Thursday, April 24, 2025, Zachary Schiff

 

Theme:  When is a city not a city?

Constructor Zachary Schiff is back with his third crossword puzzle in the L.A. Times, which is his second solo effort in these pages.  Apparently Zachary is a writer living in New York City.  Today Zachary asks us about city names used for other purposes.  The theme answers appear in symmetrically placed rows Across, and two of them span the width of the grid.

20. Boston, e.g.: CLASSIC ROCK BAND.  Boston (a band formed in Boston, Massachusetts) has been rocking since 1975.  Their best-known songs include "More Than a Feeling," "Peace of Mind," "Foreplay/Long Time," "Rock and Roll Band," "Smokin,'" "Don't Look Back," "A Man I'll Never Be," "Hitch a Ride," "Party," "Amanda," and "Feelin' Satisfied."

Boston

32. Tacoma, e.g.: PICKUP TRUCK.  Tacoma is a city in Washington state, but also the name of a Toyota truck.  The city moniker comes from the indigenous people's name for Mount Rainier.  The mountain is a symbol of strength and rugged beauty -- qualities consumers might seek in a pickup truck.

Mount Rainier AKA Tacoma

41. Philadelphia, e.g.: CREAM CHEESE.  In 1872, William Lawrence, a dairyman from Chester, New York, attempted to make Neufchâtel, a tangy, crumbly cheese that was popular in Europe. He used too much cream and created a more spreadable cheese, eventually called "cream cheese." In 1880, Lawrence partnered with A.L. Reynolds, a cheese distributor in New York, to sell more cream cheese. At the time, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and its surrounding area had a reputation for high-quality dairy products, so they used the name "Philadelphia" on their foil-wrapped blocks. It is still one of the best selling brands of cream cheese, currently owned by Kraft Heinz and Mondelez International.

51. Manhattan, e.g.: BOURBON COCKTAIL.  Manhattan is a borough of New York City, and also the name of a cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters, traditionally garnished with a maraschino cherry.  While rye is the traditional whiskey of choice, other commonly used whiskies include Canadian whisky, bourbon, blended whiskey, and Tennessee whiskey.  The cocktail is said to have originated at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the mid-1870s.

Maybe later, thanks!  I just had cream cheese.

Now that the geography quiz has gotten us oriented, it's time to find our way through the rest of the clues and answers.

Across:

1. Yankee __: Christmas party tradition: SWAP.  A Yankee SWAP is a variety of white elephant gift exchange, or Dirty Santa party game, where amusing and impractical gifts are exchanged during Christmas festivities. Because Yankees are practical folks, the gifts exchanged in a Yankee swap are more likely to be practical or desirable than in other forms of the game.

Stealing is permitted in a Yankee swap.

5. Radar image: BLIP.

9. Go very slowly: INCH.  "The car inched forward in heavy traffic."

13. In a heap: PILED.

15. "Black-ish" star Tracee Ellis __: ROSS.  Even if you didn't watch Black-ish (which was very good), you've seen Tracee Ellis Ross here before!  And you know her famous mom, Diana Ross.

Tracee Ellis Ross

16. Acting gig: ROLE.

17. A-listers: ELITE.

18. Esq.: ATTY.  In the United States, "Esquire," abbreviated as "Esq.," is a courtesy title used for attorneys in written communications, generally used after the attorney's name.

19. Like avocados and eggs: OVAL.  Add bagels and CREAM CHEESE and call it brunch!

20. [Theme clue]

23. Number of "Seinfeld" seasons: NINE.

24. State where five U.S. presidents are buried: OHIO.  William Henry Harrison, James A. Garfield, Rutherford B. Hayes, William McKinley, and Warren G. Harding. 

25. Takes an extra base: STEALS.

28. Fixed: INTENT.  Both of these words can be used to mean focused, concentrated, resolved, determined.  

32. [Theme clue]

36. Baby talk syllable: GOO.

37. Haitian friend: AMIE.  Haitian Creole is a French-based language.  A male friend in French is an AMI, and a female friend is an AMIE.  They are pronounced the same.

38. Edgy fashion line?: HEM.  The hem of a garment can be described as a line, and it is also the edge of the garment.

39. Happy look: GRIN.

40. Four-legged sentry: DOG.  Dogs make good guards.

41. [Theme clue]

45. Make certain: ENSURE.

47. Element in a password: LETTER.  Upper case, lower case, a number, and a symbol, too!

48. Snoozes: NAPS.

50. "Veni, vidi, __": VICI.  "Veni, vidi, vici" is Latin for "I came, I saw, I conquered."  It was reportedly uttered by Julius Caesar after a quick and decisive battle.

