Sunday November 19, 2023 Susan Gelfand & Katie Hale

Theme: "Change the Subject" - Each common phrase is rephrased as if it's a tip from a school teacher.

23. Tip from a history teacher about how to study WWII?: CHOOSE ONE'S BATTLES.

38. Tip from an English teacher about the editing process?: MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT.

60. Tip from a gym teacher about how to win at tug-of-war?: PULL IT TOGETHER.

81. Tip from an astronomy teacher about how to set up telescopes?: AIM FOR THE STARS.

102. Tip from an accounting teacher about calculating profits and losses?: FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE.

121. Tip from a math teacher about working with squares and cubes?: REMEMBER YOUR ROOTS

I feel CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES work better for 23A, but then it would result two YOUR in the theme set. Only 6 entries, but they're all very long. A perfect 100 theme squares with an extra "Tip from .... teacher" clue layer.

 

I just realized that this is Susan's first Sunday LAT. Surprising. She's a veteran constructor who's been published in many places. Congrats, Susan!

Across:

1. Word with corn or matzo: MEAL.

5. Fill-in at an office: TEMP.

9. Truly hopeless: ABJECT.

15. Org. with badges: BSA.

18. Director Preminger: OTTO. Our Otto. This is from his retirement luncheon in 2010.

19. Thrown in: EXTRA.

21. "Clever you": TOUCHE.

22. Each and every: ALL.

26. __ card: smartphone need: SIM.

27. Intimate: HINT AT.

28. Went fast: SPED.

29. Radio City Music Hall style: ART DECO. We often just have DECO.

31. Unreturned tennis serve: ACE.

32. Grover's predecessor: CHESTER. Arthur.

35. __ the pot: STIR.

37. "On a ... " poems: ODES.

42. "__ there, done that": BEEN.

44. Rapper Dr. __: DRE.

45. Dines: SUPS.

46. 3-Down novelist McEwan: IAN. 3. Booker Prize-shortlisted novel made into a film starring Keira Knightley: ATONEMENT.

47. Desilu co-founder: ARNAZ.

49. Actress Ward: SELA.

52. Observed Ramadan, say: FASTED.

55. Question of identity: WHO.

58. Make a difference: MATTER.

63. Get more out of: RECYCLE.

65. Nonprofit URL ender: ORG.

66. Make money: EARN.

67. Tiny organism: MICROBE.

71. Atlanta pitcher Kirby: YATES. Free agent now. Also 94. Baseball deal: TRADE.

74. Sandal feature: OPEN TOE.

76. Botanical balm: ALOE.

77. Hosp. areas: ORS.

79. Charlie Parker's instrument: ALTO SAX.

85. Some flower girl candidates: NIECES.

90. "Stay With Me" singer Smith: SAM.

91. Invisible: UNSEEN.

92. Great flood protagonist: NOAH.

95. Western treaty gp.: OAS. Organization of American States.

97. Stuck in __: A RUT.

99. MMA calls: KOS.

101. Big-screen format: IMAX.

109. Pie crust ingredient: LARD. Boomer loved pumpkin pies. I don't think we ever had apple pies for Thanksgiving. We also always had boiled rutabaga.

110. "Anything __?": ELSE.

111. Prepare for a comeback tour: RE-UNITE.

112. Reproductive cells: OVA.

115. Google oneself, perhaps: EGO-SURF.

117. Downright nasty: MEAN.

118. Caged copycat: PARROT.

120. Successful show letters: SRO.

126. Shorten, as a skirt: HEM.

127. Venezia's land: ITALIA.

128. Skin soother: SALVE. I love this brand.

129. Sheltered from the wind: ALEE.

130. Thumbs-up: YES.

131. Former Seattle team, familiarly: SONICS.

132. Tide type: NEAP.

133. Colorado's __ Verde National Park: MESA.

Down:

1. Chocolaty coffee: MOCHA.

2. Moral code: ETHIC.

4. Booty: LOOT.

5. Grew molars, say: TEETHED.

6. Prefix with thermic: EXO.

7. Any of the Rockies: Abbr.: MTN.

8. Magic word: PRESTO.

9. Little bit: A TAD.

10. Droid: BOT.

11. Stick (out): JUT.

12. Log-shaped pastry: ECLAIR.

13. Shirley Temple garnish: CHERRY.

14. Acid __: TEST.

15. Question of evidence: BASED ON WHAT.  Debut fill. Two more long multi-word entries: 69. Dorm areas for hanging out: COMMON ROOMS.  87. Small part for a big name, often: CAMEO ROLE.

16. Deli device: SLICER.

17. Just about: ALMOST.

20. Colorado ski spot: ASPEN.

24. Burlap bag: SACK.

25. Arctic hazards: BERGS.

30. Qatar's capital: DOHA.

33. Hearing things: EARS.

34. Struggling to stay awake: SLEEPY.

35. Apostle of Ireland, for short: ST PAT.

36. Throw at: TOSS TO.

39. Med school subj.: ANAT.

40. Islamic mystic: SUFI. Rumi was one.

41. Fries or slaw: SIDE.

42. "Kapow!": BAM.

43. Notable period: ERA.

48. Zip: ZERO.

50. Girl who cannot be trusted to hold the football for Charlie Brown: LUCY.

51. Pasta __ Norma: ALLA. Never heard of it. Pasta with eggplant.

53. Pamplona bulls: TOROS.

54. Omelet skillet: EGG PAN.

56. Supersized sandwich: HERO.

57. Normandy river: ORNE.

59. Energized anew: REBORN.

61. Unleash upon: LET AT.

62. Number of Grammy Awards won by Dolly Parton: TEN. She has won almost every award. 

64. Classic mint brand: CERTS.

67. Bleating sounds: MAAS.

68. Pelvic bones: ILIA.

70. NBA official: REF.

72. Dynamism: ELAN.

73. H-Town pro: STRO.

75. Parkway sign: EXIT.

78. Wool clippers: SHEARS. And 106. Doesn't use scissors: TEARS.

80. Resident of Japan's third largest city: OSAKAN.

82. Unseat: OUST.

83. Spooky: EERIE.

84. Comfy and cozy: SNUG.

86. Prince in "The Little Mermaid": ERIC.

88. Writer LeShan: EDA.

89. Census datum: SEX.

93. Hindu spring festival: HOLI.

96. Goes on to say: ADDS.

98. Number of Powerpuff Girls: THREE. Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup.

100. Course for college-bound HS students: SAT PREP.

102. Plump: FLESHY.

103. "Amen to that!": I AGREE.

104. Contract adverb: HERETO.

105. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" composer Danny: ELFMAN.

107. Legendary Paul: BUNYAN.

108. Close by: NEAR.

113. Casts a ballot: VOTES.

114. On a cruise: AT SEA.

116. "Exodus" novelist Leon: URIS.

117. Many execs: MBAS.

119. Travel without a destination: ROAM.

122. Pharmaceutical giant __ Lilly: ELI.

123. MC's need: MIC.

124. World Cup cheer: OLE.

125. Cavaliers sch.: UVA.

C.C.