Solving time: 34 mins (with Magdalen, no solving aids)Solution
Clue of the puzz: 12d class clowns {School cards}
Grid art by Sympathy [about the grid colors]
Theme
"Double break point". The last letter of the first word in a two-part phrase is copied to the start of the second word, making a pun.
20a changing grooms {Deciding the best man is better, perhaps?}Crucimetrics
25a sports scar {Memento of an old athletic injury?}
32a assault trifles {Nitpicks?}
52a new wager {Double or nothing, say?}
60a troop pleaders {Begging soldiers?}
67a lab brats {Young scientists who are impossible to work with?}
81a carpenter rants {Things heard after thumbs are hit with hammers?}
93a atomic cage {Holder of pet electrons, protons and neutrons?}
100a mixed demotions {Reductions in rank that aren't entirely bad?}
Other Clues
Compilers
Patrick Berry / Will Shortz
Grid
21x21 with 72 (16.3%) black squares
Answers
134 (average length 5.51)
Theme squares
105 (28.5%)
Scrabble points
558 (average 1.51)
Letters used
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1a scaled {Like mountains and maps}; 7a Gimli {"The Lord of the Rings" dwarf}; 12a Cobra {Attack helicopter}; 17a Carnera {1930s heavyweight champ known as the Ambling Alp}; 18a eat out {Choose not to cook, say}; 19a blares {Plays at maximum volume}; 22a latent {As yet unactualized}; 23a Canaan {Where Caleb was sent as a spy}; 24a ern {Seaside bird}; 27a Prell {Suave competitor}; 28a steel {Many a shipment to Detroit}; 30a pass {Air play?}; 31a HMO {Med. care provider}; 36a cites {Uses as a source}; 38a gray {Like a foreboding sky}; 39a bran {What white flour lacks}; 40a PLO {West Bank grp.}; 41a stately {Majestic}; 45a tweed {Professorial material?}; 47a footer {Bottom line?}; 50a piles {Sorters' formations}; 51a Gehry {Architect of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao}; 54a I'm in {Gambler's declaration}; 55a Gloria {Hymn starter}; 57a woven {Like many rugs}; 58a Ode {Keats's "___ on Indolence"}; 59a Reb {Pickett's Charge participant}; 62a TWA {Co. of which Howard Hughes became the principal shareholder in 1939}; 63a à la {___ rigueur (literally)}; 64a heads {Call before a football game}; 65a maters {Manchester moms}; 66a grip {Handle}; 69a lists {Tips}; 70a Seine {View from the Quai d'Orsay}; 71a Gareth {Sir ___, nephew of King Arthur}; 72a bones {X-ray view}; 73a whelped {Gave birth to a litter}; 75a yes {Triumphant cry}; 76a prod {Kick in the rear, maybe}; 77a veep {Senate tie breaker}; 78a Ghana {Country whose name means "warrior king"}; 87a rot {Languish}; 88a main {Water carrier}; 90a Deere {Maker of "the plow that broke the Plains"}; 91a Rahab {Prostitute who protected Israelite spies, in Joshua}; 97a end {Windup}; 98a patria {Pro ___ (for one's country)}; 99a manage {Get by somehow}; 103a pianos {Key holders}; 104a aspens {Spectacular autumn trees}; 105a elevate {Up}; 106a Arles {Setting of Van Gogh's "Cafe Terrace at Night"}; 107a short {Shy}; 108a resets {Adjusts for daylight saving, e.g.}.
1d Sahara {Large hot spot}; 2d cranes {Heavy lifters}; 3d annals {Archival material}; 4d legal ages {They're set for drinking and smoking}; 5d Erin {John-Boy Walton's sister}; 6d Dan {Brown who wrote "The Lost Symbol"}; 7d garner {Earn}; 8d Ito {Skater Midori}; 9d moos {Farmyard chorus}; 10d lump {Mattress problem}; 11d it's open! {"Come on in!"}; 12d class clowns {School cards}; 13d oats {Muesli ingredients}; 14d Brecht {"Mother Courage and Her Children" playwright}; 15d rename {Call again?}; 16d Astros {Minute Maid Park players}; 17d CCCP {Letters on old rubles}; 18d egret {Great white ___}; 19d BLTs {Lunch orders that are typically sliced in half}; 21d Getty {Los Angeles museum, with "the"}; 26d RAs {Coll. dorm overseers}; 28d slay {Off}; 29d liberal-minded {Tolerant of other opinions}; 33d URL {It might have an extension: Abbr.}; 34d Frey {James who wrote "A Million Little Pieces"}; 35d lad {Boyo}; 37d iota {Trace}; 40d powers {Superheroes have them}; 41d spiral {Galaxy shape}; 42d time-lag {Delay}; 43d Ali Baba {"Arabian Nights" opener?}; 44d ten {Olympics ideal}; 45d Terps {Competitors of Wahoos and Tar Heels}; 46d whip {It's most useful when it's cracked}; 47d fever {Peggy Lee's signature song}; 48d ego trip {Vanity case?}; 49d red wine {Médoc, for one}; 51d goods {Stock in trade}; 52d nodes {Stem joints}; 53d reaped {Brought in}; 55d greats {Hall-of-Famers}; 56d loath {Reluctant}; 57d Watts {South Los Angeles district}; 60d Three Amigos {1986 film featuring Chevy Chase as Dusty Bottoms}; 61d ease {Affluence}; 66d gel {Cream alternative}; 68d Bryn {___ Mawr College}; 69d loop {Ankh's top}; 70d separates {Becomes layered while settling}; 72d brr {Shaker's sound}; 73d we're {"___ here!"}; 74d Her {"Away From ___" (Julie Christie film)}; 76d Panamas {Headwear also known as jipijapas}; 77d Verde {Colorado's Mesa ___}; 78d grampa {Rocking chair storyteller}; 79d hot-air {Empty words}; 80d atonal {Keyless}; 81d CIC {Pres. title}; 82d needn't {"You ___ bother"}; 83d tends {Looks after}; 84d native {Best guide around town, probably}; 85d throat {Dewlap's place}; 86d saints {They're all good}; 89d aces {Bullets, in Texas hold'em}; 92d base {Dishonorable}; 94d mane {Horsehair source}; 95d Gish {"Intolerance" actress Lillian}; 96d expo {Fair}; 98d pole {Subway car feature}; 101d -eer {Suffix with slogan}; 102d Mer {France's Belle-Île-en-___}.
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