Theme: "Welcome to the Big Leagues" - PRO is added to each common phrase.
24. Shout to an FBI agent investigating the wrong fellow?: DON'T PROBE THAT GUY. Don't be that guy.
38. "The polygraph is rigged!," e.g.?: LIE DETECTOR PROTEST. Lie detector test.
60. "RuPaul's Drag Race" prize money?: PROFIT FOR A QUEEN. Fit for a queen.
80. Like philosophers who can't find their way home?: LOST AND PROFOUND. Lost and found.
103. Hype that just goes on and on and on?: PERPETUAL PROMOTION. Perpetual motion.
121. Put off fulfilling a campaign promise?: PROLONG TERM GOALS. Long-term goals.
Another LAT debut, and a Sunday. Congratulations, Taylor!
We often see 7 or more theme entries. This one has 6, but they're all fairly long. Total 98 theme squares. It'd be great if all the new PRO* words do not have PRO as a root, such as PROBE, but they're all fun.
Across:
5. Rounds before the finals, for short: SEMIS.
10. Farm yield: CROP. My pal Carmen likes the Russian wheat noodles. Softer taste, she said.
14. Kudos at a poetry slam: SNAPS.
19. Batgirl garment: CAPE.
20. Glazer of "Broad City": ILANA.
21. Chicago MLS team: FIRE. In memory of the Great Chicago Fire.
22. __ noir: PINOT.
23. Meditate (on): CHEW.
27. Cherry-topped dish: SUNDAE. In case you don't know this trivia:
A pharmacist named Charles Sonntag created the treat, naming it the
“sonntag” after himself. Sonntag means Sunday in German, and so the name
was translated to Sunday, and later spelled as "sundae".
29. Travel pillow spot: NAPE.
30. Meh: SO SO.
31. "Now, where __ we?": WERE.
32. Taco topping: SALSA.
34. Long who plays Steve on "PEN15": CHAU. Unknown to me.
36. Helps: AVAILS.
43. NAACP co-founder __ B. Wells: IDA.
44. Informal meeting?: SESH. Session.
45. Piggy bank opening: SLOT.
46. Sound like autumn leaves: RUSTLE.
50. "We should!": LET'S.
52. "What's your __?": POINT.
55. Smidgen: IOTA.
57. "Broken Arrow" director John: WOO. Born in Guangzhou.
58. Fertile desert spot: OASIS.
65. __ Gatos, California: LOS.
67. London stroller: PRAM.
68. Planet __: gym chain: FITNESS.
69. Intro to typing?: STEREO. Stereotyping.
72. "Get __ of this!": A LOAD.
75. Suit bottoms: SKIRTS.
76. At an angle: SLANTED.
77. Sheet of ice: FLOE.
79. Maker of Calling All Goddesses! nail polish: OPI. The other brand is ESSIE. Friendly crossword combo.
85. Fern-to-be: SPORE.
89. Spot-on: APT.
90. BBQ side: SLAW.
91. Trauma specialist, for short: ER DOC. Boomer likes to fight with them :-)
93. Fed. power dept.: ENER.
94. Past: BEYOND.
98. Airbnb alternatives: INNS.
100. Scent: ODOR.
102. Former quarterback Manning: ELI.
108. Word with high or tech: SCHOOL.
110. __ bargain: PLEA.
111. Penélope Cruz's birthplace: SPAIN. Same as her husband Javier Bardem.
112. Dull pain: ACHE.
113. Fingers-crossed thought: WISH.
116. Ice cream brand: EDY'S.
118. Database systems giant: ORACLE. Our Steve used to work there.
125. Churn up: ROIL.
126. Chilling: EERIE.
127. 33-Down animal who loses because of a nap: HARE. 33. Storyteller whose tales usually feature talking animals: AESOP.
128. "Four Quartets" poet: ELIOT.
129. Clock toggle: AM PM.
130. Use foul language: SWEAR.
131. Ensnare: TRAP.
132. Flavors, in a way: SALTS. Or CURES.
133. Large bodies of water: SEAS.
Down:
2. Waimea Bay island: OAHU.
3. Available options when booking a flight: OPEN SEATS.
4. Pop up a lot?: NEW DAD. Ha ha. Pop who's up a lot. The baby is crying.
5. Evade: SIDESTEP.
6. "Xanadu" gp.: ELO.
