Wednesday, Dec 25th, 2024 ~ Samantha Podos Nowak

 THE STOCKINGS . . .

. . . . HANG in Splynter's "Family Room"

This would be the third publication from Samantha for the LA Times, but my first blog for her as my puzzle constructor.  Not a holiday theme as I expected, but I did my best to add in a seasonal reference.  A 'normal' grid for a change, no circles, a handful of names, and more 4LW than TLW.  The themers;

17. Work space?: ART GALLERY - "Works" of art HANG in a gallery

25. Brew house?: COFFEE SHOP - "Friends" characters would HANG at "Central Perk"

49. TV station?: FAMILY ROOM - watch cartoons and HANG out in the den

59. Jacket pocket?: COAT CLOSET - my jacket, hoodies and heavy coat HANG over the radiator in my kitchen; the clue refers to where one ( at least, I do ) keeps the seasonal hat and gloves - in the "coat closet" - and that pleasant surprise I get every December when I would find a $5 bill jammed in a pocket from last winter

I love putting on a warm coat in the morning

36. "Don't give up," and a suggestion that can apply to 17-, 25-, 49-, and 59 Across?:
HANG IN THERE - Luke says, "Leia, hear me~!"

You weren't expecting a cat, were you~?

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Cherry-picks, perhaps: CULLS - this word had a different connotation when I was an employee at Grossmans Lumber - we would CULL the bowed, cupped, crooked, & checked "27D.'s", etc., so not really "cherry-picking", more like "unsellable" merchandise

6. Exam for HS jrs.: PSAT - the practice SAT

10. Classic road trip game: "I SPY" - "I spy" something in red - Ho-Ho-Ho~!

14. Pickled garnish in a Gibson: ONION - if it didn't start out pickled . . .

. . . swimming in gin & vodka will certainly do it

15. Dayton's state: OHIO - I worked for a cleaning company when I lived in Cincinnati, but on occasion we had some "new construction" homes to tidy up in Dayton as well

Bottom left - not "180° from SSW"

16. Readily available: NEAR

19. Ballpark figures?: FANS - no "abbr", therefore no "ESTS", etc., so I waited 

20. Harden, as glue: SET 

21. Fancy fete: GALA

22. Sneeze inducer: DUST

23. Like a giant redwood: TALL

I'd like to visit

29. What a new parent often craves: SLEEP - I never had the pleasure of sleepless nights and potty-training

31. Spot for the first caller, perhaps: LINE ONE - think landline business phones; "lumber department, pick up line one."

32. PBS funder: NEA - I liked the newbies highlight idea from sumdaze, so I am going to adopt it, too; Public Broadcasting Service, and the National Education Association

34. Bugs: NAGS

35. Account exec: REP

39. Big name in pasta sauce: RAO - never heard of this brand; these onions are getting around....

Does look good

41. Inlet: COVE

42. Chinese menu general: TSO - It's my go-to when I order Chinese - no onions, though

43. Interlace: ENTWINE

45. Where the heart is?: TORSO - um, yeah

53. Tarot reader: SEER

54. Blue or red part of 3D glasses: LENS - reminds me of this secondary character ↙

I did not know that the guy between Biff and George was played by Billy Zane

55. Salon sound: SNIP

57. "Lover" or "Red," for Taylor Swift: ERA

58. Reddish-brown horse: ROAN

62. Jamaican citrus fruit: UGLI

63. Seltzer starter: ALKA - plop-plop, fizz-fizz . . . .

64. Dunne of "Love Affair": IRENE

65. IPO option: NYSE - a dupe from yesterday; Initial Public Offering, and the New York Stock Exchange

66. Tide type: NEAP

67. Abated: EASED


DOWN:

1. Moves effortlessly: COASTS - SLIDES, GLIDES~?  Bzzzt.

2. "That's wild!": "UNREAL~!"

3. Itty-bitty: LITTLE - I was expecting something like "TEENSY"

4. Fireplace fuel: LOG - Ah.  Not "GAS"

5. Fly in the ointment: SNAG

6. __ al ajillo: Spanish chicken dish: POLLO - a recipe, if you care

These onions are everywhere....

