I pulled out 18A Scorpion, for one: ARACHNIDS because I hadn’t realized that scorpions are arachnids. I had thought that scorpions only have six legs.
But as is clear from this picture, scorpions have eight legs. Wow is that an ugly animal.
The title of this puzzle is Turns of Phrase.
21A Artists sketching pectorals?: DRAWERSOFCHESTS.
33A Vow to remain mum about hotel guests’ secrets?: HONOROFMAIDS.
52A Small distance covered by a naval armada?: FOOTOFFLEET.
73A Boxer lacking a left hook?: MANOFRIGHTS. Extra funny because man of right or mano frights?
89A What brass band music has?: PLENTYOFHORN.
107A Tree feature in winter?: ABSENCEOFLEAVES.
14D What a dog walker and a strong-willed pooch might vie for?: COMMANDOFCHAIN.
45D The Bee Gees’ Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb?: BROTHERSOFBAND.
It’s a turn of phrase of a turn of phrase. You gotta turn the turn of phrase around to get the turn of phrase we know to be the way the phrase is turned.
21A DRAWERSOFCHESTS -> CHESTS OF DRAWERS.
33A HONOROFMAIDES -> MAIDS OF HONOR.
52A FOOTOFFLEET -> FLEET OF FOOT.
73A MANOFRIGHTS -> RIGHTS OF MAN.
89A PLENTYOFHORN -> HORN OF PLENTY (CORNUCOPIA).
107A ABSENCEOFLEAVES -> LEAVES OF ABSENCE.
14D COMMANDOFCHAIN -> CHAIN OF COMMAND.
45D BROTHERSOFBAND -> BAND OF BROTHERS.
Finished this one in 33:57.
