Theme: "Work Place" - Each familiar phrase is reinterpreted as if it's a workplace fitting the products or professions in the clue.
22A. Facility for processing vacation requests?: LEAVE OFFICE.
24A. Facility where the higher-ups do business?: STATUS BAR.
44A. Facility for researching cocoa-based goodies?: CHOCOLATE LAB.
69A. Facility for baking custard-filled pastries?: NAPOLEON COMPLEX.
97A. Facility for purchasing the latest fad items?: WHAT'S IN STORE.
121A. Facility for a matchmaker?: SETUP SHOP.
124A. Facility for cloning research?: DOUBLE SPACE.
3D. Facility for recycling old batteries?: DEAD CENTER.
79D. Facility for manufacturing homes?: HOUSEPLANT.
This is a extension of the Robert W. Harris puzzle we had years ago. I think it works the best when all the entries are nouns phrases.
Quite theme heavy. Total 9 entries. Four of themers intersect. I always love it when that happens.
Across:
5. '70s Connecticut governor Ella: GRASSO. Was she nationally known?
11. Requiring utensils, as some sandwiches: OPEN FACE.
19. Pitcher Hershiser: OREL.
20. Searched roughly: RIFLED.
21. Apparent displacement due to observer movement: PARALLAX. We had this before.
26. Puts on cargo: LADES.
27. "It's a __!": FACT.
28. ORD postings: ETAS.
29. Expert: ACE.
30. English race place: ASCOT.
31. Hides: LIES LOW.
35. Reagan secretary of state: SHULTZ. George Shultz is still alive.
37. Click beetles: ELATERS. New to me. Sure does not look like elated.
39. Wyoming natives: ARAPAHOS. Google shows that "Today, the Cheyenne and Arapaho are federally recognized as one tribe and known as the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes".
42. Peak: ZENITH.
48. Muesli morsel: OAT.
49. City NNW of San Francisco: EUREKA.
53. __-Ball: arcade game: SKEE.
54. Place for a hero: DELI. Xi'an style sandwich.
55. Pizzeria fixture: OVEN. And 8D Pizzeria offerings: SLICES. And
57A. "Yum!": DELISH.
59. Last of a series: OMEGA.
62. Help: AID.
63. Red Cross supply: SERUM.
65. Deck alternatives: PATIOS.
67. Advisories: ALERTS. We're under a Wind Chill Advisory right now. High today - 2.
74. Minds: SEES TO.
77. Composer Prokofiev: SERGEI. He composed "Peter and the Wolf". Read more here.
78. Master, in Hindi: SAHIB. Does this term apply to woman also, Vidwan?
82. Zero deg. at the equator, say: LAT. OK, latitude.
83. Impact sound: SPLAT. 38D. Sound of an impact: THUD.
87. Put (away): SALTED.
89. California lake near the Nevada border: MONO. Also new to me.
90. Unpopular spots: ACNE.
92. Donor drive target: ALUM.
94. Eye: PEER AT.
96. Tabloid topic: UFO.
101. Fingers: RATS ON.
103. Indian cooking style: TANDOORI. I wonder if TTP has fiddled with tandoori chicken.
104. Michelin product: CAR TIRE.
107. Some are vital: ORGANS.
110. Shapes again: RE-MOLDS.
112. Slangy denials: NOPEs.
115. Super Bowl LIV halftime performer: J LO. Here with Shakira.
116. Ph.D. hurdle: DISS. Dissertation.
119. Kind of 1940s suit: ZOOT.
120. Gown fabric: TULLE.
126. Disinfect: SANITIZE.
127. Start a paragraph, maybe: INDENT.
128. Writer Bagnold: ENID.
129. Many kilt wearers: SCOTSMEN.
130. Pickles: MESSES.
131. Yardsticks: Abbr.: STDS.
Down:
