LA Times Crossword 10 May 26, Sunday

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Constructed by: Katie Hale

Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: Garden Variety

Themed answers are common phrases, but with a letter change that converts one word into a FLOWER:

  • 119A FTD Mother’s Day slogan, or an alternate title for this puzzle? : SAY IT WITH FLOWERS
  • 24A Show off very pale linseed plants? : WAVE THE WHITE FLAX (wave the white flag)
  • 32A Monarch who wears an oxeye crown? : DAISY QUEEN (Dairy Queen)
  • 53A Finds the best way to get thorns in one’s hand? : STRIKES A ROSE (strikes a pose)
  • 70A “If you buy another showy pink bloom, so help me … “? : NOT A PEONY MORE … (not a penny more …)
  • 90A Throw a tantrum in a springtime meadow? : POUND POPPIES (pound puppies)
  • 111A Fall wedding with a purple theme, perhaps? : ASTER PARTY (after party)

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 17m 32s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

4A “__ in Cincinnati” : WKRP

The sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati” was produced by MTM, the production company established by Mary Tyler Moore and her husband for the “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”. “WKRP” was a successful enough show when it originally aired, but then became a blockbuster in syndication. It became MTM’s most-watched program, even outstripping the original “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”.

20A Grateful Dead co-founder Bob : WEIR

Bob Weir was just 16 years old when he co-founded the Warlocks, along with Jerry Garcia. The California band eventually evolved into the Grateful Dead. Weir was born Robert Hall Pharber in San Francisco, but was given up for adoption and raised by the Weir family.

21A McFlurry cookie : OREO

A McFlurry is an ice cream dessert served in McDonald’s restaurants. A McFlurry is made from soft-serve ice cream, to which are added crushed candy bars or cookies. Cleverly, a McFlurry is mixed on a machine with the mixing blade then doubling as a spoon with which one eats it.

23A “Tick that off my bucket list” hashtag : YOLO

You only live once (YOLO)

24A Show off very pale linseed plants? : WAVE THE WHITE FLAX (wave the white flag)

Flax is mainly grown for its seeds (to make oil) and for its fibers. Flax fibers have been used to make linen for centuries, certainly back as far as the days of the ancient Egyptians. Flax fibers are soft and shiny, resembling blond hair, hence the term “flaxen hair”.

32A Monarch who wears an oxeye crown? : DAISY QUEEN (Dairy Queen)

Oxeyes are in the daisy family of plants. Also known as dog daisies or marguerites, the flowers of oxeyes feature white petals surrounding yellow disc florets.

Soft serve ice cream was developed by John McCullough in 1938. McCullough was able to get his new dessert carried by a local ice cream store in Illinois. He and the store owner became so swamped with sales that they opened a store specifically built around the product in Joliet, Illinois, hence creating the first Dairy Queen outlet. There are now over 7,000 Dairy Queen franchises in 20 countries.

36A Dramas set in Vegas and Miami : CSIS

The “CSI” franchise of TV shows has been tremendously successful, and seems to really have legs. “CSI: Miami” (the “worst” of the franchise, I think) was canceled in 2012 after ten seasons. “CSI: NY” (the “best” of the franchise) was canceled in 2013 after nine seasons. The original “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” was set in Las Vegas, and hung in there until 2015 when it ended with a two-hour TV movie. Then there was “CSI: Cyber”. It lasted for two seasons, before being canceled in 2016. “CSI: Vegas”, a sequel to the original “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, launched in 2021, and lasted for three seasons.

38A “Minaret” novelist Aboulela : LEILA

Leila Aboulela is an author of Sudanese origin who emigrated to Scotland in 1990, after which she started writing. A theme in much of her work is life for Muslim immigrants in Western society. Aboulela’s 2023 novel “River Spirit” was recognized by “The New York Times” as one of the best historical fiction novels published that year.

