LA Times Crossword 31 Dec 23, Sunday

Constructed by: Matthew Stock & Miranda Carson
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: Squad Goals

The FINAL word in each themed answer is a WNBA team:

121A Championship series where fans hope to find the ends of the answers to the starred clues? : WNBA FINALS

23A *Symptom of isolation, perhaps : CABIN FEVER (the Indiana Fever)
28A *Leave the nest : SPREAD ONE’S WINGS (the Dallas Wings)
48A *No. 1 Katy Perry album featuring the No. 1 song “Firework” : TEENAGE DREAM (the Atlanta Dream)
56A *Oscar-winning role for Rami Malek : FREDDIE MERCURY (the Phoenix Mercury)
82A *One of Sheriff Woody’s catchphrases in “Toy Story” : REACH FOR THE SKY (the Chicago Sky)
91A *Concurrence of many negative possibilities : PERFECT STORM (the Seattle Storm)
114A *Lorraine Hansberry play whose title comes from a Langston Hughes poem : A RAISIN IN THE SUN (the Connecticut Sun)

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

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Bill’s time: 12m 55s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

10 Barbershop service : SHAVE

Barbers originally offered a wide range of services, including surgery. Back in the Middle Ages, one of the primary services offered was bloodletting. The red and white sign outside a barber’s place of business represented bloody bandages wrapped around a pole. Henry VIII restricted barbers to just haircutting … and dentistry. Our term “barber” comes to us via Anglo-French from the Latin “barba” meaning “beard”.

15 Santa __: home of the Charles M. Schulz Museum : ROSA

The Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California is dedicated to the works of Charles M. Schulz, who most famously created the comic strip “Peanuts”. Visitors can view many of the original “Peanuts” strips, as well as a wooden sculpture of Snoopy, which weighs a whopping 3½ tons.

23 *Symptom of isolation, perhaps : CABIN FEVER (the Indiana Fever)

The Indiana Fever WNBA team was founded in 2000. The team shares the Gainbridge Fieldhouse indoor arena in Indianapolis with the Indiana Pacers NBA team for home games.

25 Oahu’s __ Stadium : ALOHA

Aloha Stadium is located in Honolulu and is home to the University of Hawaii’s Warriors football team. It is a multi-use facility, used for anything from high school football games to Bowl tournaments.

26 Actress Rowlands : GENA

Gena Rowlands is an actress best known for the films made with her husband, actor and director John Cassavetes. Notably, Rowlands played a lead role opposite James Garner in the weepy, weepy 2004 film “The Notebook”. “The Notebook” was directed by her son Nick Cassavetes. Rowlands was nominated for Oscars for her performances in two films: “Gloria” (1980) and “A Woman Under the Influence” (1974).

27 French novelist Zola : EMILE

The most famous work by French writer Émile Zola is his 1898 open letter “J’Accuse!” written to French president Félix Faure. The letter was published on the front page of a leading Paris newspaper, and accused the government of anti-Semitism in its handling of the trial of Captain Alfred Dreyfus. Dreyfus was a Jewish military officer in the French army, falsely accused and convicted of spying for Germany. Even after the error was discovered, the government refused to back down and let Dreyfus rot away on Devil’s Island rather than admit to the mistake. It wasn’t until 1906, 12 years after the wrongful conviction, that Dreyfus was freed and reinstated, largely due to the advocacy of Emile Zola.

28 *Leave the nest : SPREAD ONE’S WINGS (the Dallas Wings)

The Shock were the professional WNBA team based in Tulsa from 2010 to 2015. The team was founded as the Detroit Shock in 1998, and became the Dallas Wings after leaving Tulsa in 2016.

35 Looking for, in ads : ISO

In search of (ISO)

37 Jackal cousin : COYOTE

The coyote is a canine found in most of Central and North America. The name “coyote” is Mexican Spanish, in which language it means “trickster”. In Native-American folklore, the coyote is an important character, one often playing tricks and defying conventional behavior. Coyotes can sometimes mate with domestic dogs, creating hybrid animals known as “coydogs”. Coyotes can also mate with wolves, creating a “coywolf”. South Dakota named the coyote its state animal in 1949.

