-star (DEMORNAY); 104A: Idée source (TÊTE); 106A: French wine region (RHONE); 108A: Heads or tails, e.g. (NOUN); 110A: Wrap-up (RECAP); 112A: Program file suffix (EXE); 113A: Relief agcy. founded in the U.K. in 1942 (OXFAM); 115A: NFL ref, in slang (ZEBRA); 116A: Sacred birds (IBISES); 121A: Bistro, informally (NITERY); 122A: Comes up (ARISES); 123A: Unisex (EPICENE); 124A: Yellowstone attraction (GEYSER); 125A: "Candid Camera" bits (PUT-ONS); 126A: Name of earthshaking importance? (RICHTER); 1D: Inn crowd option (RAMADA); 2D: Musical works (OPUSES); 3D: It's exposed many times during the singing of "YMCA" (ARMPIT); 4D: 40% of quarters? (DIMES); 5D: Transvaal settler (BOER); 6D: Make a misstep (ERR); 7D: Argument (DISPUTE); 8D: Like good arguments (COHESIVE); 9D: Phone abbr. (OPER); 10D: "__ the time!" (NOW'S); 11D: Not to (FRO); 12D: Hotel courts (ATRIA); 13D: Amazing, in dialect (BODACIOUS); 14D: Hulk Hogan's '80s-'90s org. (WWF); 16D: __ Sketch (ETCH-A-); 17D: Hardly orderly (CHAOTIC); 18D: "All Summer Long" singer, 2008 (KID ROCK); 19D: Cold signs (SNEEZES); 24D: Theater section (TIER); 29D: '40s-'70s Coliseum team (LA RAMS); 33D: It's not true (MYTH); 37D: Stew veggie (PEA); 38D: Cow country (LEA); 39D: Part of many a mtge. payment (ESC.); 41D: Marlins' div. (NLE); 43D: Trig. prerequisite (GEOM.); 46D: Mus. ensemble (ORCH.); 47D: Become lenient, as on crime (GO SOFT); 48D: Offer to a dishwasher (I'LL DRY); 49D: Boss (LEADER); 50D: Counterfeit (BAD); 51D: Kentucky college or its city (BEREA); 54D: Operations mgrs. (DRS.); 57D: Food company named for two states (ORE-IDA); 58D: 1956 star of Vadim's "And God Created Woman" (BARDOT); 59D: "Yikes!" ("SHEESH!"); 61D: "Les __" (MIZ); 62D: Modify (ALTER); 63D: Bethesda-based research org. (NIH); 64D: Largest OH airport (CLE); 65D: Santa staffer (ELF); 67D: Car loan abbr. (APR); 71D: M.'s partner (MME.); 77D: Makes a drink last (SIPS); 80D: "Cocoon" Oscar winner (AMECHE); 81D: Fenway souvenir (RED SOX CAP); 86D: Used taxis (RODE); 87D: Big klutz (APE); 88D: JFK, but not LAX (DEM); 89D: Case-breaking words (I CONFESS); 91D: When moms are honored (MAY); 92D: Guitar's second-lowest (A STRING); 93D: Hotel soap, say (FREEBIE); 94D: Easy Street's metropolis? (FAT CITY); 96D: Stop in photography? (F NUMBER); 100D: Engine sound (ROAR); 101D: Lease prohibition (SUBLET); 102D: Unruffled (SERENE); 103D: Wall Street worker (TRADER); 105D: Facilitates (EASES); 107D: India's prime minister before Shastri (NEHRU); 109D: Wealthy, in Weimar (REICH); 111D: Fille's father (PÈRE); 113D: Roughly (OR SO); 114D: Marvel Comics heroes (X-MEN); 115D: Suffix with Paleo- (ZOIC); 117D: Half of the UAR (SYR.).