“Minaret” is a 2005 novel by Sudanese-born author Leila Aboulela. The protagonist is Najwa, a wealthy Sudanese socialite who flees her country in 1985 during the Second Sudanese Civil War. Forced to leave behind a life of affluence, she finds herself working as a domestic servant for a secular Arab family in London. The story’s title is a reference to Najwa’s spiritual awakening and renewed interest in Islam.

39A Collect copious amounts of : RAKE IN

Something described as copious is plentiful in number. “Copia” is a Latin word meaning “abundance, ample supply”, and “Copia” was the Roman goddess of abundance (as in “cornucopia”).

50A Sweetener in some 13-Down : SPLENDA
[13D Sugar-free soda : DIET COLA]

“Splenda” is a brand name used for the artificial sweetener sucralose. Sucralose was discovered in 1976 when a graduate student was asked to “test” a new chlorinated sugar compound, but he misheard the instruction as “taste” and put a pinch on his tongue. Luckily for him, the result was a substance 600 times sweeter than sugar rather than a trip to the hospital.

57A Prized violin : AMATI

The first of the Amati family to make violins was Andrea Amati, who lived in the 16th century. He was succeeded by his sons Antonio and Girolamo. In turn, the two brothers were succeeded by Girolamo’s son Nicolo. Nicolo had a few students who achieved fame making musical instruments as well. One was his own son, Girolamo, and another was the famed Antonio Stradivari.

62A Creamy drink : LASSI

Lassi is a yogurt-based drink from India. Popular variants are namkeen lassi (which is salty), sweet lassi and mango lassi. There is even a bhang lassi, which is infused with a liquid derivative of cannabis.

64A Major artery : AORTA

The aorta is the largest artery in the human body. It carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Even though it is a single vessel, it is divided into four main sections: the ascending aorta, the aortic arch, the thoracic aorta, and the abdominal aorta.

67A “The Wild Robot” voice actor Ving : RHAMES

Ving Rhames is a Hollywood actor from New York City. I first noted him in the 1994 film “Pulp Fiction”, in which he played gangster Marsellus Wallace. Rhames also appears alongside Tom Cruise in the “Mission: Impossible” series of films. In fact, only Cruise and Rhames appear in all of the “Mission: Impossible” movies.

“The Wild Robot” is a 2024 animated feature film, adapted from a popular children’s book of the same name by Peter Brown. It tells the story of a robot named Roz who is shipwrecked on an island and must adapt to the wilderness, eventually becoming the adoptive mother to an orphaned gosling. In a nod to science-fiction history, the robot’s product line (ROZZUM) is a homage to Karel Čapek’s 1920 play “R.U.R.” (Rossum’s Universal Robots), which is famous for introducing the word “robot” to the world.

70A “If you buy another showy pink bloom, so help me … “? : NOT A PEONY MORE … (not a penny more …)

The flowering plant called a peony is named for Paean, the mythical physician to the Greek gods. Indiana adopted the peony as its state flower in 1957.

74A PD call : APB

An All Points Bulletin (APB) is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.

77A “Shabbat __” : SHALOM

“Shabbat Shalom” serves as the traditional Hebrew greeting for the Jewish Sabbath.

82A Baseball dynasty name : ALOU

Felipe Alou is a former professional baseball player and manager. Alou managed the Montreal Expos from 1992 to 2001, and the San Francisco Giants from 2003 to 2006. Alou was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and came to the US to play for the Giants in 1955. Felipe’s brothers Matty and Jesús followed him to the US, and into Major League baseball.

84A Farm cart : DRAY

A dray is a sideless 4-wheeled cart that is used for hauling goods.

86A __ nous : ENTRE

In French, something might perhaps be discussed “entre deux” (between two) or “entre nous” (between us).

89A Cast a ballot : VOTE

Today, a ballot is a piece of paper or equivalent used to cast a vote. Back in the 1500s, a “ballot” was a small “ball” used in the process of voting.