Jackals are small omnivorous predators and scavengers that are related to the wolf and dog. Jackals have been deliberately crossbred with certain species of dog. One example is the Russian Sulimov dog, a breed developed by crossing Lapponian herder dogs with Turkmen golden jackals. Sulimov dogs are used in Russia for airport security as sniffer dogs.

42 Contrail makeup : VAPOR

We talk so often about global warming these days but there is another fascinating phenomenon that is related, and known as “global dimming”. Global dimming is the reduction in the amount of heat that radiates daily from the planet due to the insulating effect of pollution and vapor trails (contrails) from aircraft that are present in the atmosphere. The effect has been touted as a theory for decades but dramatic empirical data became available in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Planes were grounded and the skies over America were clear for three days. There was a stark change in the temperature range measured across the US for these three days, demonstrating the impact that air travel has on our climate.

44 Shape of the three-point line : ARC

That would be basketball.

48 *No. 1 Katy Perry album featuring the No. 1 song “Firework” : TEENAGE DREAM (the Atlanta Dream)

“Teenage Dream” is a 2010 studio album released by Katy Perry. It was destined to become only the second album in history to spawn five number-one singles. Only Michael Jackson’s 1987 album “Bad” had achieved the same feat.

55 Itty-bitty kitties : RUNTS

Back around 1500, a runt was an old or decayed tree stump, and by the early 1600s “runt” was being used to describe animals that were similarly old and decayed. Ultimately “runt” came to mean the smallest and often sickest in a litter.

56 *Oscar-winning role for Rami Malek : FREDDIE MERCURY (the Phoenix Mercury)

Freddie Mercury was a British singer-songwriter who was lead singer for the rock group Queen. Mercury wrote many of Queen’s hits, including “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Somebody to Love”, “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “We Are the Champions”. Mercury’s real name was Farrokh Bulsara, and he was born to Parsi parents in Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania) in East Africa. He grew up mainly in India, and arrived in England at the age of 17 after his family fled from the Zanzibar Revolution.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” is an outstanding 2018 film about the life of Freddie Mercury, lead singer with the British rock band Queen. Rami Malek portrayed Mercury, in an Oscar-winning performance. The original choice to play Mercury was Sacha Baron Cohen, the title character in the “Borat” mockumentary films.

The Phoenix Mercury play in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded in 1997 and is owned by businessman Robert Sarver, who also owns the Phoenix Suns of the NBA.

61 Prov. that borders all but one of the Great Lakes : ONT

The province of Ontario borders on four of the Great Lakes: Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario.

63 No longer consequential : MOOT

To moot is to bring up as a subject for discussion or debate. So, something that is moot is open to debate. Something that is no longer moot, is no longer worth debating. We don’t seem to be able to get that right, which drives me crazy …

65 Yearbook gp. : FROSH

“Frosh” is a slang term for a college freshperson (formerly “freshman”). We call such a person a “fresher” back in Ireland …

68 Busch Gardens city : TAMPA

The Busch Gardens group of theme parks was originally envisioned as a vehicle for the promotion of Anheuser-Busch products, so free beer samples were made available to patrons (but no longer!). The Tampa location was the first of the parks to be opened, in 1959. The Tampa property has an African theme, whereas Williamsburg, Virginia property has a European theme. There are plans to open a third park in Dubai, although the project has been put on hold due to the current financial climate.

77 Gomez’s hairy cousin : ITT

In the television sitcom “The Addams Family”, the family has a frequent visitor named Cousin Itt. He is a short man with long hair that runs from his head to the floor. Itt was played by Italian actor Felix Silla.

Gomez and Morticia (“Tish”) Addams were the parents in “The Addams Family”, a creation of cartoonist Charles Addams. In the sixties television show, Gomez was played by John Astin and Morticia was played by Carolyn Jones.