2. Neighborhoods: AREAS.
4. Lung air sacs: ALVEOLI. Not an easy word.
5. Miracle-__: GRO.
6. Thumb (through): RIFFLE.
7. Fling: AFFAIR.
9. Shakers and others: SECTS. The religious Shakers.
10. Keats' "To Autumn," e.g.: ODE.
11. Black __: OPS.
12. Toast topping: PATE.
13. Part of Q.E.D.: ERAT.
14. Foe of Rocky and Bullwinkle: NATASHA.
15. Frequent subject in recent headlines: FLU SHOT. Still no extra dose for Boomer's arm. VA clinic just completed the 85+ group. Soon, hopefully.
16. Green and Yankovic: ALS.
17. Conspiring group: CABAL.
18. Strict: EXACT.
23. It's often divided: ESTATE.
25. __-de-chaussée: ground floor: REZ.
32. "Well, __-di-dah!": LAH.
33. Suit in a Spanish deck of cards: OROS: "A Spanish deck of cards has always been divided in 4 suits, called: Oros ("golds" or gold coins), Copas (cups), Espadas (swords), and Bastos
(clubs). These symbols supposedly represented the 4 social classes
divided by the feudal society: royalty, clergy, military, and common
people." Source here.
34. Off-the-wall: WACKO.
36. Worn: USED.
40. Work with feet: POEM. Good old clue.
41. Toward the sheltered side: ALEE.
42. Attractions in San Diego and the Bronx: ZOOS.
43. Icicle's locale: EAVE.
44. Privia Pro Stage pianos, e.g.: CASIOS.
45. Cordelia's father: LEAR.
46. Touched down: ALIT.
47. Bridge actions: BIDS.
50. Seized vehicle: REPO.
51. Its planes have missile defense systems: EL AL.
52. Toy with a tail: KITE.
56. Women with habits: NUNS. We've been in contact with the sweet
nuns at Benedictine Sisters at Clyde, Missouri all these years.
Boomer's aunt, Sister Caroline, was buried there.
58. Sharpens: HONES.
60. Liquid meas.: GAL.
61. They may be bitter: ALES.
64. Gym equipment: MATS.
66. Tough spot: SCRAPE.
68. Physical, say: EXAM.
70. Weasel report?: POP. "Pop! Goes the Weasel".
71. Stare at in a creepy way: OGLE. You won't find this word in USA Today puzzle.
72. Distribute, with "out": METE.
73. Waterfront sight: PIER.
74. Leaves on a dog: SLAW. Never saw Boomer put coleslaw on his hot dogs.
75. A head: EACH.
76. Peak seen from Messina: ETNA.
80. Skinny: INFO.
81. Godsend: BOON.
84. Arrive, in a way: LAND.
85. Plus: ALSO.
86. Pre-test helper: TUTOR. Hi there, Bill G!
88. Flier with a flight: DART.
91. Jazz diva Jones: ETTA.
93. Seconds, say: MORE.
95. Contaminates: TAINTS.
98. Excavation site: SAND PIT.
99. Isn't at all wishy-washy: INSISTS.
100. Glass lip: RIM.
102. Thespian companies: TROUPES.
104. "Feather canyons everywhere," to Joni Mitchell: CLOUDS.
105. Building blocks: ADOBES.
106. Givens in the "Wheel of Fortune" bonus round: R S T L NE. And 108. Like non-oyster months, traditionally: R LESS.
107. Drinks in the a.m.: OJS.
109. Did okay in class: GOT A C. Quite a few letter plays here.
111. __ layer: OZONE.
113. Heston title role: EL CID.
114. Sprouts-to-be: SEEDS.
117. Mason's wedge: SHIM.
118. "The Usual Suspects" crime lord Keyser __: SOZE. OK, I googled, played by Kevin Spacey. I won't link then.
122. 108-card game: UNO.
123. Montblanc product: PEN.
124. Hard to see in: DIM.
125. Sci-fi beings: ETS.
C.C.