96A Clay shaper : POTTER

Clay is a naturally-occurring soil material that becomes moldable when wet, and hardens when fired in a kiln. That makes it a ceramic material, the oldest known ceramic used by humans.

97A Old Hollywood studio : RKO

RKO Pictures was one of the major film studios during Hollywood’s Golden Age. The studio’s iconic logo was a rotating globe with a radio tower atop. The tower beeped out “A Radio Picture” in Morse code. That is, except during WWII, when it beeped out “V for Victory”.

98A “Fourth Wing” creature : DRAGON

Rebecca Yarros is an author in the “romantasy” genre who is best known for her “Empyrean” novels, beginning with 2023’s “Fourth Wing”. The protagonist in the series has a chronic illness that makes her bones brittle, a condition based on Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, from which Yarros also suffers.

100A Nobel subj. : ECON

The Peace Prize is the most famous of the five prizes bequeathed by Alfred Nobel. The others are for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature. There is also a Nobel Prize in Economics that is awarded along with the original five, but it is funded separately and is awarded “in memory of Alfred Nobel”. Four of the prizes are awarded by Swedish organizations (Alfred Nobel was a Swede) and so the award ceremonies take place in Stockholm. The Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and is presented in Oslo.

104A Wild West brothers : EARPS

The famous Earp brothers of the Wild West were Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan. All three brothers participated in what has to be the most famous gunfight in the history of the Old West, the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Strangely enough, the fight didn’t happen at the O.K. Corral, but took place six doors down the street in a vacant lot next to a photography studio.

107A Farr co-star : ALDA

Alan Alda is the only person to win acting, directing, and writing Emmys for the same comedy program. He won five Emmys for his work on “M*A*S*H”, three for acting, one for writing and one for directing.

Actor Jamie Farr is best known for playing the cross-dressing Max Klinger in the sitcom ”M*A*S*H”. Although Farr landed a role in the 1955 movie “Blackboard Jungle”, his career didn’t really take off until he started appearing regularly on “The Red Skelton Show”. Years later he managed to get a one-episode appearance in ”M*A*S*H”, and his character and performance were received so well that he became a regular on the show. Farr actually did serve in the US Army in Korea, although it was after hostilities had ended. The dog tags that Farr wore when filming ”M*A*S*H” were the ones that he actually wore while serving in the military.

109A Thessaly peak : OSSA

Mount Ossa in Greece is located between Mount Pelion in the south, and the famed Mount Olympus in the north. Mount Ossa is also known as Kissavos.

Thessaly is a region in central Greece. It was considered the homeland of mythical figures like Achilles and Jason, and was believed to be the dwelling place of centaurs and other mythical creatures. Thessaly used to be called Aeolia, and appears in Homer’s “Odyssey” under the latter name.

111A Fall wedding with a purple theme, perhaps? : ASTER PARTY (after party)

Apparently, most aster species and cultivars bloom relatively late in the year, usually in the fall. The name “aster” comes into English via Latin from the Greek word “astéri” meaning “star”, a reference to the arrangement of the petals of the flower.

114A Skater Midori : ITO

Midori Ito is a Japanese figure skater. She was the first woman to land a triple/triple jump and a triple axel in competition. In fact, Ito landed her first triple jump in training when she was only 8 years old. Ito won Olympic silver in 1992, and was chosen as the person to light the Olympic cauldron at the commencement of the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

115A Ephron who directed “You’ve Got Mail” : NORA

Nora Ephron had many talents, including writing film scripts and novels. Many of the movies that she wrote, she also directed. These would include some of my favorite movies of all time like “Sleepless in Seattle”, “You’ve Got Mail” and most recently, the wonderful “Julie & Julia”. And, did you know that Nora Ephron’s second marriage was to journalist Carl Bernstein of Watergate fame? She wrote an autobiographical novel based on her life with Bernstein, which deals in particular with Bernstein’s affair with the daughter of British Prime Minister James Callaghan.

