crossword puzzle
“Back and Forth” by Merl Reagle
NOTE: ’Tis the season to return things — but not everything (I hope). Thus, in this puzzle, the first part of each answer returns — that is, it’s written in reverse — and the second part reads normally. Together, they spell a theme answer. For example, MACY’S, reversed, plus ORE, equals SYCAMORE. Many happy returns!
ACROSS
1 Son of, to Saudis 4 Abbr. after the name of a Denver politico 9 A Gorgon 15 La-la lead-in 16 Steering-system part 17 Famed (rev.) + Consumed = Go off 19 Uses stickum (rev.) + Sushi need = Prepares to sell 21 Supposing (rev.) + Civil War general = Bait buyer 22 Kazan (rev.) + Howard = Plane part 23 Slogan (rev.) + One = Relaxer’s prop 25 Originally built: abbr. 26 Beetle juice? 27 Reenact, perhaps 28 Bol. belongs to it 30 Busters? (rev.) + Certain weight = A city 35 New Haven student 36 Layers 41 Dart thrower’s order 42 Cul-___ 44 Make hard to read 48 Skater’s leap 49 Chisholm Trail town 51 Job safety org. 53 Vaughan (rev.) + Emulate Vaughan = Badgering 55 Certain bird (rev.) + Fragrant compounds + Take on = A meat topping 60 Sleep disorder 61 Techie type 62 Bill killer 63 Western icon 65 Verizon, before 66 Pain reliever brand (rev.) + Certain antibiotics = 1959 hit song 71 Lose zip 74 Colombian city 75 Lifesaver, say 76 Quaker pronoun 78 18-wheeler, e.g. 80 Called (rev.) + Challenge + A nobleman = Closeelection advice 85 Less loco (rev.) + Penny = Showing new life 87 Gulf War missile 88 Lummox 90 Army group 91 Imitation 94 With “Ho,” a Disney song 97 Blitzer’s home 98 Body work 100 Coke partner 102 Part of NEA (rev.) + “Huh?” = Boater 104 Greek letter 106 Solved, as a squeak 108 Soccer cheer 109 Spicy cuisine 112 Write (rev.) + Ditty = Roman god 114 Relay prop (rev.) + A pronoun = In no way 118 Hung on to (rev.) + London gallery = Ravage 120 Girl’s name (rev.) + Girl’s name = Former radio network 122 Dick’s brother et al. (rev.) + A pronoun = Dick’s last name 123 Barrel maker 124 Figured out 125 Low tie 126 Walk onstage 127 “CSI” evidence
DOWN
1 “But ___ start” 2 Matzo ___ 3 Countrywide: abbr. 4 Snappy comeback 5 Europe’s huge particle physics lab 6 “Either he goes ___ go” 7 Crazy folks, in Juarez 8 “Swan Lake” princess 9 Southwest sight 10 Race start? 11 Female rabbit 12 Riots and such 13 Actor Neill et al. 14 Rat-___ 16 ___ feather 17 Phone call need, once 18 Demise 20 Video game giant 21 Cover with mist, as an airport 24 Ghost story, e.g. 29 On the ocean 30 Witnessed 31 Hammer feature 32 Info mission 33 Baja bears 34 Santa Claus artist 37 Carpentry file 38 Terminating 39 Precept 40 Pool problem 43 Pickup make 45 Sox city, briefly 46 Ready for rowing 47 Bleak, to Blake 50 Ex-hurler Hershiser 52 Queen of soul 54 Greek lyric poet 56 Stew vessels 57 Funny Dame 58 Dutch master Jan 59 Stockpiles 64 Class with demerits 67 Church leader 68 Property claims 69 Kitchen invader 70 Only, in Orléans 71 Proceed proudly 72 Football venue 73 “Hit the gas!” 77 Tennyson’s Arden 79 Suffragist Carrie 81 N.Y. or L.A. transit co. 82 Laments 83 Make the cut? 84 Melt ingredient 86 Capts. of industry 89 Big bang origin 92 Shopworn 93 Last letter, in radio lingo 95 Collie comber 96 Summer top 99 Morphine, e.g. 101 Loose cannon 103 Fading, fraying, etc. 105 Processor producer 106 Chooses 107 Two-sport Sanders 109 Fall scores 110 Blood opening 111 Mary Kay rival 113 British blueblood 114 Mane location 115 Texas city, familiarly 116 Nader, for one 117 “Cheerio!” 119 Na Na lead-in 121 Go bad