Tuesday, May 14, 2024 Emily Biegas and Sala Wanetick

Stick(y) Figures:

20-Across. Specialized curriculum in a public school: MAGNET PROGRAM.  Technically a magnet is anything that carries a static magnetic field around with it.  Here's a scientific definition of why things STICK to a magnet.

35-Across. Expand one's horizons: BRANCH OUT.  Why is this clue/answer different from all other theme clues/answers? *

40-Across. Pet with separation anxiety, perhaps: VELCRO DOG.  I had never heard the phrase Velcro Dog, but apparently it's a thing.  Here's the history of Velcro.

And the unifier:

52. Complicated discussion topic, and an apt description of the start of 20-, 35-, or 40-Across?: STICKY SUBJECT.

Across:

1. Joni Mitchell's "Both __ Now": SIDES.  [Name # 1.]

6. Dano of "The Fabelmans": PAUL.  I wasn't familiar with the 2022 film, The Fablemans, which is apparently a coming-of-age film, which stars Paul Dano (né Paul Franklin Dano; b. June 19, 1984) as Burt Fableman.  I was also not familiar with the actor's name, however, I do recognize his photo.  [Name # 2.]

10. Performances: ACTS.

14. Buzzing: ALIVE.

15. Cuatro y cuatro: OCHO.  //  And 49-Across. Uno y uno: DOS.  A double dose of today's math and Spanish lesson.

16. Pad see ew cuisine: THAI.  Yummers!  Pad see ew is a stir-fried noodle dish that is commonly eaten in Thailand.

17. Breathable fabric: LINEN.

18. Wharton biz school home: PENN.  The Wharton Business School is at the University of Pennsylvania.   [Name adjacent.]

19. Nightstand light: LAMP.

23. YouTube spots: ADs.

24. Merry: GAY.

25. Mahalia Jackson's genre: GOSPEL.  Mahalia Jackson (née Mahala Jackson; Oct. 26, 1911 ~ Jan. 27, 1972) was born in New Orleans.  There is a beautiful theater in New Orleans that is named after her: The Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts.  [Name # 3.]

28. Yoga surface: MAT.

29. Bouncy gait: TROT.

31. Quartz suffix: -ITE.  More than you will ever want to know about Quartzite.

32. Conspiring clique: CABAL.

37. Mining yields: ORES.  A crossword staple.

38. Sir Michael of acting: CAINE.  Michael Caine (né Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; b. Mar. 14, 1933) appeared in over 160 films during his acting years.  He became Sir Michael in 2000.  [Name # 4.]

39. Overturn: UNDO.

42. "A Doll's House" playwright Henrik: IBSEN.  A Doll's House is a 1879 play by Henrik Johan Ibsen (Mar. 20, 1828 ~ May 23, 1906).  It was quite radical for its time.  It's about the fate of a married woman, who lacked reasonable opportunities for self-fulfillment in a male-dominated world.  One could argue that not that much has changed in the ensuing 150 years.  [Name # 5.]

43. Class for some immigrants: Abbr.: ESL.  As in English as a Second Language.

44. Masterpiece: OPUS.

45. Coast Guard rank: Abbr.: ENS.  As in Ensign.  In case you have ever wondered about the ranks in the Coast Guard, check out this site.

46. Comfy cozy: TOASTY.

48. Texter's "No idea": IDK.  I Don't Know what this means.  **

56. Fuzzy fruit: KIWI.  Also a flightless bird found in New Zealand.

58. AFB truant: AWOL.  As in Absent WithOut Leave.

59. Bass of 'N Sync: LANCE.  Lance James Bass (b. May 4, 1979) was one of the 5 members of the boy band 'N Sync.   [Name # 6.]

Lance Bass is on the far left.

60. "As far as __ tell ... ": I CAN.

61. Snatch: TAKE.

62. Like draft beer: ON TAP.

63. NBA two-pointer: DUNK.

64. SimCity console, in brief: SNES.  As in Super Nintendo Entertainment System.  Hand up if you knew this.

65. Overflows (with): TEEMS.

Down:

1. Actress Hayek Pinault: SALMA.  She is best known as Salma Hayek (née Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez; b. Sept. 2, 1966).  [Name # 7.]

2. Trojan War epic by Homer: ILIAD.  Homer was an ancient Greek poet.  Two of his epic poems are known today: the Iliad and the Odyssey.  He didn't have a surname, so shouldn't be confused with Homer Simpson.  [Name # 8.]