“You’ve Got Mail” is a 1998 romantic comedy film starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, and directed by Nora Ephron. The film is an adaptation of the Miklos Laszlo play “Parfumerie”. The storyline of “Parfumerie” was also used for the movies “The Shop Around the Corner” (from 1940 starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan) and “In the Good Old Summertime” (from 1949 starring Van Johnson and Judy Garland).

117A Ancient market : AGORA

In early Greece, an agora was a place of assembly. The assemblies held there were often quite formal, perhaps for the reading of a proclamation. Later in Greek history, things became less formal as the agora evolved into a marketplace. Our contemporary word “agoraphobia” comes from these agorae, in the sense that an agoraphobe has a fear of open spaces, a fear of “public meeting places”.

119A FTD Mother’s Day slogan, or an alternate title for this puzzle? : SAY IT WITH FLOWERS

Back in 1910, fifteen florists from around America agreed to fulfill each other’s orders using the telegraph system, setting up what they called the Florists’ Telegraph Delivery. The concept grew so large that in 1965 the group started to offer international service, and changed its name to Florists’ Transworld Delivery (FTD).

Note the official punctuation in “Mother’s Day”, even though one might think it should be “Mothers’ Day”. President Wilson and Anna Jarvis, who created the tradition, specifically wanted Mother’s Day to honor the mothers within each family and not just “mothers” in general, so they went with the “Mother’s Day” punctuation.

124A “China Rich Girlfriend” novelist Kevin : KWAN

American novelist Kevin Kwan was born in Singapore and raised there until the age of 11. Kwan’s most famous book is 2013’s “Crazy Rich Asians”, which was adapted into a hugely successful 2018 movie of the same name. Kwan was paid just one dollar for the film rights, but did serve as an executive producer. Kwan wrote two more novels in the “Crazy Rich Asians” series: “China Rich Girlfriend” (2015) and “Rich People Problems” (2017).

127A Shuffle cousin in the Apple family : NANO

The iPod Nano was the successor to the iPod Mini and was introduced to the market at the end of 2005. There were seven versions of the Nano, until it was discontinued in 2017.

128A Fit of pique : SNIT

Our term “pique” meaning “fit of ill feeling” is a French word meaning “prick, sting, irritation”.

129A Pre-Titans team : OILERS

The Houston Oilers were an AFL charter team founded in 1960. The team moved to Tennessee in 1997, and became the Tennessee Titans in 1999.

130A Wolfe created by Rex Stout : NERO

Nero Wolfe is a fictional detective and the hero of many stories published by author Rex Stout. There are 33 Nero Wolfe novels for us to read, and 39 short stories. There are also movie adaptations of two of the novels: “Meet Nero Wolfe” (1936) which features a young Rita Hayworth, and “The League of Frightened Men” (1937). One of Wolfe’s endearing traits is his love of good food and beer, so he is a pretty rotund character.

131A Snapdragon Stadium sch. : SDSU

Snapdragon Stadium opened in 2022, adjacent to the site where the now-demolished San Diego Stadium used to stand. It is home to the San Diego State Aztecs football team, and the San Diego FC and San Diego Wave FC soccer teams. Ironically, Snapdragon Stadium will be temporarily renamed “San Diego Stadium” for the 2028 Summer Olympics to comply with the IOC’s strict ban on corporate sponsorships.

132A Inspo for the Curtis Sittenfeld novel “Romantic Comedy” : SNL

Author Curtis Sittenfeld has written several novels that fit into a unique genre. Her 2008 novel “American Wife” is a fictional story based on the life of First Lady Laura Bush. 2016’s “Eligible” is a retelling of “Pride and Prejudice”. Her 2020 novel “Rodham” is a political novel that explores the potential life of Hilary Clinton, imagining a timeline where she never married Bill Clinton and pursued her own political goals. Intriguing stuff …

Down

3D Oscar winner Hawn : GOLDIE

I remember watching the ditsy character played by Goldie Hawn on “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In”. Hawn used to give great performances on the show, convincing everyone that she was the stereotypical dumb blonde. Well, what a great career she was to carve out for herself!

