S U N D A Y October 10, 2010 Don Gagliardo (syndicated)

Theme: "Perfection" — Ten theme answers, each ten letters long, has the letter string TEN hidden in it. (Today's date can be noted as 10/10/10.)

[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:

• 22A: Audible sleep aid (WHITE NOISE).
• 24A: Stadium ticket datum (GATE NUMBER).
• 43A: Hiker's snack (DATE NUT BAR).
• 46A: It's transferred from iron to pants during pressing (HEAT ENERGY).
• 67A: Barely sufficient (JUST ENOUGH).
• 69A: You, to you, at times? (WORST ENEMY).
• 83A: Warning sign (DO NOT ENTER).
• 88A: On and on (WITHOUT END).
• 112A: Agreed to a proposal (GOT ENGAGED).
• 114A: Library reminder (LATE NOTICE).
• 116D: Theme answer count, amount of letters in each, word hidden in each, and, when repeated twice, today's date (TEN).

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 66A: Miscellany (OLIO).
• 119A: Road for Tiberius (ITER).
• 11D: Actor Epps (OMAR).
• 57D: Ship that survived the Clashing Rocks (ARGO).

Everything Else — 1A: They're in Vogue (POSES); 6A: Figs. disclosed before closings (APR'S); 10A: Alley-oop setups, in hoops (LOBS); 14A: Work on, as pipe bowl ash (TAMP); 18A: Sex appeal (OOMPH); 19A: Fifth-century pope known as "the Great" (LEO I); 20A: "There's no step 3!" product (IMAC); 21A: Chick on ivories (COREA); 26A: Wing (ELL); 27A: Trifle (SOU); 28A: Kept sacred (ENSHRINED); 30A: Where __ at (IT'S); 31A: Singer Corinne Bailey et al. (RAES); 33A: Whole that's greater than the sum of its parts (GESTALT); 35A: Be in a bee (SEW); 36A: Monthly exp. (UTIL.); 37A: Fill with joy (ELATE); 39A: Admonishing king? (TUT); 40A: Aide: Abbr. (ASST.); 42A: "Me, Myself & __": 2000 film (IRENE); 49A: "Wait __!" (A SEC); 50A: All-inclusive (A TO Z); 52A: An atheist can't be one (ELK); 53A: Strikebreakers (SCABS); 56A: Emmy-winning legal drama (L.A. LAW); 58A: Kid who moves a lot (ARMY BRAT); 63A: One bit (AT ALL); 64A: Gets twisted (WARPS); 65A: Cries of disgust (FIES); 71A: With the bow, in music (ARCO); 72A: Approximately (OR SO); 73A: __-ling (DING-A); 74A: Nods, often (YESES); 75A: Dec. purchase (XMAS TREE); 77A: "The vine that ate the South" (KUDZU); 78A: Brusque (TERSE); 79A: It may need a boost (EGO); 80A: Bindle carrier (HOBO); 81A: Meteor tail? (-ITIC); 94A: In reserve (ON ICE); 95A: Sharpen (WHET); 97A: Ed.'s request (SAE); 98A: "A __ this gout!": "Henry IV, Part 2" (POX ON); 99A: Spinoff group (SECT); 100A: Two-piece piece (BRA); 102A: Northern lights (AURORAS); 105A: Paper towel brand (VIVA); 106A: Consumed (ATE); 107A: 1960 chart topper with the line "Are you somewhere up above" (TEEN ANGEL); 109A: Add (up) (TOT); 111A: Small songbird (TIT); 117A: Wading bird (EGRET); 118A: __ insurance (TERM); 120A: Code carriers (GENES); 121A: Versatile beans (SOYS); 122A: Union mem. since 2/14/1912 (ARIZ.); 123A: Disney no longer used them after "The Little Mermaid" (CELS); 124A: It can make your heart pound (ANGST); 1D: Turned on, with "up" (POWERED); 2D: "Tres chic!" ("OOH LA LA!"); 3D: Graciously greet (SMILE AT); 4D: Able, facetiously (EPT); 5D: Ladies (SHES); 6D: Song pour les enfants (ALOUETTE); 7D: Architect I.M. (PEI); 8D: Stone home (ROSETTA); 9D: College near Albany (SIENA); 10D: Laser entertainment (LIGHT SHOW); 12D: Leader overthrown by Castro (BATISTA); 13D: Part of an act (SCENE); 14D: Kite on the links (TOM); 15D: Dispute settler (ARBITER); 16D: Dispute settler, perhaps (MEETING); 17D: Decorative herb (PARSLEY); 21D: Cow's second helping? (CUD); 23D: Yuletide quaff (NOG); 25D: Improved partner? (NEW); 29D: '70s extremist gp. (SLA); 32D: Mont-__-Anne: Quebec resort (STE.); 34D: Contract segment (SUBCLAUSE); 36D: Rapt ending (-URE); 38D: Make possible (ENABLE); 41D: "__ me!" (SEZ); 42D: Black (INKY); 44D: __ Enterprise (USS); 45D: Role for Jackie (RALPH); 47D: Brewer of song (TERESA); 48D: Horror film locale: Abbr. (ELM ST.); 51D: Brits' thank-yous (TAS); 53D: __ und Drang (STURM); 54D: Ides assassin (CASCA); 55D: Some choirboys (ALTOS); 58D: Instrument that's not seen and not heard (AIR GUITAR); 59D: Blunder (BONER); 60D: Like "park the car," to a New Englander? (R-LESS); 61D: Songstress Mann (AIMEE); 62D: Fisher Price products (TOYS); 63D: Achilles' cousin (AJAX); 64D: Passed tediously (WORE ON); 65D: Cool sitcom guy (FONZ); 68D: Krone-issuing land, to natives (NORGE); 69D: Black __ spider (WIDOW); 70D: Ocular washing aid (EYE CUP); 73D: Do a film editing job (DUB); 76D: Tours head? (TÊTE); 77D: 155-mi. Asian strip that intersects the 38th parallel (KOREAN DMZ); 78D: Sonora uncle (TIO); 80D: [I'm so clever] (HEH); 82D: Broadway array (THEATERS); 83D: Prescribed amounts (DOSAGES); 84D: Takeout order (ONE TO GO); 85D: "You gave it a shot!" ("NICE TRY!"); 86D: MLB post-season mo. (OCT.); 87D: Banjoist, e.g. (TWANGER); 89D: Set apart from the rest (ISOLATE); 90D: "Mazel __!" (TOV); 91D: On the way out (EXITING); 92D: They're new at it (NOVICES); 93D: "CSI" procedure (DNA TEST); 96D: Act of war? (TUG); 100D: More than ask (BEG); 101D: Rodeo rope (REATA); 103D: Valued old item (RELIC); 104D: Small business successor, maybe (SON); 107D: Boom letters? (TNT); 108D: Atmosphere: Pref. (AERI-); 110D: Loose garment (TOGA); 113D: Some Caltech grads (EE'S); 115D: Business card abbr. (TEL.).