LOS ANGELES TIMES SUNDAY CROSSWORD PUZZLE
“HITTING THE BIG LEAGUES” By C.C. BURNIKEL
ACROSS
1 Splendid display
5 Unable to decide
9 Stare in wonder
13 Leaf through
17 Superlative prefix
18 Quick attack
19 Causing the willies
20 Malek of “Mr. Robot”
21 *Discount ticket based on age
23 *Raffle rewards, perhaps
25 Sonata producer
26 Downed with an ax
28 Ration (out)
29 Grain in granola
30 Piece of cake
32 Acknowledge surreptitiously, maybe
34 Pretender
36 Checking account lure
39 Mo. with dog days
41 Winter’s day outburst
42 Most capable
44 One who gives a hoot
45 *Avocado misnomer
48 Investigate again, as a cold case
51 Itinerary abbr.
52 “Gimme a minute”
53 Part of a journey
56 Gets by
58 Downright or outright
60 Beer with a black eagle in its logo
62 Waze option: Abbr.
63 Playground response
65 Mexican buffet feature
67 Trio for A-Rod and Trout
69 *Cause of some back pain
72 Garden rodent
73 Lea Salonga, e.g.
75 Publisher Larry __, portrayal for which Woody Harrelson received an Oscar nomination
76 IOC country code three before Qatar
77 Virtual alter ego
78 Finds
81 Everest expert
84 __ Diego Padres
85 “The Irishman” Oscar nominee
87 Encountered
89 Many Oscar nominees
91 *Pre-wedding bash
94 Olive extract
95 “See ya!”
97 Brouhaha 98 Sweetie, in slang
99 Twitch stream annoyance
101 Civil War general
102 Cried in the cornfield
104 Aficionado
106 Squid’s squirt
107 Inquires
109 Exec’s aide
112 Having significant consequences
116 *It’s not
112-Across
119 Leaving the amateur ranks, and a hint to the answers to starred clues
121 B-school subject
122 Autobahn autos
123 Layered veggie
124 __ Millions
125 Puts in stitches
126 Part of a process
127 Golf great Karrie
128 Asian laptop brand
DOWN
1 Promotional campaign
2 Follow
3 Channel guide, say
4 Hamlet, for one
5 Like salves
6 “For You” cosinger Rita 7 Impulsive
8 Wall St.’s “Big Board”
9 Nat __ Wild: cable channel
10 Pizzeria allure
11 Bugs in cop shows
12 Held on to 13 Hindu honorific
14 Easy-to-play instruments
15 “To clarify ... ”
16 Not quite foggy
18 Hall of Fame quarterback Tarkenton
19 Sitcom sewer worker
22 Garfield’s frenemy
24 Supersedes
27 Dallas Wings’ org.
31 Grass-skirt dance
33 Monotonous sound
35 Yachter’s pronoun
36 Neighbor of Den.
37 Had to pay
38 *Building diagram
40 Building beam
43 Ladybug or weevil
45 “I’ll take that as __”
46 Understanding
47 Feature of Japan’s flag
49 Watch dogs?
50 L.A.-to-Tucson dir.
53 *Workforce
54 List-ending abbr.
55 “Chicago” star
57 Unstable subatomic particle
59 Spots for ski racks
61 Romp
64 Amp carrier 66 Language __
67 Degs. for playwrights
68 Bounty rival 69 High seas concern
70 Dry spell at the plate
71 Blood bank category
74 Chicago NFL team’s founder
76 Push-up target
79 Marriage acquisition
80 Alton Brown cooking show “Reloaded” in 2018
82 Monetary trifle, in slang
83 La Scala highlight
86 Borrow from a library
88 Disneyland shuttle
90 Sneaky
91 Nap site 92 Engine parts
93 One who scoffs at bagged pekoe, perhaps
95 “No fighting!”
96 Informal “Get me?”
99 Laura of “Big Little Lies”
100 Total mystery
101 Silent performers
103 Line to the audience
105 Blood line
108 Retreats with peels
110 Pack away
111 Adjust for pitch
113 Crude cartel
114 Implore
115 Go sky-high
117 Walk-__: small roles
118 Quick drink
120 Celery piece