51. [Theme clue]

58. Unmoving: IDLE.

59. Botanical anchor: ROOT.

60. "The Hunchback of __ Dame": NOTRE.  You don't need to understand French to know the name of the cathedral, Notre Dame, which translates to "Our Lady."

61. "How We Do (Party)" singer Ora: RITA.  Rita Ora is crossword's favorite chanteuse (French for female singer.).

Rita Ora

62. Heavy book: TOME.

63. Again and again: OFTEN.

64. "Shake on it!": DEAL.

65. Risked a ticket, say: SPED.

66. Short-lived fashions: FADS.

Down:

1. Job detail, briefly: SPEC.  A job spec or specification is a requirement such as knowledge, skills, abilities, and minimum qualifications.

2. Mental resolve: WILL.  Intent can mean this, too!  

3. Shawkat of "Being the Ricardos": ALIA.  Being the Ricardos is a 2021 film about the relationship between I Love Lucy stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.  Alia Shawkat plays Madelyn Pugh, a writer on the show.  She's played many other roles in movies and on TV, too.  

Alia Shawkat

4. Purchase at a reptile shop: PET SNAKE.

5. "__ yourself": BRACE.

6. Fantasy trilogy, initially: LOTR.  Lord Of The Rings.

7. "Life __ short to skip dessert": IS TOO.

8. Medium with powers: PSYCHIC.

9. Will Smith sci-fi film set in 2035: I, ROBOT.  I, Robot is a 2004 science fiction film named after Isaac Asimov's 1950 short-story collection.  Will Smith plays a detective investigating the death of a robotics company founder.  Was it a suicide, or did a robot defenestrate the man?

Will Smith in "I, Robot"

10. Big East school in Pennsylvania, to fans: NOVA.  Villanova is a Catholic university in Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine in 1842 and named for Saint Thomas of Villanova, Spain.  It is highly rated for both undergraduate and graduate academic programs.  In sports, "Nova" competes in the Big East Conference.

Villanova Wildcats mascot

11. Family group: CLAN.

12. Maintained: HELD.

14. Production company started by Ball and Arnaz: DESILU.  Echoes of 3-Down.

21. Clouseau's rank: Abbr.: INSP.  In The Pink Panther movies, Inspector Clouseau is an incompetent French police detective.  The role has been played by Peter Sellers, Alan Arkin, and Steve Martin.

Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau

22. Pain in the neck: KINK.

25. Comic actor David: SPADE.  David Spade started out as a stand-up comic.  He was a writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1990 to1996.  Since then, he's acted in TV sitcoms and quite a few movies.  He hosts a podcast, Fly on the Wall, with Dana Carvey.

Dana Carvey and David Spade

26. Meerkat in "The Lion King": TIMON.  According to Disney.fandom.com,Timon is a major character in Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King and the protagonist of the 2004 film The Lion King 1½. He is a wisecracking meerkat and the best friend of Pumbaa, a warthog.

27. Tobaccoless smokes: E-CIGS.  An e-cigarette or vape uses a heating element to vaporize a liquid solution of nicotine.  The user inhales vapor instead of smoke.  There are many risks associated with vaping, including harmful chemicals in the liquid, and leaching of metal from the heating element into the liquid.  Flavored liquids attract younger users.

29. Gulf Coast wading bird: EGRET.

30. Tick or tock: NOISE.

31. Skin care product: TONER.  Toner is supposed to remove any remaining impurities after cleansing, balance the skin’s pH, and soothe and hydrate the skin.  

33. Part of FTW: THE.  For The Win!  Possibly originating with the TV game show Hollywood Squares, "For The Win" is used to express support for a choice that should guarantee success.  Lengthy example:  "Dining out is the classic date experience, but it can be really expensive depending on when and where you go. Weekend brunch FTW! It’s cheaper than going out to dinner at the same restaurant, and many places offer unlimited mimosas or other alcoholic beverages. Plus, you get to choose between breakfast and lunch options. Brunch is the best meal of the day."  -- https://lifehacker.com/top-10-wallet-friendly-date-ideas-1758826946

34. "V for Vendetta" actor Stephen: REA.  Stephen Rea is an Irish actor of stage and screen. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1992 thriller The Crying Game.  Other movie credits include V for Vendetta, Michael Collins, Interview with the Vampire and Breakfast on Pluto. 

