Sunday March 18, 2023 Alan Massengill & Doug Peterson

Theme: "Bring It On" - IT is added to each common phrase.

22. Drill team for outlaws?: MARCHING BANDITS. Marching band.

31. Study up on Newton's theories?: GRAVITY TRAIN. Gravy train.

49. Book club choices for a church group?: PULPIT FICTION. Pulp fiction.

64. Vampire's introspective question?: TO BITE OR NOT TO BITE. To be or not to be.

82. Unusual cold snap in England?: BRITAIN FREEZE. Brain freeze.

96. Funny business in an Oregon city?: EUGENE LEVITY. Eugene Levy.

108. "Now where did that minty cocktail go ... "?: I'VE LOST MY MOJITO. I've lost my mojo.

Ah I think some of the regulars know the gimmick before they even start the grid. Revealing title.

Simple theme expertly executed. No other straying IT in the grid. I really like that 64A fill and clue. 

Every time I see Doug's byline I think of Barry Silk. They used to collaborate on themeless quite a bit.

Across: 

1. Classic cartoon horse Quick Draw __: MCGRAW.

7. Superhero with anger issues: HULK.

11. Rapper __ Nas X: LIL. Known for his "Old Town Road" and fashion sense.

14. Slavic native: SERB.

18. Beethoven's Third: EROICA.

19. "Ohhhhh": I SEE.

20. Point value of a gol de fútbol: UNO.

21. Egyptian peninsula: SINAI.

25. "__ it!": PROVE.

26. Be behind: OWE.

27. Texter's rebuttal: OTOH.

28. In the past: AGO. And 61. In the past: PRIOR.

29. __ tofu: SILKEN. Looks delicious. I mostly use silken tofu for miso soup.

30. Big name in casualwear: POLO. And 78. Big name in casualwear: IZOD.

35. Big name in cookware: T-FAL. My saute pan.

38. Ramp up or ramp down: INCLINE.

40. 2022 AL MVP Judge: AARON. Doug is Yankees fan I think.

41. Permits: ALLOWS.

43. Sword part: HAFT.

44. Pronombre personal: ELLA. Pronombre is Spanish for "pronoun".

45. Gather into loops: COIL.

52. Really big: IMMENSE.

54. Mariana Trench, e.g.: ABYSS.

55. Subject for a primatologist: APE.

56. Zen garden tool: RAKE.

58. Homeric saga featuring the Catalogue of Ships: ILIAD.

59. Door latch: HASP.

61. Put (together): PIECE.

63. Groups of sheep: FLOCKS.

68. Key with one sharp: E MINOR.

70. Legal docs: WRITS.

71. Leave out: OMIT.

72. Bossy star of a kid's game: SIMON.

73. Sony laptop brand: VAIO. The other four-letter laptop is ASUS or ACER.

74. Org. that oversees tobacco: FDA.

75. Apt name for some Aries: APRIL.

80. Has a tendency for: PRONE TO.

86. Hawaii's state bird: NENE.

87. Pasta type: ZITI.

89. "Voilà!": DONE.

90. Lady Bird's husband: LYNDON. I know what Boomer would have linked.

91. Swiped: STOLE.

93. Hyundai model: ELANTRA.

95. "Alice in Wonderland" bird: DODO.

99. Egyptian vipers: ASPS.

101. Academic's achievement: TENURE.

102. In the manner of: A LA. I'm still waiting for David to finish my USA Today "Reciting Pi" puzzle. Notice he can't even get 64A. But this is only his first 15x15.

103. __ chamber: ECHO.

104. Atlanta-based network: TBS.

107. Met's lineup?: ARIAS. The Met. Not the Mets.

113. Bishop's hat: MITRE.

114. Secret code: PIN.

115. 20 quires: REAM.

116. Twist in a novel: OLIVER. Great clue also.

117. Pomegranate bit: SEED. Called Aril.

118. Reproductive cells: OVA.

119. Lady __ of "A Star Is Born": GAGA.

120. "Prithee make thyself scarce": BE GONE.

