Theme: "Wheeling and Dealing" - Each common phrase is reinterpreted as if it's a car model.
23A. Shopping for a Kia subcompact SUV?: SOUL SEARCHING.
33A. No longer keen on that Ford crossover SUV?: OVER THE EDGE.
56A. Choosing the Nissan with the all-wheel drive?: GOING ROGUE.
60A. "Love the new Ford crossover"?: GREAT ESCAPE.
89A. Expert in hard-to-find Rolls-Royces?: GHOST HUNTER.
92A. Deep dive into the three-row Honda?: PILOT STUDY.
112A. Leaning toward the Honda sedan?: CIVIC MINDED.
128A. Last Nissan truck off the assembly line?: FINAL FRONTIER.
No Hyundai, their models are place names. Not good for wordplay. Eight theme entries, four in front, four in the back. Very consistent.
Alan has collabrated a few times with Andrea Carla Michales and Doug Peterson. This is his first solo LAT Sunday. Congrats, Alan!
1. Pilates roll up targets: ABS.
4. Return advice pro: CPA. Tax return.
7. Emmy winner Uzo: ADUBA. Gained fame for her role in "Orange Is the New Black".
12. States with authority: SAYS SO.
18. Public notice: PLACARD.
20. Use a zoom: PAN IN. And 109. Zoom events: Abbr.: MTGS. Meetings.
21. Go over exam notes, e.g.: PREPARE.
25. Check one's math again: RE-TOTAL.
26. "I could go on": ETC ETC. Boomer's high school classmate Paul Newman visited me last Tuesday. He lives in a 16-acre farm. Has a story for everything.
27. Clay mineral: TALC.
28. French café partner?: LAIT. Cafe au lait.
30. Ryan Gosling and Kingsley Ben-Adir in "Barbie": KENS.
31. Coastal concern: SEA LEVEL.
36. 37-Across+Y: RE-DO &
37. PC shortcut key: CTRL.
39. Collaborators: TEAMS.
40. "Yikes!": EEK.
43. Figure on the shelf at Christmas: ELF.
45. Genesis figure: ENOS.
47. "Sorry, impossible": I CAN'T.
51. Flamenco star José: GRECO. Italian-born flamenco dancer. Learning moment for me.
54. "The Witch Elm" novelist French: TANA.
63. __ Rabbit: BR'ER.
64. Pans with patinas: WOKS.
65. Munich Olympics star Mark: SPITZ.
66. Asian mushroom: ENOKI. Common ingredient in Chinese, Japanese and Korean soup dishes and hot pots.
68. "Get Smart" crime org.: KAOS.
70. Bring home: NET.
71. NBA great Curry: STEPH. And
73. "Goosebumps" series writer: STINE. And
75. "Julie & Julia" actor Stanley: TUCCI. Three name in a row, but all well-known.
77. President's advisory gp.: NSC. National Security Council.
79. Skateboarding trick spot: RAIL.
81. Drum kit piece: SNARE.
83. Really irritated: CROSS.
85. Tiny amount: A TAD. Bill and Margaret loved my quinoa & sweet potato salad. I used a few drops of maple syrup in my dressing.
87. Commit a faux pas: SLIP.
95. Bone, in Bologna: OSSO.
96. Khaki kin: BEIGE.
97. Collection of plates?: ARMOR. Armor plates.
98. Farm baby: FOAL.
100. Hosp. theaters: ORS.
102. Limit: CAP.
103. Third-largest city in Israel: HAIFA.
107. Lego competitor: K'NEX.
116. Mooch: FREELOAD.
120. Guinness of "Smiley's People": ALEC.
121. Useful houseplant: ALOE.
122. Mindy, to Emily in "Emily in Paris": AMIE.
124. "Sit!": PARK IT.
