Theme: "Kinetic Exercises" - Anagrams of various sports are hidden inside each theme entry.
22. Series of musical tones that evoke sadness: MINOR SCALES. Lacrosse.
24. Weaponized food in a Hitchcock episode: LEG OF LAMB. Golf.
31. Desire to cause harm: MALICIOUS INTENT. Tennis.
37. Mathematical operation that may have a remainder: LONG DIVISION. Diving.
55. Scam: CONFIDENCE TRICK. Cricket.
64. Like some voting systems: WINNER TAKE ALL. Karate.
78. Lip product in a Katy Perry song: CHERRY CHAPSTICK. Archery.
92. Lean patty choice: TURKEY BURGER. Rugby.
99. July Fourth: INDEPENDENCE DAY. Dance.
115. Athletic record: SCORECARD. Soccer.
Reveal:
117. Party poopers, or what this puzzle's circled letters do: SPOILSPORTS.
Congrats, Ella, on your first LAT Sunday!
This is just brilliant construction. Some of the sports names are long, not easy to anagram. And we have 11 theme entries with one reveal. Normally we have 7 or 8. Ella is an actor.
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| Ella Dershowitz |
Across:
1. Romantic painter Francisco: GOYA.
5. "Is it ever!": AND HOW.
11. Lettuce variety: BIBB. Also called butter lettuce. Sweet and buttery.
15. Levy of "Schitt's Creek": DAN.
18. Copied: APED.
19. Copy illegally: PIRATE.
20. Taiwanese laptop brand: ACER.
21. Unlikely cat name: FIDO.
26. Main course: ENTREE.
27. Damage: MAR.
28. "Elsbeth" network: CBS. Wikipedia says "Elsbeth" is "a spin-off of "The Good Wife" (2009–2016) and "The Good Fight" (2017–2022)".
29. Name-caller: MEANIE.
30. Artifact: RELIC.
34. __ as a pin: NEAT.
36. Add to, as an already big pile: HEAP ON.
43. Fixes, at the vet: NEUTERS.
49. Favor: PREFER.
50. Like mood lighting: DIM.
51. Inflation no.: PSI.
53. Gymnast Comaneci: NADIA. First gymnast to receive a 10.
54. Blood test liquids: SERA.
59. Bach production: SONATA.
62. Fairy tale first: ONCE.
63. Detest: LOATHE.
69. Cinder collector: ASH PAN.
73. Director Kazan: ELIA.
74. Colorful New Zealand fish: RED COD. Due to its color.
83. Villainous Count of kid-lit: OLAF.
85. Handed (out): DOLED.
86. Feel ill: AIL.
87. German outburst: ACH.
88. Spanish grandmother: ABUELA. Po Po in Chinese.
90. Techie's major, for short: COMP SCI. Computer science.
95. State where almost all of U.S. hazelnuts are grown: OREGON. I didn't know this.
98. Check in spots?: ATMS. Meaning you can deposit a check at an ATM?
107. Counter: REBUT.
111. Spot for self-reflection?: MIRROR. Ha.
112. Half an inning?: ENS. Three n's in inning.
113. Title for two Beatles: SIR.
114. Private sign?: SALUTE.
119. Unagi roll fish: EELS.
120. First name in whodunits: ERLE. Erle Stanley Gardner, creator of Perry Mason.
121. Like chinchillas: ANDEAN.
122. Olympian with a fighting spirit: ARES.
123. 31-Down countdown show: TRL. Total Request Live. 31. "Unplugged" network: MTV.
124. Bucks and does: DEER.
125. Invitees: GUESTS.
126. Nick Jr. explorer: DORA.
Down:
1. Minecraft streamer, e.g.: GAMER.
2. Give a take: OPINE.
3. Streisand musical: YENTL.
4. Groupie: ADORING FAN. Partnered with 75. Class list: COURSE LOAD. Not a lot of long fill due to the heavy themeage.
5. Church nook: APSE.
6. Actor Cage, to fans: NIC.
7. Emmy category: DRAMA.
8. Haram counterpart: HALAL. We've yet to see HARAM in our LAT grid.
9. "Dog Man" voice actress Cheri: OTERI.
