Get Down! The circles are all in theDownposition and spell out a type of common type of aSystem.
4-Down. Unauthorized rock recordings: BOOTLEG ALBUMS. LegalSystem. ALegal Systemis the framework of rules, procedures, and institutions that a community uses to interpret and enforce their laws.
8-Down. "SNL" sketch featuring Christopher Walken and a percussion instrument: MORE COWBELL. Ecosystem. An Ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment.
25-Down. Retail rep's quota: SALES TARGET. Star System. A Star system is a group of planets, meteors, or other objects that orbit a large star.
And the unifier:
19-Down. Grammy-winning metal band, or what can be found three times in this puzzle?: SYSTEM OF A DOWN. Hand up if you knew of this Armenian-American band. Apparently it has been active since the mid-1990s. It was unknown to me and if it wasn't for the circles, I would have had trouble with today's theme.
Here's the Grid:
Across:
1. Wound cover: SCAB.
5. Fox or ox: ANIMAL.
11. Tub: VAT.
14. Christmas pageant headwear: HALO.
15. "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" star Lombard: CAROLE. Mr. and Mrs. Smith was a 1941 film. Tragically, the following year Carole Lombard (née Jane Alice Peters; Oct. 6, 1908 ~ Jan. 16, 1942) was killed in a plane crash.
16. Australian bird: EMU.
17. Silicon Valley city Palo __: ALTO.
18. 1920s dance craze that originated in South Carolina: CHARLESTON.
20. Oregon Trail river: PLATTE. The Platte River originates in the Rocky Mountains as two main tributaries, the North Platte and the South Platte, in Colorado and Wyoming. It flows through Nebraska and eventually empties into the Missouri River near Plattsmouth, Nebraska
22. Letters that end a proof: QED. Today's Latin lesson. QED is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase Quod Erat Demonstrandum, which roughly translates to that which was to be proved.
23. Oxen harness: YOKE.
24. Aviator hat features: EARLAPS.
26. T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical __": CATS.
28. "At Last" singer James: ETTA. Our old friend Etta James (née Jamesettta Hawkins; Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan. 20, 2012) is back to grace us with song.
29. Raw bar mollusks: OYSTERS. For a fascinating look into the history of oysters, I recommend The Big Oyster, by Mark Kurlansky.
33. Male deer: STAG. I tried Buck first, but the perps objected.
36. Reuben sammie side: SLAW.
38. Orange __ tea: PEKOE. Everything you didn't know you needed to know about Orange Pekoe Tea.
39. Like ice caps: POLAR.
41. Wane: EBB.
42. Troutlike fish in the Great Lakes: SMELT. Yummers!
43. Use TurboTax, say: E-FILE.
44. Oracle: SEER.
46. Poems of praise: ODES.
47. Give up, informally: CUT BAIT.
49. Laze: LOAF.
51. Arm bone: ULNA.
52. Celebrity chef Emeril: LAGASSE. Although Emeril Lagasse (né Emeril John Lagassé, III; b. Oct. 15, 1959) is known for Creole and Cajun cuisine, he was actually born in Fall River, Massachusetts and is of French and Portuguese descent.
56. Like some margins of victory: SLIM.
59. Globe: ORB.
61. Mellow: SEDATE.
62. The "MO" of FOMO: MISSING OUT. Fear Of Missing Out.
65. Foreboding sign: OMEN.
66. MLB official: UMP.
67. South Dakota's capital: PIERRE. Unless you are from South Dakota, this is probably more than you ever though you would know about Pierre.
68. Troubles: WOES.
69. Identity celebrated during Pride Month: GAY. June is Gay Pride Month.
70. Show up for: ATTEND.
71. __ a soul: NARY.
Down:
1. Circle or triangle: SHAPE.
2. __ lily: trumpet-shaped flower: CALLA. They are beautiful flowers.
3. Religious platform: ALTAR.
5. Says yes to: ACCEPTS.
6. "Nope": NAH.
7. Country where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers meet: IRAQ.
9. From sunrise to sunset: ALL DAY.
10. Olympic gymnast Suni: LEE. Her given name is Sunisa Phabsomphou Lee (b. Mar. 9, 2003). She participated in the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.