Stephen Rea

35. "Lemme think": UMM.

39. Squeal when a bug lands in one's hair: GET IT OFF.

41. Soft-shell __: CRAB.

42. School assignments: REPORTS.

43. Bic's __ Stic: CLIC.

44. Emphatic refusal: HECK NO.

46. Absolutely amazing: UNREAL.

49. Do some poking around: SNOOP.

50. Cast a ballot: VOTED.

51. Nesting creature: BIRD.  Here in Southern California, many eyes are glued to a webcam trained on a Bald Eagle nest in the local mountains.  The parents spent an incredible amount of time on the nest during a massive snow storm, and in the end, two of their three chicks survived.

Jackie and Shadow keep the eaglets warm.

52. Garfield's slobbering housemate: ODIE.

Garfield and Odie

53. Sephora rival: ULTA.

54. "On the __ Up": Angie Thomas novel about a teenage rapper: COME.  Angie Thomas is an American young adult author, best known for writing The Hate U Give (2017). Her second young adult novel, On the Come Up, was published in 2019.

55. Flour for roti and naan: ATTA.  Learned in LA Times crossword puzzles.

56. Hopping mad: IRED.  Ire can be used as a verb, to make angry.  Nothing ires him more than having to wait for his dinner.  He had to wait for his dinner, and was predictably ired.  Or so Merriam-Webster's online thesaurus would have us believe.  

57. Perspective, figuratively: LENS.  As in, I see everything through the lens of cruciverbalism.

Here's the grid:

Did you enjoy the city tour?

Did you get IRED near the end?

NaomiZ

Monday January 15, 2024 Zachary Schiff

  

Theme:                Sweater Shopping

Happy MLK Jr. Day, everyone! sumdaze here. If you have ever browsed through a clothing catalog, you have probably noticed that sweaters are rarely labeled using a Kindergarten color. Instead, a PURPLE sweater is MULBERRY or LAVENDAR or EGGPLANT.  Constructor Zachary Schiff turned that idea into a puzzle.

20 Across. Thoroughfare in New York City's Little Italy: MULBERRY STREET.  Lonely Planet info. for tourists

25 Across. Hit single from Taylor Swift's "Midnights": LAVENDER HAZE.

ALAS, I am not a Swiftie, but after a few perps I remembered this clue from a Sunday puzzle last month 12/17/23:

113 Across. Word after "Lavender" and "Purple," in song titles: HAZE.

43. Meatless cheesy entree, familiarly: EGGPLANT PARM. (parmesan)

Plus the reveal:

49 Across. 2023 musical film produced by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, and an apt title for this puzzle: THE COLOR PURPLE.  

Many of us remember the original movie released in 1985. This is the official trailer for the 2023 remake:

All three of the themers are composed of two-words. The gimmick remained hidden (to me) until I made my way down to it as neither MULBERRY nor EGGPLANT immediately struck me as synonyms for PURPLE. I like when that happens.

Across:
1. Campus gp. with a Greek name: FRAT.  "Group" is abbreviated, so is "FRATernity".

5. Eyelid hair: LASH.  

Lady Gaga at the Met Gala in 2019
Too much???

9. End: STOP.

13. __ slaw: COLE.

14. Aptly named cooler brand: IGLOO.  You can put your COLE slaw in it.

16. Ocean motion: TIDE.  

another "ocean motion" view

17. "Neat!": COOL.

18. Place to store valuables: VAULT.  

Seinfeld  (18 secs.)

19. Father and son authors Kingsley and Martin: AMIS.  Sir Kingsley William Amis and his son Martin Amis

23. Nerf missile: DART.  

24. Central cooling systs.: ACS.  "Systems" is abbreviated, so is Air Conditioners. I don't suppose yours is turned on at the moment.

32. Commonplace: LOWLY.

35. Unethical one: LOUSE.  

36. Limo passenger: VIP.  

37. "Sad to say ... ": ALAS.

38. Choreographer de Mille: AGNES.  (1905-1993)

Notice her shadow on the wall.

39. Chromosome part: GENE.

40. Goofy drawing?: CEL.  This is a perfect example of how a clue-writer can take advantage of the capitalize-the-first-letter convention. "Drawing of Goofy" would not be as deceiving.  

41. "Farewell, cherie": ADIEU.  You do not have to speak French to translate the chorus of this song. 😃  

song details

42. River vessel: BARGE.

46. Bum __: unfounded accusation: RAP.  

That reminds me...the fireplace guy was here the other day.

