Theme: "History Lesson" - The last word of each theme entry can follow "Social".
22A. *Cuddly toy: STUFFED ANIMAL. Social animal.
37A *Layered lunch: TURKEY CLUB. Social club.
60A. *Braves outfielder who was the 1990 N.L. Rookie of the Year: DAVID JUSTICE. Social justice.
83A. *Webmaster's concern: DATA SECURITY. Social security.
106A. *Cuts a school period: SKIPS CLASS. Social class.
15D. *Jackson or Lincoln: STATE CAPITAL. Social capital.
63D. *"We'll need a better solution": THAT WON'T WORK. Social work.
Reveal:
125. Field including history, and a hint to the ends of the answers to starred clues: SOCIAL STUDIES.
I originally had GO THE DISTANCE as one of the theme entries and "Social Studies" as the puzzle title. Rich said "SOCIAL DISTANCE, as it turns out, has another meaning, a very different one from SOCIAL DISTANCING. I'm not sure how familiar that meaning is ..."
He proposed that I use SOCIAL STUDIES as a reveal and suggested "History Lesson" as a title. As always, lots of clues are Rich's. So in awe of his YEAS (86. Passing words?)
Grid-wise, I was excited to make the four theme entries intersect. I always try, but often I can't make it happen.
Across:
1. Readily available: ON TAP.
6. Arabian Peninsula natives: OMANIS. They use RIAL.
12. Declines: SAYS NO.
18. __ apart: WORLDS.
20. 1998 Winter Games city: NAGANO. Tara Lipinski won her Olympics gold medal there at age 15, youngest in figure skating history.
21. Place for retiring?: PIT STOP.
24. Was behind: RAN LATE.
25. April 4, in 2021: EASTER.
26. "99 Luftballons" singer whose name is an anagram of two of Henry VIII's wives: NENA. Rich added the anagram part. Not a common name, hence Rich's helpful hint, I think.
27. Texter's "If you ask me": IMO.
28. Q's value in Scrabble: TEN.
29. "Solve for x" subj.: ALG.
31. Harbor bobber: BUOY.
33. Feudal workers: SERFS.
35. Pieces with views: OP-EDS.
41. Popular fact source: ALMANAC.
43. Hunter seen at night: ORION.
44. Rami's role on "Mr. Robot": ELLIOT. Elliot Alderson. Malek also played Freddie Mercury.
47. Sch. with a Lima campus: OSU.
48. Swingers' tools: BATS.
51. Attend to a boxer, maybe: PET SIT. 57. Litter box emanations: ODORS. And 92. Where kitties get pampered: CAT SPA.
53. Ill will: ENMITY.
55. Irrefutable truth: GOSPEL.
62. "Ex on the Beach" channel: MTV.
64. Actress Hatcher: TERI.
66. Half a film genre portmanteau: ROM. Com.
67. Workplaces for RNs: ORS. We had 9,040 new cases yesterday. Quite scary. Wear better masks, guys. The cloth masks do not offer enough protection.
68. Tiny bit: TAD.
69. Cheery greeting: HI HO.
70. __-free: cleaning cloth term: LINT.
72. Market: SELL.
74. Bowlers, e.g.: HATS.
75. Menu preposition: A LA. I've been enjoying Kenchin soup lately. Warm and comforting.
76. Palais pal: AMI.
78. Aides for profs: TAS.
80. Check, with "in": REIN.
82. __ Miss: OLE.
87. Financial liabilities: DEBTS.
89. Ailing: UNWELL.
90. Performed a concerto's cadenza: SOLOED. Rich's clue.
96. Substandard: POOR.
97. __ de parfum: EAU.
99. Beaux of old: SWAINS.
102. Civil rights icon John: LEWIS. I did not realize his achievements until he passed away. What a great guy!
103. "Close, but no cigar": NICE TRY.
108. Prefix with league: INTER.
110. Some video files: MPEGS.
113. Israeli statesman Abba: EBAN.
114. Washington MLBer: NAT.
115. "Right this instant!": NOW.
