Sunday March 8, 2026 Seth Weitberg

Theme: "YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN" - The first words are all A + double letter *ed, then TO, the last words are parts of the first words in plural form. 

23. The land developer was __: ATTRACTED TO TRACTS.

39. The billboard installer was __: ASSIGNED TO SIGNS.

51. The tissue manufacturer was __: APPLIED TO PLIES.

65. The importer/exporter was __: ACCUSTOMED TO CUSTOMS.

79. The music producer was __: ATTUNED TO TUNES.

89. The safety inspector __: ATTESTED TO TESTS.

110. The scorekeeper was __: APPOINTED TO POINTS.

So the title "You Can Say That Again" is due to the structural echo. The clues add another layer: each one refers to a specific profession in a different field. The echoed word matches the worker's specialty. 

This is Seth's first LAT Sunday puzzle. Congrats!

Across:

1. Irked by: MAD AT.

6. Lite: LO-FAT.

11. Economical: CHEAP.

16. TD pass throwers, perhaps: QBS. Quarterbacks.

19. Diarist Nin: ANAIS.

20. __ acid: AMINO.

21. Painter Matisse: HENRI.

22. Fed. that hosts F1's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: UAE.

26. Barinholtz of "The Studio": IKE. He won the inaugural prime time season of "Celebrity Jeopardy!".

27. Baseball gripping aid: SEAM.

28. Tops: A ONE.

29. Actress Birch: THORA. Known for her role in "American Beauty". Then and now.

30. Threw it out there: ASKED.

32. Annual Kentucky event: DERBY.

34. Sudden impulse: WHIM.

35. Ice Follies venue: RINK.

37. Stuffy sort: PRUDE.

46. Send back: REMAND. To a lower court. 

48. Otherwise: ELSE.

49. Western treaty gp.: OAS. The Organization of American States.

50. Lummox: LOUT.

55. Penta- minus one: TETRA.

56. Calendar pgs.: MOS. Months.

57. Sleeveless top: VEST.

58. "You will __ the day!": RUE. 62. "You made that up!": LIAR.

59. Early 1990s pres., familiarly: BUSH SR. Prez #41.

60. Tour of duty: STINT.

64. Demonstrating more courage: GUTSIER.

69. Holds fast (to): ADHERES.

70. Comfort: EASE.

71. Pine secretion: RESIN.

72. Crabby folks: CRANKS.

73. Used to be: WAS.

74. Annoyance: PEST.

75. Seer's gift: ESP.

78. NFL team with a horseshoe logo: COLTS.

84. Cambodian currency: RIEL. RIAL is Iranian/Omani.  

85. Cape __, Massachusetts: ANN.

87. Part of Caesar's boast: VENI.

88. Bao Li, Qing Bao, et al.: PANDAS. Bao means "precious" in Chinese.

94. Pie component: CRUST.

95. Finishing __: SALT. This is a hugely popular brand.

96. Surface alternative: IPAD.

97. Love, in French: AMOUR.

99. Uninspired, as writing: PROSY.

102. "That sounds like safe money": I'D BET.

104. Tierra en el oc ano: ISLA.

106. Young woman: LASS.

109. Overalls part: BIB.

114. Java: JOE.

115. Perfume: AROMA.

116. City in upstate New York: OLEAN. About 60 miles southeast of Buffalo along the Allegheny River.

117. Intel-gathering mission: RECON.

118. Farm enclosure: STY.

119. Suite spot: HOTEL.

120. Approves: OKAYS.

121. Cooks up: BREWS.

Down:

1. "A Court of Thorns and Roses" novelist Sarah J. __: MAAS.

2. Poker buy-in: ANTE.

3. Massive transfers of information: DATA DUMPS. 

4. Decoration awarded in all branches of the military: AIR MEDAL. Oh I thought it's just for the Air Force.

5. Bag-screening org.: TSA.

6. Sister of Janet and Jermaine: LATOYA.

7. Portent: OMEN.

8. Bona __: FIDE.

9. Foraging insect: ANT.

10. Dental product: TOOTH GEL. I just call it "gel toothpaste".

11. Classic auto trim: CHROME.

12. Learn through the grapevine: HEAR.

13. Pioneering digital encyclopedia: ENCARTA. From Microsoft. Now we have Wikipedia.

14. Part of LACMA: ART. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 

15. Some Tuscans: PISANS.

16. Classic Nestlé drink: QUIK. Never had this.

17. Make clafoutis, say: BAKE.  Wikipedia says clafoutis is "a French dish of pitted sour cherries, arranged in a buttered dish, covered with a thick but pourable batter, then baked to create a crustless tart."

18. Tournament assignment: SEED.

24. Subway alternative: CAB.

25. Gauzy: THIN.

31. Situation that inevitably goes downhill?: SKI LESSON. 59. Place where pickup lines may be common?: BUS STOP. Fun clues for both. 

33. Baroque painter Guido: RENI. Born in Bologna. 

34. Tendril: WISP.

36. Mobile platform since 2007: IOS.

37. Buggy for a bairn: PRAM.

38. Take back, briefly: REPO.

40. Gets cracking on: SETS TO.

41. Schedule opening: SLOT.

42. Daily tablet, say: DOSE.

43. Celebratory cry during a game of tag: GOT HIM.

44. Some care coordinators: NURSES.

45. Hall of Fame drummer from Liverpool: STARR (Ringo)

47. Concocts: DEVISES.

52. Bad impressions: DENTS. Using the physical sense of "impression".

53. Livid: IRATE.

54. Currency symbolized by €: EURO.

55. __-frutti: TUTTI.

60. Like products for sensitive skin, often: SCENTLESS.

61. __ and Caicos: TURKS. Beautiful islands.

62. Tiniest bit: LEAST.

63. Cards with pics: IDS.

64. B&B patron: GUEST.

65. Skillful: ADROIT.

66. Alpine dwelling: CHALET. The chalet in our local Elm Creek Park Reserve.

67. Charcuterie fare: MEAT.

68. College unit: CREDIT.

69. Ghana's capital: ACCRA.

73. Magic show prop: WAND.

74. Farm enclosures: PENS.

75. Staying power: ENDURANCE.

76. Neptune's realm: SEAS.

77. Subtle "Over here!": PSST.

80. Skin art only visible in black light: UV TATTOO.

81. Demand: NEED.

82. Snack topped with onions and cilantro: TACO.

83. Harder to control: UNRULIER.

85. Delta HQ: ATL.

86. Nasal irrigation vessel: NETI POT.

90. Checkup request: SAY AAH.

91. Shin-related: TIBIAL.

92. "__ sesame!": OPEN.

93. Spots that do dos: SALONS.

98. Treasure hunt aid: MAP.

99. Easy sammies: PBJS. I like peanut butter and honey. 

100. Real hoot: RIOT.

101. Toe the line: OBEY.

103. Pantheon feature: DOME.

104. Inkling: IDEA.

105. Temporary reprieve: STAY.

107. Put in the overhead bin: STOW.

108. Form W-2 digits: SSNS.

111. In favor of: PRO.

112. Animal on the Michigan state seal: ELK.The seal features an elk and a moose, but no wolves. 

113. Poetic sphere: ORB.

C.C.