126. Direct connection: LINKAGE.
131. Past-post wager: LATE BET.
132. Guitar-playing "Glee" kid: ARTIE. Played by Kevin McHale.
133. Disney film whose opening song is "The Family Madrigal": ENCANTO.
134. Fixers of fixer-uppers: DIYers.
135. Temps for bundling up: TEENS. You can still see guys in shorts in our grocery store. Crazy.
136. Low grade: DEE.
137. Retired jet, briefly: SST.
Down:
1. Semicircular recess in a cathedral: APSE.
2. Dabs at: BLOTS.
3. Béarnaise, e.g.: SAUCE.
4. Windsor __: CASTLE.
5. Lead: PRECEDE.
6. "__ Twist, Scientist": kid-lit bestseller: ADA.
7. Class for a mathlete, informally: AP CALC.
8. Arlene of the silver screen: DAHL.
9. Billion-dollar start-up: UNICORN.
10. British trash can: BIN.
11. Viewpoint: ANGLE.
12. 7UP competitor: SPRITE.
13. "Think" singer Franklin: ARETHA.
14. Up to this point: YET.
15. "Eat Mor Chikin" sloganeer, e.g.: SPOKESCOW.
16. Completely full: SATED.
17. Red-haired primate: ORANG.
19. Crystal __: CLEAR.
22. "What __ can I do?": ELSE.
24. GPS directive: RTE.
29. Class with smocks: ART.
32. Electric fence measures: VOLTS.
34. Daily Insta post: V-LOG.
35. Arab honorific: EMIR.
38. Steep places?: TEAPOTS. Steep tea.
40. Half a zygote: EGG.
41. Miscalculates: ERRS.
42. Stays cool: KEEPS CALM.
44. Turn toward: FACE.
46. Weep noisily: SOB.
48. Argumentative: AGONISTIC. New word to me.
49. Zap in the microwave: NUKE.
50. Doctor's order: TEST.
52. "I Am __": Jenner reality show: CAIT.
53. Kelp forest dweller: OTTER.
From Google: One of the most important mammals in a kelp forest is the
sea otter, who takes refuge from sharks and storms in these forests.
55. Mums' mums: NANS.
57. Rankle: IRK.
58. "How cool!": NEAT.
59. Curmudgeon: GROUCH.
61. Convenience that may take a toll?: E-ZPASS. Great clue.
62. Squeezing (by): EKING.
67. No longer even: IN A HOLE. Casino, right?
69. Benchwarmer: SCRUB. Scrub player.
72. Sword handle: HILT.
74. God with magical arrows: EROS.
76. Pet protector: CONE.
77. Good place to pick up a cab?: NAPA. Cabernet.
78. Commotion: STIR.
80. Lucy who played Watson: LIU. Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu and Chen are popular surnames in China.
82. Petrol provider: ESSO.
84. Angry Birds owner: SEGA.
86. Thingamabob: DOOHICKEY.
88. "See attached" attachment: PDF.
90. Singer Mel: TORME.
91. Sales __: REP.
93. Gillette brand: TRAC.
94. Tie together: YOKE.
99. Slow and steady, musically: ANDANTE.
101. "First ... ": STEP ONE.
104. Radiologist: IMAGER.
105. Options at Ruth's Chris: FILETS. We have a Ruth's Chris in Minneapolis.
106. "So is that __?": A NO.
108. Cases for Mulder and Scully: X-FILES.
110. Hurried look: GLANCE.
111. "That's not totally wrong": SORTA.
112. Dial up: CALL.
113. "The Song of Achilles" inspiration: ILIAD.
114. Starbucks order: VENTI.
115. Skim, as homemade chicken stock: DE-FAT.
117. Zebra on a field: REF.
118. Claude of "B.J. and the Bear": AKINS. Unknown to me.
119. Pescatarian and vegetarian: DIETS. Connie is a pescatarian.
123. Course opener?: MAIN. Main course.
125. Bouncy gait: TROT.
127. Actor Vigoda: ABE.
129. Indignation: IRE.
130. __ velvet: RED.
C.C.