47. City near Anaheim: BREA.  I resisted this, thinking it was La BREA but apparently that is the name of the tar pits, not its city.

56. Have a strong 52-Down: REEK.   and   52 Down. Hamper emanation: ODOR.  

57. Love: ADORE.

58. Neeson of the "Taken" films: LIAM.  There have been three Taken movies, 2008, 2012, and 2014.

Liam Neeson in the phone call scene.

60. Actress Hathaway: ANNE.

61. Rosebud __: "Schitt's Creek" location: MOTEL.  Schitt's Creek is a 2015 TV show that lasted six seasons. It was filmed in Toronto. "Rose" was the surname of the main characters so this might be an Easter egg. Perhaps a fan of the show can tell us more?

62. Land measure: ACRE.  It seems like forever ago but I once lived on the million-ACRE MC Ranch, headquartered in Adel, OR. This article ran in Western Horseman Magazine in 1979, several years before I was there. It had not changed much except that the cattle were no longer straight Herefords like in those pictures. The cow boss let me ride with the crew as long as I was more help than harm. Good times! The ranch has since sold and has been broken up into smaller parcels.

63. Hissed "Over here!": PSST.

64. Kelly of morning talk TV: RIPA.     and     5 Down. Broadcast with minimal tape delay: LIVE TV.  

Click to enlarge.
Since April 2023, Kelly Ripa's co-host is her husband Mark Consuelos.

65. Hornet home: NEST.  Hornets are one of Mother Nature's PEST controllers. They will eat unwanted garden pests like aphids.

Down:
1. Airwaves-regulating govt. agency: FCC.  "Government" is abbreviated, so is the Federal Communications Commission.

2. Part of a suite: ROOM.

3. Audibly: ALOUD.

4. Candid memoirs: TELL-ALLS.  I recently read Henry Winkler's memoir. He talked a lot about how his severe dyslexia shaped his self-image. Reading the book was like hearing Gene Cousineau's voice (the character he played in Barry), saying the words ALOUD in my head. <not a bad thing>

6. Food thickener made from seaweed: AGAR.

7. Enunciate poorly: SLUR.

8. Sacred: HOLY.

9. Fabric stiffener: STARCH.  They put potatoes on clothes???

(You don't have to  explain this one to me. I know....)

10. Shortcut, hopefully: TIME SAVER.  

11. Drooling dog in "Garfield": ODIE.  

12. Gnat, e.g.: PEST.  Frogs, reptiles, small mammals, birds, fish, spiders, and other insects think of gnats as "dinner", not pests.

15. Bonus sports periods, for short: OTS.  Overtimes

21. Imitate a donkey: BRAY.  

22. Weight adjustment factor: TARE.  Last week a nurse forget to reset the TARE on the scale so she miscalculated my friend's newborn grandson's weight. This mistake caused an incorrect diagnosis and considerable stress. Fortunately the next shift identified the problem.

26. Baylor in the Basketball Hall of Fame: ELGIN.  NBA Legends Profile

27. Group of nine: NONET.  It seems NONET usually refers to a group of musicians.  

Lee Konitz Nonet     If You Could See Me Now     (1977)

28. In the on-deck circle: DUE UP.  today's giant leap award winner  

29. Strong start?: ESS.  "Strong" starts with the letter S.

30. Oomph: ZING.

31. Sword with a blunted tip: EPEE.

32. Frilly material: LACE.

33. Designer Cassini: OLEG.  (1913 - 2006)  

How can she pose like the bust behind her without cracking up?

34. CVS rival: WALGREENS.

38. Org. on a bottle of mouthwash: ADA.  American Dental Association

Listerine, a mouth rinse composed of a mixture of essential oils, was created in 1879 and was originally formulated as a surgical antiseptic. In spite of its known antimicrobial properties it was thought of as a product in search of a use and promoted as a deterrent for halitosis and as a floor cleaner. source

39. Coach's strategy: GAME PLAN.  

I like the look on Dewey's face.

41. Gravy Cravers pet food brand: ALPO.

42. "I'm f-f-f-reezing!": BRRR.

44. Single serving of sugar: PACKET.  

45. Tia's madre: ABUELA.  Spanish for "your aunt's mother is your grandmother"

(I've been refreshing my Spanish on Duolingo as PREP for a trip to Spain this summer.)

48. "The Brady Bunch" housekeeper: ALICE.  

We all know that Alice was much more than a housekeeper.

Alice Learns to Ski (54 sec.)

Ann B. Davis played Alice Nelson from 1969 to 1974 (plus special extras).