4D Address bar letters : WWW

In essence, the World Wide Web (WWW) is a vast collection of documents that is accessible using the Internet, with each document containing hyperlinks that point to other documents in the collection. So the “Web” is different from the Internet, although the terms are often used interchangeably. The Web is a collection of documents, and the Internet is a global network of computers on which the documents reside. The Web was effectively the invention of British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee. The key to Berner-Lee’s invention was bringing together two technologies that already existed: hypertext and the Internet. I, for one, am very grateful …

5D Reeves of “Speed” : KEANU

Keanu Reeves is a Canadian actor whose most celebrated roles were a metalhead in “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” (1989), a cop in “Speed” (1994) and the protagonist Neo in “The Matrix” series of films. Although Reeves is a Canadian national, he was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Reeves has some Hawaiian descent, and the name “Keanu” is Hawaiian for “the coolness” or “cool breeze”.

“Speed” is an entertaining 1994 action film starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, as well as the late Dennis Hopper as the bad guy.

6D Saint-Tropez region : RIVIERA

“Riviera” is an Italian word meaning “coastline”. The term is often applied to a coastline that is sunny and popular with tourists. The term “the Riviera” is usually reserved for the French Riviera (the Mediterranean coastline in southeastern France), and the Italian Riviera (the Mediterranean coastline centered on Genoa).

Saint-Tropez is a town in southeastern France on the French Riviera. These days, Saint-Tropez is very much associated with the European and American jet set. The town is named for a legendary martyr named Saint Torpes of Pisa. Torpes was supposedly executed on the orders of the Roman Emperor Nero. Having been beheaded, his head was tossed into the river Arno, and his body placed in a boat along with a cock and a dog who were to eat the body. The boat came ashore at the present-day location of Saint-Tropez, with the body untouched by the cock and the dog. The local people named their village in honor of Saint Torpes.

8D Old Compton Street’s district : SOHO

London’s Old Compton Street was named in 1681 after Henry Compton, the Bishop of London who crowned William and Mary. Located in the district of Soho, the thoroughfare evolved into a Huguenot refuge in the 17th century, and then into the city’s “Little Italy”. Today it is known as the center of London’s LGBTQ+ community.

11D Department store chain with TV ads starring Ellie Kemper : KOHL’S

Kohl’s is a department store chain with its headquarters in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The store takes its name from the founder, Maxwell Kohl.

Actress Ellie Kemper’s big break came with the role of Erin Hannon, a receptionist on the sitcom “The Office”. More recently, Kemper played the title role in the Netflix comedy series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”.

14D Rock’s __ Leppard : DEF

Def Leppard is a hard rock band from Sheffield in England. Drummer Rick Allen lost his arm in a car crash, severed by an incorrectly-worn seat belt. With the encouragement of the band, he returned to the lineup by using a specially designed electronic drum set. Amazing indeed …

15D Zhou of China : ENLAI

Zhou Enlai (also “Chou En-lai”) was the first government leader of the People’s Republic of China and held the office of Premier from 1949 until he died in 1976. Zhou Enlai ran the government for Communist Party Leader Mao Zedong, often striking a more conciliatory tone with the West than that of his boss. He was instrumental, for example, in setting up President Nixon’s famous visit to China in 1972. Zhou Enlai died just a few months before Mao Zedong, with both deaths leading to unrest and a dramatic change in political direction for the country.

42D Poughkeepsie college : VASSAR

Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York is now a coeducational school, after over a century of operating as a women’s college since its founding in 1861. The school was officially declared co-ed in 1969, although it had accepted a handful of male students on the GI Bill after WWII.

The City of Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley in New York State. The city’s name comes from a Wappinger word that can be translated as “the reed-covered lodge by the little-water place”.

