SUNDAY, March 21, 2010 — John Lampkin

Theme: "The Clothier's Apprentice" — Sewing puns!

[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: Poor prep technique earned the apprentice the nickname __ (TURKEY BASTER).
• 34A: He thought NASA sewed astronauts' uniforms with the __ (SPACE NEEDLE).
• 48A: Mixing up orders from a cop and a priest, he __ (COLLARED THE WRONG MAN).
• 65A: He designed a shirt, but wound up with a vest because he __ (LOST THE THREAD).
• 82A: Jogging, he forgot about the pin cushion in his pocket and __ (GOT A STITCH IN HIS SIDE).
• 100A: He thought inferior fabric came from __ (WORSTED WOOL).
• 113A: Upon reviewing the apprentice's work, the boss said, "Truly you are a __" (TAILOR'S DUMMY).

Everything Else — 1A: Yak (JABBER); 7A: A to A, to Puccini (SCALA); 12A: Cape Town's country: Abbr. (RSA); 15A: Country bumpkin (RUBE); 19A: Farm vet's specialty (EQUINE); 20A: Like a purring Jaguar (TUNED); 21A: Gambler's haunts, briefly (OTB); 22A: Numbered Beethoven work, e.g. (OPUS); 25A: Langley operative (CIA AGENT); 27A: Rotated car parts (TIRES); 28A: Ultimatum ender (ELSE); 29A: Subj. concerned with habitats (ECOL.); 31A: Fencing move (LUNGE); 32A: Early prog rock gp. (ELO); 33A: All over (ANEW); 36A: Dirty deed doer (DASTARD); 39A: Eggs in labs (OVA); 41A: "The Chosen" author Chaim (POTOK); 42A: Divinity sch. (SEM.); 43A: Shout in a ring (OLÉ); 44A: Finish, as a cake (FROST); 46A: Kilmer poem ending (A TREE); 54A: Sultan's wives (HAREM); 55A: Alleviate (EASE); 56A: Yoga class needs (MATS); 57A: Feline greeting (MEOW); 59A: Repeats (ITERATES); 61A: Vinyls, for short (LPS); 62A: Robust (HEARTY); 64A: Sale indicator (TAG); 70A: Get __: score 100 (AN A); 71A: Bordeaux choice (CLARET); 73A: Not much of a racehorse (NAG); 74A: Response to a ring (I'LL GET IT); 76A: Hägar's daughter (HONI); 77A: Censor's target (SMUT); 79A: Approaching (NIGH); 81A: Choose (ELECT); 87A: Lucy's chum (ETHEL); 88A: "The Planets" composer (HOLST); 89A: 1963 Cleo player (LIZ); 90A: Spot order? (SIT); 93A: Enjoys a bath (SOAKS); 95A: Like a bather (WET); 96A: Flamboyance (PANACHE); 103A: Tel __, Israel (AVIV); 105A: Family mem. (REL); 106A: "Au revoir" (ADIEU); 107A: Speedy (FAST); 108A: Flex at the barre (PLIE); 109A: Wagner work (OPERA); 111A: Varied assortment (MIXED BAG); 116A: Brief confession (IDID); 117A: GI morale booster (USO); 118A: Kick out (EXPEL); 119A: "Enclosed __ please find ..." (HEREIN); 120A: Dates (SEES); 121A: St. Helens, e.g. (MTN.); 122A: Clarinet and oboe (REEDS); 123A: Carol opening (AD ESTE); 1D: Took a red-eye, e.g. (JETTED); 2D: Eagle constellation (AQUILA); 3D: Forty-niners' carriers (BURROS); 4D: You can pop a wheelie on one (BIKE); 5D: Hydrocarbon endings (-ENES); 6D: King, in Spain (REY); 7D: Like old bread (STALE); 8D: Geezer's invectives (CUSS WORDS); 9D: Part of a.m. (ANTE); 10D: Poe's Annabel (LEE); 11D: Spot seller (AD REP); 12D: Fragonard's paintings exemplify it (ROCOCO ART); 13D: Sharp-looking heels? (STILETTOS); 14D: Legal org. (ABA); 15D: Rapscallion (ROGUE); 16D: Overturns (UPENDS); 17D: Botch (BUNGLE); 18D: Venerate (ESTEEM); 24D: Flex (BEND); 26D: Source of a draft? (ALE KEG); 30D: Seal, as an oil well (CAP); 33D: Locale (AREA); 34D: Accessory indicating rank, perhaps (SASH); 35D: Norse goddess of fate (NORN); 37D: Chan portrayer (TOLER); 38D: Stag (ALL-MALE); 40D: It's cast in a booth (VOTE); 44D: Big spread (FEAST); 45D: Play the vamp (TEMPT); 47D: Austen novel (EMMA); 48D: Mail order book (CATALOG); 49D: Pasta sauce herb (OREGANO); 50D: Roger of "Cheers" (REES); 51D: Bathe (WASH); 52D: Like hot tub water (AERATED); 53D: Nasty (NOT NICE); 54D: Pull (up), as pants (HITCH); 58D: One of the Earps (WYATT); 60D: Tiny one (TOT); 61D: An April fooler might pull yours (LEG); 62D: Cartoonist Foster (HAL); 63D: Enters stealthily (EDGES IN); 66D: Wood fastener (T-NUT); 67D: Concoct (HATCH); 68D: "Exactamundo!" ("RIGHT!"); 69D: K-12 catchall (EL-HI); 72D: Ceremony (RITE); 75D: Alfred Doolittle's daughter (ELIZA); 77D: Ever dedicated (STEADFAST); 78D: Bygone delivery vehicle (MILK WAGON); 79D: Cleo's river (NILE); 80D: Set up, as software (INSTALLED); 83D: Like some retired racehorses (AT STUD); 84D: Horse's footwear (SHOE); 85D: Wolf's cry (HOWL); 86D: Croat or Serb (SLAV); 90D: Hindu masters (SWAMIS); 91D: Salt used in thyroid treatments (IODIDE); 92D: "Hi and Lois" baby (TRIXIE); 94D: "Help!" at sea (SOS); 96D: Place to tie up (PIER); 97D: Thickish liqueurs (CREMES); 98D: No social butterfly (HERMIT); 99D: Comic Boosler (ELAYNE); 101D: Bird feeder filler (SEEDS); 102D: Furry river critter (OTTER); 104D: Early strings (VIOLS); 108D: Old King Cole's smoke (PIPE); 109D: Used too much (OD'ED); 110D: Squeaky clean (PURE); 112D: Dover derrière (BUM); 114D: Forest feller (AXE); 115D: Syllable in oldies (SHA).