3. Demerits: DINGS.

4. Not odd: EVEN.

5. Westernmost country of continental Africa: SENEGAL.  The official name of Senegal, is the Republic of Senegal.  The country was in the news last week when a plane in Dakar skidded off the runway and caught fire.

6. California's state flower: POPPY.  The state flower of Louisiana is legally the Magnolia (see La. R.S. 49:154).  What is your state's flower?

7. Dell competitor: ACER.

8. "Never gonna happen": UH, NO.

9. Of the distant past: LONG GONE.

10. Geography book: ATLAS.

11. Victors: CHAMPIONS.

12. Scottish cap: TAM.

13. Small drink: SIP.

21. Tit for __: TAT.

22. Campus mil. group: ROTC.  As in Reserve Officer Training Corps.

26. Piano exercise: ÉTUDE.  Today's French lesson.

27. Disclose: LET ON.

28. Not fem. or neut.: MASC.  Masculine is neither Feminine nor Neutral.

29. Some jazz groups: TRIOS.

30. Pealed: RANG.

32. Really, really want: COVET.

33. "You __ busted!": ARE SO.

34. Edward Cullen's love interest in the "Twilight" series: BELLA SWAN.  [Names # 9 and 10, fictional.]

35. "Queen of Neo Soul" Erykah: BADU.  Her given name is Erica Abi Wright (b. Feb. 26, 1971).  [Name # 11.]

36. Centers of activity: HUBS.

38. Mimics: COPY CATS.

41. Round flatbread: ROTI.  A flatbread found in Indian cuisine.

42. Rorschach pattern: INK BLOT.

45. School URL ending: EDU.

47. Big to-do: STINK.

48. Tahiti and Bora Bora: ISLES.

49. Al __: firm, as pasta: DENTE.  Today's Italian lesson.  The phrase Al Dente literally means to the tooth.  Pasta cooked al dente is firm when bitten without being hard.

50. Philosopher who espoused simple explanations: OCCAM.  William of Ockham (1287 ~ 1347) wasn't a barber, but he does have a razor named in his honor.  Occam’s Razor is the principle that says that if you have two competing ideas to explain the same phenomenon, you should prefer the simpler one.  [Name # 12.]

51. Fitness tracker units: STEPS.

53. "Rich People Problems" novelist Kevin: KWAN.  Kevin Kwan (b. Nov. 8, 1973) is a Singapore-born American novelist. He wrote a trilogy of satirical novels Crazy Rich Asians, China Rich Girlfriend, and Rich People Problems.  Crazy Rich Asians was also made into a movie.  [Name # 13.]

54. Oxen harness: YOKE.

55. Actress Fonda: JANE.  In addition to being an actress, Jane Seymour Fonda (b. Dec. 21, 1937), is the daughter of actor Henry Fonda (May 16, 1905 ~ Aug. 12, 1982), and sister to Peter Fonda (Feb. 23, 1940 ~ Aug. 16, 2019).  [Name # 14.]

The family Fonda.

56. Young goat: KID.

57. Hospital dept.: ICU.  As in Intensive Care Unit.

Here's the Grid.

*  On Passover, we ask, "Why is this night different from all other nights?"  We know, of course, what the answer is.  My question about why the Branch / Stick was intended in the same vein.  The answer is "different" because a Branch is literally a Stick, whereas with the other two answers, something can Stick to Magnet and Velcro.

**  Yes, I do know that the letters IDK actually stand for I Don't Know.

חתולה

Monday May 13, 2024 Aaron Ullman

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here with an LAT debut for constructor Aaron Ullman. Congrats, Aaron!

Theme:  

We will begin with the four starred clues:

20 Across. *"I can't make sense of it": DON'T ASK ME WHY.  

Tell Me Why was the opening track on Neil Young's After the Gold Rush album (1970).

33 Across. *World Series of Poker game: TEXAS HOLD'EM.

Yes, it's a card game but it is also a song on Beyoncé's new country album, Cowboy Carter (released March 29). This album is getting a lot of attention. Perhaps you've heard about it. I decided to not embed the music video; but, if you are curious, you can catch it here.  Warning:  language, skin, and incorrect rope swinging (Do not hold onto the honda.)