51D Say grace, say : PRAY

A grace is a short prayer recited before or after a meal, especially in the Christian tradition. The term “grace” comes from the Latin “gratiarum actio” meaning “act of thanks”.

54D “Rainbow Connection” singer : KERMIT

“Rainbow Connection” is an Oscar-nominated song from the 1979 film “The Muppet Movie”. It is sung by Kermit the Frog, voiced by Jim Henson.

63D “Be My Guest With __ Garten” : INA

Ina Garten is an author as well as the host of a cooking show on the Food Network called “Barefoot Contessa”. She is a mentee of Martha Stewart, and indeed was touted as a potential “successor” to the TV celebrity when Stewart was incarcerated in 2004 after an insider trading scandal. Garten has no formal training as a chef, and indeed used to work as a nuclear policy analyst at the White House!

66D Llama habitat : ANDES

The Andes range is the longest continuous chain of mountains in the world. It runs down the length of the west coast of South America for about 4,300 miles, from Venezuela in the north to Chile in the south. The highest peak in the Andes is Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina, at an elevation of 22,841 feet. Interestingly, the peak of Mt. Chimborazo in Ecuador is the furthest point on the Earth’s surface from the center of the planet. That’s because of the equatorial “bulge” around the Earth’s “waist”.

72D Sushi bar tuna order : TORO

In a sushi restaurant, the dish called “toro” is the fatty tissue from the belly of the bluefin tuna.

75D Animal rights org. : PETA

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is a large animal rights organization, with about 400 employees and nine million members and supporters worldwide. Although the group campaigns for animal rights across a broad spectrum of issues, it has a stated focus in opposition of four practices:

  • Factory farming
  • Fur farming
  • Animal testing
  • Use of animals in entertainment

83D Bath facilities : LOO

Bath is a beautiful city in South West England of which I have very fond memories. It is an old Roman spa town, and the city’s name comes from the Roman baths that have been excavated and restored.

85D WWI Belgian battle site : YPRES

Ypres is a Belgian city located close to the French border. In WWI, Ypres was the scene of three devastating battles that resulted in almost a million casualties, including many who suffered in gas attacks.

91D Sommelier’s prop : DECANTER

“Sommelier” is the French word for “wine steward”. The role of a sommelier, also “chef de vin”, extends beyond just uncorking bottles. A trained and knowledgeable sommelier is responsible for developing wine lists, providing wine service, and expertly pairing wines with food. Beyond wine, the term “sommelier” has expanded to include other beverage specialists, such as a “beer sommelier” (also known as a “cicerone”) or a “sake sommelier”.

92D Flatpack furniture chain : IKEA

Flat-pack furniture is often referred to as ready-to-assemble (RTA) furniture.

95D Dial, Dove, and Irish Spring : SOAPS

Dial was the first antibacterial soap introduced in the US. It was given the name “Dial” as it was touted as offering “round-the-clock” protection against any odors caused by perspiration.

Dove is a line of personal care products made by Unilever. The brand originated in the UK, back in 1955.

Irish Spring soap was introduced in 1972 by Colgate-Palmolive. The scent used for the first twenty years was known internally within the manufacturer as “Ulster Fragrance”. I have no idea what an Ulster fragrance would be …

101D Tuna roll wrap : NORI

Nori is an edible seaweed that we used to know as “laver” when we were living in Wales. Nori is usually dried into thin sheets. Here in the US, we are most familiar with nori as the seaweed used as a wrap for sushi.

