Crossword

Note: This puzzle is part of Merl’s best-of series.

ACROSS

1 Rule-book pros 5 Sonneteer, for one 9 Former Entertainment Tonight cohost John 13 Country club club: abbr. 16 Elite Navy group 17 Have a nursery mishap 20 Do-or-die sports moment 22 Insurance quote 23 Rainfall-challenged? 24 Grant played by Ed Asner 25 Pacific detonations, in headlines 27 Barrel-hoop wood 28 For hours ___ stretch 29 TV’s Nightline is part of it, with 32 Across 32 See 29 Across 34 Contest 35 Song originally titled “Et Maintenant” 39 Went into the closet 41 Layer 42 Viet region (or backward, Bible bread) 43 Watcher of the skies: abbr. 44 ___ Enter 46 Swingin’ Count 49 Rec center 51 Élève’s roll call response 53 Black Sea port 57 Rejoices 59 1960s mantra 62 Express lane limit, often 63 “___ true ...” 65 Teacher’s answer sheet 66 Agent 99’s partner 67 Privates can’t pull it 68 Motto of the jaded 74 Goad 76 Samaritan’s gift 77 “Love, Reign ___ Me” (hit by The Who) 78 Covert org. 79 Decorative flap 82 Speaking exercise 87 What’s My Line? panelist Francis 89 Franklin’s middle name 90 Santa ___ CA 91 Would-be atty.’s test 93 Fashion accessory 94 Word to a pest 96 Meadow 98 Mainframe language 100 Popular clay, Play-___ 103 He wed Wallis: abbr. 104 Kitchen compromise 109 Poetic encomiums 111 Error 113 Tallahassee sch. 114 West end 115 Have debts 116 Frank 118 Print-job clarity, for short 120 Tom Clancy’s Jack 122 Problem 123 Kay Kyser catchphrase (not aimed at you, I hope) 128 Gangster’s “payback” remark 129 Sprinkler sites 130 Woolly one 131 Area of London 132 Saudi Arabia neighbor 133 Greek peak

DOWN

1 Go over again 2 Singer Kitt 3 Run away 4 Which way the wind blows, perh. 5 Vacation isle 6 Like breakfast menus at some restaurants 7 Mr. Hyde’s creator 8 Banned spray 9 Countdown finish 10 Follow 11 Pepper preceder 12 Gets too close to 13 Stooge-struck 14 Rises 15 Popular Dutch beer, ___ Light 16 Little Pig’s building need 17 Remote 18 Wise bird 19 Little while 21 Podium prop 26 Cagey 28 Michael’s American President co-star 30 Less optimistic 31 Beat pounder 33 Reporter’s question 36 Kite part 37 Part of a Campbell’s Soup jingle 38 Skiing mecca 40 Extinct bird 44 Backless couch 45 “4” opener 46 “Don’t ___ on it” 47 Budget “cutter” 48 El Paso football event 50 Encrusted, as grease 52 Islands twixt Mozambique and Madagascar 54 It hits flies 55 Luis Rey intro 56 Flood relief vessel 58 Lie-telling, e.g. 60 Keep an ___ (watch) 61 Corp. VIP 64 Finish Julius Caesar? 69 Best and Ferber 70 Liquor store Walker 71 Renders unable to scratch 72 Nogales aunt 73 Queequeg’s weapon 74 Prof’s pride 75 1973 plaintiff 80 It comes first on Jeopardy!: abbr. 81 Apiary denizen 83 Auctioneer’s word 84 Scrabble conventions, e.g. 85 Good place for a hanging 86 Women in uniform 88 Humdinger 92 Take ___ (feel deeply) 95 Pointed tool 97 North Pole worker 99 Actor Gabriel 100 Part of DJIA 101 Proust’s Mme. Swann 102 Donkey holler 104 “___ differ” 105 Dawn goddess 106 Organ givers 107 Hutu-Tutsi land 108 Safecrackers 110 Lowlife 112 Mr. Heep 117 Canaan ending 119 Slow to mingle 121 Taiwan’s monetary unit 122 Sp. ladies 124 Greek letter 125 Overly 126 “So tasty!” 127 Casper’s home: abbr.