41 Across. *Natural-horror film franchise featuring superintelligent sharks: DEEP BLUE SEA.

Not my genre but sussable. Here is the trailer: 

Warning:  It's Samuel L. Jackson intense!  (Yes, I just used SLJ as an adjective.)  

52 Across. *Catchphrase of the Three Stooges: OH A WISE GUY EH.

I just could not parse the first three letters of this one. That contributed to my loss of patience and a DNF in the southwest. Oof! I bet Chairman Moe knew it!  

The reveal is perfectly placed in the bottom, right corner:

67 Across. Disco classic spelled out with arm motions and by the ends of the answers to the starred clues: YMCA.  Sing it with me -- WHY   'EM   SEA   EH  ♪♪  

Well, now that we have that all sorted, let's take a look at the other clues:

Across:
1. "The Phantom of the Opera" prop: MASK.  In the 1909 novel by Gaston Leroux, the phantom was born disfigured. The 1943 film changed this explanation to say that he had acid splashed in his face.

5. Made, as a free throw or golf putt: SANK.  

9. Parroting: APING.  

14. Wrinkly citrus fruit: UGLI.     and     10. Large citrus fruit: POMELO.  

The UGLI fruits look easy to peel.

15. Slender wind instrument: OBOE.

16. Polite refusal: NO SIR.

17. Inspirational collage for designers: MOODBOARD.  more info.

19. Mental picture: IMAGE.

22. Crab or lobster catcher: POT.  From what I read online, it seems a lobster POT is another name for a lobster trap. This video explains how a lobster trap works.  

25. Told tales: LIED.

26. Feel poorly: AIL.  This one reminds me of an example my high school English teacher liked to use:  My boyfriend feels well.

27. Puts into law: ENACTS.

29. Losing candidate: ALSO RAN.

36. Brewpub pour: ALE.

37. Scissors sound: SNIP.

38. Spanish day: DÍA.

39. "Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar" actress Kristen: WIIG.  Here's the trailer for this 2021 movie:  

40. Bowler's target: PIN.     and     64 Across. Bowler's place: LANE.

It makes me smile to see these clues on a Monday.  😊

45. African capital on the Mediterranean Sea: ALGIERS.  

47. Tab key function: INDENT.  Also, Shift+Tab will un-indent.

48. __-cone: icy treat: SNO.

49. "__ well that ends well": ALL'S.  This idiom is used to say that a person can forget about how unpleasant or difficult something was because everything ended in a good way. It is a line from Shakespeare:

All's well that ends well,

Still the fine's the crown:

Whate'er the course,

The end is the renown.

51. U-turn from NNW: SSE.

57. Euripides tragedy: MEDEA.  Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides. 

58. Many a charitable organization: NONPROFIT.  Generally speaking, the IRS filing due date is March 15 for S-Corps , April 15 for individuals, and May 15 for NONPROFITs. (That's just two days away!)

62. Common font: ARIAL.  Arial is the font, Ariel is the mermaid, and aerial is the antenna.

63. Actress Swenson: INGA.  (1932 - 2023) Inga was an American actress with a long list of credits from the screen and stage, including Hoss's mother on Bonanza and the housekeeper on Benson (1979-1986).

65. Sidles up to: NEARS.     and     12 Down. Close by, quaintly: NIGH.

66. Like pink hair: DYED.

Down:
1. Bluey and Bingo's parent: MUM.  If you do not watch cartoons targeted to 5-7 year-olds, you might not know that Bluey is a children's animated TV show on Disney+ about an Australian Blue Healer Cattle Dog (Bluey) and her little sister (Bingo). It does have some controversy. Here is a 1:25 min. clip:  

"Bluey" was also the name of the Australian cattle dog with the world record for longevity.

Bluey ---> Australia ---> + parent  =  MUM

2. Many moons __: AGO.  This is also the title of a song from the Broadway show Once Upon a Mattress. Here is Harry Snow as the Minstrel (1959-1960). You will likely recognize the first two names on the Playbill.

3. __-mo replay: SLO.

4. "The Mermaid Chair" novelist Sue Monk __: KIDD.  goodreads link

5. Vague promise from a procrastinator: SOONISH.  The opposite of many moons ago???

6. Tail off, as a storm: ABATE.

7. U.S./Canada military acronym: NORAD.  The North American Aerospace Defense Command is a bi-national organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America.