7. Leslie of "This Is 40": MANN.
8. Whole: INTACT.
9. Lyric poet of Lesbos: SAPPHO. Lesbian poet.
10. Corp. money exec: CFO.
11. Messy barbecue fare: RIBS.
12. Cookie used as a froyo topping: OREO.
13. Took care of a boxer?: PET SAT. Common misleads: "Took care of a lab" or "Watched a boxer".
14. Mud bath venue: SPA.
15. Birdbrains: NITWITS.
16. __ hair pasta: ANGEL. Boomer's favorite. I now like thin spaghetti.
17. Decants: POURS.
18. Eye ailment: STYE.
25. Brings up: REARS.
26. Emulate a drone: HOVER.
28. Sudsy mugfuls: ALES.
35. Illuminated from below: UPLIT.
37. Tempe sch.: ASU.
38. Stitch's human companion: LILO. "Lilo & Stitch".
39. Brainchild: IDEA.
40. Cricket sound: CHIRP.
41. Place for solar panels: ROOF.
42. Cleveland Browns great __ Graham: OTTO.
47. Twitter message: TWEET.
48. Fine-grained soil: LOESS.
49. Many ages: EONS.
51. Like some partners: SILENT.
53. "Julie & Julia" writer/director Ephron: NORA.
54. Cookware brand: T FAL. Teflon & Aluminum.
56. Kennel racket: ARFS.
59. Kinda: SORTA.
61. "Later!": I'M OFF.
62. "Chilombo" Grammy nominee Jhené __: AIKO.
63. Cotton swabs: Q-TIPS. We use these for Boomer's Mupirocin pre-op procedure. Twice a day for 5 days.
64. Not ready to eat: UNRIPE. I miss naturally ripe persimmons.
66. Not hidden: SEEN.
69. Ski resort feature: SLOPE.
70. Yummy: TASTY. I also miss dried persimmons, Xi'an-style.
71. Chances: ODDS.
73. Body cream additive: ALOE.
74. Gloomy: DOUR.
76. Big chunk: SLAB.
78. Forest moon that's home to the Ewoks: ENDOR.
81. Ballet move: PLIE.
82. Sound off: RANT.
83. Admit (to): OWN UP.
84. Extinct Mauritian birds: DODOS. We used to have a regular named Dodo, a sweet lady.
86. Like a family with a stay-at-home dad: ONE INCOME.
87. Move for one's co., say: RELO.
88. "The Night Circus" novelist Morgenstern: ERIN.
92. Handles food waste ecologically: COMPOSTS.
95. Sister of Laertes: OPHELIA. "Hamlet".
96. Opposite of paleo-: NEO.
97. Flood with chocolate syrup, say: DROWN.
99. "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" cat: SALEM.
101. T. rex's "I'm going to eat you!": ROAR. Ha.
104. Predicament: PLIGHT.
105. Rocky projections: LEDGES.
106. Bribe for airtime: PAYOLA. Is this still going on?
107. Glittery accessories: TIARAS.
108. Carpentry fastener: SCREW. I just learned from our master
carpenter Splynter that his mom passed way in March. As some of you
knew, Splynter was his mom's caregiver for many years. By the way, he
loves the new LAT crosswords.
 |
| Baby Splynter and His Parents |
109. Job jar assignment: CHORE.
112. Copies: APES.
114. Take the lead?: STAR.
115. Youngest daughter of Cronus: HERA. Cronus had 7 kids: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus and Chiron. Hera was the sister and wife of Zeus.
117. Breeze (through): SAIL.
119. "Future Nostalgia" singer Dua __: LIPA.
120. Stately trees: ELMS.
122. Atop, poetically: O'ER.
123. Gym unit: REP.
124. Movie filming site: LOT.
Boomer's
surgery (reverse total shoulder replacement) is rescheduled to May 31
Tuesday. He can't have chemo 2 weeks before or after the surgery, so
this further delay is a bit disappointing. But things could have been
worse: what if the surgeon tested positive for COVID the day after the
surgery? I would be so worried. Plus, Boomer's pain is under control.
We'll just start the at-home pre-op procedure again next week.
C.C.
