Theme: "The Old Switcheroo" - Pro and Con exchange places.
23A *Truly unappetizing French dish?: GROSS CONFIT. Gross profit.
25A. *In favor of monetary penalties?: PRO FINING. Confining.
48A. *Proposed bill?: A WORK IN CONGRESS. A work in progress.
67A. *Source of talent for a major-league franchise?: PRO STABLE. Constable.
71A. *Opposed to medical treatment?: CON CURING. Procuring.
92A. *Stall selling souvenirs on graduation day?: PROCESSION STAND. Concession stand.
114A. *Appeal from a jailhouse lawyer?: CON FILING. Profiling.
Reveal:
117. Both sides of an argument, and what have been switched to create the answers to the starred clues: PROS AND CONS.
I'm picturing how Chairman Mao would react to this puzzle. He probably find the first one very appealing. Nothing GROSS!
Four of the original phrases are one-word entries, Gary and Amy probably did not have many candidates to choose from.
Across:
5. Got to laugh: AMUSED.
11. Big galoots: APES.
15. Feathery scarves: BOAS.
19. Diva's delivery: ARIA.
20. Albania neighbor: KOSOVO. Its capital is Pristina.
21. Office note: MEMO.
22. Luxury hotel chain: OMNI.
27. Ruhr Valley city: ESSEN.
28. On: ATOP.
30. Lhasa native: TIBETAN. You'll find tsampa in any Tibetan restaurant. Made of barley flour.
31. "The Optimist's Daughter" Pulitzer winner Welty: EUDORA.
35. Group in the minors: AA TEAM. The next is Triple-A.
38. Snoopy adversary: RED BARON.
42. Down source: EIDER.
43. Quaked: SHOOK.
51. Dull pain: ACHE.
52. __ fide: in bad faith: MALA.
53. Honeycomb figures: HEXAGONS.
54. Actor Sheen: MARTIN.
56. Left hanging: IN LIMBO.
59. "Time __ the essence": IS OF.
60. Animated short: CARTOON.
61. Lentil dish: DAL.
62. Cynthia Nixon's role on "The Gilded Age": ADA.
63. Some tribute pieces: FAN ART.
66. Salary: PAY.
73. __ Claire, Wisconsin: EAU. Minnesota is solid blue, but our neighbors are all red.
74. Platitude: TRUISM.
76. Bovine chew: CUD.
77. Load from a lode: ORE.
78. Moving right along: AT SPEED.
80. Violinist Leopold: AUER. Learned from doing xwords.
82. Anka song with a Spanish title: ESO BESO.
86. Slowing down, musically: Abbr.: RITARD.
87. Cowardly Lion portrayer: BERT LAHR. Fun to see his full name.
90. Eurasian range: URAL.
91. Last name of both "Fargo" writers: COEN.
95. Fizzled out: ENDED.
97. German pronoun: EINES.
98. QB-to-receiver successes: TD PASSES.
99. Wife, in Spanish: ESPOSA. Boomer just calls me "Lao Po" (Old Wife).
101. Declare: ASSERT.
103. Nissan models: ALTIMAS.
107. Great Salt Lake state: UTAH.
109. First name in skin care: ESTEE. Here's their best seller. The Advance Night Repair.
121. "__ on First": book about comedian Costello: LOU'S.
122. Antioxidant berry: ACAI.
123. Czech currency: KORUNA. I thought they use Euro.
124. Aardvark meal: ANTS.
125. As many as: UP TO.
126. "Gin and Juice" rapper Snoop __: DOGG.
127. Verve: ENERGY.
128. Sushi bar soup: MISO. Miso alone is just the paste, which I use every day.
Down:
2. Commits a faux pas: ERRS.
3. Life stories: BIOS.
4. Military outpost: BASE.
5. Pedigree org.: AKC. The American Kennel Club.
6. Holstein sound: MOO.
7. Admiral's org.: USN.
8. As yet: SO FAR.
9. "A New Argentina" musical: EVITA.
10. Inflict on: DO TO.
11. Concert device: AMP.
12. Pay-__-view: PER.
13. Hams: EMOTERS. Spellcheck does not like this word.
14. "Modern Family" actress Vergara: SOFIA. Bill G likes her a lot. How are you doing, Bill?
15. Ecru kin: BONE.
16. Drop: OMIT.
17. Chlumsky of "Veep": ANNA.
18. Omen: SIGN.
24. Move stealthily: SNEAK.
26. Some early PCs: IBMS.
29. Form couples: PAIR OFF.
32. New England sch.: URI.
33. "Tiny Bubbles" singer: DON HO.
34. First word of "The Raven": ONCE.
36. Yemeni port: ADEN.
37. "Rizzoli & Isles" crime series novelist Gerritsen: TESS. I remember she was so excited when Rich used her as a clue for TESS a while ago.
38. "Bohemian Rhapsody" Oscar winner Malek: RAMI.
39. Actor McGregor: EWAN.
40. American Girl product: DOLL.
41. Intertwines: BRAIDS.
42. Frozen waffle brand: EGGO.
44. Sabrina portrayer Melissa Joan __: HART.
45. Squid relatives: OCTOPI.
46. Resident of Lima, Lisbon, or Athens: OHIOAN. Great clue angle.
47. Big name in smooth jazz: KENNY G.
49. Lime and rust: OXIDES.
50. Astronaut's insignia: NASA.
54. Bongbong of the Philippines: MARCOS. Current president. Son of the Imelda Marcos.
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55. Conductor Toscanini: ARTURO.
57. Be relevant: MATTER.
58. Sounded loudly: BLARED.
60. Recycle bin item: CAN.
62. Boxer Muhammad: ALI.
64. Honda luxury cars: ACURAS.
65. Doze: NOD.
67. Guy of "Memento": PEARCE.
68. Allocate: RATION.
69. Got rid of: OUSTED.
70. Pal: BUD.
72. Counters: REBUTS.
75. Mime Marcel: MARCEAU. We see his BIP from time to time.
76. Collectible frames: CELS.
79. Glazier's item: PANE.
81. Sport-__: versatile vehicles: UTES.
82. Lose ground?: ERODE.
83. Noted times: ERAS.
84. All there: SANE.
85. Auto pioneer: OLDS.
87. Verve: BRIO.
88. A dog's age: EONS.
89. Chart toppers: HITS.
92. Soft drink giant: PEPSICO.
93. Scott Simon's network: NPR.
94. Filled: SATED.
96. "Sorry Not Sorry" singer Lovato: DEMI.
100. Bowl of greens: SALAD.
101. Composer Copland: AARON.
102. Land by the sea: SHORE.
103. Anti-censorship org.: ACLU.
104. Belt holder: LOOP.
105. Fastener with flanges: T NUT.
106. "Should that be the case ... ": IF SO.
108. Toll rd.: TPKE.
110. Bogus offer: SCAM.
111. "Beloved" novelist Morrison: TONI.
112. Sinus docs: ENTS.
113. Exxon's original brand name: ESSO.
115. Badger: NAG.
116. Band booking: GIG.
118. __ La Table: kitchenware retailer: SUR. My sister-in-law Connie sent us a nice kitchen towel from them. Too pretty to use.
119. Director Lee: ANG. Spelled as "An" in mainland China. Ange Lee is from Taiwan.
120. Anti vote: NAY.
Boomer completed his shoulder PT last Tuesday. He'll continue the OT for the next few weeks. He still can't type with his left hand, but he is able to put his left hand on the walker or the railing for stability now. Baby steps.
C.C.