Additionally, every Christmas Eve NORAD tracks Santa's flight around the world to ensure his safety. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to help man the phones in 2019.  #BestChristmasEveEver

8. Canvas shoe brand that makes bridal sneakers: KEDS.  

9. Belief that all beings have a spirit: ANIMISM.  You can read more here.

11. "__ it first!": "Dibs!": I SAW.  

It is just now occurring to Calvin that his no-nonsense babysitter will be coming over tonight.

13. __ Goose vodka: GREY.

18. Runs away fast: BOLTS.

An aptronym is a name that matches the occupation or character of its owner, often in a humorous or ironic way. One example is the Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt.  Wiki list

21. Leafy vegetable in a green smoothie: KALE.

22. Pampering place for furry friends: PET SPA.

23. Close soccer score: ONE-NIL.  Hand up for first having ONE-one.

24. Exhausting: TAXING.

28. Baseball hat: CAP.

29. Not much (of): A DAB.

30. Salary hikes: RAISES.

31. Sci-fi beings: ALIENS.  

32. Invalidate: NEGATE.  

34. Celebratory poems: ODES.  Jimmy Stewart shared this heartwarming ODE with Johnny Carson about a dog named Beau:  

35. Place for a piercing: LIP.

39. Married: WED.

41. "Wasn't me!" and "I didn't do it!": DENIALS.  It is a bit unusual to see two quotes in one clue but it works for the plural answer.

42. Greek god of love: EROS.

43. Perch for a frog in an ornamental pond: LILY PAD.  

44. Al or Bobby of auto racing: UNSER.  The Unser family has won the Indianapolis 500 a record nine times, with Bobby and Al Unser Sr. being the only set of brothers to win in the race's history.

46. "Pinkie promise!": I SWEAR.

49. Great pain: AGONY.  AGnst also fit ... for a while.

50. Fencing thrust: LUNGE.  

52. Muscat's land: OMAN.  

53. "Take this": HERE.  Well clued, Aaron!

54. 1998 Sarah McLachlan hit: ADIA.  Adia is a song by Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan from her fourth studio album, Surfacing (1997). It was co-written by McLachlan and her longtime producer, Pierre Marchand.

Oh, that song!

55. Oklahoma city west of Tulsa: ENID.

56. "__ guacamole!": HOLY.  

59. Closest peeps: FAM.  "Peeps" is short for "people" -- a hint that the answer will be a shortened word, too.

60. Company abbr.: INC.  INCorporated

61. Lipton drink: TEA.

The grid:  

C ya!

Sunday, May 12, 2024, Dennis Nullet

"To the Contrary"

 
24. Zombie armada?: UNDEAD IN THE WATER.

31. Bad press?: UNCOMPLIMENTARY COPY.

49. Scary place?: UNNERVE CENTER.

69. Square dance halls?: UNHIP JOINTS.

88. Faulty method?: UNSOUND SYSTEM.

102. Instruction for putting away fishing tackle?: UNHOOK LINE AND SINKER.

113. Wash gardening clothes?: UNDO THE DIRTY WORK.

The prefix UN is added to the first word of each of the common phrases.  Generally,  un means not.  The clues are written to define the new phrases.

Yet another debut at the LA Times.  Congratulations, Dennis!

C.C. is having issues with her internet service provider. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Across:

1. Letters and such: MAIL.

5. S. Korean gaming spot: PC ROOM.   New to me.   PC Room and PC Bang are South Korean terms for an internet cafe that is used for gaming.   

11. Boxing __: RING.

15. Manager: BOSS.

19. Patron saint of sailors: ELMO.

20. Responsible (for): LIABLE.

21. Pay (up): ANTE.  Pay to play.

22. Doozy: LULU.  A poser, perhaps.

23. Toys that may improve dexterity: TOPS. 

27. Make grooves in: STRIATE.

29. Baby's noise: COO.

30. Winged figure in Christian art: ANGEL.

38. Marsh plant: SEDGE.

40. Salivation stimuli: AROMAS.

41. Book after Joel: AMOS.

42. Rhubarb dessert: PIE.

43. Object of veneration: IDOL.    Object of respect.

44. New York Dolls genre: GLAM.   Other Glam rockers included Alice Cooper,  KISS,  Queen, T-Rex,  Gary Glitter,  along with Elton John and David Bowie (at times). 

45. Dog's bane: FLEA.  Yes, fleas can torment a dog.   Dogbane (one word) is a weed that looks very much like milkweed.  It is highly toxic to animals and was once used to poison dogs.