103D Palm stem product : SAGO

When I was growing up in Ireland I was very familiar with pearl sago, which is very similar to pearl tapioca. Pearls of sago are simply little balls of sago starch used to make breads, pancakes, biscuits, or steamed puddings that we ate as kids. Sago comes from the pith of the sago palm tree. To get at the starch the tree has to be cut down and the trunk split to reveal the pith. The pith is crushed and manipulated to make the starch available, which is then washed out of a fibrous suspension. One sago palm tree yields about 150-300 kg of starch. Personally I love the stuff, but then, I am a bit weird …

105D Shrimp kin : PRAWNS

The terms “prawn” and “shrimp” are often used interchangeably on menus. Over in the UK, the term “prawn” is most common, while “shrimp” is seen more often here in North America. Sometimes there is a differentiation from a food standpoint, with “prawn” being used for larger species and “shrimp” for smaller species. As a result, “jumbo prawns” seems to be an acceptable descriptor for a dish, whereas “jumbo shrimp” seems to be an oxymoron.

107D Pitfall! platform : ATARI

“Pitfall!” Is a video game that Atari released way back in 1982. Star of the game is Pitfall Harry.

113D Streisand title role : YENTL

“Yentl” is a play that opened in New York City in 1975. The move to adapt the play for the big screen was led by Barbra Streisand, and indeed she wrote the first outline of a musical version herself as far back as 1968. The film was eventually made and released in 1983, with Streisand performing the lead role.

116D Barn birds : OWLS

Barn owls are very effective at keeping down the population of rats, and have been used for this reason for centuries. However, the use of rat poison takes a toll not only on rats, but on small mammals like voles and mice, and indeed on barn owls who feed on such creatures.

122D Calico coat : FUR

Domestic cats with a white coat and patches of brown and black are called calico cats in this country. Back in Ireland, and the rest of the world I think, such cats are called tortoiseshell-and-white. “Calico” is not a breed of cat, but rather a coloring.

123D Small amount : SOU

A sou is an old French coin. We use the term “sou” to mean “practically worthless amount”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1A Backpack, e.g. : BAG
4A “__ in Cincinnati” : WKRP
8A Go down : SINK
12A Most eccentric : ODDEST
18A Small matter : ATOM
20A Grateful Dead co-founder Bob : WEIR
21A McFlurry cookie : OREO
22A Nothing, in Italian : NIENTE
23A “Tick that off my bucket list” hashtag : YOLO
24A Show off very pale linseed plants? : WAVE THE WHITE FLAX (wave the white flag)
27A Eventually become : END UP
29A Mandarin “hello” : NI HAO
30A Plunder : LOOT
31A State of the __ : ART
32A Monarch who wears an oxeye crown? : DAISY QUEEN (Dairy Queen)
34A Overwhelming desire : LUST
36A Dramas set in Vegas and Miami : CSIS
38A “Minaret” novelist Aboulela : LEILA
39A Collect copious amounts of : RAKE IN
41A Swear : AVOW
43A Like light yogurt : NONFAT
45A “That’s so nice” : AAH
46A Advantage to get in competition : A LEG UP
50A Sweetener in some 13-Down : SPLENDA
53A Finds the best way to get thorns in one’s hand? : STRIKES A ROSE (strikes a pose)
56A God of love : EROS
57A Prized violin : AMATI
60A Chest muscles, briefly : PECS
61A No. 2 : VEEP
62A Creamy drink : LASSI
64A Major artery : AORTA
67A “The Wild Robot” voice actor Ving : RHAMES
69A Caustic solution : LYE
70A “If you buy another showy pink bloom, so help me … “? : NOT A PEONY MORE … (not a penny more …)
74A PD call : APB
77A “Shabbat __” : SHALOM
79A “Same for me!” : SO DO I!
80A Poolside need : TOWEL
82A Baseball dynasty name : ALOU
84A Farm cart : DRAY
86A __ nous : ENTRE
89A Cast a ballot : VOTE
90A Throw a tantrum in a springtime meadow? : POUND POPPIES (pound puppies)
94A Future attorney’s study material : CASE LAW
96A Clay shaper : POTTER
97A Old Hollywood studio : RKO
98A “Fourth Wing” creature : DRAGON
100A Nobel subj. : ECON
102A Tiny, cutesily : EENSIE
104A Wild West brothers : EARPS
107A Farr co-star : ALDA
109A Thessaly peak : OSSA
111A Fall wedding with a purple theme, perhaps? : ASTER PARTY (after party)
114A Skater Midori : ITO
115A Ephron who directed “You’ve Got Mail” : NORA
117A Ancient market : AGORA
118A Give a start : SCARE
119A FTD Mother’s Day slogan, or an alternate title for this puzzle? : SAY IT WITH FLOWERS
124A “China Rich Girlfriend” novelist Kevin : KWAN
125A Go places : TRAVEL
126A Promising letters : IOUS
127A Shuffle cousin in the Apple family : NANO
128A Fit of pique : SNIT
129A Pre-Titans team : OILERS
130A Wolfe created by Rex Stout : NERO
131A Snapdragon Stadium sch. : SDSU
132A Inspo for the Curtis Sittenfeld novel “Romantic Comedy” : SNL