7. Bunch of papers: SHEAF

8. Pool float filler: AIR

9. Item on a tot's Christmas list: TOY - but you'll get coal if you're naughty

10. Make chili oil, perhaps: INFUSE - I had to find out more - the Wiki

11. Sandcastle building site: SEASHORE

12. Company whose Color of the Year 2024 is Peach Fuzz: PANTONE - a list of colors in years past

13. Decade divs.: YRs

18. Body of water in the French Alps: LAC - Frawnche for "lake"

22. Like osmium compared to all other stable elements: DENSEST - learning moment for me - the Wiki

24. Olin of "Chocolat": LENA

26. No longer fizzy: FLAT - I can drink flat soda, but flat seltzer is just "weird water"

27. Two-by-four?: EIGHT - literally, 2x4 = 8

28. Zest: PEP

30. Golf course freebies: PENCILS - Mulligans didn't fit . . . .

33. "The __ and the Ecstasy": novel about Michelangelo: AGONY - Goodreads link

34. 180º from SSW: NNE

36. Soup kitchen offerings: HOT MEALS

37. Indie folk artist Bon __: IVER - no clue, 3 of 4 letters filled via perps, and the "V" was my last entry; the Wiki

38. Oz hoppers: ROOS - Kanga - roos -  Oz = Australia

39. Make calls on the court: REF

40. Explanatory tool: ANALOGY - Kissing her was like a garbage truck getting hit by an onion train.   The onions again.  

44. Danica's role on "The Wonder Years": WINNIE

w/Fred Savage as Kevin Arnold

46. __ Peanut Butter Cups: REESE'S - I loves me some PB & chocolate - I bought the "trees"

47. Like a meditation spot, hopefully: SERENE - ah. Not "SILENT", but I was 50% correct

48. Stumped: ORATED - Ah.  That kind of stumped

50. Japanese port city: OSAKA - good WAG on my part: WAG = Wild A** Guess

51. Readily available: ON TAP - Samantha had this answer in her first puzzle

52. Karaoke need: MICrophone - and a little nerve, or liquid confidence

56. Basic barre bend: PLIÉ

58. Manage: RUN

59. __-do attitude: CAN

60. Cheer after un gol: OLÉ

61. Rita featured on DJ Fresh's "Hot Right Now": ORA - note the headline

Rocking the Stocking(s)

From last week: YooperPhil, we do tune those NYC instruments, and we had the opportunity to "bid" on the upkeep of the Radio City Wurlitzer - the man who started my company has a Wurlitzer in his house, so he's partial to those ( they run on higher pressure than most church organs ); Irish Miss - I check weekly to see what dogs have arrived at the local rescue shelter; it's still in the works~!; unclefred, I saw the "60 Minutes" report on Notre Dame - when we rebuild an organ, we wash every pipe - for the National Cathedral, some of those pipes are huge

Pedal Bourdon, 32ft

Splynter

!~ MERRY CHRISTMAS ~ HAPPY HOLIDAYS ~ !

 

 

Notes from C.C.:

1) Happy birthday to dear Kathy (Yellowrocks). Hope you're having a wonderful day with your sons and grandson.

 

Yellowrocks, Dec 10, 2020

2) Happy Birthday to Lorraine (Fermatprime) also. Her good friend Malcolm reads our blog regularly and gives me update on her life from time to time.

Fermatprime, Thanksgiving, 2015

Tuesday, December 24th, 2024 ~ Taylor Johnson

Gifts for Girls and Boys!

When the girls were little, they'd get to OPEN one present from us on Christmas Eve.  On Christmas morning, they'd see what Santa brought (mostly unwrapped and built the night before).

In this Christmas Eve offering, Taylor gives us gifts that a trained eye will spot at the beginning of four answers.  Let's see what they are:

17a. Asset of a highly skilled individual: TRAINED EYE.

25a. Lizard with a misleading name: HORNY TOAD.

Cute little fella

47a. "The Nutcracker" performer: BALLERINA. Both Girls took ballet. For years, we schlepped -- at least one girl -- to four performances in December.

Source: Houston Ballet

61a. List of cheap eats: DOLLAR MENU.

And the reveal:
38a. Christmas morning activity, and what 17-, 25-, 47-, and 61-Across all have?: OPENING PRESENTS.

Each themer Opens with a Present!  Let's unwrap the rest of Taylor's gifts...