11. Presidential power: VETO.
12. Out of control: AMOK.
13. Melody: TUNE.
21. Tit for __: TAT.
27. Recipe amts.: TSPS. As in Teaspoons.
30. Just managed, with "out": EKED.
31. Actor's part: ROLE.
32. Production designer's creations: SETS.
33. Job detail, for short: SPEC. This is becoming a crossword staple.
34. Pad thai protein option: TOFU. Yummers! I love pad thai.
35. Landed: ALIT.
37. "The Godfather" actor Vigoda: ABE. Abraham Vigoda (Feb. 24, 1921 ~ Jan. 26, 2016) portrayed Salvadore Tessio in The Godfather and Phil Fish in the sitcom Barney Miller.
40. Not imagined: REAL.
45. Like some nuts: ROASTED.
48. Complicit: IN ON IT.
50. Life time: AGE.
53. South Pacific island group: SAMOA.
54. Take the wheel: STEER.
55. Itty-bitty: EENSY.
56. Self-satisfied: SMUG.
57. Peru's capital: LIMA.
58. Classic road trip game: I SPY. I Spy with my Little Eye ...
60. Tire through tedium: BORE.
63. Hoppy brew letters: IPA. As in India Pale Ale. Everything you ever wanted to know about IPA.
37. *Measurement unit on some graph-ruled paper: SQUARE INCH.
46. *Commodity sold in board-feet: ROUGH LUMBER.
52. *Charge up?: PRICE HIKE.
66. *Annual upriver migration: SALMON RUN.
82. *Group nearly eradicated in "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy": HUMAN RACE.
90. *What may hang by a thread?: HEXAGON BOLT.
98. *Invasive species that may be spotted in the garden?: LANTERN FLY.
Reveal:
112. Loop in, and a hint to the progression found at the ends of the answers to the starred clues: BRING UP TO SPEED.
Steady progression, from stillness to fly. Just like the reveal explains, the constructors are bringing things up to speed.
Across:
1. Subwoofer output: BASS.
5. Salsa partner on a dip platter, casually: GUAC. Tasty on the Seeduction bread.
9. Pasta __ Norma: ALLA.
13. The Beyhive, e.g.: FANDOM. Beyoncé's fan base.
19. Spark: IDEA.
20. Fully aware of: ONTO.
21. Tusked hog: BOAR.
22. Like Chamonix: ALPINE.
26. Features of New York's Guggenheim museum: CURVES.
27. Roller coaster material: STEEL.
28. Behind schedule: LATE.
29. [Cough cough]: AHEM.
31. Self or sheep suffix: ISH.
32. Smoked beef cuts: BRISKETS.
35. Writers with star power?: CRITICS. Because they rate in stars. Great clue.
40. Water cooler sound: GLUG.
41. "You rock!," facetiously: NOICE. OK, it's exaggerated Nice, not NO ICE. Thanks, Anonymous!)
44. Rush: HURRY.
45. D.C. pro: NAT.
48. Memoji platform: IOS.
49. __-12: athletic org.: PAC.
50. "__ Maria": AVE.
51. Staunton of "The Crown": IMELDA. She played Queen Elizabeth.
56. Blueprint: DESIGN.
59. Dates: SEES.
60. Travel plaza fuel supplier: SUNOCO.
61. Villain's hideout: LAIR.
63. Japanese camera brand: NIKON.
65. Org.-wide message: MEMO.
69. Kitten cries: MEWS.
72. Small sound: INLET.
74. "American Fiction" actress Rae: ISSA. Super talented.
75. "Sure, that totally sounds credible": YEAH OK.
77. "Shoot to Thrill" band: AC/DC.
80. Polar dome: ICECAP. Hence NOICE rather than NO ICE earlier. Patti normally doesn't allow this type of dupe.
85. Carving tool: CHISEL.
87. "Last Week Tonight" network: HBO.
88. Articulate: SAY.
89. Solder element: TIN.
93. Prevail: WIN.
94. Like slow lorises and snow leopards: ASIAN. Look at his eyes. Some live in China's Yunnan province.
96. Knicks legend Patrick: EWING.
97. Like some wine: OAKY.
100. Crux: ESSENCE.
102. Plovdiv's country: BULGARIA. Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, 93 miles southeast of Sofia, a la Wikipedia.
