Day: December 8, 2013

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Palindromic band name : ABBA
I am an unapologetic fan of ABBA’s music. ABBA was of course the Swedish group who topped the charts in the seventies and eighties. The name ABBA is an acronym formed from the first letters of the given names of each of the band members: Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn and Anni-Frid.

5. Tosca’s feeling for Cavaradossi : AMORE
“Amore” is Latin for “love”.

Unlike so many operas, “Tosca” was a big hit right from day one, when it was first performed in 1900 at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome. “Tosca” is currently the eighth-most performed opera in America, although I’ve only seen it once myself.

13. Hawaiian tourist purchases : UKES
The ukulele originated in the 1800s and mimicked a small guitar brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants.

20. Red wine drinker’s paradise? : SHANGRI-LA (& SANGRIA)
Shangri-La is the earthly paradise in the mountains of Tibet described by James Hilton in his novel “Lost Horizon”. It is “Edenic” (perfect, like the Garden of Eden from the Book of Genesis). Frank Capra directed a wonderful screen adaptation of “lost Horizon” in 1937 starring Ronald Colman.

Sangria is red wine punch, usually associated with Portugal and Spain. Recipes for sangria vary, but almost all include a robust red wine, sliced fruit, something sweet (e.g. orange juice, sugar), a spirit (e.g. brandy, triple sec), carbonated water or perhaps 7up, and ice. The drink is named for its color, as “sangre” is the Spanish for blood.

22. Employee at the Ron Paul Archive? : LIBERTARIAN (& LIBRARIAN)
By definition, a “libertarian” is the antithesis of an “authoritarian”. The US LIbertarian Party was founded in 1971, prompted in part by concerns about the Vietnam War and conscription.

Ron Paul is a celebrated Republican Congressman from Texas. Paul is a libertarian, and actually ran for president in 1988 as a Libertarian Party candidate. He ran for the Republican nomination for President in 2008 as a member of the Liberty Caucus of the party, meaning that he values a federal government that is limited in size and scope.

25. “Strange Magic” band, briefly : ELO
The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) is a symphonic rock group from the north of England. The band’s manager was Don Arden, father of Sharon Osbourne (wife of Ozzy).

26. Dollar bill featuring a portrait of Duran Duran’s lead singer? : SIMON LE BON (& SIMOLEON)
“Simoleon” is a slang term for a dollar that dates back to the late 1800s. No one seems to sure where the term originated.

Simon Le Bon is the lead singer with the English band Duran Duran. Le Bon is a passionate sailor and garnered a lot of attention when his yacht lost its keel in the 1985 Fastnet race. Before Le Bon and his crew could be rescued, they spent 40 minutes trapped underwater inside the hull. The incident didn’t deter Le Bon from sailing though, and not long after he came third in the 1985-1986 Whitbread Round the World Race.

Duran Duran is a New Wave band from Birmingham in England. Duran Duran’s success was partially driven by some well-received MTV music videos in the 1980s. The band also worked hard on their image and paid a lot of money for very fashionable clothes in which they performed. As a result, one of Duran Duran’s nicknames is “the prettiest boys in rock”.

28. IRS Form 5498 subject : IRA
Individual retirement account (IRA)

31. Ball with a yellow stripe : NINE
The more correct name for the game of pool is pocket billiards. The name “pool” arose after pocket billiards became a common feature in “pool halls”, places where gamblers “pooled” their money to bet on horse races.

37. Like a robot’s voice : TONELESS
“R.U.R.” is a play written in Czech by Karel Capek, first produced in 1921. “R.U.R.” is a science fiction work and is remembered in part for introducing the world to the word “robot”. The words “automaton” and “android” were already in use, but Capek gave us “robot” from the original Czech “robota” meaning “forced labor”.

41. Architect Saarinen : EERO
Eero Saarinen was a Finnish American architect, renowned in this country for his unique designs for public buildings such as Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Dulles International Airport Terminal, and the TWA building at JFK.

46. “___ te absolvo” (priest’s phrase) : EGO
“Ego te absolvo” is Latin for “I absolve you”, and is a phrase used by a Roman Catholic priest as part of the sacrament of Penance.

53. Creator of perfect whirlpools? : MAELSTROM (& MAESTRO)
A maelstrom is a violent or turbulent situation, or a very large whirlpool. “Maelstrom” is derived from the name of a notorious whirlpool located off the northwest coast of Norway.

“Maestro” is often used to address a musical conductor. “Maestro” is the Italian word for “master”.

56. Baath Party member : ARAB
The Ba’ath Party was founded in Syria in 1947. The party promotes the unification of the Arab world into one nation, and has the motto “Unity, Liberty, Socialism”.