79 Soothing YouTube genre, for short : ASMR

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR ) is a tingling sensation that some people experience in response to certain stimuli, such as soft sounds, gentle whispering, or slow movements. It is often described as a feeling of relaxation and well-being. Although there is no consensus on what causes ASMR, one suggestion is that it may be related to the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. There are a wide variety of ASMR videos available, including videos of people whispering, tapping on objects, or performing other gentle actions.

82 *One of Sheriff Woody’s catchphrases in “Toy Story” : REACH FOR THE SKY (the Chicago Sky)

1995’s “Toy Story” was the world’s first feature-length computer-animated movie. “Toy Story” was also Pixar’s first production. The main roles in the film are Buzz Lightyear and Woody, who are voiced by Tim Allen and Tom Hanks respectively. Hanks was the first choice to voice Woody, but Allen was asked to voice Buzz after Billy Crystal turned down the role.

The Chicago Sky are a WNBA basketball team who play home games at Wintrust Arena, located in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago. The Sky were founded in 2006, and the team’s mascot is a Sky Guy, a blue and yellow bird with a basketball for a head.

91 *Concurrence of many negative possibilities : PERFECT STORM (the Seattle Storm)

The Seattle Storm started competing in the WNBA at the beginning of the 2000 season. The team name “Storm” is a reference to the reputation that Seattle has as a rain-soaked city.

94 Very, in Biarritz : TRES

The coastal city of Biarritz in southwestern France sits on the Bay of Biscay, about 20 miles from the Spanish border. It is a fashionable spa resort with an economy that largely depends on tourism.

98 Supports on Kickstarter, say : BACKS

Kickstarter.com is an increasingly popular crowdfunding website. Kickstarter is a contemporary version of the traditional model in which artists sought out patrons from among their audiences to fund their work. The website brings together individuals willing to fund projects, usually in exchange for some reward from the artist.

103 “Gangnam Style” rapper : PSY

“PSY” is the stage name of South Korean rapper Park Jae-sang. PSY became an international star when his 2012 music video “Gangnam Style” went viral on YouTube. That video had over 1 billion views on YouTube in about six months, making it the most viewed YouTube video clip of all time. The title of the song refers to a lifestyle experienced in the Gangnam District of Seoul.

104 “The Secret History” writer Donna : TARTT

“The Secret History” is a 1992 novel, her first, by author Donna Tartt. It is described as an inverted detective story, meaning that a murder happens in the opening pages, with the rest of the novel describing events that led to the crime.

114 *Lorraine Hansberry play whose title comes from a Langston Hughes poem : A RAISIN IN THE SUN (the Connecticut Sun)

Lorraine Hansberry was the first female African-American author to have a play produced on Broadway. That was “A Raisin in the Sun”, which opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 1959. Leading the cast in that production were Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee. Sadly, Hansberry passed away at only 34 years of age in 1965.

“Harlem” is a 1951 poem by Langston Hughes:

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

118 Food processor’s output : PUREE

A purée is a food that has been made smooth by straining or blending. “Purée” is a French term, which I believe is now used to mean “pea soup” (more completely written as “purée de pois”). The French verb “purer” means “to strain, clean”, from the Latin “purare” meaning “to purify, clean”.

119 Burgles : ROBS

The crime of burglary is the breaking into and entering of a building with the intent to steal. The actual theft itself is a separate crime.

126 Early online forum : USENET

Remember the good old days, when you read messages online in “newsgroups”? Well, that system of aggregating public messages is known as Usenet, and it’s still around today. Usenet started operating in 1980, some ten years before the World Wide Web was introduced (which system has displaced Usenet in terms of popularity). Usenet definitely played a significant part in the history of the Internet. For instance, the terms “FAQ” and “spam” were both born on Usenet.

129 Early broadcasting co. : RCA

RCA was founded in 1919 as the Radio Corporation of America, and as a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Electric (GE). GE divested RCA in 1932, and then reacquired the company in 1986. Today, RCA is just a brand name owned by Sony Music.

130 Low points : NADIRS

The nadir is the direction pointing immediately below a particular location (through to the other side of the Earth for example). The opposite direction, that pointing immediately above, is called the zenith. We use the terms “nadir” and “zenith” figuratively to mean the low and high points in a person’s fortunes.

