Theme: "FOUR OF A KIND" - Each theme entry contains four words that share a same ending sound.
22. Expensive streaming ad error?: RICH TWITCH PITCH GLITCH.
36. Carrier for casino winnings?: BLACK JACK BACK PACK.
56. "Apparently, it's better not to dye your hair"?: THEY SAY STAY GRAY.
82. "Masala tea is getting so expensive," e.g.?: SKY HIGH CHAI SIGH.
96. Tie-dyed quilt?: DEAD HEAD BED SPREAD.
117. Shooting star?: QUITE BRIGHT NIGHT LIGHT.
I think this is Adam Landau's LA Times debut. Congrats, Adam!
It's been a while since we saw this type of full-on rhyming theme. A tough feat to pull off cleanly with fun clues.
Across:
1. Palindromic address: MADAM.
6. Around: ABOUT.
11. Taylor-Joy of "The Queen's Gambit": ANYA. She also voices Princess Peach in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie".
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15. Prelude to a kiss?: I DO.
18. Classic Camaros: IROCS.
19. Beatles drummer: RINGO. Sir Richard Starkey.
20. Appearance: MIEN.
21. Ghost calls: BOOS.
26. Northern Nevada city: ELKO.
27. Carded at a club, casually: ID'ED.
28. The Emerald Isle: EIRE.
29. Dwelling for una familia: LA CASA.
30. Knitter's medium: WOOL.
32. Oft-fried vegetable: OKRA.
33. Father: SIRE.
34. Edebiri of "The Bear": AYO. It means "Joy" in Yoruba.
44. Ballet studio support: BARRE.
46. Feels bad about: RUES.
47. LAX info: ETA.
48. Actor Astin: SEAN.
49. Streetwear designer Marc: ECKO. He wanted ECHO in the first place.
50. Ingredient amt.: TBSP.
51. Change beds?: RE-PLANT. Garden beds.
55. Guatemalan gold: ORO.
59. Playground retort: AM NOT.
61. Wander: TRAIPSE. Aimlessly.
62. Duplo maker: LEGO.
63. Rifts: SCHISMS.
65. Meadow: LEA.
66. Sault __ Marie: STE.
68. Digital art hosted on a blockchain: Abbr.: NFT. Non-Fungible Token.
70. 84-Down edge: RIM. 84. Basketball target: HOOP.
71. Attracted by: DRAWN TO.
75. Lhasa __: APSO.
77. Albuquerque minor leaguer: ISOTOPE. Learning moment for me.
81. Like some wine barrels: OAKEN.
86. Mario Kart avatar: MII.
87. Most sore: ACHIEST. I got jabbed five times the past 3 weeks. The first was the worst, the
spot got swollen immediately. The infusion nurse then took a mulligan.
That spot remained purple for over 2 weeks.
89. "I heard you! Enough!": OK OK.
90. Plot measure: ACRE.
91. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTA.
93. Solo's son: REN.
94. One who walks the walk: DOER.
95. Slightly off: ASKEW.
102. Tagging symbols: ATS.
103. Cones' counterparts: RODS.
104. Travel option: RAIL.
105. Fall pile component: LEAF. Just had some rain. Most of the pretty leaves in our neighborhood are gone.
107. Charcuterie meat: SALAMI.
110. Bad habit: VICE.
111. Big __: Red Sox nickname: PAPI. He was just David Ortiz when he was a Twin.
114. Corleone played by Marlon Brando: VITO.
121. Liberate: FREE.
122. Hunger (for): LONG.
123. Abated: EASED.
124. Fantasy Football domain: YAHOO. I like this new clue angle.
125. Caribbean vacation souvenir?: TAN. Ha.
126. Manchego sources: EWES. From Wikipedia: It's a cheese made
in the La Mancha region of Spain from the milk of sheep of the Manchega
breed. It is aged between 60 days and 2 years.
127. Takes in a text: READS.
128. __ nous: ENTRE.
Down:
1. Bog down: MIRE.
2. Pomegranate seed: ARIL. I always love arils on all the Thanksgiving dishes.
3. Waterfront laborer: DOCKWORKER.
4. "Gesundheit" prompt: ACHOO.
5. Colorado hrs.: MST.
6. Lacking precipitation: ARID.
7. More than a nibble: BITE.
8. Like most recorded music from the 1990s: ON CD.
9. "Hate it!": UGH.
10. Midwest capital: TOPEKA.
11. California Zephyr operator: AMTRAK. Scenic.
12. "Love it!": NICE.
13. Slangy assent: YEH.
14. Like St. Paul's Cathedral: ANGLICAN.
15. Itty-bitty bit: IOTA.
16. Ob-gyns and ENTs: DOCS.
17. Org. concerned with employee well-being: OSHA.
21. Curl targets: BICEPS. Someday Splynter will show his.
23. Estate document: WILL.
24. Texter's qualifier: IIRC.
25. Morning songbird: LARK.
31. U.K. honor for Naomie Harris: OBE. Order of the British Empire. She's been in a few Bond movies.
32. 60-Down, minus the champagne, for short: OJS. 60. Bottomless brunch drinks: MIMOSAS.
33. Skewered Thai dishes: SATAYS.
34. Help a bad actor: ABET.
35. Luxury boat: YACHT.
37. "We have the meats" chain: ARBY'S.
38. Swears: CUSSES.
39. Didn't throw away: KEPT.
40. Lugosi of "Dracula": BELA.
41. Forever and a day: AEONS.
42. Ricochet, in billiards: CAROM.
43. Nautical speed units: KNOTS.
45. Majestic pronoun: ROYAL WE.
50. Knock softly on: TAP AT.
51. Deli bread: RYE.
52. Festive beverage: EGGNOG.
53. Undergrad lecturer: PROF. 113. 53-Down degs.: PHDS.
54. Surfing site for the 2024 Olympics: TAHITI. It's part of France. French Polynesia.
57. Toyota minivan: SIENNA.
58. First Hebrew letters: ALEPHS.
64. [I'm a frog]: CROAK.
67. "Ariel" voice actor Diggs: TAYE. He made his debut in "How Stella Got Her Groove Back".
69. Heart: TICKER.
71. Like the Capitol building: DOMED.
72. Confident poker action: RAISE.
73. Curly-tailed guard dog: AKITA.
74. Irish-themed casino on the Vegas Strip: O'SHEA'S.
76. Heed the theater warning bell: SIT.
78. "Jersey __": MTV reality show: SHORE.
79. Stir up conflict: PICK A FIGHT. Great fill.
80. Everglades wader: EGRET.
83. Granola bar brand: KIND.
85. Chops down: HEWS.
88. Trustworthy: CREDIBLE.
92. Around $8 million, for the Super Bowl: AD RATE. Imagine the money Budweiser has spent on Super Bowl ads.
94. ISP option: DSL.
95. Gator follower: ADE.
97. Where the heart is, proverbially: HOME. Our home is the only home I've lived in the US.
98. Myers-__ personality tests: BRIGGS.
99. A pop: EACH.
100. Keto adherent, perhaps: DIETER. Both Bill and Margaret were on Keto for a while. Then Margaret's blood sugar dropped too low.
101. Landed: ALIT.
106. For the birds?: AVIAN.
107. Room meas.: SQ FT.
108. Vibe: AURA.
109. Bank claim: LIEN.
110. Bygone video app: VINE.
111. Leaning tower locale: PISA.
112. Like good balsamic vinegar: AGED.
115. Asgardian Avenger: THOR.
116. Plains people: OTOE.
118. Excel line: ROW.
119. Scot's "I'd rather not": NAE.
120. Soap-making chemical: LYE.
C.C.
