S U N D A Y December 12, 2010 Sylvia Bursztyn calendar)

Theme: "Head Game" — The last word of each theme answer can precede the word "head" in a familar phrase.

[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 today's syndicated puzzle.]

Theme answers:

• 23A: Pol's self-serving appropriation (PORK BARREL).
• 28A: Perseids or Leonids (METEOR SHOWER).
• 60A: Considered a matter (THOUGHT IT OVER).
• 71A: Honest one (STRAIGHT ARROW).
• 105A: Shopping a warehouse store (BUYING IN BULK).
• 112A: Plath novel (THE BELL JAR).
• 36D: Gangster aka Gentleman Jack (LEGS DIAMOND).
• 40D: Beef cut (BOTTOM ROUND).

Everything Else — 1A: State of India (ASSAM); 6A: Dance bit (STEP); 10A: Report of a pistol (BANG); 14A: Globes (ORBS); 18A: South Carolina motto's last (SPERO); 19A: Skipjack or yellowfin (TUNA); 20A: "Why would ---?" (I LIE); 21A: Brunch fruit (MELON); 25A: Pop singer Vannelli (GINO); 26A: Olympian Ohno (APOLO); 27A: Napoleon, by birth (CORSICAN); 31A: Chicken-king link (ALA); 32A: Chicken's lack (LIPS); 33A: Bus. course (ECON.); 34A: "The Guns of Navarone"'s Scala (GIA); 35A: "Let me think ..." ("HMM …"); 36A: Headed (LED); 37A: Split for church? (TITHE); 39A: Toon Petunia (PIG); 40A: --- "fide" (BONA); 41A: Luxor's river (NILE); 44A: Religion of Japan (SHINTO); 46A: Tall, thin types (BEAN POLES); 48A: Alpha's opposite (OMEGA); 50A: Margarine (OLEO); 51A: Two-piece piece (BRA); 52A: Roman road (ITER); 53A: Jerk (SPASM); 54A: Done, to Donne (O'ER); 55A: Charmed circle? (BRACELET); 58A: Cod kin (HADDOCK); 65A: "... --- saw Elba" (ERE I); 66A: Western treaty gp. (OAS); 68A: "At Seventeen" singer Janis (IAN); 69A: Kyoto dough (YEN); 70A: --- -en-scéne (MISE); 75A: Tire type (RETREAD); 77A: Rubbed the right way? (MASSAGED); 78A: Leia's love (HAN); 80A: Messes up (SOILS); 81A: Source (ROOT); 83A: Go-ahead (YES); 84A: Ward of "CSI: NY" (SELA); 85A: Blender setting (PUREE); 86A: Graceland's state (TENNESSEE); 89A: Plays for time (STALLS); 91A: Zola novel (NANA); 92A: Chilled (ICED); 93A: Bankroll (WAD); 94A: Shot (PHOTO); 95A: Eye-opener (LID); 97A: Throng (MOB); 98A: Give in to gravity (SAG); 99A: Tina's "30 Rock" co-star (ALEC); 100A: Prune (TRIM); 102A: Shock of locks (MOP); 108A: Guaranteed (MADE SURE); 110A: Lyric poem (EPODE); 111A: Midday (NOON); 114A: "Cold Mountain"'s Zellweger (RENEE); 115A: Popeyed (AGOG); 116A: Hebrides isle (IONA); 117A: Airs for pairs (DUETS); 118A: Cherished (DEAR); 119A: Stirred (WOKE); 120A: "Fight Club"'s Brad (PITT); 121A: Match (AGREE); 1D: Pet protection org. (ASPCA); 2D: Thread holder (SPOOL); 3D: Man with many missions (SERRA); 4D: Sacred chests (ARKS); 5D: Calder creation (MOBILE); 6D: Bridle part (STRAP); 7D: Subway entrance (TURNSTILE); 8D: Benz end (-ENE); 9D: Tree with fan-shaped leaves (PALMETTO); 10D: Digit sometimes stubbed (BIG TOE); 11D: Foreign (ALIEN); 12D: Chichen Itza boy (NIÑO); 13D: Augusta's state (GEORGIA); 14D: D-Day beach (OMAHA); 15D: Taken-back car (REPO); 16D: Whale's breather (BLOWHOLE); 17D: More grave (SOLEMNER); 22D: Shearer and Kamali (NORMAS); 24D: Formic and folic (ACIDS); 29D: Canyon comeback (ECHO); 30D: Portent (SIGN); 38D: Lifeless (INERT); 39D: "Swell!" (PEACHY); 41D: Enjoys a bite (NOSHES); 42D: Convey (IMPART); 43D: Chief (LEADER); 45D: Water pipes (HOOKAHS); 46D: Crow (BRAG); 47D: Artist Mondrian (PIET); 49D: Latin 101 verb (AMO); 51D: Shoe designer Magli (BRUNO); 55D: Get on (BOARD); 56D: Timeless (ETERNAL); 57D: Word with dance or drive (LINE); 59D: Gear teeth (COGS); 61D: A&W rival (HIRES); 62D: Meredith of "Today" (VIEIRA); 63D: Big Sur retreat (ESALEN); 64D: Exodus shortcut (RED SEA); 67D: Hung around (STAYED); 72D: "Must be something ---" (I ATE); 73D: Pulitzer winner James (AGEE); 74D: Kansas crop (WHEAT); 76D: Recipe amt. (TSP.); 79D: Quota (ALLOTMENT); 81D: Got back (RECOUPED); 82D: Single-file (ONE BY ONE); 84D: Investment advice (STOCK TIP); 86D: Lumberjack's "Heads up!" ("TIMBER!"); 87D: Loot (SWAG); 88D: City in Paul Simon's "America" (SAGINAW); 89D: Silverstein of kid-lit (SHEL); 90D: Trombone feature (SLIDE); 94D: Dive (PLUNGE); 96D: Marcos once of Manila (IMELDA); 98D: Vile smile (SNEER); 99D: "I could write ---!" (A BOOK); 101D: Capital of Morocco (RABAT); 102D: Woman of La Mancha (MUJER); 103D: Speechify (ORATE); 104D: By itself (PER SE); 106D: "The very ---!" (IDEA); 107D: NASA nix (NO-GO); 109D: Counterfeit coin (SLUG); 113D: --- polloi (HOI).