SUNDAY, December 13Merl Reagle (calendar)

Theme: "HO HO HO!" — Clues that include the letter string HO result in answers that include two HOs. (Merl's note: "Two HOs have been placed in some answers with care, in HOpes that a third HO will lead you there. Merry solving!")

[Note: This is the puzzle that appears in the Sunday L.A. Times newspaper. If you don't get the paper, you can find the puzzle here. Scroll down to see the write-up of today's syndicated puzzle.]

Theme answers:

• 18A: HOt car's destination (CHOP SHOP).
• 19A: Whitman's HOund (CHOCOHOLIC).
• 30A: Oxford HOnoree (RHODES SCHOLAR).
• 33A: Chute and sHOot, e.g. (HOMOPHONES).
• 47A: Audience sHOut (AUTHOR AUTHOR).
• 53A: Big sHOt (HEAD HONCHO).
• 59A: Like some cHOres (HOUSEHOLD).
• 67A: Plant with sHOwy flowers (HOLLYHOCK).
• 73A: It's luminous witHOut heat (PHOSPHORUS).
• 77A: A cHOice individual? (THOMAS HOBSON).
• 93A: Do (something) tHOroughly (GO WHOLE HOG).
• 95A: IdaHO's "Niagara of the West" (SHOSHONE FALLS).
• 108A/111A: A seasonal tHOught (HOME FOR THE / HOLIDAYS).

I was out at PuzzleHusband's office holiday party last night, which was the culmination of two full days at the mall (I was told on Thursday that the party was going to be a little fancier than I had originally thought and I didn't have a thing to wear!), so I didn't get to the syndicated puzzle until this morning and now I'm totally late on this puzzle. So. This will be quick. In fact, I think I'll just give you a couple music videos and call it a day. You should all feel free to talk about whatever you want in the comments!

• 62A: Singer Jim (CROCE).

• 65A: "El Paso" singer Robbins (MARTY).

• 52D: Demond's 1970s co-star (REDD).

Everything Else — 1A: They may mature in one yr. (T-BILLS); 7A: Type of spray (MACE); 11A: Axolotl's cousin (EFT); 14A: What a big weather-map arrow might indicate (COOL AIR); 15A: Zenith (APEX); 16A: Paper name, briefly (TRIB); 22A: Patriotic soc. (DAR); 23A: Classic Hanks line in "Saving Private Ryan," "___ this" (EARN); 24A: Magnate's nickname (ARI); 25A: Egyptian goddess (ISIS); 26A: Feathery accessory (BOA); 28A: Terminal term (ANODE); 37A: Black or green stuff (TEA); 38A: Fade, as a snowman (MELT); 39A: Actor Carroll (LEO G.); 40A: Milky-white stone (OPAL); 41A: Team's win-loss status: abbr. (REC.); 43A: Greek letter (PHI); 45A: Exult annoyingly (GLOAT); 55A: Half a ring (DONG); 56A: Sweet finish (-OSE); 57A: Bit of December mail (CARD); 58A: Overthrow first, e.g. (ERR); 61A: Caught in ___ (A LIE); 66A: Roman poet (OVID); 69A: Got the pot (WON); 70A: British gun (STEN); 71A: QB's try: abbr. (ATT.); 72A: Marco Polo's heading (EAST); 80A: Confrontation (RUN IN); 81A: Bard's before (ERE); 82A: Pilot's announcement: abbr. (ETA); 83A: At sea (LOST); 84A: Extinct bird (DODO); 88A: Ambience (AURA); 91A: Wine factor (AGE); 100A: Vine-shaded area (ARBOR); 101A: Wassailing place (PUB); 102A: Mr. Rubik (ERNO); 103A: Brief personal history? (BIO); 104A: Easy win (ROMP); 107A: Gold container, perhaps (ORE); 113A: Uproar (TO-DO); 114A: Continue (GO ON); 115A: Prose pros (EDITORS); 116A: Compass pt. (ESE); 117A: Piercing sites (EARS); 118A: Go back (RENEGE); 1D: "___ much!" (TOO); 2D: Nursery rhyme girl (BOPEEP); 3D: Rick and Victor's love (ILSA); 4D: Garland co-star, 1939 (LAHR); 5D: Garland co-star's role, 1939 (LION); 6D: Mfr.'s recommended amt. (SRP); 7D: Large opening? (MACRO-); 8D: Plant pest (APHID); 9D: Bus. boss (CEO); 10D: ___ tax (EXCISE); 11D: Credo (ETHIC); 12D: First-year types (FROSH); 13D: As late as (TIL); 14D: Some intro? (CHROMO-); 17D: Where Ruth is (BIBLE); 18D: Lake rental (CANOE); 20D: Bones (OSSA); 21D: Stocking stuffer? (COAL); 22D: Wonka's creator (DAHL); 24D: Satisfied sounds (AHS); 27D: Blakey of jazz (ART); 29D: Worse verse? (DOGGEREL); 30D: Akin: abbr. (REL.); 31D: Impress deeply (ETCH); 32D: Forget (OMIT); 34D: Ornament's place? (HOOD); 35D: Colorful fish (OPAH); 36D: Western alliance (NATO); 41D: German industrial center (RUHR); 42D: WWII arena: abbr. (ETO); 43D: Type of violet (PANSY); 44D: Extremely popular (HUGE); 46D: Huck or Tom, e.g. (LAD); 47D: Parcel unit (ACRE); 48D: Emanation of a sort (ODOR); 49D: Trouncing (ROUT); 50D: Reindeer tootsies (HOOVES); 51D: Grammy-winning country star of the 1980s, K.T. ___ (OSLIN); 53D: "___ the Chief" (HAIL TO); 54D: Guitar part (NECK); 57D: Terry, e.g. (CLOTH); 59D: Franz's "pump you up" pal on "SNL" (HANS); 60D: ___ the collar (HOT UNDER); 61D: At the drop of ___ (A HAT); 62D: Action climax, often (CHASE); 63D: ___ Hashana (ROSH); 64D: Prefix for the square root of this clue (OCTO-); 65D: Unification Church head (MOON); 68D: Wine factor (YEAR); 69D: "Awesome!" ("WHOA!"); 70D: Hindu title (SRI); 73D: Walla Walla's winter hrs. (PST); 74D: Part of a ship (PROW); 75D: "Quiet now" ("HUSH"); 76D: Not fooled by (ONTO); 78D: Ft. or yd., e.g. (MEAS.); 79D: Bone to pick (BEEF); 83D: Part of UCLA (LOS); 85D: Stephen Foster tune, "___ Carry Me 'Long" (OH BOYS); 86D: Wreath sites, often (DOORS); 87D: Fairy-tale character (OGRE); 88D: Pharaoh's symbol (ASP); 89D: "Nope" ("UH-UH"); 90D: The iron giant in "The Iron Giant" (ROBOT); 91D: Part of A.D. (ANNO); 92D: "It's A Wonderful Life" lead character, ___ Bailey (GEORGE); 93D: Day-___ (GLO); 94D: Porta-pooch? (LAP DOG); 96D: Doesn't ignore (HEEDS); 97D: "Friend ___?" (OR FOE); 98D: Detest (ABHOR); 99D: Property claims (LIENS); 104D: Went by sleigh (RODE); 105D: Actress Lena (OLIN); 106D: Tick, for one (MITE); 109D: Bar owner on "The Simpsons" (MOE); 110D: ___ degree (TO A); 111D: That boat (HER); 112D: "... of Orient ___" (ARE).