49. Lint collector: TRAP.

50. Farm cluckers: HENS.  We had the braying donkey so it is only fair we give this girl her time to shine.  

51. Go on the __: LAM.  to try to escape or hide from someone ... usually the police

53. Unleavened bread similar to naan: ROTI.

54. Make ready: PREP.

55. AirPods holders: EARS.

59. Ran into: MET.  

Get it? They're crash test dummies. Haha!

Here's another fun song before we go:  

The Purple People Eater by Sheb Wooley (1958)

...and the grid:

Have a great week, everyone!

Sunday July 16, 2023 Zachary Schiff & Shannon Rapp

Theme: "You Don't Belong Here" - U is added to each famliar phrase.

21. Paid one's respects to Charlie Brown and Snoopy?: SALUTED PEANUTS. Salted peanuts.

31. Good name for a salon offering a sweet treat with every haircut?: DOS AND DONUTS. Dos and don'ts.

45. Tech for toddlers to play with?: FAUX MACHINES. Fax machine.

62. TV pilots that soar?: OUTSTANDING DEBUTS. Outstanding debts.

81. Like the birthday money from Grandma to a responsible kid?: SAVINGS BOUND. Savings bond.

96. Nice vengeful spirits?: FRENCH FURIES. French fries.

108. Discussion board with topics like "How to get back to your home planet"?: ALIEN LIFE FORUM. Alien life form.

To me, "You Don't Belong Here" suggests that "U" is removed from each phrase. Plus, we also have "Dos and Don'ts" as a theme entry. 

This might be our constructor. Congrats on your LAT debut, Zach!

Across:

1. Paintball garb: CAMO.

5. Mason jar, in a pinch: VASE.

9. Cape __: COD.

12. Pink quaff, informally: COSMO. Cocktail. And 17. Blonde brews: ALES.

18. Tightwad: MISER.

19. "Absolument!": OUI.

20. Playful back-and-forth: BANTER.

24. DeBose of "West Side Story": ARIANA. In yellow skirt. Also a talented singer.

25. Confessional music genre: EMO.

26. Low-power mode: SLEEP.

27. Bruins great Bobby: ORR.

28. Mete out: ALLOT.

29. Sack of old clothes, perhaps: DONATION. The mantra: Does It Spark Joy?

35. Profit opposite: LOSS.

36. Dakar's locale: SENEGAL.

37. "Save me __": A SEAT.

38. Trees used to make some Fender guitars: ALDERS.

41. Reggae kin: SKA.

42. Complete, as a PDF contract: E-SIGN.

44. General with a chicken dish: TSO. Try "lo mai gai". It's wrapped in lotus leaf. So good. Gai is Cantonese for "chicken".

49. Lawyer's gp.: ABA.

50. Link letters: HTTP.

51. Disney role for Kristen Bell: ANNA.

52. Loophole: OUT.

53. Select with care: CULL.

55. "Elf" actress Deschanel: ZOOEY.

57. Rapper MC __: REN. N.W.A (gangsta rap). "Straight Outta Compton". Dr. Dre and Ice Cube were in that group also.

58. "Better Call __": AMC drama: SAUL.

60. "I smell trouble": OH NO.

61. Goes "vroom": REVS.

67. "The Five Second Rule," e.g.: MYTH.

68. Fullness of flavor: BODY.

69. Dorm unit: ROOM. And 77. Not single-sex: CO-ED.

70. Balancing pro: CPA.

73. Exceptional: SUPER.

75. Cow house: BARN.

76. Calico coat: FUR.

78. "Language!" elicitor: CUSS.

79. Insurance market reform law, initially: ACA.

85. "Ready when you __!": ARE.

86. Is too sweet: CLOYS.

88. Sumi-e medium: INK. Sumi-e  is Japanese ink painting.

89. Takes in: LEARNS.

90. Soul singer Hutson: LEROY. Learning moment for me.

92. Blotchy: MOTTLED.

95. Journeys home?: MALL. Never visited this store.

98. Monty Python's "The __ of Silly Walks": MINISTRY.

102. Team race: RELAY.

103. "How bizarre": ODD.

104. Glue: PASTE.

105. Break ground?: HOE. OK, verb.

106. Cream container: CARTON.

111. Wilts: DROOPS.

112. The Guardians of the MLB, on scoreboards: CLE. Hi there, Janice! We also have 4. Brutus Buckeye's sch.: OSU. Also 63. Diamond experts: UMPS.