55. Ultra-devoted fans: ZEALOTS.   Made me think of Swifties.  -  "Swifties are the fandom of the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Regarded by journalists as one of the largest, most devoted and influential fan bases, Swifties are known for their high levels of participation, creativity, community and fanaticism." - Wikipedia.

57. Fetch: RETRIEVE.

58. Like a fashionable arrival: LATE.

60. Shred: RIP UP.   That's a standard def for shred.   Another standard def would be a very small amount.   The slang meaning for shred is to ski, skateboard, surf or bike in a highly skilled or showy manner.

61. Grandmother, affectionately: NANA.

62. Elk: WAPITI.

65. Get in the way of: IMPEDE.

66. Mandible: JAW.

72. Lounging spot: DEN.

73. Good for growing: ARABLE.

76. Elite groups: A-LISTS.

77. Disney queen whose powers are similar to Jack Frost's: ELSA.  Never saw the movie, but the answer can easily be inferred from the clue.

80. Traveler's annoyance: DELAY.

81. Actress Jessica: ALBA.

82. Stay active: KEEP BUSY.

86. Implore: ENTREAT.  Beg, if the answer is only 3 spaces

92. Discombobulate: DAZE.

93. Bryn __: first U.S. college to offer graduate degrees to women: MAWR.   A learning moment. 

95. Lhasa __: APSO.

96. Many a noir hero: TEC.   Sam Spade?  Phillip Marlowe?  Mike Hammer?

97. Top spot in Formula One: POLE.   Belgian Max Verstappen has dominated FI racing for the last three years.  He's not always had the fasted cars, but he's often the fastest driver, leading to securing the  pole position in many Grand Prix races.  
Incredibly,  he won nine Grand Prix in row before having to quit the Australian race in March when his brakes caught on fire.  He took pole for the race in Miami last weekend, but finished second.  The next race will be televised early morning on Sunday, May 19th.  It is the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from Imola, Italy on the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari racetrack.  

98. Says "hi" to: GREETS.

100. Word with rock or space: OPERA. 

108. Tres plus cuatro: SIETE.   Three + four: Seven

109. Irish actor Stephen: REA.   A fine actor whose last name works well in crosswords.  We get his last name often in conjunction with "The Crying Game."  

Every once in a while we get a clue for the singer/songwriter Chris Rea.   He penned this touching Top 40 song in 1978 for his young teenage sister.   She was devastated after being dumped by her boyfriend.
 

110. Color of corroded iron: RUST RED.

120. Capital of Fiji: SUVA.   Thank you, perps.

Zoom in or out, or show satellite imagery (lower left).


121. "Bridgerton" actor __-Jean Page: REGE.   Ditto.

122. Like a class presentation: ORAL.

123. Evening affair: SOIREE. 

124. Place to tie up: PIER.

125. C in C: PRES ident.   Commander in Chief

126. Yard border, perhaps: WALL.

127. Hit on the green: PUTTED.

128. Sister of King Charles III: ANNE.
 

Down:

1. Squad whose colors match the New York City flag: METS.   The Mets are a Major League Baseball team.

"The Mets' colors are Dodger blue and Giant orange, symbolic of the return of National League baseball to New York after the Dodgers and Giants moved to California." - MLB.com

2. Scads: A LOT.   We get REA scads A LOT.

3. Like jumping without looking: IMPRUDENT.  

4. On the wrong end of the score: LOSING.

5. Subject of a 2006 demotion: PLUTO.   
 

6. Movie theater: CINEMA.

7. "Totally gnarly!": RAD.   "Dude was shredding!"

8. Honor for David and Victoria Beckham: Abbr.: OBE.   Order of the British Empire. The famous footballer, and his wife - the one-time Spice Girl known as "Posh Spice."

9. Iberian "Hello": OLA.

10. Rx order: MED. 

11. Monopolized a conversation: RAN ON.

12. With everything counted: IN TOTAL.   All in all.

13. Higher power?: NTH.

14. "Golly!": GEE.

15. Mel who voiced Bugs Bunny: BLANC.   Was he the best, or what?

16. Intake opposite: OUTGO.

17. Idle computer state: SLEEP. 

18. Belligerent: SURLY.

25. Finishes with buttercream, perhaps: ICEs.  An activity usually done by an ICER, according to crossword clue  writers.  