Across:

1. Casino ratios that favor the house: ODDS. The house always wins.

5. Button alternatives: SNAPS.

10. Sir equivalent: DAME. Sir Elton John [Colbert 18+m]; DAME Judi Dench. [Tracey Ullman 2:25]

14. Schnitzel meat option: PORK.

15. Holy scroll of Judaism: TORAH.

16. Gulf nation bordering Yemen: OMAN.

17. [See: theme]

19. Orange skin: RIND. I had peel 'cuz that's what I zest ;-)

20. Bend under pressure: SAG.

21. Provide a welcome distraction: AMUSE. I wonder if Dame Judi was AMUSEd by Tracey's sketch.

22. Door joint: HINGE.

23. Key NFL players: QBS. QuarterbackS

25. [See: theme]

27. Personal energy fields: AURAS.

29. Early investor's opportunity, briefly: IPO. Initial Public Offering.

30. Urgent entreaty: PLEA.

31. Home of the University of Oregon: EUGENE.

35. Settle on a chair: SIT.

38. [See: theme]

41. Large amount: TON.

42. Half step down from D natural: C SHARP.

Both Java and C# are programming languages (yes, I am a nerd)

43. Twilight time: DUSK.

44. Nat __: documentary channel: GEO.

45. Sticky, as the weather: MUGGY.

47. [See: theme]

53. Implore: BEG.

54. Opera soliloquies: ARIAS.

55. Like Thor and Odin: NORSE. Thems NORSE gods.

57. Tupperware topper: LID. Mom was a Tupperware lady for a while. I learned how to burp the lid at parties :-).

Mom was no Brownie Wise

60. Mercedes-__: BENZ. Janis Joplin* sang about this German auto maker.

61. [See: theme]

63. Olympic blade: EPEE.

64. Bit of inside info: INTEL.

65. Adorable: CUTE.

66. Shore thing?: SAND.

67. Gaggle members: GEESE.

68. Television ad: SPOT.

Down:

1. Votes (for): OPTS.

2. Cartoon explorer with a talking backpack: DORA. The Girls loved Dora cartoons.

3. Adore Delano or Plastique Tiara: DRAG QUEEN. Perps half filled this before it became obvi.

4. Traverse a black diamond slope, say: SKI.

Movie: Better Off Dead

5. Thorny rose part: STEM.

6. "Obviously!": NO DUH. Obvi.

7. "You __ welcome!": ARE SO.

8. Venmo user, maybe: PAYER. Venmo is an app to pay folks. My paper deliver put her Venmo on her tip request insert.

9. Pronoun option: SHE.

10. Cool Ranch chip: DORITO.

11. __ acid: AMINO.

12. Japanese comic style: MANGA.

L337 Translation:
Panel 1: "The Pain!"
Panel 2: "I need help!" and
"I need you to get the doctor. I got some bad pain in my chest.  I need my pills."
Panel 3:  Does anyone here speak "eleet"?
Panel 4: "Yes"
//told you I was a nerd ;-)

13. Stopped: ENDED.

18. Mars rover org.: NASA. The history of NASA's logos.

22. Amps (up): HYPES.

24. Muffin fiber: BRAN.
 

R.I.P. Phil Hartman

26. Prime-time hour: NINE PM. The SNL Players were not ready for Prime-time.

27. Pet aisle brand: ALPO.

28. Motion detector, e.g.: SENSOR.

30. Planter: POT.

32. Groaning sound: UGH.

33. College application fig.: GPA. Grade Point Average.

34. Go off course: ERR.

35. Get cozy together: SNUGGLE UP.

36. Teeny: ITSY.

37. "How naughty!": TSK.

39. Some slushies: ICEES.

40. Rim: EDGE.

44. Sticky, as a doughnut: GLAZED.

46. Cab alternative: UBER.

47. "__ in Toyland": Christmas classic: BABES.

48. Venezuelan snack: AREPA.

Yummers!

49. Summery material: LINEN.

50. Hole-__: golf feat: IN ONE.

51. Nick of "Affliction": NOLTE.

52. French city in many van Gogh paintings: ARLES.

56. Garage event: SALE.

58. "__ the Woods": Sondheim musical: INTO.

59. Couple's karaoke request: DUET.

61. Use a spade: DIG.

62. Hosts, for short: MCS. Emcees.

The Grid:

The Grid

Taylor gifted us a nice Tuesday puzzle fit for the holidays, Oui?

The skinny: WO: peel -> RIND
ESPs: N/A
Fav: A Mercedes-BENZ for Janis.*

Merry Christmas & Happy (start of) Hanukkah!
//If that's not your thing... Happy Festivus!