Down

2 Parmesan quality : UMAMI

Umami is one of the five basic tastes, along with sweet, sour, bitter and salty. “Umami” is a Japanese word used to describe “a pleasant savory taste”. Umami was proposed as a basic taste in 1908, but it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that the scientific community finally accepted it as such.

Genuine Parmesan cheese is made in and around the province of Parma in northern Italy, which province gives the cheese its name.

3 Gas giant? : MOBIL

Mobil was founded as part of the breakup of Standard Oil in 1911. The company was originally called Socony (Standard Oil Company of New York). Socony merged with Magnolia Petroleum Company in the thirties and adopted Magnolia’s Pegasus emblem, and it has been used ever since. Mobil merged with Exxon in 1999 but the Mobil brand and Pegasus are alive and well.

4 Diamond cut : BRILLIANT

A brilliant-cut gemstone has many facets on the upper surface so as to emphasize brilliance. The underside of the gem is a cone, which contributes to brilliance by reflecting a maximum amount of light through the top of the stone.

6 Beauty brand whose name stands for three body parts : ELF

e.l.f. Cosmetics is an Oakland-cased brand that was founded in 2004. The company name is an acronym standing for “eyes, lips, face”.

7 Sends regrets, perhaps : RSVPS

“RSVP” stands for “répondez s’il vous plaît”, which is French for “answer, please”.

9 Spare in a boot : TYRE

The British spelling of “tyre”, for what we call a “tire” here in North America, was indeed the original spelling. The English started to use “tire” spelling in the 17th century, and then shifted back to the current “tyre” in the 19th century.

In North America we use the word “trunk” for the storage space in the back of a vehicle as that space is reminiscent of the large traveling chest called a “trunk”. Such trunks used to be lashed onto the back of automobiles before storage was integrated. On the other side of the Atlantic, a trunk is known as a “boot”. The original boot was a built-in storage compartment on a horse-drawn carriage on which a coachman would sit.

11 Low-calorie ice cream brand : HALO TOP

Halo Top Creamery is a brand of ice cream that contains a low quantity of refined sugars. The sugars are replaced with stevia and erythritol, a plant-based sweetener and a sugar alcohol.

12 Maker of Skin So Soft products : AVON

In 1886, a young man called David McConnell was selling books door-to-door. To enhance his sales numbers he was giving out free perfume to the ladies of the houses that he visited. Seeing as his perfume was more popular than his books, he founded the California Perfume Company in New York City and started manufacturing and selling across the country. The company name was changed to Avon in 1939, and the famous “Avon Calling” marketing campaign was launched in 1954.

15 “Fidelity” pop artist Spektor : REGINA

“Fidelity” is a 2006 song by Regina Spektor. She wrote the song while watching the movie “High Fidelity”, from which she got the title.

29 Green smoothie ingredient, perhaps : AVOCADO

The wonderful avocado comes from a tree that is native to Mexico and Central America. The avocado fruit is sometimes called an avocado pear, because of its shape, even though it is not related to the pear at all. The fruit might also be referred to as an alligator pear, due to the roughness of the green skin of some avocado cultivars.

30 Simple card game : WAR

War is a card game, one played mainly by children.

32 Synthesizer pioneer : MOOG

In the sixties, Robert Moog invented the Moog Synthesizer, an electronic device that he used to produce music. I used to own a few of his albums, including a Moog version of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”. What a great performance that was …

40 JumboTron maker : SONY

A Jumbotron is a big-screen television system that is often seen in sports stadiums. The brand name “JumboTron” was introduced by Sony in 1985. “Jumbotron” is used pretty generically now for any big-screen system in such venues as Sony exited the business in 2001.

