Crossword puzzle
NOTE: Two years ago I made a puzzle about certain two-word expressions that, despite being firmly established in the language, still have a high “why do we say that?” factor. For example, why is an unfair deal always a “raw” deal? Why are hussies always “brazen”? The short answer is, I don’t know, but here’s another batch of them. ACROSS
1 Colin Powell’s son once headed it: abbr. 4 Like a lawn at dawn 8 Whitman sampler? 12 Has staying power 17 Grazing ground 18 Sprite in “The Tempest” 20 Truffles and such 21 Long Island town 22 Not just pure g---, but ___ ___ 25 Infiniti rival 26 Roomier rides 27 Not just an utter b---, but a ___ ___ 29 Ailment answer 30 White House nickname, once 31 “Modern Family” co-star 32 Not just full d-------, but ___ ___ 38 Darken 41 D.C. abbr. 42 Brokerage house, T. ___ Price 43 The Roaring Twenties, for example 44 Blouse protector 46 Jim Lehrer book, “___ of My Own” 48 Traffic cone 49 Composer Bruckner 51 Behave like a bear 52 Not just m-----lacking, but ___ ___ 57 Zodiac beast 58 “Star Trek” starturned-activist 59 Word with loose or tight 60 Ham ___ 61 Loyal pooch 62 Not just unfounded r-----, but ___ ___ 66 Not just fully a-----, but ___ ___ 68 Like a bully 69 Word on a biblical wall 70 Deplorable 71 A-frame overhangs 72 Grump’s grunt 73 Not just a complete s-------, but a ___ ___ 78 Raven-colored, to Poe 80 104 Down prefix 81 Mates of harts 82 San ___, Italy 83 Trip need? 84 Take a shot at 86 Overture follower 87 Spying device 90 “Hernando’s Hideaway,” e.g. 92 Not just d----- easily, but ___ ___ 95 Fluster 98 Rock-hard parts, maybe 99 Jack of old oaters 100 Not just a weak e----, but a ___ ___ 104 Dig discovery 107 Brush blush 108 Not just plainly o------, but ___ ___ (and kind of redundant, too) 111 Dark 112 Chooser’s choice 113 Danny, on “Taxi” 114 Ulla’s portrayer in “The Producers” 115 Piano piece 116 Muppet pal of 24 Down 117 Wee warbler 118 Opposite ___
DOWN
1 Winter worry 2 Official reprimand 3 Diaz or Mitchell 4 It’s often analyzed 5 Name for an Irish lass
6 Costume-shop items 7 Verily 8 Snub-nosed dogs 9 “Cat ___ Tin Roof” 10 Florida Air Force base 11 Tigger’s creator 12 Apt 13 ___ ice 14 Put-down 15 Spare change? 16 Mud-bath site 19 Maj.’s superior 20 Testing org. 23 Concept 24 Muppet pal of 116 Across 28 Bee Gees’ surname 29 Pelley’s place 30 Ogden Nash’s birthplace, on a letter
33 It contains no water vapor 34 “Mama” sayer 35 MPs’ quarry 36 Splendid 37 Snow on a record 39 Revival-tent cry 40 Whitetail’s kin 44 Boxing matches 45 Suggestions, e.g. 47 Regatta entrants 48 Fuss over oneself 50 Basic chords 52 Wagered 53 Often-revived musical 54 Devoid (of) 55 Inits. of an ill-fated ex-Playmate 56 Cigar city, on baggage 58 Lumberjack’s call 61 Penalty markers 63 One who cries foul 64 Encounters 65 No Turn ___ 66 Budgetary excess 67 Submit, as an entry 70 Muffler 74 Art Deco designer 75 With 76 Down, “Very funny” 76 See 75 Down 77 Architectural pier 79 Like some airships 83 Oodles 85 Brewer’s need 87 Ill-humored 88 Poe work of 1847 89 Fitness club 91 Reproductive cell 92 Cary in “The Philadelphia Story” 93 Clear as ___ 94 Ricky’s portrayer 96 Blood bank category 97 Part of 35 Down 100 Helvetica, e.g. 101 Humdinger 102 Word on a coin 103 Young ___ 104 “Fab” total 105 Gary Sinise won one in 1983 106 Name for a Swedish guy 107 Street, in Montreal 109 Hotfoot reaction 110 Horn inventor Adolphe