Theme: "DROP IN ANYTIME!" - The unstressed "uhn" sound is dropped from each familiar phrase, with spelling changes as needed.
23. Tacky style influenced by West Coast beach culture and Neapolitan food traditions?: CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITSCH. California Pizza Kitchen.
36. One tasked with keeping produce from spoiling?: VEGETABLE GUARD. Vegetable garden.
55. Caption of a selfie next to one fine fen?: MY FAVORITE MARSH. My Favorite Martian.
65. Stacking figurines of a Canadian prog rock band?: RUSH NESTING DOLL. Russian nesting doll.
81. Individual with exceptional integrity?: HONORABLE MENSCH. Honorable mention.
98. Annual award coveted by handbag designers?: PURSE OF THE YEAR. Person of the Year.
116. Is able to say, "This parrot is all the evidence I need!"?: CARRIES THE BIRD OF PROOF. Carries the burden of proof.
Another LAT Sunday debut. Congrats, Jeremy! I think this might be our constructor.
I'm always in awe of this type of theme, where dropping a sound requires spelling changes as well. Coming up with a full set takes an enormous amount of creativity.
Heavy themage, with two grid-spanners, but the fill doesn't suffer at all.
Across:
1. Hard work: LABOR. Are you aware of China's "re-education through labor" system?
6. Gym bottoms: SHORTS.
12. "Sad to say ... ": ALAS.
16. Through: VIA.
19. Up on the latest news: AWARE.
20. Forty winks: CAT NAP. And 30. Continuing to count sheep: STILL UP.
21. Accessory kits for new hires: DESK SETS. I probably have more notebooks than you.
26. Metric weight, for short: KILO.
27. Crazes: FADS.
28. Saxophone need: REED.
29. Wash: BATHE.
32. Tag line?: I'M IT.
34. Tatami, e.g.: MAT. Tatami mats are quite firm. Good support for your back.
35. Spots: SEES.
43. Up to, briefly: TIL.
45. Defines, as a boundary: DELIMITS.
47. Mac spec: RAM.
48. Melee memento: SCAR.
49. Tribute penner: ODIST.
51. Tel __, Israel: AVIV.
52. __ on a true story: BASED.
54. Draw Four card game: UNO.
59. "We feel the same way": US TOO.
61. Chicken cordon __: BLEU. Cordon bleu means "blue ribbon" in French.
62. Microwave maker: RCA.
63. Portuguese greeting: OLA.
64. Rely (on): DEPEND.
71. Over again: DE NOVO.
74. Artist Yoko: ONO.
75. Your and my: OUR.
76. Alpo rival: IAMS.
80. In unison: AS ONE.
86. U.K. lawmakers: MPS. Members of Parliament.
87. Spots for electron clouds: ATOMS.
89. Took off: LEFT.
90. Completely lost: AT SEA.
91. Textbook chapter: UNIT.
93. Colorful carp: KOI. This one sold for $1.8 million.
94. Pickets: PROTESTS.
97. Genre that includes techno: EDM. Electronic dance music.
101. Next in line: HEIR.
103. Chaps: HES.
104. Maddens: IRES.
105. Widened, as pupils: DILATED.
108. On the move: ASTIR.
111. Guitar tuners: PEGS.
113. Campsite warmer: FIRE.
115. Prefix with watt: GIGA.
121. Tough to comprehend: ESOTERIC.
122. Urges into action: IMPELS.
123. Japanese boxed lunch: BENTO. Comes from Chinese "biandang".
124. Bashful: SHY.
125. Poison ivy symptom: RASH.
126. Tubes in antique radios: DIODES.
127. Olympic track great Owens: JESSE.
Down:
1. Hasn't: LACKS.
2. Keep an eye out for: AWAIT.
3. Cager's motto: BALL IS LIFE.
4. Camden Yards player: ORIOLE.
5. Slo-mo reviewer: REF.
6. Toss: SCRAP.
7. Word with farm or foam: HAND.
8. Big name in small cars: OTIS.
9. Genetic messenger molecule: RNA.
10. Spigot: TAP.
11. Booze: SPIRITS.
12. Woodworking tool: ADZE.
13. Head up: LEAD.
14. Request: ASK.
15. Carryall for a day on the slopes: SKI BAG.
16. Sweater __: VEST.
17. Restless desire: ITCH.
18. Tennis icon honored on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia: ASHE (Arthur). He was born and raised in Richmond. Buried there also.
22. Current condition: STATUS.
24. Helpful: OF USE.
25. Epsilon follower: ZETA.
31. Samsung product, perhaps: LED TV.
32. "Uncle!": I GIVE.
33. Converged: MET.
34. Viral post: MEME.
36. Civil rights leader C.T. __: VIVIAN. Unknown to me. He was a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement.
37. Put out: EMIT.
38. Thirdlove garments: BRAS.
39. Mascara target: LASH.
40. Very serious: ACUTE.
41. Rambled: RAN ON.
42. Dickens title character Edwin: DROOD.
43. The Taj Mahal, for one: TOMB.
44. Pastoral poem: IDYL.
46. Turpentine tree: LARCH.
50. Dark lord of "The Lord of the Rings": SAURON. Look at his eyes.
52. Dietary fiber: BRAN.
53. One-on-one contest: DUEL.
56. "Thereabouts": OR SO.
57. Engine: MOTOR.
58. Undefeated boxer Laila: ALI.
60. Brace: SPLINT.
64. On-campus residence: DORM.
66. Eye layer: UVEA.
67. Uncountable ages: EONS.
68. Cold open?: SNO. Sno-Caps, e.g.
69. Green party?: GOLFER. Golfers putt on the green.
70. Songs for two: DUETS.
71. Block: DAM UP.
72. College sports channel: ESPNU.
73. Polite denial: NO SIR.
77. Avowals: ASSERTIONS.
78. Hosted, for short: MC'ED.
79. Decorative pillow cover: SHAM.
81. Horseshoe spot: HOOF.
82. Leave out: OMIT.
83. Medicinal plants: ALOES.
84. __ carotene: BETA.
85. Stand in a studio: EASEL.
88. Bout enders, briefly: TKOS. Technical Knockouts.
92. Gym top: T-SHIRT.
94. Meteor in the summer sky: PERSEID.
95. Loaf with seeds: RYE.
96. One who takes inventory?: THIEF.
99. More uncanny: EERIER.
100. Lofty: HIGH.
102. "Amen to that!": I AGREE.
105. Slag: DROSS.
106. Award quartets, for short: EGOTS.
107. Oscar nominee Willem: DAFOE. He was in "Platoon".
108. Pros: ACES.
109. Robe securer: SASH.
110. City tricked by a wooden horse: TROY.
111. Trident-shaped Greek letters: PSIS.
112. Inscribe with acid: ETCH.
113. Ascot-wearing driver of the Mystery Machine: FRED (Jones).
114. Lollygagging: IDLE.
117. Pitching stat: ERA.
118. Songwriters' rights org.: BMI.
119. Wall St. launch: IPO.
120. Easy sammie: PBJ. I like peanut butter & honey.
C.C.
