The New York Times Crossword

Ben Zimmer is the language columnist for The Wall Street Journal. Brendan Emmett Quigley is a professional crossword constructor. The making of this puzzle — brainstorming the theme, filling the grid and writing the clues — was a full collaboration. Brendan has had many puzzles in The Times. This is Ben’s debut.

ACROSS

1 Smashing 6 Wide-eyed in wonder 10 Woofer output 14 Casual vodka order 19 Bubbling

20 Pricey

21 Alma mater of Grant and Lee: Abbr. 22 Board-game piece 23 Dog’s order at a malt shop? 25 The “day” in “seize the day” 26 “Arrival” visitor

27 You can see right through it 28 Part of H.M.S.

29 “Game of Thrones” patriarch has difficulties? 32 Zora Neale Hurston’s “____ Eyes Were Watching God”

34 Stand-up comic Kondabolu 35 Drum heard in raga music 36 Creator of Christopher Robin

38 Beat out by a hair

40 Big name in ratings 44 Male sailors

45 Words of affirmation 47 Upscale

48 Android alternative 49 ____ Mahal

51 Kind of diet

53 Chest muscle, informally 54 The “S” of 48-Across 58 Advised a chess player to attack the king? 65 Spanish unit of time with a tilde

66 Yoda, to Luke

67 Shows as an encore presentation

68 A fingerprint can leave one 70 Cell no., say

71 Strips of weapons 72 Coming from two speakers 73 Frequent choice for maid of honor

75 Deg. for an aspiring attorney abroad

76 Part of Disney’s advertising budget?

78 How some pranks might go 82 Constellation with a palindromic name

83 Scat syllable for Sinatra 84 Hula loop 86 Academy Award winner for “Moonlight” and “Green Book”

87 Dr. Seuss character who becomes “King of the Mud” 91 Sushi condiment

95 Birds that can recognize themselves in mirrors 99 Beyond sad, or beyond happy

101 Some piercing spots 102 Categorically stated 103 Indubitably 105 Bellybutton fluff

106 Bordeaux wine region 107 Decisively defeat a cabinet department? 111 Musical knack

112 Share on social media 115 Like a zealous fan base 116 School attended by 20 prime ministers 117 Feeling one gets under anesthesia at the dentist? 120 Rat in “Ratatouille” 121 Word before or after run 122 Memo heading

123 Prize for a doc, maybe 124 Stick a fork in 125 Weapon with a bell guard 126 Loathsome person 127 Indira Gandhi’s father

DOWN

1 Comedian Mort 2 Instrument from the French for “high wood”

3 Bad shot by Dracula? 4 Affinity

5 Lacking originality 6 Follower

7 Prepare, with “up” 8 Symbol of sturdiness 9 ____ launcher

10 Close pals

11 “Yeah, right!” 12 Process, as ore 13 Language with only 14 native letters

14 He made his final cameo in “Avengers: Endgame” 15 Spilled one’s soul

16 ’30s migrant

17 Unwelcome look 18 Places to exchange dollars for quarters

24 Stand out from the crowd 30 Little bits of energy 31 Competitor of ebay 33 Tree that lines the Central Park Mall

34 Debut single for both Jimi Hendrix and Patti Smith 36 Flaws and all

37 Shout for 44-Across

39 Put off for another day 41 Building caretakers 42 Higher-ups in a hierarchy 43 Part of a guitar

46 One on the road in “On the Road”

50 Maker of Instant Feathers and Hi-speed Tonic 52 Laura of “Marriage Story” 55 Does some broncobusting, e.g.

56 Accustom (to) 57 Broadband device 59 Loosen, in a way 60 Banned display of firepower, informally 61 Conductor Georg with 31 Grammys

62 Passed out in Vegas 63 Gambino crime family patriarch 64 Attractive but vacuous guy, in slang

68 Mary, Queen of Scots, e.g. 69 Prod

71 Prod 72 Philosopher Kierkegaard

73 “Salud!” cousin

74 Heed an army poster 76 “Will you allow me to demonstrate?” 77 Plane-ticket info 79 Comfy seating at a carnival? 80 Downwind, at sea

81 New England art inst. 85 “Mind. Blown.”

88 Shot served with salt and lime

89 Clean 90 Lexicographer Partridge 92 Singer Knowles with a 2016 No. 1 album

93 Ever so slightly

94 Perk from work

96 Tex who animated Bugs Bunny

97 Diploma equivalent, in brief 98 Make an engaging offer? 100 British spy Christopher in 2016 news

104 Legally prohibit 107 Parisian equivalent to “molto” or “muy” 108 Increase, with “up” 109 Stage prize since 1956 110 It distinguishes meaning in many East Asian languages 111 Fitch of Abercrombie & Fitch

113 Red carpet interviewee 114 Traffic-sign word 118 Card-game call

119 Sun follower?