Theme: "CELL DIVISION" - One word is inserted into a cellphone-related terms, breaking them apart and turning them into wacky new phrases.
22. Part of the hiring process for stenographers?: TOUCH TYPE SCREEN. Touch screen.
36. Stage production about the lives of autoworkers?: CARMAKERS PLAY. CarPlay.
47. Need for the queen of hearts to get past security?: FACE CARD ID. Face ID.
68. Picture-perfect brioche?: CAMERA READY ROLL. Camera roll.
94. Escape capsules for rent?: AIRBNB PODS. AirPods.
102. Investigation into how E.T. got away?: PHONE HOME CASE. Phone case.
Reveal:
123. Silicon Valley game changers, or an alternate title for this puzzle: TECH DISRUPTIONS.
What a great title!
The
base phrases are all familiar cellphone terms, with a few distinctly
iPhone: CarPlay, Face ID, and AirPods. Each term is "interrupted" by the
insertion of an extra word. That added word isn't random of course. It
pairs with the first word to form another common phrase.
Across:
1. Plant with edible sprouts: ALFALFA.
8. Bouldering spot: CLIFF. Also 19. Homes for the higher-ups?: AERIES. Nests that might well be found on a cliff.
13. Kemper of "The Office": ELLIE. She played Erin Hannon.
18. Pointed beards: GOATEES.
21. Eerie haunted hayride sounds: MOANS.
24. Take illegally: USURP.
25. Brings together: UNITES.
26. Horror film subjects, maybe: EVILS.
27. Brit's bathroom: LOO.
29. Three-pointer: TREY. Basketball shot.
30. Supermodel Beckford: TYSON. I recognized his face but not his
name. He's Jamaican-American model. Did you know that women earn much
more than men in the modeling industry?
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31. Blather on and on: PRATE.
32. Like some jeans: LOW-RISE.
34. Party hard: RAGE.
40. Wire service co.: UPI.
43. Chest muscle, briefly: PEC.
45. Swindle: CON.
46. Kitchen set: DINETTE.
52. Candy from a novelty dispenser: PEZ.
54. Waxy compound: STEROL. Wikipedia says sterols are a subgroup of the steroids
55. "Aida," for one: OPERA.
56. Sherbet serving: SCOOP.
58. Way in: DOOR.
60. PC maker: DELL.
61. Glossy fabrics: SATINS.
63. Antihistamine target, perhaps: WELT.
65. Fair-hiring org.: EEOC.
67. Overhead trains: ELS.
73. Make calls?: UMP. Balls/strikes calls.
76. Corporate symbol: LOGO.
77. "Eh, __ difference": SAME.
78. Fixes, as loose ends: TIES UP.
82. Stain on Santa's suit: SOOT.
84. King of cinema: KONG.
86. Sound of impact: SPLAT.
89. Heavenly food: MANNA. Tasted like honey wafers. I could eat it daily for 40 years too.
90. Bleak: MOROSE.
92. "__ we good?": ARE.
96. Word on some film awards: ACTRESS. Jessie Buckley this year!
98. Clairvoyance, e.g.: ESP.
100. White lie: FIB.
101. Spam sender: BOT.
106. "Well, shoot!": RATS.
109. English noble title: BARONET.
110. Did a fall chore: RAKED.
112. Poetic feet: IAMBI.
116. Molt: SHED.
118. Armed conflict: WAR. 4. Greek goddess of 118-Across: ATHENA.
119. Do the dishes?: CATER. Literally.
120. Release: UNMOOR.
121. Eagle's claw: TALON.
126. Back street: ALLEY.
127. More pale: ASHIER.
128. Stepped inside: ENTERED.
129. Silly one: GOOSE.
130. Razz: TEASE.
131. Whatsits: DOODADS.
Down:
1. Anguish: AGONY.
2. Name of many French kings: LOUIS. Ludwig in German.
3. Consideration: FACTOR.
5. "We should!": LET'S.
6. Tina of "Only Murders in the Building": FEY.
7. According to: ASPER.
8. House in "Encanto": CASITA. Also appears in Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show.
9. Ferrari Formula One driver Charles: LECLERC. Learning moment for me. He was born in Monte Carlo and has won eight Grands Prix.
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10. Bargain basket items, for short: IRRS. Irregulars.
11. Old-timey "Darn you!": FIE.
12. "You doing all right?": FEEL OK.
13. Flightless Australian bird: EMU.
14. Slowed down: LOST SPEED.
15. Bay leaf source: LAUREL TREE. Can't survive the Minnesota winter.
16. Memo phrase: IN RE.
17. Best Championship Performance, e.g.: ESPY.
20. Covered in white, in a way: SNOWED.
22. Disapproving sound: TUT.
23. Storm rescue op: EVAC. Evacuation.
28. Potpourri ingredient: ORRIS ROOT. We had this before.
31. House of Lords members: PEERS.
32. Like bowling alleys: LANED.
33. "__ that precious?": ISN'T.
35. College app datum: GPA.
37. Bucket partner: MOP.
38. Coral island: ATOLL.
39. Shouts: YELLS.
40. Sci-fi craft: UFOS.
41. Family nickname: PAPA. Baba in Chinese.
42. "Law & Order: SVU" co-star: ICE-T.
44. Atlanta-based govt. agency: CDC.
48. Actor Bana: ERIC. He played Hector in "Troy".
49. Lock setting: CANAL.
50. Sioux City state: IOWA.
51. Self-starters: DOERS.
53. Rapper of "KPop Demon Hunters": ZOEY. One more learning moment.
57. Court statements: PLEAS.
59. Above, poetically: OER.
62. Exceptionally attractive person, slangily: SMOKESHOW. Learned this slang from a previous LAT grid.
64. Bay on Florida's west coast: TAMPA.
66. Ascend: CLIMB.
69. Teamwork inhibitor: EGO.
70. Novelist Jaffe: RONA.
71. Cold cuts counter: DELI.
72. Jump: LEAP.
73. Graphic that typically has two insets: US MAP.
74. Sponge: MOOCH.
75. Mushroom that can be a burger: PORTOBELLO.
79. Snooty one: SNOB.
80. Click a backward arrow, maybe: UNDO.
81. Erstwhile: PAST.
83. Twisters: TORNADOES.
85. Say hello to: GREET.
87. "Woof": ARF.
88. Car in a Beach Boys song: T BIRD.
91. Oracle: SEER.
93. F1 neighbor: ESC.
95. Org. with Bulls and Bucks: NBA.
97. Beethoven composition: SONATA.
99. St. Patrick's Day events: PARADES.
103. Least: MEREST.
104. Much political humor: SATIRE.
105. Scrapes (out): EKES.
107. Like some car windows: TINTED.
108. Wiley of "The Handmaid's Tale": SAMIRA.
111. Scored an own goal: ERRED.
113. Called on a dairy farm: MOOED.
114. Stocks partner: BONDS.
115. Org. with a big returns department: IRS.
116. Alone: STAG.
117. Nativity headgear: HALO.
119. Seed in some healthy smoothies: CHIA.
120. "What are you __?": UP TO.
122. Dec. 31: NYE.
124. Michael of "SNL": CHE.
125. Low Spanish number: UNO.
C.C.
1 comment:
Some of the themed fill
made sense to me; some of it didn’t.
Even though I have an iPhone (an older model) I wasn’t familiar with such terms as “CarPlay.” But now, thanks to C.C., it all makes sense.
Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
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