Theme: "Schwalterations" — The schwa sound in familiar phrases is changed to the word
of creating new wacky phrases clued "?"-style.
[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: Passion for Ferris wheels and funnel cakes? (TORRID LOVE OF FAIRS).
- 40A: Bozeman native named after a "Star Wars" character? (HAN OF MONTANA).
- 66A: Mom's bearing? (AIR OF PARENT).
- 74A: Mary Poppins outburst? (HOOT OF NANNY).
- 98A: Math class curse? (HEX OF DECIMAL).
- 117A: Occasion to hang up the fangs? (RETIREMENT OF COUNT).
- 3D: Country's military organization? (CORPS OF NATION).
- 61D: Describe a trip to work? (TELL OF COMMUTE).
Crosswordese 101 Round-Up: - 44A: Schrödinger equation symbols (PSIS).
- 48A: Grass bristle (AWN).
- 122A: Muse of poetry (ERATO).
- 12D: Literary collections (ANAS).
- 72D: New Age superstar (ENYA).
Everything Else — 1A: Start of a kids' learning song (ABCDE); 6A: It may be spiked (PUNCH); 11A: Prof's pointer (LASER); 16A: Disposed (APT); 19A: Mid-ninth century pope (LEO IV); 20A: Italian town NW of Venice (ASOLO); 21A: Get used (to) (INURE); 22A: Former CNN anchor Dobbs (LOU); 26A: Is for all of us? (ARE); 27A: iPhone add-on (APP); 28A: "Eureka!" ("AHA!"); 29A: Least scarce (AMPLEST); 30A: Runs (COSTS); 32A: Strikes a chord (RESONATES); 35A: One may be yellow or chocolate (LAB); 36A: Ignited (SPARKED); 38A: Affected type (SNOB); 39A: Spot playmate (REX); 42A: Mattress spec (FIRM); 46A: Ray, Jay or A (ALER); 47A: Super Bowl XLIV runner-up, briefly (INDY); 50A: Built from (MADE OF); 52A: Amt. (QTY.); 53A: AM frequency meas. (KHZ); 55A: Uses a sickle, say (REAPS); 57A: Taking the place (of) (IN LIEU); 59A: Diggs of "Rent" (TAYE); 61A: How-__: instruction books (TOS); 64A: Grub (EATS); 65A: One-named Nigerian singer (SADE); 69A: Isolde's lover (TRISTAN); 71A: Carmen, e.g. (MEZZO); 73A: Silent film star who played Carmen in "Blood and Sand" (1922) (LILA LEE); 76A: Start of a run (SNAG); 78A: Like molasses in January (SLOW); 79A: "King Kong" heroine (ANN); 80A: "Wow!" ("GEEZ!"); 81A: Affirmative reply (YES I AM); 83A: Was brilliant (SHONE); 84A: Coldcocks, briefly (KOS); 85A: __ Maria: liqueur (TIA); 87A: Resulting from this (HEREBY); 89A: G-man (FED); 90A: It stops at la estación (TREN); 93A: "__ Three Lives": '50s TV drama (I LED); 95A: Swiss capital (BERN); 96A: "South Park" kid (ERIC); 101A: Book end? (-ISH); 103A: Tip respectfully (DOFF); 106A: Red Sea nation (ERITREA); 107A: "Whether __ nobler ...": Hamlet ('TIS); 108A: Cookie nut (MACADAMIA); 110A: Social order (CASTE); 111A: Sugar pill, say (PLACEBO); 114A: Land in l'océan (ILE); 115A: Half a cocktail (MAI); 116A: Ignited (LIT); 121A: Consume (USE); 123A: Be hospitable to (ASK IN); 124A: Haitian capital? (AITCH); 125A: Place to turn in (BED); 126A: Full at the table (SATED); 127A: Wine characteristics (NOSES); 128A: Turns tail (FLEES); 1D: Wedding settings (ALTARS); 2D: Show willingness to listen (BE OPEN); 4D: Compass pt. (DIR.); 5D: Dasani competitor (EVIAN); 6D: Taste (PALATE); 7D: GI support gp. (USO); 8D: Celestial phenomena (NOVAS); 9D: Pitcher Labine of the '50s Dodgers (CLEM); 10D: To-dos (HOOPLAS); 11D: One of 20 on the Titanic (LIFEBOAT); 13D: "I'm down with that" ("SUITS ME"); 14D: Get knocked out of the spelling bee (ERR); 15D: Checkout correction, perhaps (RESCAN); 16D: Sarah Palin, e.g. (ALASKAN); 17D: Forebode (PORTEND); 18D: Third in a sequence (TUESDAY); 24D: Greg's TV partner (DHARMA); 25D: Spanish dessert (FLAN); 31D: David __, baseball's "Big Papi" (ORTIZ); 33D: Geisha's band (OBI); 34D: Consume (EXPEND); 37D: Last speaker in many an old cartoon (PORKY PIG); 40D: LP player (HI-FI); 41D: Reach via jet (FLY TO); 43D: Hotel units: Abbr. (RMS.); 45D: Grave (SOLEMN); 48D: Big name in soul (ARETHA); 49D: Become annoying to (WEAR ON); 51D: Senator Feinstein (DIANNE); 52D: Surprise in class (QUIZ); 54D: Make good as new (HEAL); 56D: Sibilant "Ahem!" ("PSST!"); 58D: Rapper who feuded with Dr. Dre (EAZY-E); 60D: Ignited (AFLAME); 62D: Common soccer score (ONE-ONE); 63D: Worried (STEWED); 65D: Good place to err (SAFE SIDE); 67D: More promising (ROSIER); 68D: Foolhardy (RASH); 70D: Like some orders (TO GO); 75D: San Diego State athlete (AZTEC); 77D: Aslan's land (NARNIA); 82D: "Where the Sidewalk Ends" poet Silverstein (SHEL); 83D: Six-Day War country: Abbr. (SYR.); 84D: California berry farm founder (KNOTT); 86D: Mushers' race (IDITAROD); 88D: Interest (BEHALF); 90D: Auto security device hawked in infomercials (THE CLUB); 91D: Poker ploy (RERAISE); 92D: Was once there (EXISTED); 94D: Grabbed, as an opportunity (LEAPT AT); 95D: One playing near a bag? (BASEMAN); 97D: Mrs. McKinley (IDA); 99D: Bordeaux brothers (FRÈRES); 100D: They rest on pads (MICE); 102D: Progeny (SCIONS); 104D: Groom-to-be (FIANCÉ); 105D: Belief systems (FAITHS); 108D: Frock wearers (MONKS); 109D: Regular alternative (DECAF); 112D: Dieter's word (LITE); 113D: "I should __ lucky" (BE SO); 118D: Important period (ERA); 119D: 62-Down game, e.g. (TIE); 120D: Manet, maybe (OIL).
Theme answers: 