SHIFTING SOUNDS
Ben Zimmer is the language columnist for The Wall Street Journal, a contributing writer for The Atlantic and a former language columnist for The New York Times. Brendan Emmett Quigley is a professional crossword constructor. They met some 12 years ago when Brendan began contributing crosswords to the Visual Thesaurus, where Ben was the executive editor. The making of this puzzle — brainstorming the theme, filling the grid and writing the clues — was a full collaboration. Brendan has had many puzzles in The Times. This is Ben’s debut. — W.S.
ACROSS
1 Smashing
6 Wide-eyed in wonder 10 Woofer output
14 Casual vodka order 19 Bubbling
20 Pricey
21 Alma mater of Grant
and Lee: Abbr. 22 Board-game piece 23 Dog’s order at a malt
shop?
25 The “day” in “seize
the day”
26 “Arrival” visitor
27 You can see right
through it
28 Part of H.M.S.
29 “Game of Thrones” patriarch has difficulties?
32 Zora Neale Hurston’s “____ Eyes Were Watching God” 34 Stand-up comic
Kondabolu
35 Drum heard in raga music
36 Creator of
Christopher Robin 38 Beat out by a hair 40 Big name in ratings 44 Male sailors
45 Words of affirmation 47 Upscale
48 Android alternative 49 ____ Mahal
51 Kind of diet 53 Chest muscle,
informally
54 The “S” of 48-Across 58 Advised a chess player to attack the king?
65 Spanish unit of time
with a tilde
66 Yoda, to Luke
67 Shows as an encore
presentation 68 A fingerprint can leave one
70 Cell no., say
71 Strips of weapons 72 Coming from two
speakers
73 Frequent choice for
maid of honor
75 Deg. for an aspiring
attorney abroad 76 Part of Disney’s
advertising budget? 78 How some pranks
might go 82 Constellation with a
palindromic name 83 Scat syllable for
Sinatra
84 Hula loop
86 Academy Award winner for “Moonlight” and “Green Book”
87 Dr. Seuss character who becomes “King of the Mud”
91 Sushi condiment 95 Birds that can recognize themselves in mirrors
99 Beyond sad, or beyond happy
101 Some piercing spots 102 Categorically stated 103 Indubitably 105 Bellybutton fluff 106 Bordeaux wine region
107 Decisively defeat a cabinet department? 111 Musical knack
112 Share on social media
115 Like a zealous fan base
116 School attended by 20 prime ministers 117 Feeling one gets under anesthesia at the dentist?
120 Rat in “Ratatouille” 121 Word before or after run
122 Memo heading
123 Prize for a doc, maybe
124 Stick a fork in 125 Weapon with a bell guard
126 Loathsome person 127 Indira Gandhi’s father
DOWN
1 Comedian Mort 2 Instrument from the French for “high wood”
3 Bad shot by Dracula? 4 Affinity
5 Lacking originality 6 Follower
7 Prepare, with “up” 8 Symbol of sturdiness 9 ____ launcher
10 Close pals
11 “Yeah, right!” 12 Process, as ore 13 Language with only 14
native letters 14 He made his final cameo in “Avengers: Endgame”
15 Spilled one’s soul
16 ’30s migrant 17 Unwelcome look 18 Places to exchange
dollars for quarters 24 Stand out from the crowd
30 Little bits of energy 31 Competitor of ebay 33 Tree that lines the
Central Park Mall 34 Debut single for both Jimi Hendrix and Patti Smith
36 Flaws and all
37 Shout for 44-Across 39 Put off for another day
41 Building caretakers 42 Higher-ups in a
hierarchy
43 Part of a guitar
46 One on the road in “On the Road”
50 Maker of Instant Feathers and Hi-speed Tonic
52 Laura of “Marriage
Story”
55 Does some
broncobusting, e.g. 56 Accustom (to) 57 Broadband device 59 Loosen, in a way 60 Banned display of firepower, informally 61 Conductor Georg with 31 Grammys
62 Passed out in Vegas 63 Gambino crime family
patriarch
64 Attractive but vacuous guy, in slang
68 Mary, Queen of Scots,
e.g.
69 Prod
71 Prod
72 Philosopher
Kierkegaard
73 “Salud!” cousin
74 Heed an army poster 76 “Will you allow me to
demonstrate?” 77 Plane-ticket info 79 Comfy seating at a carnival? 80 Downwind, at sea 81 New England art inst. 85 “Mind. Blown.”
88 Shot served with salt and lime
89 Clean
90 Lexicographer Partridge
92 Singer Knowles with a 2016 No. 1 album 93 Ever so slightly 94 Perk from work
96 Tex who animated Bugs Bunny 97 Diploma equivalent,
in brief
98 Make an engaging offer?
100 British spy Christopher in 2016 news
104 Legally prohibit 107 Parisian equivalent to “molto” or “muy” 108 Increase, with “up” 109 Stage prize since 1956
110 It distinguishes meaning in many East Asian languages
111 Fitch of Abercrombie & Fitch
113 Red carpet interviewee 114 Traffic-sign word 118 Card-game call
119 Sun follower?