23A. Result of failing to catch a wascally wabbit? : ELMER'S GLOOM. Elmer's Glue.
25A. Viral video about Dre's headphones? : BEATS MEME. Beats me. Beats by Dr.
56A. "I'm the best on the runway," e.g.? : MODELING CLAIM. Modeling clay.
78A. Herb served only on trains? : RAILROAD THYME. Railroad tie.
113A. Floral stench? : BLOOM FUNK. Blue funk.
115A. Poor prompt to a friend who's been asked what the capital of Alaska is? : JUST SAY NOME. Just Say No.
38D. British cop's heartthrob? : BOBBY FLAME. Bobby Flay.
43D. Some "Ghostbusters" jokes? : SLIME HUMOR. Sly humor.
What a nice title. It captures the sound change gimmick perfectly.
Two changes in first words, six changes in last word. Very consistent. Jeffrey did a similar M-ending puzzle last year. His gimmick involved the second word only. Fun to compare both puzzles.
Across:
1. "Take __!" : THAT. Not CARE.
5. Follower of Zeno : STOIC
10. Revelatory moments : AHAs
14. Concert site : HALL
18. Gives a shine to : WAXES
20. Conveyor connected to a pump : AORTA. Heart pump.
21. Norse trickster : LOKI. Pronounced like "low-key".
22. Mayberry redhead : OPIE
27. Ultimate : EVENTUAL
28. Barak of Israel : EHUD. Prime Minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001.
30. Victim of Casca : CAESAR. Casca attacked Caesar first.
31. Litany from a lying perp : DENIALS
32. Pasta wheat : DURUM. Latin for "hard".
34. Ad hoc gp. : COMM. Committee.
35. ISP alternative : DSL
36. "C'mon, bro!" : AW MAN!
37. Landlocked African land : ZIMBABWE. Sadza (white cornmeal) is a staple there.
41. "Are not!" evoker : AM SO
44. Holiday seasons : YULES
46. Underwater stabilizer : KEEL
48. Embellish : ADORN. Are those sprinkles on the plate dried herbs?
49. Tops off : FILLS
51. Zip : NIL
52. Seriously hurt : MAIM
54. StubHub parent company : EBAY
55. Young Darth's nickname : ANI
62. Hang-thread link : BY A
63. Inviting words : COME ON IN
65. Risk it : DARE. And 118. A risk might be taken on one : LARK. Not DARE.
66. Like some R-rated films : RACY
68. Took an arduous trip : TREKKED
69. "Sexy" Beatles woman : SADIE
70. Pathetic : PITIFUL
73. Walk obediently : HEEL
74. Biceps exercise : CHIN
75. "You're not done talking, are you?" : WHAT ELSE
76. Soccer phenom Freddy : ADU. Once touted as The Next Pelé.
82. Wore (away) : ATE
83. NASA vehicles : LEMs
85. Court entry : PLEA
86. Barrel contents : OIL
87. Any of three Ottoman sultans : AHMED. New to me. It means "highly praised" in Arabic.
89. Beef recall cause : E. COLI
91. Poetic foot : IAMB
93. Mideast capital at 7,380 feet : SANA'A
95. Hefty refs. : OEDs. Oxford English Dictionary.
96. Toyota compacts : COROLLAs
98. Somewhat high : TIPSY
100. Not cloudy: Abbr. : CLR. OK. Clear. We just had a beautiful week here in MN. Amazing to walk on fallen leaves in summer-like weather.
102. Tidy the garden, in a way : WEED
103. Charge : RUN AT
104. It precedes some hockey games : O CANADA
108. Creativity result : OUTPUT
111. Hall of Fame catcher Carlton : FISK. So who is your favorite all-time catcher?
112. Sweater type : CARDIGAN
119. Rickey flavoring : LIME
120. __ nous : ENTRE
121. Half a '60s-'70s pop duo : SONNY
122. Poker game starter : ANTE. And 124. Poker game betrayals : TELLS
123. 2000, for one : YEAR
125. Where Nike has no "i," briefly : NYSE. Nike stock ticker is NKE.
Down:
1. Suit material : TWEED
2. Cut in two : HALVE
3. Corporate heavies : AX MEN. Is this a common saying?
4. Young star : TEEN IDOL
5. They go on for generations : SAGAS
6. Turnpike fee : TOLL
7. Medalla de victor : ORO
8. Skater Midori : ITO
9. Smartphone feature : CAMERA
10. "Dark Sky Island," e.g. : ALBUM. Clue echo at 40. "Dark Sky Island" musician : ENYA.
11. Did some gardening : HOED
12. Alias preceder : AKA
13. Without ads, it's usually about 21 or 22 minutes : SITCOM
14. Like much jam : HOMEMADE. Pickling was quite popular when I grew up. Probably because sugar was rationed, no one made jam. I have fond memories of a mulberry tree.
15. Copies : APES
16. __ bean : LIMA
17. Inappropriate look : LEER
19. Sp. lasses : SRTAs
24. 2016 film subtitled "Miracle on the Hudson" : SULLY
26. Latin dance : SAMBA
29. Eye-opener at the gym : HUNK. Such an unexpected answer.
32. Live : DWELL
33. Uncertain sounds : UMs
34. Eyelashes : CILIA. Learned form doing crosswords.
36. Not from around here : ALIEN
37. Enthusiasm : ZEAL
39. "King Kong" (1933) actress : WRAY (Fay)
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41. "It's __!": "True!" : A FACT
42. Bouncer's concern : MINOR
45. Reversed : UNDID
47. Host : EMCEE
50. Barbecue equipment using wood : SMOKER
53. Sister of Moses : MIRIAM. This stumped me before.
57. Swimmer's unit : ONE LAP
58. Panhandle state : IDAHO
59. Gymnast Comaneci : NADIA
60. Tedious work : GRIND
61. Kathy of country : MATTEA
64. Barely get, with "out" : EKE
67. Co. in Cannes : CIE
69. "Get lost!" : SCRAM
70. Kingdom subdivisions : PHYLA. Plural of phylum.
71. "¿Cómo está __?" : USTED
72. __ United: English soccer team : LEEDS. Anyone remember Steve's team?
75. Sniveling : WHINY
76. Smart guy? : ALEC
77. Art __ : DECO
79. Homeric epic : ILIAD
80. Beethoven strolled in them for inspiration : LEAS. I thought the answer would be German for "parks".
81. Done for : TOAST. Yay, Astros! Good to see you back, TTP!
84. Highway hazard : SLOWPOKE
88. Interfere with : HORN IN ON
90. Intestinal section : ILEUM. Plural ILEA.
92. A/C measure : BTUs
93. Day or nail follower : SPA
94. West African capital : ACCRA
97. Uncork, so to speak : LET FLY
99. Laser alternative : INKJET
101. __ man : LADY'S. Not an easy fill-in-the-blank. So many choices.
103. "Star Trek: TNG" first officer : RIKER (Will). Another learning moment.
104. Refreshment spots : OASES
105. Extreme pain : AGONY
106. Condemns : DAMNS
107. In the blink of __ : AN EYE
108. Beatles nonsense syllables : OB-LA
109. __ Bator : ULAN. Beautiful name in Chinese.
110. Battery, e.g. : TORT
111. Low-cost home loan org. : FNMA
112. Bottom row PC key : CTRL
114. Turn often prohibited, slangily : UIE
116. French article : UNE
117. Home of the NHL's Blues : STL
