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BUMPER CARS

New York Times, Sunday, September 8, 2013

Author:
Pete Muller and Sue Keefer
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
High-handed ambassador stationed off the Italian coast?
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
184/18/20067/16/20177
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
6042501
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
251.6013366%
Pete Muller
TotalDebutCollabs
19/8/20131
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1000000
DebutFresh
845%
Sue Keefer

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 140, Blocks: 72 Missing: {J} Spans: 5 Scrabble average: 1.72 This is puzzle # 17 for Mr. Muller. This is the debut puzzle for Ms. Keefer. Sunday freshness: 10%
Constructor notes:
Pete: Sue Keefer is my sister and a longtime NY Times solver. This is her first published puzzle. The first version of it included BLAZER LEGEND ESCORT [Companion for Clyde Drexler?] and ... read more
Will Shortz notes:
Judging by the test-solvers' comments, the clue for 99-Down, "Pussy ___ (Russian girl group)," will raise some eyebrows. But the group's name has been much in the news for several years, ... read more
Jeff Chen notes:
Fantastic to see a brother and sister team up! I'm trying to get my nephew (age nine) to co-construct with me, but he stubbornly and heinously insists that LEGOs are more fun than ... read more
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S
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Y
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D
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128
S
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A
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© 2013, The New York Times9/8/13 ( No. 23,315 )
Across
1
Fix : SPAY
5
Some powder : TALC
9
Hurdles for future E.N.T.'s and G.P.'s : MCATS
14
Antiqued photograph color : SEPIA
19
"Idomeneo" heroine : ILIA
20
River into which the Great Miami flows : OHIO
21
Japanese copier company : RICOH
22
Some title holders : EARLS
23
Search for a cradle-robbing woman in New York City? : PARKAVENUECOUGARQUEST
27
Candy bar featured in a "Seinfeld" episode : TWIX
28
Bittern's habitat : MARSH
29
Country composed of 200+ islands : PALAU
30
Start of many Brazilian place names : SAO
31
Salts : SEAMEN
33
"___ any wonder?" : ISIT
35
Sticky handle? : ELMERS
37
High-handed ambassador stationed off the Italian coast? : CAVALIERCAPRIDIPLOMAT
43
Cast : HUE
44
TV show broadcast from Times Square, for short : GMA
45
French/Belgian river : YSER
46
Turbaned type : SWAMI
47
Musician with the gold-selling album "Sugar Lips" : ALHIRT
50
Billet-doux recipient : AMOUR
54
Four-time Best New Age Album Grammy winner : ENYA
55
Peace treaty between a predator and its prey? : BOBCATRABBITACCORD
61
Frequently faked luxury brand : ROLEX
62
Palindromic constellation : ARA
63
Relation? : TALE
64
Contents of some six-packs : ABS
67
Tom Brady, in the 2002 Super Bowl? : INTREPIDRAMCHALLENGER
74
More, in Madrid : MAS
75
___ cube (popular 1960s puzzle) : SOMA
76
___ Canals : SOO
77
Charred : BURNT
78
Musical piece for a "Star Wars" battle scene? : STORMTROOPERSONATA
84
Here, in Honduras : AQUI
87
As a result : HENCE
88
Mistakes made by some bad drivers : SHANKS
89
Writer H. H. ___ : MUNRO
91
___-Honey : BITO
94
Magazine user? : UZI
95
Smuggler-chasing org. : ATF
98
Advocate for pro-am tournaments? : CELEBRITYGOLFDEFENDER
105
Kind of kick : ONSIDE
106
Pixar title character : NEMO
107
Like some excuses : FLIMSY
108
Pseudonym preceder : AKA
110
Change : COINS
112
Short-winded : TERSE
115
Turning point : AXIS
116
Diminutive Aborigine? : MIDGETOUTBACKEXPLORER
121
Engage in excessive self-reflection? : PREEN
122
Marathoner's woe : CRAMP
123
Sections of a natural history museum, maybe : ERAS
124
Super Soaker brand : NERF
125
Not approach directly : SIDLE
126
Himalayans of legend : YETIS
127
Prefix with god : DEMI
128
Home of Wind Cave Natl. Park : SDAK
Down
1
Nurse : SIP
2
Stop getting better : PLATEAU
3
Broadcast medium : AIRWAVE
4
City near Mount Rainier : YAKIMA
5
"Mazel ___!" : TOV
6
[Pardon] : AHEM
7
Director Wertmüller : LINA
8
"CBS Evening News" anchor before Pelley : COURIC
9
1969 Peter O'Toole title role : MRCHIPS
10
Union letters : CIO
11
Small 58-Down size : ACUP
12
Ready for a frat party, say : TOGAED
13
"Would you like me to?" : SHALLI
14
"The Dark Knight" and "The Bourne Supremacy," e.g. : SEQUELS
15
Mer contents : EAU
16
Newspaper worker : PRESSMAN
17
"Casablanca" heroine : ILSA
18
Concerning : ASTO
24
Skater's jump : AXEL
25
Time piece : ESSAY
26
X Games fixture : RAMP
31
Acad., e.g. : SCH
32
Brief remark upon retiring : NIGHT
34
Milk-Bone, e.g. : TREAT
36
Stroked, in a way : ROWED
38
Arabic for "commander" : EMIR
39
___ avis : RARA
40
"___ la Douce" : IRMA
41
Singer Winehouse : AMY
42
Actress Carrere : TIA
47
Lenovo competitor : ACER
48
Having the fewest rules : LAXEST
49
It'll grab you by the seat of your pants : TBAR
51
Twice tetra- : OCTA
52
Berkeley campus, for short : UCAL
53
Sushi bar offering : ROLL
55
Lip : BRIM
56
Actress Chaplin of "Game of Thrones" : OONA
57
Nonkosher lunch orders, for short : BLTS
58
See 11-Down : BRA
59
Playground retort : IAMSO
60
Shoe brand named after an animal : REEBOK
64
Taj Mahal city : AGRA
65
Inclination : BENT
66
Mex. miss : SRTA
68
___ Bear : POOH
69
Hungarian man's name that's an anagram of 38-Down : IMRE
70
"Nuts!" : DAMN
71
Speak pigeon? : COO
72
Short trips : HOPS
73
Ones with good habits? : NUNS
78
Seductive singer : SIREN
79
Frozen dessert brand owned by Mrs. Fields : TCBY
80
Rule : REIGN
81
Book of Judges judge : EHUD
82
Bring down the house? : RAZE
83
Disdainful response : SNIFF
84
"Mad Men" channel : AMC
85
Neighbor of Vt. : QUE
86
Dumped (on) : UNLOADED
90
Very blue : OBSCENE
92
Accessories for hoofers : TOETAPS
93
Ancient Mexican : OLMEC
95
Like role models : ADMIRED
96
Small mosaic tile : TESSERA
97
Small ___ : FRY
99
Pussy ___ (Russian girl group) : RIOT
100
Opposite of brilliance : IDIOCY
101
Job security, for some : TENURE
102
Split : FORKED
103
Carrier to Ben Gurion : ELAL
104
Onetime White House family : NIXONS
108
Some concert gear : AMPS
109
Diva ___ Te Kanawa : KIRI
111
H.R.'s, e.g. : STAT
113
Withered : SERE
114
Checkup, e.g. : EXAM
117
Shampoo, maybe : GEL
118
Ascap rival : BMI
119
Inflation indicator: Abbr. : PSI
120
D.C.'s ___ Stadium : RFK

Answer summary:
7 unique to this puzzle.

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