SUNDAY, February 7, 2010 — Sylvia Bursztyn (calendar)

Theme: Pre Game — The last word of each theme answer can precede the word game in a familiar 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 the write-up of today's syndicated puzzle.]

Theme answers:

• 23A: Posse, for one (SEARCH PARTY).
• 33A: Speedy craft (RACING SHELL).
• 55A: Feedback provider (SOUNDING BOARD).
• 81A: Queen's attendant (LADY-IN-WAITING).
• 104A: Hits where it hurts (STRIKES HOME).
• 118A: Oahu landmark (DIAMOND HEAD).
• 3D: Destination of song (SCARBOROUGH FAIR).
• 44D: Counterparts (OPPOSITE NUMBERS).

Everything Else — 1A: Niches in churches (APSES); 6A: Puts into parts (CASTS); 11A: "Stupid --- stupid ..." (IS AS); 15A: Hay, hot or high ender (WIRE); 19A: Profit (LUCRE); 20A: Threepio's pal (ARTOO); 21A: Compound in apples (MALIC ACID); 25A: Store stickers (PRICE TAGS); 26A: Boston Bruin Bobby (ORR); 27A: Lands, in Latin (TERRAE); 28A: Whipped up (MADE); 29A: Rocky rubble (SCREE); 30A: Barbecue favorite (RIBS); 32A: Decree (FIAT); 35A: Audibly (ALOUD); 37A: They have grade expectations (STUDENTS); 39A: A, in Calais (UNE); 40A: Moon of Neptune (NEREID); 42A: Lauer and LeBlanc (MATTS); 43A: Fragrant flower (TEA ROSE); 47A: Frozen fries brand (ORE-IDA); 50A: Fabrication (LIE); 51A: Galahad's title (SIR); 52A: Twirled like a top (SPUN); 53A: "The Simpsons" Squishee seller (APU); 59A: Rd. thru Malibu (PCH); 60A: Car wash cache (RAGS); 62A: "I'm --- doctor, but I ..." (NOT A); 63A: Presently (ANON); 64A: Break of day (AURORA); 66A: "... whole world --- hands" (IN HIS); 68A: Songs for one (SOLI); 70A: Paquin or Pavlova (ANNA); 72A: Plains sight (BISON); 73A: Rubenesque (ZAFTIG); 75A: "Peter Pan" pooch (NANA); 77A: Pencil pusher's place (DESK); 79A: Catchall abbr. (MISC.); 80A: Two of "os" (ORA); 85A: Vijay Singh thing (TEE); 86A: Polish target (NAIL); 88A: Syllable after CD (ROM); 89A: "Just as I suspected!" ("OHO!"); 90A: Fine role (STOOGE); 92A: F. Murray of "Amadeus" (ABRAHAM); 94A: Stretch on the job (STINT); 96A: Activate (TURN ON); 99A: Shift sharply (ZIG); 100A: Citizens of Santiago (CHILEANS); 103A: Hose hue (TAUPE); 108A: Leader of the Gang (KOOL); 110A: Small merganser (SMEW); 111A: Stretch (CRANE); 112A: Ruff stuff (LACE); 113A: Spingarn medalist Jordan (VERNON); 115A: Apt. ad abbr. (BRS); 116A: Slope along the Truckee, say (RIVERBANK); 120A: By nature (IN ESSENCE); 121A: Five Pillars faith (ISLAM); 122A: Main line (AORTA); 123A: Brooches (PINS); 124A: Elbe feeder (EGER); 125A: Street of fiction (DELLA); 126A: "... Cuckoo's Nest" creator Ken (KESEY); 1D: Late finisher (ALSO-RAN); 2D: Childish (PUERILE); 4D: Miss (ERR); 5D: Faction (SECT); 6D: Pants for Laura Petrie (CAPRIS); 7D: Genesis landfall (ARARAT); 8D: Layer (STRATUM); 9D: Carryall (TOTE); 10D: Sauce from beans (SOY); 11D: Bears upon (IMPACTS); 12D: Famed Big Apple eatery (SARDIS); 13D: Ripley adversary (ALIEN); 14D: [Not my mistake] ([SIC]); 15D: Observers (WATCHERS); 16D: "What do ---?" (I CARE); 17D: Orion's brightest (RIGEL); 18D: Ford flopperoo (EDSEL); 22D: Small plane producer (CESSNA); 24D: Magazine man in PJ's (HEF); 28D: Joe of "Criminal Minds" (MANTEGNA); 31D: Plaintiff (SUER); 33D: Eye liner? (RETINA); 34D: Seville war (GUERRA); 36D: Fizzles out (DIES); 38D: Surrealist Salvador (DALI); 41D: Belmonts frontman (DION); 43D: Alicante aunt (TIA); 45D: Plant sugar (SUCROSE); 46D: Heighten (ENHANCE); 48D: Smothers Brothers and others (DUOS); 49D: Day, for night (ANTONYM); 51D: Petrarch output (SONNETS); 53D: A Four Corners state (ARIZONA); 54D: Of a Mideast unity movement (PANARAB); 56D: --- Lama (DALAI); 57D: Beulah who played Mrs. Bailey (BONDI); 58D: Name a knight (DUB); 61D: Pose (SIT); 65D: Mug feature (RIM); 67D: RSVP part (SIL); 69D: Almost immediately (IN NO TIME); 71D: "Be that --- may ..." (AS IT); 74D: Park place? (GARAGE); 76D: Several hours, perhaps (AWHILE); 78D: Cluster (KNOT); 82D: Memorable DeLuise (DOM); 83D: Tops (A-ONE); 84D: Henry VIII's ailment (GOUT); 87D: Indolence (LAZINESS); 91D: Fat, to Marat (GRAS); 93D: Backpackers (HIKERS); 94D: Bombshell (SHOCKER); 95D: "Why not --- of me?" (TAKE ALL); 97D: Run (OPERATE); 98D: Long Island paper (NEWSDAY); 100D: Opportunity (CHANCE); 101D: Routine (NORMAL); 102D: Napa neighbor (SONOMA); 104D: Rx, for short (SCRIP); 105D: "Lemon Tree" singer Lopez (TRINI); 106D: "Nevermore" quoter (RAVEN); 107D: Words on the street (SLANG); 109D: First name in silents (LON); 113D: Carpentry clamp (VISE); 114D: Minn. neighbor (N. DAK.); 117D: Honey maker (BEE); 118D: Accomplished (DID); 119D: Ground-breaking tool (HOE).