Down:

1. Inbox item: MEMO.

2. Sticking point, metaphorically: CRAW. And 69. Sticking point: MIRE.

3. 1990s vice president: GORE.

4. Pro wrestler Flair: RIC.

5. Blessed sound?: ACHOO.

6. Limbo for a college applicant: WAIT LIST.

7. Daily temperature stat: HIGH. More snow last week. Now we've had over 80 inches in the Twin Cities area this season.

8. Computer port initials: USB.

9. Grassy expanse: LEA.

10. "Crazy Rich Asians" actor Jeong: KEN. South Korean heritage. This name is sometimes spelled as Chung, as in Jamie Chung.

11. Video game brother: LUIGI.

12. Counting everything: IN TOTAL.

13. __ Angeles: LOS.

14. Round Table knight: SIR LANCELOT. Sparkly fill.

15. Thin mushroom: ENOKI. I used to eat these regularly. So pricey after Covid.

16. Poe's "ungainly fowl": RAVEN.

17. "Muy __": BIEN.

21. Hubert's successor: SPIRO.

23. Twelve sharp: NOON.

24. Bautista of "Guardians of the Galaxy": DAVE. He played Drax the Destroyer,

29. Hall of Fame football coach Hank: STRAM. Google info: "On January 11, 1970, Chiefs Head Coach, Hank Stram, became the first NFL coach to wear a wire in a Super Bowl."

30. Fat raindrop sounds: PLOPS.

31. Candied, as cherries: GLACE.

32. Breach: RIFT.

33. Not pro: ANTI.

34. New Haven Ivy Leaguer: YALIE.

35. Andalusia appetizer: TAPA.

36. Part of a blooper reel: FLUB.

37. Fellow fighter: ALLY.

39. Great Lakes people: CHIPPEWA. I thought the Chippewa Falls is in MN. But it's in WI.

42. Thanksgiving snapper: WISHBONE.

44. Put into law: ENACT.

46. Ready if required: ON ICE.

47. Novelist Dinesen: ISAK. She wrote "Out of Africa".

48. Parts of some flashlights: LEDS.

50. Observe Ramadan, say: FAST. This is hard.

51. Cookies with an occasional Mystery Flavor: OREOS.

53. Word with service or surplus: MILITARY.

57. Low-carb regimen: KETO DIET. This is hard also. Why doesn't love carbs?

60. Bubble filler: AIR.

62. Mtge. figure: INT.

63. Heist film antagonists, often: Abbr.: FBI.

64. Shakespeare's title Athenian: TIMON.

65. Ready for anything: ON ONE'S GUARD.

66. Savannah antelope: ORIBI. Hi there.

67. Persian Gulf sultanate: OMAN.

68. Network with a "Deportes" channel: ESPN.

73. Soft sheer fabric: VOILE.

74. __ pack: FANNY. Often worn as a crossbody bag now.

76. Hangs: PENDS.

77. Try again: REDO.

79. Former host Jay: LENO.

81. Oil region?: T ZONE. Due to its T shape. Oily area.

83. Rice cake served with chutney: IDLI. Never had this.

84. Fits __: TO A T.

85. Quickly assembled group: FLASH MOB.

88. Israeli port on the Mediterranean: TEL AVIV. Nice to see a full name.

92. Clipped: TERSE.

93. Short critique?: EVAL. Evaluation.

94. Risqué: RACY.

96. Haunting: EERIE.

97. Join together: UNITE.

98. Justice Kagan: ELENA.

100. English Channel port: POOLE. New to me.

101. Scottish lids: TAMS.

103. "Room" novelist Donoghue: EMMA.

104. Record, in a way: TIVO.

105. Bingo call: B TEN.

106. Vexed: SORE.

108. Stock acronym: IPO.

109. Alternative to edu: ORG.

110. Coral __: SEA.

111. Playground game: TAG.

112. Leprechaun's dance: JIG.

C.C.