Down

1D Howled like a wolf : BAYED
2D Like a composition without a key : ATONAL
3D Oscar winner Hawn : GOLDIE
4D Address bar letters : WWW
5D Reeves of “Speed” : KEANU
6D Saint-Tropez region : RIVIERA
7D Warm up : PREHEAT
8D Old Compton Street’s district : SOHO
9D Rage : IRE
10D Fresh : NEW
11D Department store chain with TV ads starring Ellie Kemper : KOHL’S
12D Latch __ : ONTO
13D Sugar-free soda : DIET COLA
14D Rock’s __ Leppard : DEF
15D Zhou of China : ENLAI
16D Sky lights : STARS
17D Send a message : TEXT
19D Meek quality : MOUSINESS
25D Go down : TANK
26D Wee bit : IOTA
28D Traffic cone : PYLON
33D Post-presentation sesh : Q AND A
34D “I don’t buy it” : LIAR
35D Not hot and not cool : UNHIP
37D Veer : SWERVE
40D Snack : EAT
42D Poughkeepsie college : VASSAR
44D Some group chat members, for short : FAM
47D Takes unofficial R&R : GOES AWOL
48D Find purpose for : USE
49D __ rally : PEP
50D Trading floor call : SELL!
51D Say grace, say : PRAY
52D Misses the cut : LOSES OUT
53D Fathers : SIRES
54D “Rainbow Connection” singer : KERMIT
55D Warehouse sound : ECHO
58D Road trip aid : AAA MAP
59D Spinning toy : TOP
63D “Be My Guest With __ Garten” : INA
65D Plus : TOO
66D Llama habitat : ANDES
68D Chanced upon : MET
71D Experienced expert : OLD PRO
72D Sushi bar tuna order : TORO
73D Hither’s partner : YON
75D Animal rights org. : PETA
76D Huffed and puffed : BLEW
78D Looked (for) : HUNTED
81D Cookie sheet holders : OVEN RACKS
82D iPhone download : APP
83D Bath facilities : LOO
85D WWI Belgian battle site : YPRES
87D Classic TV brand : RCA
88D More than ready : EAGER
91D Sommelier’s prop : DECANTER
92D Flatpack furniture chain : IKEA
93D Long, long time : EON
95D Dial, Dove, and Irish Spring : SOAPS
98D Denies any association with : DISOWNS
99D Go back over : RETREAD
101D Tuna roll wrap : NORI
103D Palm stem product : SAGO
105D Shrimp kin : PRAWNS
106D Drain in a sieve : STRAIN
107D Pitfall! platform : ATARI
108D Unwaveringly true : LOYAL
110D Ballet slipper material : SATIN
112D Brings home : EARNS
113D Streisand title role : YENTL
114D Analogy words : IS TO
116D Barn birds : OWLS
117D Plus : ALSO
120D “__ never been better” : I’VE
121D Plot device? : HOE
122D Calico coat : FUR
123D Small amount : SOU