103. Buffalo Bills gp.: AFC.
105. Out of control: AMOK.
106. "You" actor Badgley: PENN. Also in "Gossip Girl".
107. Email option: REPLY.
110. Muss: TOUSLE.
117. Single word on its own line, in typesetting: ORPHAN. Learning moment for me. The orphan and the last widow look the same to me.
118. "If it __ broke ... ": AIN'T.
119. Subscription level: TIER.
120. At any point: EVER.
121. "Kinda weird ... ": IT'S ODD.
122. "Sky Landing" artist Ono: YOKO.
123. Salty septet: SEAS.
124. Ceremony: RITE.
Down:
1. Pen brand: BIC.
2. Big bothers: ADOS.
3. Religious subgroup: SECT.
4. Place to sample Dassai: SAKE BAR. Dassai is a premium sake brand. It means "otter festival".
Their website said there used to be many otters frolicking in the nearby rivers where the brewery is based.
5. Net asset?: GOALIE. Hockey net.
6. College, abroad: UNI.
7. Falcons city, briefly: ATL.
8. Gather: COLLECT.
9. Borders: ABUTS.
10. Unaccompanied: LONE.
11. Twitch streamer's headache: LAG.
12. Throw on the floor: AREA RUG. Noun "throw".
13. Jewel side: FACET.
14. Lightweight metal: ALUMINUM.
15. "Code Switch" network: NPR.
16. Capable of an even split: DIVISIBLE.
17. Vending machine bills: ONES.
18. Mosquito net fabric: MESH.
24. "Fresh Air" host Gross: TERRY. Used to listen to her often.
25. Pledge: OATH.
30. Lofty: HIGH.
33. Egyptian peninsula: SINAI.
34. Natural talent: KNACK.
35. Puzzle hints: CLUES.
36. Approaches: COMES NEAR.
37. Impossibly bottled objects: SHIPS.
38. Minimum needed for action: QUORUM.
39. Bearlike: URSINE.
40. Serves the people: GOVERNS.
42. Formally yield: CEDE.
43. Notable periods: ERAS.
46. Ad with a jingle, maybe: RADIO SPOT.
47. Connection: LINK.
49. Vietnamese beef noodle soup: PHO.
53. Creative type?: COMIC SANS. Because the font has a creative vibe?
54. B-school course: ECON.
55. Tail end?: ELL.Just the final letter Tail.
57. Shiba __: INU.
58. Martini ingredient: GIN.
62. Not unkindly: AMIABLY.
64. Portent: OMEN.
66. Length of 24 film frames, briefly: SEC. 24 frames per second is the standard frame rate for movies.
67. Gobbled up: ATE.
68. Repeated syllable in Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance": RAH.
70. "Let's say ... ": WHAT IF.
71. Gregarious: SOCIAL.
73. Stitch's friend: LILO.
75. "Woot woot!": YAY.
76. "Footloose" singer Loggins: KENNY.
77. Yearning: ACHE.
78. Think (on): CHEW.
79. Lemonade stand stackers: DIXIE CUPS.
81. Blow it under pressure: CHOKE.
83. Implementing: USING.
84. Big-brained ray: MANTA.
86. Deli sandwich filling: EGG SALAD.
91. Wearing white to a wedding, e.g.: NO NO.
92. Ritzy Boston neighborhood: BACK BAY. Tom Brady lived in this area for many years.
93. Carrot cake additions: WALNUTS.
94. Latin for "ram": ARIES.
95. Fish often served whole: SNAPPER.
98. Organ in the chest cavity: LUNG.
99. Blunders and bobbles: ERRORS.
101. Fix, as syntax: EMEND.
102. Lunch box with compartments: BENTO. Bento is derived from Chinese Biandang, literally "convenient".
103. Yours, in French: A TOI.
104. Cozy blanket structure: FORT.
106. "__ Pony Club": Chappell Roan hit: PINK.
108. 22nd U.S. vice president Morton: LEVI. Didn't know him. Under Benjamin Harrison.