Cheers!, -T
*Story: Last New Year's, we visited DW's aunt in Tiburon, CA. We, however stayed in nearby Sausalito.
DW found this wonderful Air B&B.  During our stay, we learned that it was a house Janis Joplin had lived in.
One afternoon for lunch, we met up with DW's cousin (who lives in LA, CA) at The Trident (opened by the Kingston Trio!) that had a few pictures of Janis (and her car) on the walls... We even got to sit at Janis' regular table. How cool is that?

Monday December 23, 2024 Zhouqin Burnikel

  

Happy Monday, everyone. Christmas came early in the form of a puzzle by none other than our talented blogmistress, Zhouqin Burnikel.

Theme:  

We'll kick things off with the reveal:

35 Across. "We've made some progress," and what one might say about the answer to each starred clue: IT'S A START.

Each of the starred clues is a START to something. We have:

1 Across. *With 65-Across, faceoff in a hockey game: PUCK.     and     65 Across. See 1-Across: DROP.

In hockey, a PUCK DROP STARTs play.

18 Across. *Ceremonial toss made memorable by Simone Biles at the 2019 World Series: FIRST PITCH.

In baseball, it is common to invite a celebrity to throw a FIRST (unofficial) PITCH at the START of a game.

23 Across. *TV show pilot, typically: EPISODE I.

In TV-land, the first EPISODE at the START of a TV series is called a pilot.

54 Across. *Auction action: OPENING BID.

At auctions, the OPENING BID STARTs the bidding process.

49. *Musical introduction: OVERTURE.

In theater, an OVERTURE is an orchestral piece played at the START of an opera, play, ballet, etc.

I like the range of STARTS in this puzzle. Also impressive is the placement of a two-part themer in the top-left and bottom-right corners. Let's look at that now.  

Across:

5. "I give up!": UNCLE.  I tried to find the reason we say UNCLE to mean "I give up!" but I could find no definitive answer -- only speculation. After reading a few sources, I cried UNCLE.

10. "Eternals" star Gemma: CHAN.  (b. Nov. 29, 1982 in London)  Eternals is a 2021 fantasy/action film.

CHAN as Sersi in Eternals

14. "__ yours": affectionate sign-off: EVER.

15. Gaming rookies: NOOBS.  N00BS (spelled with zeros instead of Os) is an example of leet. Basically, leet is a gamer's writing system that replaces letters with numbers or other characters. Some say it is derived from the word elite.  1337

16. Search for wild game: HUNT.  

17. Fancy fundraiser: GALA.     and     26 Down. Broadway background: SET.

I liked the alliteration in these two clues, as well as in the 54-Across themer.

20. Alpine event: SUPER-G.  It stands for Super Giant Slalom. 

This is Mikaela Shiffrin winning the Bronze for the Women's Super-G 

at the 2021 FIX World Alpine Ski Championships. (1:13 min.)

22. __ A Sketch: ETCH.  

25. Dried poblano peppers: ANCHOS.  

The ANCHO is on the left.

27. Bridge support: TRUSS.  waseeley gave told us about "trusses" last Thursday so today I'll point you towards  The World's 10 Longest Continuous TRUSS bridges.  (I have ridden my  bike across #5 many times.)

28. "Nice to see you!": HI THERE.  

29. Square root of cuatro: DOS.  matemáticas españolas

The square root of a negative number is an imaginary number, denoted by i.
The answer should be 2i.
The answer "lost an i".

30. 2001 film with a Seussian title: I AM SAM.  I did not hesitate on this one because the soundtrack for this Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer movie is on my Top 5 Soundtracks of All Time list. Every song is a Beatles cover. It is difficult to choose just one. Here is Sarah McLachlan with Blackbird.  

34. Mgr.'s helper: ASST.  manager and assistant

37. "Hunny" bear: POOH.  

40. "Abracadabra!": PRESTO.  I like the parity between the clue and answer.

41. Take up or take in: SEW.  A tailor might take up a hem or take in a suit that is too large.

44. Baltimore baseballers: ORIOLES.  CSO to waseeley!

46. Houston baseballer: ASTRO.  CSO to -T!  

I liked that these two answers were on the same line.

48. Ballpoint alternative: GEL PEN.  

I 💙 these pens!

52. "Zoolander" actor Wilson: OWEN.  

Owen (right) starred with Ben Stiller (left) in this 2001 comedy.

53. __ Coors: MOLSON.  This one was ESP for me. I did know of Coors beer but I did not know that in 2005 Molson of Canada merged with Coors of the U.S. to form Molson Coors Brewing Co. (now Molson Coors Beverage Co.).