26. __ and means: WAYS.   Methods and resources. 

28. Hotshot: ACE.  Pittsburgh Pirate Paul Skenes made his MLB debut against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday after being promoted from Triple A Indianapolis.  Here's a recap and post-game interview. 

32. Exchange value: PRICE.

33. Miner's dream: LODE.

34. "Break a leg!" preceder: I'M ON.

35. Milk sweetener: MALT.

36. Elicit an "OMG!": AMAZE.

37. "Gladiator" setting: ROME.  Gladiator - in quotation marks - would refer to the movie. 

38. Prod: SPUR.   Urge.

39. German "a": EINE.  German one: EINS

44. Free: GRATIS.   On the house.  Complimentary.

45. Resell quickly: FLIP.

46. Ran with ease: LOPED.

47. Many a musical composition by Czerny: ETUDE.

48. Colorado town near Snowmass: ASPEN.  Where down-hillers shred.

50. Bald eagle, e.g.: ERN. 

51. Coastal inlet: RIA.

52. Happening place?: VENUE.

53. Actor Peters of the "X-Men" franchise: EVAN.   Thank you, perps.

54. "Silas Marner" author: ELIOT,  George.    Not T.S.

56. Humerus locale: ARM.   The singular bone from your shoulder to your elbow.  Descending from there, the next two are the radius and the ulna - from the elbow to the wrist.  The "funny bone" is not a bone at all.  It is the ulnar nerve.  If you hit it just so, there is nothing humorous about it.  Been there, done that.

59. Malleable metal: TIN.

62. Wright brother: WILBUR.   Wright brother: Orville

63. Like many drones: APIAN.  Bees.  A drone bee has no stinger and does not gather nectar.   It is not a worker bee, although it does have one job.

64. Sleepover duds, for short: PJs.   Comfy clothes. 

65. British __: ISLES.  Some 6000+ islands around Great Britain and Ireland. 

66. Sour from experience: JADED.

67. Big 52-Down: ARENA.

68. Strauss piece: WALTZ.

70. Actor Holbrook: HAL.

71. Got ready to drive: TEED.
 

74. Minimal: BARE.  Bare in the sense of mere, and nothing else.   The room I rented in a rundown hotel not far from Piccadilly Circus had the bare necessities - a bed, a night stand with a lamp, and a small dresser.  The bathroom was at the far end of the hallway.  It was the best I could do at the time.

75. Strong alkaline solution: LYE.

78. Job for many an action hero: SPY.

79. Sit-up muscles: ABS.

81. In the least: AT ALL.  I didn't care at all about the sparsely furnished room.  I was there to see the Abbey, the bridge, No 10, and as many of the rest of the sights I could manage to see during my short stay.   Now I regret that I didn't go to Kew Gardens.

82. Elements in live edge wood slabs: KNOTS.

83. Complete devastation: UTTER RUIN.

84. Soothsayer: SEER.

85. Village People song covered by the Minions: YMCA.
 

87. Wild and crazy: AMOK.

89. First name in the freezer aisle: SARA.  Last name in the freezer aisle: Lee.

90. Perform first: OPEN. 

91. Not new: USED.

94. "Straight Outta Lynwood" singer: WEIRD AL.  "Weird Al" Yankovic's parody album that was inspired by N.W.A.'s "Straight Outta Compton" album.    N.W.A. founding member Easy-E was part of a theme answer in the Friday, May 8 puzzle that Chairman Moe reviewed.

97. Ballad penner: POET.

98. Gym closet contents: GEAR.

99. "Yes __!": SIRREE.

100. Gives the go-ahead: OKs.

101. Poodle pampering place: PET SPA.

102. Grab power: USURP.

103. NFLer supported by Sourdough Sam: NINER.    Sourdough Sam is the mascot of the San Francisco 49ers. 

104. Yard border, perhaps: HEDGE.

105. Natives of the Central Plains: OTOES.

106. Sam of "Jurassic Park": NEILL.  Watched about 5 minutes of it, then changed the channel.   Again, thank you perps.

107. Microwaved: NUKED. 

111. "I can't __": EVEN.

112. Show gumption: DARE.

114. "Please explain": HOW.

115. Time often named for a leader: ERA.

116. Baking soda amt.: TSP.

117. "__ do __": YOU.    Be yourself.

118. Bon mot deliverer: WIT.

119. Morsel: ORT.