Theme: "WHIRLWIND TOUR" - Popular bands appear backwards in the theme entries.
22. Sign on rural roads: DEER CROSSING. Creed.
28. Stays with a series of friends: COUCH SURFS. Rush.
47. "I've seen worse": IT'S NOT SO BAD. Boston.
50. Savory potato patties in Indian cuisine: ALOO TIKKI. Tool.
61. Find common ground: SEEK A COMPROMISE. Cake.
79. "How rude!": EXCUSE YOU. Yes.
81. Project that kindergartners need to use their noodles for: MACARONI ART. Train.
Reveal:
98. With 107-Across, reunite a musical group, or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters: GET THE BAND.
107. See 98-Across: BACK TOGETHER.
Perfect reveal, which also works as a perfect title. I think they're all rock bands, right?
We also have a bonus fill: 67. Product of Chicago?: ROCK ANTHEM.
Across:
1. Two-headed muscle, informally: BICEP.
6. Witchy words: SPELL.
11. Kinney who writes the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books: JEFF. He also illustrated the books.
15. Singular pronoun: SHE.
18. Earthy colour: OCHRE. We use ocher.
19. Sugar substitute?: DEARIE.
20. R&B's India.__: ARIE.
21. Dory mover: OAR.
24. University of Montana's home: MISSOULA. Looks like a beautiful place to visit.
26. Key hit in panic: ESC.
27. Was more consuming?: OUT-ATE.
30. Six-time NBA MVP Abdul-Jabbar: KAREEM.
32. Juice option: PULP.
33. College Park athlete, for short: TERP.
34. Instruments in string quartets: CELLI. Cellos are more common outside the orchestra world.
36. Many a beach scavenger: SEABIRD.
39. In the left lane, say: PASSING.
42. Vegetables that may be chopped while wearing goggles: ONIONS. I've never needed the goggles.
44. Actress Jessica: BIEL.
45. Curved line: ARC.
46. Bronco or Mustang: CAR.
53. Lavish celebration: FETE.
54. Flatbreads served with saag paneer: ROTIS. Saag paneer traditionally uses mustard greens, while palak paneer uses spinach.
55. Spun records: DJED.
56. Sat around: IDLED.
57. Almost-grads: SRS.
58. Drive or park: GEAR.
59. Semana seventh: DIA.
60. Race: SPEED.
66. Put pen to paper, say: PRINT.
68. Contains: HAS.
69. Thread-bearing?: ROPY. Oh, having threadlike fibers.
70. "Breaking Bad" org.: DEA.
73. Living space?: BIOME. Ecological space. We also have 95. Safe spaces?: BANKS.
74. Hilarious human: RIOT.
76. Crunchy salad bits: BACOS.
78. Shade source: TREE.
83. Startled syllable: EEK.
84. Kyoto currency: YEN.
85. Dance that tells a story: HULA.
86. Bean: NOGGIN.
87. Bursts of light: FLASHES.
90. Sleepover duds: JAMMIES.
93. Site of a Herculean task: NEMEA. The Nemean Lion.
94. Digital extension?: NAIL. Also loved these clues: 3. Task managers?: CHECKLISTS. 31. Peerless?: ALONE.34. Bobs and weaves?: COIFS. 43. Drive way?: STREET.
95. Makes illegal: BANS.
96. Mexican bucks: DINERO.
101. "Foundation" trilogy novelist Isaac: ASIMOV.
103. LAX gatekeepers: TSA.
106. Blissful: IN HEAVEN.
110. Compete: VIE.
111. Water-resistant wood: TEAK.
112. Rights activist Hernandez: AILEEN. Learning moment for me. She served as the president of NOW from 1970 to 1971.
113. Fun aunt's movie date, maybe: NIECE.
114. The Oilers, on sports crawls: EDM. Edmonton.
115. Some 35mm cameras: SLRS.
116. Fastened, in a way: GLUED.
117. Small pastries: TARTS.
Down:
1. Portend: BODE.
2. Keeps cold: ICES.
4. "I'd rather __ on the side of caution": ERR.
5. Cheese with a Romano variety: PECORINO.
6. Bagel variety: SESAME.
7. History: PAST.
8. Canal in upstate New York: ERIE.
9. "Encanto" songwriter __-Manuel Miranda: LIN.
10. Hamstring exercise: LEG CURL.
11. Obstruct: JAM UP.
12. Celebrity chef Adjepong: ERIC. New name to me. He's of Ghanaian heritage.
13. Tilapia-and-tortilla dish: FISH TACO.
14. Admits, with "up": FESSES.
15. Deli spear: SOUR PICKLE. Claussen is the way to go.
16. Soccer period: HALF.
17. History chapters: ERAS.
19. Loves (on): DOTES.
23. Regret: RUE.
25. Plural pronoun: OURS.
29. Not new: OLD.
32. Splotchy: PIED.
35. Head in: ENTER.
37. Jacobson of "Long Story Short": ABBI.
38. Cut on the __: BIAS.
39. Poke: PROD.
40. Undressed: NAKED.
41. Crossword diagram: GRID. This is a 21x21 grid.
45. Pint glass serving: ALE.
48. Linger in the tub: SOAK.
49. Other, in Spanish: OTRA.
50. Not entirely open: AJAR. And
51. Not entirely sober: TIPSY.
52. Nice concept?: IDEE. Nice the French city.
55. Party bowlful: DIP.
58. Chromosome units: GENES.
59. Private convos: DMS.
60. Nurses: SIPS ON.
61. Actor Liu: SIMU.
62. French cabbage: CHOU. Napa cabbage is called "chou chinois". Chinese cabbage.
63. Cereal grain: OAT.
64. Swimmer with a saddle patch: ORCA.
65. "Wuthering Heights" setting: MOOR.
66. Google phone: PIXEL.
70. Parental figure for a queen: DRAG MOTHER, who mentors a DRAG DAUGHTER.
71. Unsettling: EERIE.
72. Cigna competitor: AETNA.
73. Feud: BEEF.
74. Some seeded loaves: RYES.
75. Particle in a stellar wind: ION.
76. Salve: BALM.
77. Puree in a breakfast bowl: ACAI.
78. Striped big cat: TIGER.
80. Where one may set their sights: EYE LEVEL.
81. "__ the word!": MUM'S.
82. Insignificant occurrence: NON-EVENT.
85. Fanny pack alternative: HANDBAG.
88. Fill up: SATE.
89. Drummer's cymbals: HI-HATS.
90. Stan and __ Berenstain of kid-lit: JAN. Stan and Jan created the Berenstain Bears.
91. Provided clarity, in a way: EDITED.
92. Alvin and Theodore's brother: SIMON. Alvin and the Chipmunks.
97. Eggy drink: NOG.
98. Donate: GIVE.
99. Oklahoma city: ENID.
100. Winter hibernator: BEAR.
101. Anti-censorship org.: ACLU.
102. __-Ball: arcade game: SKEE.
104. Breakaway group: SECT.
105. Trojan War god: ARES.
108. Need a sick day, say: AIL.
109. Argentine aunt: TIA.
C.C.
