Sunday July 14, 2024 Scott Hogan & Katie Hale

Theme:  "It's a Sign" - Each traffic sign is rephrased as non-traffic.

23. "Put that Sandra Bullock bomb-on-a-bus DVD in the clearance bin!": REDUCE SPEED. "Speed" the movie.

33. "Keep it clean! This is a family musical!": CHILDREN AT PLAY.

51. "Base jumping is awesome!": FALLING ROCKS.

67. "Play every song the whole way through!": DO NOT STOP ON TRACKS.

85. "Don't you dare throw another interception!": PASS WITH CARE.

99. "Our new corporate partners are almost here!": PREPARE TO MERGE.

117. "Can we please banish traveling salespeople already!?": END ROADWORK.

Fun theme. I'm very fond of this type of re-phrasing approach. I think the END ROADWORK is purposely placed as the last theme entry.

Textbook LAT Sunday grid. Super smooth. Low number 3-letter fill. Katie is a pro at making Sunday grids.

Across:

1. "Kung Fu __": Jack Black film franchise: PANDA. Master Po.

6. Italian "Enough!": BASTA.

11. Seat on a hayride: BALE.

15. Kiss, in Camden: SNOG. London. I only know Camden Yards.

19. Phone setting: ALARM.

20. "Bunnicula" voice actor Sean: ASTIN.  Bunnicula is a vampire rabbit.

21. "You haven't changed __": A BIT.

22. Cod, for one: CAPE.

25. Reasons not to: CONS. Pros and cons.

26. Say, say: AVER.

27. Molding, e.g.: TRIM.

28. Sends: SHIPS.

29. Common nest spot: EAVE.

30. False flattery: SMARM.

31. Fruity baked treats: TARTS. No ovens in most Chinese kitchens. Our treats are just steamed or fried.

36. "Fine, I guess": OH OK.

38. More than want: NEED.

39. Letters on a face: XII. Clock face.

40. Tierra en el océano: ISLA.

42. Sup: EAT.

45. "The Morning Show" star: ANISTON. Jennifer.

48. Blow in the ring: JAB. Boxing ring.

54. Porcelain treasure: MING VASE.

56. Before now: AGO.

57. Spanish 101 verb: ESTAR. To be.

58. Breathes on glass, say: FOGS.

59. Sharqiya Sands country: OMAN.

60. Real drag: DOWNER.

63. Tart pub quaff: SOUR ALE.

66. Very good (at): ADEPT.

71. Late-night host Ferguson: CRAIG. He was succeeded by James Corden.

73. Gives off strongly: REEKS OF.

74. Boss: LEADER.

77. Sunscreen metal: ZINC.

78. Brought a case: SUED.

79. Word on a Paris map: METRO. And 82. Evian or Perrier: EAU.

83. Student's hoped-for university response: ACCEPTED.

89. Tuna tartare topper: ROE.

90. Conference unit: SESSION.

92. Cargo weight: TON.

93. Writers McEwan and Fleming: IANS.

94. Pronoun option: SHE. I used to confuse Boomer with my " ... then she/he said ..." It's all Ta in Chinese, whether she, he or it.

95. Small change: CENT.

97. Artful: DEFT.

106. October birth sign: LIBRA.

109. Extend a subscription: RENEW.

110. Biscuit containers: TINS.

111. Pulls down: EARNS.

113. State with a triangular swallowtail flag: OHIO. Hi there, Janice!

115. Utah ski resort: ALTA.

116. Subj. for which trig is a prereq: CALC.

119. Like some humor: DARK.

120. "Mon __!": DIEU.

121. Bar perch: STOOL.

122. Respected villager: ELDER.

123. Choppers: AXES.

124. "Make it shorter," made shorter: TL;DR. Too Long; Didn't Read.
 
125. Fish with neon stripes: TETRA.

126. Carne __: grilled meat: ASADA.

Down: 

1. Pigtails separation: PART.

2. Phone setting: ALERT.

3. Gymnast Comaneci: NADIA.

4. Announcement build-up, maybe: DRUM ROLL. Partnered with 88. Places where things may seem fishy: CAT BOWLS. Both great entries.

5. "Dark Winds" network: AMC.

6. Ram: BASH.

7. Molded jelly made with meat stock: ASPIC. Chinese aspic.

8. 2022 NBA Finals MVP Curry: STEPH.

9. Aptly links (with): TIES IN.

10. "Do go on ... ": AND.

11. Rum brand with a bat logo: BACARDI.

12. __ and beyond: ABOVE.

13. Summer fabric: LINEN.

14. "3 Body Problem" antagonists, briefly: ETS. Based on the novel of Liu Cixin.

15. Garlicky dish: SCAMPI.

16. Like a sub: NAVAL.

17. Glass production?: OPERA. Philip Glass.

18. In need of an antibacterial wipe: GERMY. My sister-in-law Connie is still in the hospital. Still not sure what caused her faint. Probably the pneumonia. She can walk a short distance with a walker now.

24. Petrol pump brand: ESSO.

29. Paradises: EDENS.

30. Undercover operation: STING.

32. Massaman curry cuisine: THAI. We seem to encounter Thai food reference every Sunday.

34. Cause of a drip: LEAK.

35. Neural transmitters: AXONS.

37. Some barrels: KEGS.

40. Othello manipulator: IAGO.

41. Potentially awkward time at a middle school party: SLOW DANCE. No parties in our middle school. Lovers did not even hold hands then.

43. Wall display: ART.

44. Said "Cheers!": TOASTED.

46. Young salmon: SMOLT. Learned from doing crosswords.

47. Big cat: TIGER.

48. "East of Eden" co-star: JAMES DEAN.

49. "Make haste!" abbr.: ASAP.

50. Elbowed: BENT.

51. Craze: FAD.

52. Roman emperor after Claudius: NERO.

53. Swindler: CROOK.

55. Screwdriver need: VODKA. The cocktail.

58. Event for the faithful: FAN FEST. Attended quite a few TwinsFest over the years.

61. Neat: NO ICE.

62. London lang.: ENG.

64. eBayer's option: UPS.

65. Inn requests: ROOMS.

66. Deck one?: ACE. OK, deck of cards.

68. Sets to right: TRUES.

69. Root origins: SEEDS.

70. Oh so much: A LOT. I love this picture.

Andrea Carla Michaels, C.C. and Tom Pepper, 7/8/2024

71. Policy honcho: CZAR.

72. Puerto __: RICO.

75. Some audio receivers: EARS.

76. Word on a Paris map: RUE.

78. Longhorn, e.g.: STEER.

80. Even prime: TWO.

81. Zest source: RIND.

84. "Phooey!": PSHAW.

85. Some wedding readings: POEMS.

86. "The Crown" role for Erin Doherty: ANNE. Princess Anne.

87. Many an audio receiver: HI-FI.

91. "No argument here": I CONCUR.

94. __ volumes: SPEAKS.

96. Dix x trois: TRENTE.

98. To whom Anna sings "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?": ELSA.

99. Italian fashion house: PRADA. And 102. ASOS biz: E TAIL.

100. Chill: RELAX.

101. __ nous: ENTRE.

103. Like a Scrabble board, in a way: TILED.

104. Gal of "Death on the Nile": GADOT.

105. Overthrow in the infield, say: ERROR.

107. Valerie Harper sitcom of the 1970s: RHODA.

108. Ran a program: AIRED.

112. Saints city, informally: NOLA. New Orleans Saints.

114. Stew pod: OKRA.

116. Summer hrs. in Houston: CDT.

117. Not just -er: EST.

118. Anti-trafficking feds: DEA.

C.C.