113. Sturdy: SOLID.

114. Glam gala: FETE.

115. Preserves, as beef: CORNS.

116. Slow start?: ESS. Slow.

117. Skin concern: CYST.

118. Many a new driver: TEEN.

Down:

1. Scoped out for a heist: CASED.

2. Budget rival: ALAMO.

3. Fruit served with prosciutto: MELON. Never had this. Cantaloupe?

5. TikTok uploads: VIDEOS.

6. Roaring Fork River city: ASPEN.

7. Ooze: SEEP.

8. Bullpen stat: ERA.

9. Tasting menu unit: COURSE.

10. "This is an __!": OUTRAGE.

11. Put down: DIS.

12. Aid in obtaining a Passport?: CAR LOAN. Honda Passport.

13. Soffritto ingredient: ONIONS. From Google: "Soffritto is an aromatic mix of diced onions, carrots, and celery gently cooked in olive oil or butter. In fact, the Italian word soffritto means “slightly-fried”. Sounds like the Louisiana holy trinity.

14. Oscar, for one: STATUETTE.

15. All eleven of "Ocean's Eleven": MEN.

16. British singer Rita: ORA.

18. Actress McCarthy: MELISSA.

20. Like worn-out tires: BALD.

22. Noisy weather event, briefly: T-STORM. If not for the Canadian wildfires, our weather here would have been perfect. Hazy at times.

23. Hands-up time: NOON.

28. Respond in an improv class: AD LIB.

30. Amazon Echo assistant: ALEXA.

31. Academic VIP: DEAN.

32. __ spray: NASAL.

33. Delicious: TASTY. I still dream of Liang Pi from time to time. Have not had it for over 21 years. Popular street food in my hometown Xi'an.

34. "Enough!": STOP.

36. Burlesque bit: SKIT.

38. Not even close: AFAR.

39. Road division: LANE.

40. "Beats me": DUNNO.

41. Only NFL coach with a perfect season: SHULA (Don)

43. Garden structure: GAZEBO. My neighbor has a gazebo in his yard.

46. Well-mannered: COUTH. Uncouth is more common.

47. Egg-laying mammal: ECHIDNA.

48. Like a beach-friendly day: SUNNY.

50. Podcast presenter: HOST. Don't always agree with Sam Harris, but I like him.

54. Roleo surface: LOG.

56. Egg cell: OVUM.

58. Eye sore: STYE.

59. Celestial: ASTRAL.

60. Stenches: ODORS.

61. Result of a corp. audit, perhaps: RE-ORG.

64. Org. that pits Grizzlies against Pelicans: NBA.

65. "__ on You": Luke Bryan hit: DRUNK.

66. Use a Brillo pad, say: SCOUR.

71. Ivy in Philly: PENN.

72. Puts into the mix: ADDS.

73. More reliable: SURER.

74. Problem not caused by the computer: USER ERROR. Nice fill.

75. Catfish habitat: BAYOU.

76. Discover: FIND.

77. Fire-walking materials: COALS. I just don't get this. Crazy.

78. Soleus muscle location: CALF.

80. Like jammies: COMFY.

82. Strives (for): VIES.

83. Not on the level: SLANTED.

84. Conviction: BELIEF.

86. One-eyed monster: CYCLOPS.

87. Goes for a walk: STROLLS. Windhover might visit me next year. He's 77 now. He and his wife Irish are still farming. Incredible!

91. Pickup capacity: ONE TON.

93. Straightens (up): TIDIES.

94. Journo's article opening: LEDE.

95. Fish out of water: MISFIT.

97. Composer Zimmer: HANS.  From Wikipedia: "Since the 1980s, Zimmer has composed music for over 150 films. He has won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score for The Lion King (1994), and Dune (2021). His works include Gladiator, The Last Samurai, the Pirates of the Caribbean series, The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Man of Steel, Interstellar, Dunkirk, and No Time To Die."

98. Sends off: MAILS.

99. Midafternoon: THREE.

100. Waze suggestion: ROUTE.

101. Red Sea country: YEMEN.

104. Cunning ruse: PLOY.

106. Yellow Book org.: CDC.

107. Like one in a queerplatonic relationship, for short: ARO. Short for "aromantic". The short form of "asexual" is ACE.  OK, from Google: Queerplatonic relationships may involve some forms of physical affection such as hand-holding, cuddling, kissing, or occasionally having sex. Sounds romantic to me.

108. Big name in bandages: ACE.

109. Foreign policy gp.: NSC.

110. Many a time, in verse: OFT.

C. C.