42 Cash app : VENMO

Venmo is a smartphone payment app that is now owned by PayPal. The first version of the product was introduced in 2009 by two entrepreneurs who had met as freshman students at the University of Pennsylvania. They sold the company in 2012 for over $26 million, and then PayPal acquired it the following year for a whopping $800 million. I wonder if PayPal ever buys blogs …

44 “Blessed __ … ” : ARE

The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of teachings of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. One famous section of the discourse is known as the Beatitudes. The eight Beatitudes are:

… Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
… Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted
… Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth
… Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled
… Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy
… Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God
… Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God
… Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

48 Disneyland ride : TRAM

Walt Disney came up with the idea of building Disneyland after visiting other theme parks with his daughters in the thirties and forties. He started building the park at Anaheim, California in 1954, and the facility opened just one year and one day later. The total cost of construction was $17 million. Opening day did not go smoothly, largely because over 28,000 people visited the park compared to the 11,000 people expected at the invitation-only event. The opening day went so badly that for years Disney executives referred to it as “Black Sunday”.

49 Malta money : EURO

The island state of Malta is relatively small (122 square miles), but its large number of inhabitants makes it one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. Malta’s strategic location has made it a prized possession for the conquering empires of the world. Most recently it was part of the British Empire and was an important fleet headquarters. Malta played a crucial role for the Allies during WWII as it was located very close to the Axis shipping lanes in the Mediterranean. The Siege of Malta lasted from 1940 to 1942, a prolonged attack by the Italians and Germans on the RAF and Royal Navy, and the people of Malta. When the siege was lifted, King George VI awarded the George Cross to the people of Malta collectively in recognition of their heroism and devotion to the Allied cause. The George Cross can still be seen on the Maltese flag, even though Britain granted Malta independence in 1964.

50 James Bond’s first movie foe : DR NO

“Dr. No” may have been the first film in the wildly successful James Bond franchise, but it was the sixth novel in the series of books penned by Ian Fleming. Fleming was inspired to write the story after reading the Fu Manchu tales by Sax Rohmer. If you’ve read the Rohmer books or seen the films, you’ll recognize the similarities between the characters Dr. Julius No and Fu Manchu. By the way, the author Ian Fleming tells us that Julius No attended medical school in Milwaukee.

66 Chivalrous title : SIR

The ideal qualities found in a knight are collectively described as chivalry, and include courtesy, generosity, valor and skill with a sword. The term “chivalry” comes into English via the Old French “chevalier” meaning “knight”.

67 URL starter : HTTP

“http” are the first letters in many Internet links. “http” stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol. More secure and “safer” websites (like this one!) use links starting with “https”, which stands for “http secure”).

73 Author Jonathan Safran __ : FOER

Author Jonathan Safran Foer is a successful novelist, as well as an outspoken critic of the meat industry. His 2009 non-fiction book “Eating Animals” was adapted into a 2018 documentary with the same title that Foer co-narrated with actress Natalie Portman.

80 Oxidizes : RUSTS

Rust is iron oxide. Rust forms when iron oxidizes, reacts with oxygen.

82 Pop singer Ora : RITA

Rita Ora is a British singer who was born Rita Sahatçiu in Pristina, Yugoslavia to Albanian parents. The family name “Sahatçiu” comes from a Turkish word meaning “watchmaker”. Rita’s parents changed their name to make it easier to pronounce. So, the family name morphed from “watchmaker” to “time”, which is “ora” in Albanian.

87 Hub near Marin Co. : SFO

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) served as the main base of operations for Virgin America (sold to Alaska Airlines), and is also the maintenance hub for United Airlines. Even though SFO is owned and operated by the City and County of San Francisco, the airport is located to the south in San Mateo County.

When you leave the city of San Francisco via the famous Golden Gate Bridge (i.e. heading north), you cross into Marin County.

95 Dirt, so to speak : SLANDER

The word “libel” describes a published or written statement likely to harm a person’s reputation. It comes into English from the Latin “libellus”, the word for a small book. Back in the 1500s, libel was just a formal written statement, with the more damaging association arising in the 1600s. The related concept of slander is defamation in a transient form, such as speech, sign language or gestures.

99 Crusty roll : KAISER

The Kaiser roll was invented in Vienna, Austria. It is thought that the “Kaiser” name was applied to the crusty roll in honor of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I.

102 Mythical forest flutists : SATYRS

The satyrs of Greek mythology came with a very high sex drive. They are the “rude” male subjects drawn on the side of old Greek vases. The nubile maidens known as nymphs were often an object of attention for the satyrs.

