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.

Tuesday August 13, 2024 Seth Weitberg

Cooking Lessons:  In cooking, Stock (also known as Fond), is a savory cooking liquid that forms the basis of many dishes, such as soups, stews and sauces.  There are four basic kinds of stock: White Stock (Chicken), Brown Stock (Beef or other meat/bone source), Vegetable, and Fish Stock. The classifications refer to the contents and method used to prepare the stock, not the color.

20-Across. Be too afraid to: CHICKEN OUT OF.

28-Across. Add extra protection: BEEF UP SECURITY.

43-Across. Ask leading questions: FISH FOR ANSWERS.

And the unifier:

48-Across. Noncash corporate benefits, or what a cook would call the starts of 20-, 28-, and 43-Across?: STOCK OPTIONS.

Across:

1. Desert hill shaped by wind: DUNE.  Also the title of a 1965 Sci-Fi novel by Frank Herbert (Oct. 8, 1920 ~ Feb. 11, 1986).

5. __ bene: NOTA.  Today's Latin lesson.  Nota bene, abbreviated as N.B., is a Latin phrase meaning "note well" or "take special notice." In legal documents, the phrase is used to highlight important details or draw attention to key pieces of information in a document.

9. Tax deadline month: APRIL.

14. Breakfast chain that serves stacks: IHOP.  International House of Pancakes

15. Gem with milky iridescence: OPAL.  Australia is known for its beautiful opals.  Hi, Kazie!

16. Ecological community: BIOME.  According to National Geographic, a Biome is "an area classified according to the species that live in that location. Temperature range, soil type, and the amount of light and water are unique to a particular place and form the niches for specific species allowing scientists to define the biome."

17. Daughter of Katie Holmes: SURI.  Suri Holmes (b. Apr. 18, 2006) is the daughter of Katie Holmes (b. Dec. 18, 1978) and Tom Cruise (b. July 3, 1962).  [Name # 1.]

18. Fictional sleuth Wolfe: NERO.  Nero Wolfe came on to the scene in 1934 when the detective novel Fer-de-Lance, by Rex Stout (Dec. 1, 1886 ~ Oct. 27, 1975) was first published.  Nero Wolfe later became a television series in the 1982, which starred William Cannon (Sept. 27, 1920 ~ Feb. 11, 1994).  [Name # 2, fictional.]

19. Conked out: SLEPT.

23. Restaurateur Matsuhisa: NOBU.  [Name # 3.]  //  And 3-Down. Wrap for a tobiko maki roll: NORI.  //  11-Down. Filling in a tobiko maki roll: ROE.  Funny story.  I recently ate at NoBu in Vegas.  It was incredible expensive.  There were five us and we ate on the cheap.  We each ordered only one sushi roll each, so the total bill for all of us was probably the standard bill for most of the restaurant's diners.

24. Red Sox div.: AL EAST.  As in the American League East in Baseball.

32. Walks quickly: LEGS IT.

33. Arterial blockage: CLOT.

34. House mem.: REP.  As in a member of the House of Representatives in Congress.

35. Doesn't stick the landing, say: ERRS.  I was not familiar with the expressing "stick the landing."  Apparently, it means to succeed and do something well.  Hand up if you knew this expression.

36. Tennis great Shriver: PAM.  Pam Shriver (b. July 4, 1962) was active in the 1980s and 1990s.  She also played in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.  [Name # 4.]

37. Pirelli product: TIRE.  This company has been in business since 1972.

38. Responded to a growling stomach: ATE.

39. Superstar: IDOL.  Idol appeared in last week's puzzle, too.

41. Plato's hometown: ATHENS.  Athens, Greece, that is.  [Name # 5.]

46. "That's true about me": YES, I AM.

47. Wee bit: WHIT.

54. "__ luck!": LOTSA.

57. Verdi tragedy: AIDA.  This opera, which makes frequent appearances in the puzzles, is a tragic opera set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt.  The opera was written by Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813 ~ Jan. 27, 1901), with the libretto written by Antonio Ghislanzoni (Nov. 25, 1824 ~ July 16, 1893).  It was later made into a musical by Elton John (b. Mar. 25, 1947) and Tim Rice (b. Nov. 10, 1944).  [Name # 6.]

58. Water repellent?: MOAT.  Cute clue.

59. Easy-to-read font: ARIAL.  This is Arial Font.  This is Times Font.  This is Courier Font.

60. Word with bed or engine: TWIN.  As in a twin bed or a twin engine.

61. Podcaster Klein: EZRA.  I am not familiar with Ezra Klein (b. May 9, 1984).  Apparently, he is an American journalist and political analyst.  He his the host of his own podcast called The Ezra Klein Show.  [Name # 7.]