10. Director Craven: WES.
11. Fictional boxer for whom Philadelphia's Rocky Steps are named: BALBOA. AI Overview: The Rocky Steps are a set of 72 stone steps leading to the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, made famous by the movie "Rocky".
12. Freezes over: ICES UP.
13. Ask and then some: BEG.
14. Hot tub chemical: BROMINE. To disinfect the water. Chlorine too.
15. Actress Keaton: DIANE.
16. One with extra online privileges: ADMIN.
17. "Check," in a casino: NO BET.
21. Like hair after removing a beanie: FLAT.
23. Move back: RECEDE.
25. Bog: FEN.
28. Diez squared: CIEN. 100.
32. Comic Margaret: CHO.
33. Genesis hedgehog: SONIC.
35. Element whipped into eggs to make meringue: AIR.
37. Collection at a listening bar, briefly: LPS.
38. Major finds for miners: ORES.
39. "Too Many Cooks" sleuth Wolfe: NERO.
40. Uniting words: I DO. Wedding.
41. Transgression: SIN.
42. U.N. financial arm: IMF.
44. Indescribable: UNTOLD.
45. Olympic gold medalist Lipinski: TARA.
46. Cut and paste, say: EDIT.
47. Loaded: RICH.
48. Sushi bar drink: SAKE. Can't have sake or any alcohol due to the methotrexate.
51. Demure kiss: PECK.
52. Giants legend Chris: SNEE. Didn't know him. Fresh clue angle.
55. Tuna holder: CAN.
56. Little letters?: IOTAS.
57. CSI stuff: DNA.
58. French fashion magazine: ELLE.
60. Nobels, e.g.: AWARDS.
61. __ houses: minimalist trend: TINY. This one looks nice.
65. Peach soda brand: NEHI.
66. Mideast airline: EL AL.
67. Tear (into): RIP.
68. Genesis boat: ARK.
69. Australian rock band: AC DC.
70. "Don't bug me!": SHOO.
71. Vessel control post: HELM.
72. Mise en place: PREP. Wikipedia gives this example: mise en place for a peanut brittle recipe.
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76. Cassini of fashion: OLEG.
77. Small valley: DALE.
79. Pile of stones to mark a trail: CAIRN.
80. Pitch: TAR.
81. "So gross": ICK.
82. Revolutionary Guevara: CHE.
84. Miles away: FAR.
88. NYC dance co.: ABT. American Ballet Theatre.
89. Undeserved infamy, informally: BUM RAP.
91. Compelled: COERCED.
92. Oodles: TONS.
93. Coll. in the Research Triangle: UNC. Didn't know the Research Triangle, formed by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University and North
Carolina State University.
94. "Excellent news!": YAY.
96. English Channel swimmer Gertrude: EDERLE.
97. __ reveal party: GENDER.
99. "All good here": I'M SET.
100. Like party clothes compared to everyday clothes: NICER.
101. Oddly funny: DROLL.
102. Books a table for seven at 6 instead of six at 7, say: ERRS.
103. Macabre poet: POE.
104. Channel for college games: ESPNU.
105. The "D" of LED: DIODE.
106. Sign of spring: ARIES.
108. Small donkey: BURRO.
109. Say aloud: UTTER.
110. Thompson of "Westworld": TESSA.
114. Form W-2 digits: SSNS.
116. Is for many?: ARE.
117. Mattress malady: SAG.
118. Muscle useful in rock climbing: LAT.
C.C.
4 comments:
I saw most of the
“sports,” and C.C. showed me the rest. Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
FLN: Thanks to all you friends for all your good birthday wishes for me yesterday!
Good morning!
This was a well-executed theme. I was impressed that all the theme sports were hidden in consecutive letters of the long answers. Neat. Went from M to C to P for the ASH_AN. Tried REDfin before COD showed up. TRL was (and still is) a mystery. In the end it came down to that YAY/ATM pairing, and YAY, d-o guessed correctly. Congrats on your Sunday debut, Ella. Thanx for finding all the hidden sports, C.C.
IMF UNC ABT TRL ERLE x EDERLE is what you get when you cram 11(!) longish theme answers in a 21x21 grid. The rest holds up surprisingly well overall.
Way too many proper names, it was annoying. TITT.
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