107 “Morning Joe” network : MSNBC

“Morning Joe” is a show broadcast by MSNBC each weekday morning. It is hosted by Joe Scarborough, and first went on the air in 2007. Given the name of the show, Starbucks was very happy to be the show’s sponsor from 2009 through 2013, and got lots of product placement.

108 NASCAR racer Wallace : BUBBA

Stock car racing driver Bubba Wallace is perhaps the most successful African-American to participate in NASCAR. He took second place in the Daytona 500 in 2018, and again in 2022. Wallace was also instrumental in NASCAR banning the display of confederate flags at its events, starting in 2020.

109 107-Down anchor Cabrera : ANA

Ana Cabrera is a journalist from Denver who joined CNN in 2013. She took over as anchor of CNN’s weekend show “CNN Newsroom” in 2017.

111 Afghani neighbor : IRANI

The Afghanistan-Iran border runs in a generally north-south direction. It extends over 570 miles from a tripoint with Turkmenistan in the north to a tripoint with Pakistan in the south.

112 Conger hunter : EELER

Conger eels can grow to be very, very large, perhaps up to 10 feet in length.

117 Spout sporter : EWER

A pitcher is a container for liquid that has a handle, mouth and spout. The term “jug” is used for the same container in other English-speaking countries. “Ewer” is an older term describing a pitcher/jug. Today, a ewer is a highly decorative pitcher, often with a base and flared spout.

118 City with an iconic tower : PISA

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. It is known for its nearly four-degree lean, which is caused by an unstable foundation. The tower was built in the 12th century and began to lean during construction. The lean worsened over time, and by the 1990s, the tower was at risk of collapse with a lean of 5½ degrees. A major stabilization project was undertaken in the 1990s, which reduced the lean to 3.97 degrees.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Flub : FUMBLE
7 Tell (on) : RAT
10 Barbershop service : SHAVE
15 Santa __: home of the Charles M. Schulz Museum : ROSA
19 Without principles : AMORAL
20 Word with devil or dog : SLY …
21 Patio stone : PAVER
22 Extremely bad : EVIL
23 *Symptom of isolation, perhaps : CABIN FEVER (the Indiana Fever)
25 Oahu’s __ Stadium : ALOHA
26 Actress Rowlands : GENA
27 French novelist Zola : EMILE
28 *Leave the nest : SPREAD ONE’S WINGS (the Dallas Wings)
31 Cash collector : TILL
32 Yearbook superlative : MOST
33 Distillery tub : VAT
34 “What was I __ to do?” : MEANT
35 Looking for, in ads : ISO
37 Jackal cousin : COYOTE
39 Bring up : RAISE
42 Contrail makeup : VAPOR
44 Shape of the three-point line : ARC
45 Illustrator’s tools : PENS
47 Recipient of a classic shout-out : MOM
48 *No. 1 Katy Perry album featuring the No. 1 song “Firework” : TEENAGE DREAM (the Atlanta Dream)
52 Fender bender : ACCIDENT
55 Itty-bitty kitties : RUNTS
56 *Oscar-winning role for Rami Malek : FREDDIE MERCURY (the Phoenix Mercury)
58 Cup holder spot, perhaps : ARM
59 Demeanor : MIEN
61 Prov. that borders all but one of the Great Lakes : ONT
62 Scrutinize : EYE
63 No longer consequential : MOOT
65 Yearbook gp. : FROSH
68 Busch Gardens city : TAMPA
71 Brief quarrel : TIFF
75 “Let’s __!” : EAT
77 Gomez’s hairy cousin : ITT
79 Soothing YouTube genre, for short : ASMR
81 “You think I did that!?” : MOI?!
82 *One of Sheriff Woody’s catchphrases in “Toy Story” : REACH FOR THE SKY (the Chicago Sky)
88 Accompanist? : USHER
90 Mark on a garage floor : OIL STAIN
91 *Concurrence of many negative possibilities : PERFECT STORM (the Seattle Storm)
93 Rd. with a no. : RTE
94 Very, in Biarritz : TRES
96 “__-hoo!” : WOO
97 Try to swat : HIT AT
98 Supports on Kickstarter, say : BACKS
101 Taco truck dips : SALSAS
103 “Gangnam Style” rapper : PSY
104 “The Secret History” writer Donna : TARTT
106 Smallish batteries : AAS
107 Degrees for corp. execs : MBAS
110 Cake layer : TIER
114 *Lorraine Hansberry play whose title comes from a Langston Hughes poem : A RAISIN IN THE SUN (the Connecticut Sun)
118 Food processor’s output : PUREE
119 Burgles : ROBS
120 Papa : DADDY
121 Championship series where fans hope to find the ends of the answers to the starred clues? : WNBA FINALS
123 Fit : ABLE
124 Fireplace hazard : EMBER
125 Flow back : EBB
126 Early online forum : USENET
127 Brewed beverage : BEER
128 Prophets : SEERS
129 Early broadcasting co. : RCA
130 Low points : NADIRS