62. 1983 Streisand title role: YENTL.  Barbra Streisand (b. Apr. 24, 1942) portrayed Yentl in the musical drama of the same name.  The musical was based on a story by Nobel Prize recipient Isaac Bashevis Singer (Nov. 11, 1903 ~ July 24, 1991) about a young woman who pretends to be a man in order to continue her studies. [Names # 8 and 9, one real, one fictional.]

63. Some video game inhabitants: SIMS.

64. Quakers, e.g.: SECT.  As in a religious sect.

Down:

1. Ultimate equipment that weighs 175 grams: DISC.

2. "Not happening": UH, UH.

4. Magnificence: EPICNESS.  Yup, that's a real word that means The quality or state of being epic.

5. Only: NONE BUT.

6. Bare one's soul: OPEN UP.

7. Root in Hawaiian cuisine: TARO.  We see both Taro and Ube in the puzzles.

8. Baseball family name: ALOU.  There were several brothers and their sons who played in major league baseball.  Felipe Alou (né Felipe Rojas Alou; b. May 12, 1935) is the oldest of three brothers.  he was the first Dominican to play regularly in the Major Leagues.  He played for the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Oakland A's, the New York Yankees and, after he retired from playing, he managed the Montreal Expos. Matty Alou (né Mateo Rojas Alou; December 22, 1938 ~ November 3, 2011) played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants.  Jesús Alou (né Jesús María Rojas Alou; March 24, 1942 ~ March 10, 2023) was the youngest Alou brother.  He played for the San Francisco Giants, the Houston Astros, the Oakland Athletics, and the New York Mets.  [Names # 10, 11, and 12.]

Felipe's sons, Moisés (né Moisés Rojas-Alou Beltré (b. July 3, 1966) and Luis E. Rojas (b, September 1, 1981), also played baseball.  [Names # 13, and 14.]

9. Big name in vodka: ABSOLUT.  Absolut Vodka is a brand of vodka, produced near Åhus, in southern Sweden.  It comes in many flavors.  [Name adjacent.]

10. Steal: PILFER.  Fun word.

12. Little scamp: IMP.

13. "__ that sink in": LET.

21. Nobel Peace Prize winner Annan: KOFI.  Kofi Atta Annan (Apr. 8, 1938 ~ Aug. 18, 2018) was was a Ghanaian diplomat who was the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations.  He served in that position from  1997 to 2006.  In 2001, he and the United Nations were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.  [Name # 15.]

22. Filled tortilla: TACO.

25. Better ventilated: AIRIER.

26. Rears, at sea: STERNS.

27. Hunts and pecks on a keyboard: TYPES.

28. Wodehouse character Wooster: BERTIE.  Sir P D Wodehouse (né Pelham Grenville Wodehouse; Oct. 15, 1881 ~ Feb. 14, 1975) was a British writer and creator of Jeeves, the butler to feather-brained Bertie Wooster.  [Names # 16 and 17, one real, one fictional.]

29. Door to the street: EGRESS.  Most of us would just say Exit door.

30. Teatro alla __: Milan opera house: SCALA.

31. Horror movie street: ELM.  The trees on this street are 32-Down.

32. Like shade trees: LEAFY.

36. "__ favor": "please," in Spanish: POR.  Today's Spanish lesson.

37. What are a-changin', in a Dylan song: THE TIMES.  [Name # 18.]

39. "Possibly not even that": IF AT ALL.

40. "__ arigato": Japanese "thank you very much": DOMO.  Today's Japanese lesson.

41. Fireplace accessories: ASH PANS.  Makes for easy clean-up.

42. Foolish one: TWIT.

44. Show derision to: HISS AT.

45. Ego of "SNL": NWODIM.  Egobunma Kelechi Nwodim (b. March 10, 1988) is an American actress and comedian.  I haven't watched Saturday Night Live in years, so didn't recognize this name.  [Name # 19.]

49. Movie musical starring Judi Dench and Idris Elba: CATS.  I never saw the movie Cats, but I did see the musical.  That was enough.  [Names # 20 and 21.]

50. Fuzzy fruit: KIWI.  Also a small flightless bird from New Zealand.

51. Seep: OOZE.

52. Rat (on): NARC.

53. Win shares in basketball, e.g.: STAT.

54. Put down, as sod: LAY.

55. Mine deposit: ORE.  A crossword staple.

56. Tuna container: TIN.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה