S U N D A Y October 24, 2010 Merl Reagle (calendar)

Theme: "Plays I'd Like to See" — Movie puns!

[Note: This is the puzzle that appears in the Sunday L.A. Times newspaper. If you don't get the paper, you can find the puzzle here. Scroll down to see today's syndicated puzzle.]


Theme answers:

• 22A: Play about a woman who gets her "just desserts"? (HEDDA COBBLER).
• 28A: Play whose title character won't eat anything unless it's fried? (ANNA CRISPY).
• 31A: Play about a woman who dances with short people? (SHE STOOPS TO CONGA).
• 44A: Play about a diner patron whose food never arrives? (WAITING ON GODOT).
• 55A: Play about a guy and his sloppy little pal from Mars? (PIG ALIEN).
• 66A: Play about an actress trying to unload some real estate? (GLENGARRY GLENN CLOSE).
• 78A: Play about an over-the-hill boxer? (OLDEN BOY).
• 90A: Play about some girls who were raised by orangutans? (THE TREE SISTERS).
• 100A: Play in which a college kid's football prayers are answered? (THE HEISMAN COMETH).
• 108A/114A: Play about a couple with a cloth allergy? (WHO'S AFRAID / OF VIRGIN WOOL).

Everything Else — 1A: In the least (AT ALL); 6A: Arizona neckties (BOLOS); 11A: Lively dance (JIG); 14A: Replacement part? (HIP); 17A: Detect, as danger (SENSE); 18A: Yucatan's capital (MÉRIDA); 19A: Smell (ODOR); 21A: "___ Mo' Time" (ONE); 24A: Westernmost Aleutian (ATTU); 25A: Theater co. (REP.); 26A: Sudan neighbor: abbr. (ETH.); 27A: Off-limits item (NO-NO); 36A: Cockatoos, sometimes (PETS); 37A: Hunky-dory (AOK); 38A: "Check," in poker (NO BET); 39A: It's N of Mex. (USA); 41A: Humped oxen (ZEBUS); 50A: Bates or Cumming (ALAN); 51A: ___ the city (KEY TO); 52A: Looked high and low for (SOUGHT); 53A: Recorded intro? (PRE-); 57A: Peek-a-boo player (TOT); 58A: Enthusiasm (ZEAL); 59A: Roadside retreat (INN); 60A: Chevy model (CAMARO); 65A: Emotional attachments (BONDS); 72A: "The ___ Page" (FRONT); 73A: Hitmaker Don or Phil (EVERLY); 74A: Promising letters (IOU); 75A: Kaput, as a battery (DEAD); 76A: Lacking color (WAN); 83A: "Brother ___" (RAT); 84A: Lose one's hearing (GO DEAF); 87A: Fencing weapons (ÉPÉES); 89A: Subtle glow (AURA); 93A: Animated ogre (SHREK); 94A: Ring finishes (KOS); 95A: Let out ___ (bellow) (AROAR); 96A: Clerk on "The Simpsons" (APU); 97A: Zenith (ACME); 110A: Foe of Caesar (CATO); 111A: Bygone bird (MOA); 112A: Foam alternative for shavers (GEL); 113A: Some are tell-all (BIOS); 119A: Snake in the sea grass (EEL); 120A: Something ___ (ELSE); 121A: Wheaties, e.g. (FLAKES); 122A: "... could ___ lean ..." (EAT NO); 123A: Trick ending? (-ERY); 124A: Auth. submissions (MSS.); 125A: Mythological trio (FATES); 126A: Edith Head creation (DRESS); 1D: Word in a McCourt title (ASHES); 2D: "The Skin of Our ___" (TEETH); 3D: "___ walks with me ..." (AND HE); 4D: Grain-fungus drug (LSD); 5D: Simple shelters (LEAN-TOS); 6D: Dizzy's music style (BEBOP); 7D: Sun or moon, to bards (ORB); 8D: Small, in rapper names (LIL); 9D: Paean-type poem (ODE); 10D: Crusaders' foes (SARACENS); 11D: Actress Pflug who played Lt. Dish in "M*A*S*H" (1970) (JOANN); 12D: Patient's wristwear (I.D. TAG); 13D: Failed as a sneak (GOT CAUGHT); 14D: "Three Men on a ___" (HORSE); 15D: Bumbling (INEPT); 16D: Diarist Samuel (PEPYS); 18D: Pre-stereo sound (MONO); 20D: Play with robots (RUR); 23D: Boil, broil, or bake (COOK); 29D: "Do ___ Gentle ..." (NOT GO); 30D: Apple release of 2010 (IPAD); 32D: Hot room's analogy (SAUNA); 33D: Cranky mood (SNIT); 34D: Oz visitor (TOTO); 35D: Kimono sash (OBI); 40D: Falling-down drunk? (SOT); 41D: Kill electrically, as bugs (ZAP); 42D: Brother of Peyton (ELI); 43D: Carry-on (BAG); 44D: Girl in "The Time Machine" (WEENA); 45D: Objectivist's first name (AYN); 46D: ___ a limb (OUT ON); 47D: Vietnamese name that anagrams into an egg drink (NGO); 48D: Parts, as a curtain (OPENS); 49D: Embargo target (TRADE); 51D: "___ Lear" (KING); 54D: Subway cousins (ELS); 56D: Navel buildup (LINT); 58D: "The ___ Story" (ZOO); 60D: Honda SUV since 1996 (CRV); 61D: "Yes, captain" ("AYE"); 62D: Apt. or dept. VIP (MGR.); 63D: "___ My Sons" (ALL); 64D: 51 Down, to Carlos (REY); 65D: "The House of ___ Leaves" (BLUE); 66D: "The ___ White Hope" (GREAT); 67D: Really reluctant (LOATH); 68D: Word before result (END); 69D: Name meaning "born again" (RENEE); 70D: The other Dr. Crane (NILES); 71D: Some UPS deliveries (CODS); 72D: Signer of the Glass-Steagall Act (FDR); 76D: Golden Turkey Award recipient (WORST FILM); 77D: Lemon/lime addition (-ADE); 78D: Not 'neath (O'ER); 79D: Book after Micah (NAHUM); 80D: Forest sticker (BUR); 81D: Iron in the raw (ORE); 82D: Be a chatterbox (YAK); 84D: Classic muscle car (GTO); 85D: Japanese beer brand (ASAHI); 86D: Wrote and sent quickly, as an angry letter (FIRED OFF); 87D: Airport data (ETAS); 88D: Make waves? (PERM); 91D: ___ out a living (EKES); 92D: "___ gather" (SO I); 93D: Used a utensil (SPOONED); 96D: Start of the play (ACT I); 97D: "You shouldn't have!" ("AW GEE!"); 98D: Root for the team (CHEER); 99D: Actress Ringwald (MOLLY); 101D: Mr. Perot (H. ROSS); 102D: Decreases, as pain (EASES); 103D: Ranch units (ACRES); 104D: Pesters constantly (NAGS); 105D: Ham it up (EMOTE); 106D: Wimpy and Stimpy (TOONS); 107D: Street-lamp effects (HALOS); 109D: Rushmore guy (ABE); 115D: Snowbirds' Dec. home (FLA.); 116D: Big container (VAT); 117D: Mamie's mate (IKE); 118D: "Oh! What A Lovely ___" (WAR).