01.02 Sun

S U N D A Y (calendar)

January 2, 2011
Merl Reagle

[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: "A Separate Piece" — Familiar phrases that start with A-words have the A-word separated, creating new punny phrases.

Theme answers:

• 22A: Steeple before it's built? (A SPIRE-TO-BE).
• 27A: Henry Luce, once? (A HEAD OF TIME).
• 30A: "Farewell, flabs—hello, abs," for example? (A VERSE TO EXERCISE).
• 43A: José Canseco fashion accessory? (A STEROID BELT).
• 50A: Where Bacardi is bottled? (A RUM PLANT).
• 68A: What the boxer had? (A BOUT LAST NIGHT).
• 91A: Upshot of Hanks or Hulce appearing in a turkey? (A TOM BOMBS).
• 93A: Barricade just big enough to keep out certain birds? (A SWAN-HIGH DAM).
• 107A: What you get when you cross a calf with a dachshund? (A LONG LITTLE DOGIE).
• 113A: Source of cruise music? (A BAND ON SHIP).
• 118A: What Bob is wearing that smells so good? (A DOLE SCENT).

Everything Else — 1A: Staff symbol (G CLEF); 6A: With 6 Down, isn't up to the task (CAN'T); 10A: Max's co-star in "The Emigrants" (LIV); 13A: Winter warmers (MUFFS); 18A: Kin of "me, too" ("SO AM I"); 19A: D-Day beach (UTAH); 20A: Merry Men's quaff (ALE); 21A: Like some gases (INERT); 24A: Yes follower, often (SIR); 25A: Asian instrument (SITAR); 26A: Driver's order (GET IN); 34A: Morning wetness (DEW); 35A: Author of "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (BENET); 36A: Cold, to Conchita (FRIA); 37A: Captain's place (SEA); 39A: Put out the first card (LED); 40A: Paddle (OAR); 53A: Big container (VAT); 54A: Certain NBA player (SIXER); 55A: "Beetle Bailey" boob (ZERO); 56A: It's obtained by leaching (LYE); 57A: First game (OPENER); 60A: Antler feature (TINE); 61A: Swellings (EDEMAS); 63A: Celebrity city of the Rockies (ASPEN); 65A: Squealer (RAT); 67A: State add-on (TAX); 72A: Recede (EBB); 75A: It may be slippery (ELM); 76A: Having irregular edges (EROSE); 77A: Recordings (TRACKS); 81A: Short on jalapeños (MILD); 83A: Credit counterparts (DEBITS); 85A: Three years after Caesar's slaying (XLI); 87A: Licentious type (ROUE); 88A: Language that gave us "kiwi" (MAORI); 90A: 100 pounds of nails (KEG); 97A: Foam alternative (GEL); 98A: Pier grp.? (ILA); 99A: Loc. of Harpers Ferry (W. VA.); 100A: Biblical twin (ESAU); 102A: Its capital is Hue (or backward, something from heaven) (ANNAM); 104A: See 41 Down (OUT); 115A: Boggy places (MIRES); 116A: For all ___ (TO SEE); 117A: Look over (EYE); 123A: Misanthrope, for one (HATER); 124A: Former "Grand Ole Opry" channel (TNN); 125A: Pt. of CBS (SYST.); 126A: Actor Warren (OATES); 127A: Undoes (an edit) (STETS); 128A: Costume time: abbr. (OCT.); 129A: Hardens (SETS); 130A: Stood stock-still (FROZE); 1D: Agcy. created by Truman (GSA); 2D: Bill's nickname (COS); 3D: Once around (LAP); 4D: Asylum seeker, maybe (EMIGRE); 5D: Flame-blocking structure in walls (FIRESTOP); 6D: See 6 Across (CUT IT); 7D: Like ___ bricks (A TON OF); 8D: Pinch (a perp) (NAB); 9D: Anti-Allies alliance (THE AXIS); 10D: Ink-jet alternative (LASER); 11D: Sacro extension (-ILIAC); 12D: "Otello" fellow (VERDI); 13D: Inserts wrong, as fax paper (MISFEEDS); 14D: Complete thing (UNIT); 15D: Like a dump's aroma (FETID); 16D: Round of bowling (FRAME); 17D: Scatter (STREW); 23D: Certain saison (ÉTÉ); 28D: Qualifying race (HEAT); 29D: Bone prefix (OSSI-); 30D: Fully engulfed, perhaps (ABLAZE); 31D: Swerved (VEERED); 32D: Live through (ENDURE); 33D: Part of Q.E.D. (ERAT); 38D: Somewhat (A BIT); 41D: With 104 Across, gone from the shelves (ALL SOLD); 42D: Jamie's Oscar role (RAY); 44D: Olympic contests (EVENTS); 45D: Sprinted (RAN); 46D: Ferrell's cheerleading mate on "SNL" (OTERI); 47D: Go backstage? (EXIT); 48D: 2,700-mile river (LENA); 49D: Fearsome dino (TREX); 51D: N.Y.C. gallery (MOMA); 52D: "Keen!" ("NEAT!"); 57D: Eye-fooling works (OP ART); 58D: Monterrey money (PESOS); 59D: Bestseller that became a musical (RAGTIME); 62D: 6-foot-4 pres. (ABE); 64D: Vehicle with bells, often (SLEIGH); 66D: Mon. ___ Fri. (THR.); 69D: "Sayonara" Oscar-winner Miyoshi (UMEKI); 70D: Call in a bakery (NEXT); 71D: Tropical tuber (TARO); 72D: Actress Stone of "Easy A" (EMMA); 73D: Partiality (BIAS); 74D: Play sax, e.g. (BLOW); 78D: On the way (COMING); 79D: Grandson of Genghis (KUBLAI); 80D: Bagel flavoring (SESAME); 82D: Make a face? (DRAW); 84D: "Sit up" follow-up ("BEG"); 86D: Record book (LOG); 89D: Mongols, often (INVADERS); 91D: He loves, in Latin (AMAT); 92D: 2007 ice-skating comedy, "___ Glory" (BLADES OF); 94D: It may be over your head (HALO); 95D: Estab. with cuts (DELI); 96D: "___ through my incarnations ..." (Kipling) (AS I PASS); 101D: Greatest (UTMOST); 103D: "Close, but ___" (surgeon's gag) (NO SCAR); 104D: Formal promises (OATHS); 105D: Wolfpack member (U-BOAT); 106D: It involves the tongue (TASTE); 108D: "I'm not ___ judge ..." (ONE TO); 109D: Timberlake's old group ('N SYNC); 110D: 1814 treaty site (GHENT); 111D: Sings cheerily (LILTS); 112D: Before, of yore (ERE); 114D: Depilatory brand (NEET); 119D: "Job" requirement? (DYE); 120D: WWII arena (ETO); 121D: Pince-___ (NEZ); 122D: Literary monogram (TSE).