57. Joint protected by a patella: KNEE.  A patella is a KNEEcap.

60. Spanakopita dough: FILO.  The Greeks deserve a Nobel Prize for inventing such a delicious pie with spinach as a main ingredient.  

61. Ludicrous display: FARCE.  Def.: (noun) an empty or patently ridiculous act, proceeding, or situation.  

62. Unagi Day fish: EELS.  Mark your calendars. The next Unagi Day will be July 19, 2025.

63. Hand puppet material: FELT.  FELT is believed to be the world's oldest fabric.  more about FELT

64. Support one's team, in a way: CHEER.

Down:

1. Knob on a viola: PEG.  

A viola has four strings so it needs four PEGs.

2. The ACC's Cavaliers: UVA.  Atlantic Coast Conference and University of Virginia

3. Fahrenheit counterpart: CELSIUS.  

4. Bluegrass-country singer Alison: KRAUSS.  (b. July 23, 1971 in Decatur, IL)  

Sawing on the Strings  (2008)

5. Ravenous, probably: UNFED.

6. Bête __: NOIRE.  Def.: (noun) a person or thing strongly detested or avoided.    

This translates from French to black beast.

7. Short-legged canine: CORGI.  The Pembroke Welsh Corgi was #11 on the  American Kennel Club's most popular dogs of 2023 list. Here is a collection of cute CORGI actions (2:18 min.):

8. Dumbbell abbr.: LBS.  pounds

9. Superlative suffix: -EST.  This is the bestest suffix.

10. Make small talk: CHITCHAT.  Have you heard of ablaut reduplication? It is why CHITCHAT sounds natural to native English speakers but chatchit does not. We had a puzzle containing several of these terms on Nov. 6, 2024.

11. Homes for pet rabbits: HUTCHES.

12. Newsroom stars: ANCHORS.  Cue Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004):  

13. Unspecified degree: NTH.  not to be confused with the degrees in 3-Down

19. __-up demand: PENT.  According to Investopedia, this describes a rapid increase in demand for a service or product, usually following a period of subdued spending.

21. Theorize: POSIT.  Perhaps potentially perky people pencil positive POSITs on Post-its.  

23. Flight takeoff hr.: ETD.  "Hour" is abbreviated, so is "Estimated Time of Departure".

24. Full-time athlete: PRO.  Last week 17-year old golfer Blades Brown announced he was skipping college to turn PRO.  ESPN article

25. Direct toward: AIM AT.

28. Bowlers and fedoras: HATS.  

Bowlers (l.) and fedoras (r.) are often made of FELT.

31. Colorado skiing mecca: ASPEN.  

32. Snickers producer: MARS.  This was the candy bar -- not snickers as in "hee hee".

33. NNW reversal: SSE.

35. "That would be terrible!": I HOPE NOT.  

"Christmas is cancelled" scene from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

36. Sounds like a lion: ROARS.

37. 1990s collectible disc: POG. We've had this one a few times lately. I hope everyone remembered it this time.  in case you forgot

38. Creamy dessert made with cookies: OREO PIE.  

39. Derrick setting: OIL WELL.  

41. Real knockout: STUNNER.  Something that is stunning to see can be a STUNNER.

42. Miss a cue: ERR.

43. "__ betide our enemies": WOE.  This time of year we say, "Glad tidings!" but here is a darker use.

45. Heidi Klum's model daughter: LENI.  Leni Olumi Klum (b. May 4, 2004) is Heidi's oldest child. Seal adopted her in 2009.

Seal, Leni, and Heidi

47. Really psyched: STOKED.  The first known use of this slang word was in 1965. M-W

49. Color technique with a blended effect: OMBRE.  

50. Alto or soprano: VOICE.

51. Revered tribal figure: ELDER.

54. Like weird vibes: OFF.  

This one is for Jayce.

55. Org. with Cardinals and Saints: NFC.  I had to make a trade from the National Football League to the National Football Conference.

FYI, The AFC + The NFC = The NFL

56. "So frustrating!": GAH.

58. "Strange Magic" rock gp.: ELO.

59. Precognition letters: ESP.  Precognition is a noun meaning "clairvoyance relating to an event or state not yet experienced". So, the opposite of déjà vu???

Happy Holidays to everyone! 🎄I will be away for a few days but I will be back before the START of the new year.

 

Note from C.C.:

 

Happy 80th birthday to Margot, our caring and loving Misty. Here is a picture of Misty and her husband Rowland celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary in 2009. 

Sunday December 22, 2024 Alan Massengill

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!

Across:

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.