116. Global fiscal org.: IMF. International Monetary Fund.
118. Piece of cake: SNAP. We have a tiny slice of pumpkin pie left. Still plenty of turkey though. Have you tried turkey with wasabi & soy sauce? Delicious!
120. Paid off: BRIBED.
123. Sweetums: POOPSIE.
129. Poland neighbor: UKRAINE.
130. Entering words: I'M HERE. Rich's clue.
131. Thin piece: SLIVER.
132. "Shame on you!": TSK TSK.
133. Raised: REARED.
134. Topples (over): KEELS.
Down:
2. "Just kidding!": NOT.
3. 2010 Coen brothers remake: TRUE GRIT. One the first entries I put into the grid earlier on.
4. __ Romeo: ALFA. Hi Tony!
5. Some downloaded docs: PDFS.
6. Hot: ON A ROLL.
7. Superhero suffix: MAN.
8. Opposin': AGIN.
9. Identifies: NAMES.
10. Cockamamie: INANE.
11. Discontinued Camry model: SOLARA.
12. "The King and I" kingdom: SIAM. The King and Oo.
13. When two hands come together?: AT NOON.
14. Luxury bag monogram: YSL. No idea why women all love bags.
16. Prominent: NOTED.
17. Warms up the crowd: OPENS.
19. Hold in reserve: SET BY.
21. Beam benders: PRISMS.
23. Court tie: DEUCE.
29. Straddling: ATOP.
30. Tempt: LURE.
32. Festive time: YULE.
34. Name on the 1979 album "The Wall": FLOYD. Rich's clue.
36. MillerCoors rival: PABST.
38. Part of the former Yugoslavia: KOSOVO.
39. City west of Tulsa: ENID.
40. Tough situation: BIND. And 104. Tense situation: CRISIS.
42. Portend: AUGUR.
45. "The Wire" antihero __ Little: OMAR. Unfamiliar to me. Rich's clue.
46. Saves for later viewing: TIVOS.
49. Mexican town known for its beer, which is now a Heineken brand: TECATE. Also Rich's clue. I did not know the beer was named after a town.
50. Winter hillside sights: SLEDS.
52. Kid: TOT.
54. Track official: TIMER.
56. Spy org. created by FDR: OSS. Office of Strategic Services.
58. Dig find: RELIC.
59. Asian honorific: SRI.
61. ''Maleficent'' actress: JOLIE.
62. City west of Venezia: MILANO. And 94. Birthplace of Galileo: PISA. My favorite Pisa guy.
65. Opening remarks: INTRO.
69. Invited to the skybox: HAD UP.
71. Flip sides?: TAILS.
73. Was in charge of: LED.
74. Low-cost stopover: HOSTEL.
76. __ interpreter: press conference figure: ASL.
77. Fighting word from the French for "mixture": MELEE. Also Rich's clue.
79. Store: STOW.
81. "The Good Place" network: NBC.
84. EagleCam spot: AERIE.
85. Seize illegally: USURP.
86. Passing words?: YEAS. So original. So Rich. He's a true wordsmith.
88. Poolroom powder: TALC.
91. What Brinker's boy plugged with a finger: DIKE. Hans Brinker. Read the story here.
93. Graceful vertical entrance: SWAN DIVE.
95. Mgr.'s helper: ASST.
98. Cost of withdrawal: ATM FEE.
100. Ate in small bits: NIBBLED.
101. Exchanges verbal jabs: SPARS.
105. Private agreement?: YES SIR.
107. Agitated states: SNITS.
108. Two cents: INPUT.
109. Partners of crannies: NOOKS.
111. Grimm creature: GNOME.
112. Actor __ Baron Cohen: SACHA.
117. Stole stuff: MINK.
119. Docking place: PIER.
121. Cheapest way to buy, with "in": BULK.
122. "Nurse Jackie" star Falco: EDIE.
124. Gentle touch: PAT. Do any of you have this type of shiatsu shoulder massager? Does it really work?
126. Exist: ARE.
127. Fish in unadon: EEL. I have not had uadon for ages. Grilled eels over steamed rice.
128. Yearbook gp.: SRS.
C.C.
