SUNDAY, July 25, 2010Nora Pearlstone (syndicated)

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Theme: "Tee for Two" — A T is added to the second word of a familiar two-word phrase, creating a new wacky phrase 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: Monster affected by a moon phase? (CRESCENT TROLL).
• 37A: Levy on butchers? (MEAT TAX).
• 69A: Warren weeping? (RABBIT TEARS).
• 76A: Japanese chicken snacks? (EAST TENDERS).
• 106A: Can for old smokes? (BUTT TIN).
• 124A: Attacker's fruity treat? (ASSAULT TRIFLE).
• 17D: Small pie à la Pollock? (ABSTRACT TART).
• 41D: Stuff that sticks for years? (GREAT TAPE).
• 49D: Taunting from the Miami bench? (HEAT TRASH).
• 65D: Bakery supply for wrapping cake boxes? (DESSERT TWINE).

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 35A: Yeats's homeland (ERIN).
• 71A: U.K. award (OBE).
• 80A: Asian holiday (TET).
• 4D: While opening (ERST-).
• 8D: Caesar's closer (ET TU).
• 32D: To be, in Quebec (ÊTRE).
• 61D: Historic canal (ERIE).

Everything Else — 1A: Get at (ACCESS); 7A: Like lambs (GENTLE); 13A: 1983 invasion site (GRENADA); 20A: President Ahmadinejad's capital (TEHRAN); 21A: Pioneer Day celebrant (UTAHAN); 22A: Dressed (ENROBED); 25A: Chips Ahoy! maker (NABISCO); 26A: Filet mignon, e.g. (ENTRÉE); 27A: Black Sea country (UKRAINE); 29A: Diglyceride, for one (ESTER); 30A: Performance rights org. (BMI); 31A: Craving (URGE); 33A: Give a hand (ASSIST); 36A: Response to an e-mail wisecrack (LOL); 40A: "Here's the __ ..." (THING); 42A: Many a Monopoly sq. (AVE.); 43A: Sole (ONLY); 45A: Abbot's address: Abbr. (RT. REV.); 46A: Spiffed (up) (SPRUCED); 48A: Illustrator N.C. (WYETH); 50A: The younger Saarinen (EERO); 51A: Boo follower (HOO); 54A: Toon flapper Etta (KETT); 55A: __ Plaines, Illinois (DES); 57A: 1980s South African pres. (PW BOTHA); 60A: Starts the kitty (ANTES); 63A: Mouse site (PAD); 66A: College fund-raising targets (ALUMS); 72A: Newbie (TYRO); 73A: Everycowboy (TEX); 74A: Skip (OMIT); 75A: Hook (up) (RIG); 79A: Carrion eater (HYENA); 81A: '90s N.Y. Philharmonic conductor Kurt (MASUR); 82A: Westernmost of the Sunda Islands (SUMATRA); 84A: Mean at a univ. (GPA); 86A: South Dakota, to Pierre (ETAT); 88A: Word before and after "vs." in a Mad feature (SPY); 89A: Italian vineyard region (ASTI); 92A: Culture: Pref. (ETHNO-); 96A: Read (PERUSED); 99A: Scrawny (GAUNT); 101A: Good earth (LOAM); 102A: Co. that spun off the Baby Bells (ATT); 103A: Wasteland (HEATH); 108A: Luau instrument (UKE); 109A: 19th Amendment proponent (CATT); 111A: Tough spot (SCRAPE); 113A: Saltimbocca herb (SAGE); 114A: Seat holder: Abbr. (SEN.); 115A: Flightless New Zealanders (KIWIS); 117A: Ruthless leaders (TYRANTS); 120A: Rubbed the wrong way (CHAFED); 122A: Split payment? (ALIMONY); 127A: Time keeping action? (RENEWAL); 128A: Treads heavily (STOMPS); 129A: List shortener (ET ALIA); 130A: Women's department array (DRESSES); 131A: Most balanced (SANEST); 132A: "Have patience" ("NOT YET"); 1D: LAX tower service (ATC); 2D: What a stickler may stand on? (CEREMONY); 3D: Bedspread fabric (CHENILLE); 5D: Pelvic bone (SACRUM); 6D: Scornful type (SNEERER); 7D: Like some instinctive reactions (GUT); 9D: Sussex stoolie (NARK); 10D: Chest (THORAX); 11D: Singers' refrains (LA LAS); 12D: Join up (ENLIST); 13D: Beginning (GENESIS); 14D: Protein-building polymer (RNA); 15D: Kathryn of "Law & Order: C.I." (ERBE); 16D: Uproar (NOISE); 18D: Trick (DECEIVE); 19D: Decorated (ADORNED); 24D: Deny the truth of (NEGATE); 28D: Med. research org. (NIH); 30D: Lose, as a big lead (BLOW); 34D: I-90 in Mass., e.g. (TNPK.); 38D: U. of Maryland team (TERPS); 39D: Declare (AVOW); 44D: Financial report hdg. (YTD); 47D: __ Reader: alternative media anthology (UTNE); 51D: Sting, for instance (HOAX); 52D: Tout's hangout, for short (OTB); 53D: "Yahoo!" ("OH BOY!"); 56D: Roy Rogers's birth name (SLYE); 58D: Brittany seaport (BREST); 59D: Je t'__: French "I love you" (AIME); 62D: U.S. Army E-6 (SSGT); 63D: Pope creation (POEM); 64D: Four-line rhyme scheme (ABAA); 67D: Coffee holders (URNS); 68D: __ vivendi: lifestyle (MODUS); 70D: Small bell sound (TING); 73D: Room service convenience (TRAY); 77D: Layered skirt (TUTU); 78D: Old Roman ldr. (EMP.); 79D: Goes after (HAS AT); 83D: Product with "Robusto!" flavors (RAGU); 85D: View from Martha's Vineyard, Mass. (ATL.); 87D: Golf shop bagful (TEES); 90D: "Tsk" relatives (TUTS); 91D: Whole (INTACT); 93D: Indoor buzzer? (HOUSEFLY); 94D: Blunt fiction (NAKED LIE); 95D: Rainbow, to some (OMEN); 96D: Early luxury auto (PACKARD); 97D: 24/7 business (ETAILER); 98D: Three-syllable feet (DACTYLS); 100D: Secure, in a way (TIGHTEN); 104D: Give it a go (TRY); 105D: Bother no end (HARASS); 106D: Former Mormon leader Ezra Taft __ (BENSON); 107D: Almost touching (NEAR TO); 110D: Airport postings (TIMES); 112D: Fusilli, e.g. (PASTA); 116D: Females with pig tails (SOWS); 118D: Easy to manage (TAME); 119D: Has dinner (SUPS); 121D: Royal decree (FIAT); 123D: Tam wearer's turndown (NAE); 125D: D-Day craft (LST); 126D: Dinner exhortation (EAT).