Down

1 Diamond side : FACET
2 Parmesan quality : UMAMI
3 Gas giant? : MOBIL
4 Diamond cut : BRILLIANT
5 Track assignment : LANE
6 Beauty brand whose name stands for three body parts : ELF
7 Sends regrets, perhaps : RSVPS
8 Heads-up : ALERT
9 Spare in a boot : TYRE
10 “Me time” option : SPA DAY
11 Low-calorie ice cream brand : HALO TOP
12 Maker of Skin So Soft products : AVON
13 Fervor : VEHEMENCE
14 Delete : ERASE
15 “Fidelity” pop artist Spektor : REGINA
16 Kitchen beeper : OVEN TIMER
17 Snitch : SING
18 Woeful sigh : ALAS
24 Spanish “that” : ESO
29 Green smoothie ingredient, perhaps : AVOCADO
30 Simple card game : WAR
32 Synthesizer pioneer : MOOG
36 Involuntary jerk : SPASM
37 Rep : CRED
38 Group seen seven times in this puzzle : TEAM
40 JumboTron maker : SONY
41 First responder, briefly : EMT
42 Cash app : VENMO
43 Send to a specialist : REFER
44 “Blessed __ … ” : ARE
46 Say “aaahh!” : SCREAM
48 Disneyland ride : TRAM
49 Malta money : EURO
50 James Bond’s first movie foe : DR NO
51 Pristine, as a baseball card : MINT
53 Like some roads in January : ICY
54 Pair’s performance : DUET
57 “on ur way?” : ETA?
60 “Or perhaps less” : IF THAT
64 Brewed beverages : TEAS
66 Chivalrous title : SIR
67 URL starter : HTTP
69 Fashion : MAKE
70 “Kidding!” : PSYCH!
72 “Turn on the AC!” : I’M HOT!
73 Author Jonathan Safran __ : FOER
74 Like some mattresses : FIRM
76 Fake it : ACT
78 Dirty laundry destination : THE WASH
80 Oxidizes : RUSTS
82 Pop singer Ora : RITA
83 Fit for a seat? : ELECTABLE
84 Birth certificate entry : FIRST NAME
85 Top classification : ONE-A
86 Bow-wielding god : EROS
87 Hub near Marin Co. : SFO
89 “Don’t touch that dial” : STAY TUNED
90 Round figure? : ORB
92 Gratuities : TIPS
95 Dirt, so to speak : SLANDER
99 Crusty roll : KAISER
100 Yearbook gp. : SRS
102 Mythical forest flutists : SATYRS
105 Surfer’s concerns : TIDES
107 “Morning Joe” network : MSNBC
108 NASCAR racer Wallace : BUBBA
109 107-Down anchor Cabrera : ANA
111 Afghani neighbor : IRANI
112 Conger hunter : EELER
113 Musical breaks : RESTS
114 Like many North Africans : ARAB
115 Judicial garb : ROBE
116 “__ happy to!” : I’D BE
117 Spout sporter : EWER
118 City with an iconic tower : PISA
122 Lots of laughs : FUN

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