59. Political title of the 1930s-’40s : IL DUCE
Benito Mussolini (aka “Il Duce”, the “Duke”) was deposed in 1943 just a few weeks after the Allies invaded Sicily and started to bomb Rome. Fascist politicians voted to oust him, and Italian King Victor Emmanuel had him arrested. Hitler selected Lieutenant Colonel Otto Skorzeny to lead a group of German commandos in a daring rescue of his longtime ally. The rescuers were towed into Italian airspace in gliders, which the commandos flew into a mountainside close to where Mussolini was being held captive. The element of surprise was so significant, that the rescue was effected without a shot being fired. A small plane was flown in to transport Mussolini and Skorzeny out of Italy, and to safety in Vienna. Some months later, Mussolini returned to his homeland and fought on in parts of the country not yet taken by the Allies. As the end drew near, he made a run for Switzerland but was captured by Italian partisans. They executed him and took his body to Milan where it was put on display hanging upside down for all to see.

62. Mix in a tank : GASOHOL
Gasohol is a fuel mixture made from 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. Gasohol can be used in most internal combustion engines.

68. Classical guitarist Segovia : ANDRES
Andrés Segovia was a classical guitar player from Andalusia in Spain.

72. In a kooky manner : ZANILY
Something described a zany clownish and bizarre. “Zany” can also be a noun, a term used for a clown or a buffon. The original noun was “Zanni”, a Venetian dialect variant of Gianni, short for Giovanni (John). Zanni was a character who appeared in comedy plays of the day, and was someone who aped the principal actors.

73. Buttonholed : WAYLAID
“To button-hole” someone is to detain them in conversation. Our contemporary term evolved from the 18th-century “to button-hold”. One might imagine holding someone by the coat button to detain him or her.

77. Triumphant song : PAEAN
A paean is a poem or song that expresses triumph or thanksgiving. “Paean” comes from the ancient Greek “paian” meaning “song of triumph”.

80. Whom John Bull symbolizes : BRITON
John Bull is a character used in artwork to portray the country of England, much in the way that we use Uncle Sam in the United States. Bull was created by John Arbuthnot in 1712 and is a portly man dressed in a top hat and tails, often with a Union Jack pattern on his vest (or waistcoat as the Brits would say).

83. Minor-league championship flag? : PENNY-ANTE (& PENNANT)
Penny Ante poker is a game in which bets are limited to a penny, or some other small, friendly sum. The expression “penny ante” has come to mean any business transaction that is on a small scale.

86. Alienate a New Jersey city? : EAST ORANGE (& ESTRANGE)
East Orange, New Jersey is a suburb of Newark. The list of famous former residents includes Whitney Houston (as a girl) and Janis Ian (also as a girl).

88. Biblical priest of Shiloh : ELI
In the Bible, Eli is a High Priest of Shiloh, and the teacher of Samuel. As such, his story is told in the Book of Samuel.

90. “Man of Steel” actress Adams : AMY
Amy Adams is an American actress. My favorite film of hers so far is the outstanding “Julie & Julia” in which she acted alongside Meryl Streep. I highly recommend this truly delightful movie.

“Man of Steel” is a 2013 reboot of the “Superman” series of films, starring Henry Cavill in the title role and Amy Adams as Lois Lane.

97. CBS spinoff that ran for 10 seasons : CSI: MIAMI
I quite enjoy the “CSI” franchise of television shows, except “CSI: Miami”. I find the lead character played by David Caruso to be extremely annoying. The show was cancelled in 2012. No loss …

105. “Cover ___ Face” (P. D. James’s first novel) : HER
“Cover Her Face” is the first novel from the pen of English crime novelist P. D. James. “Cover Her Face” introduces the world to James’ famous hero, the detective and sometime poet Adam Dalgliesh.

107. Actor Jack of oaters : ELAM
Jack Elam was a movie actor noted for playing the bad guy in Westerns. When Elam was a boy scout, he was accidentally stabbed in the eye with a pencil. The incident left him blind in that eye, and the iris remained skewed to the outside of his face. This gave him a crazed, wide-eyed look that helped add a sense of menace to the characters Elam played.

112. Burlesque garment : BRA
“Burlesque” came into English from French, although the word is rooted in the Italian “burla”, the word for a joke, or mockery. A burlesque is work of literature, drama or music that is intended to amuse and cause laughter. Burlesques in the US took on a variety show format and were popular in the US from the 1860s. Over time, the variety acts started to include female striptease, and the term “burlesque” has come to be mainly associated with such entertainment.

113. “Charge!,” to Duracells? : BATTLE CRY (& BATTERY)
Duracell is a brand of batteries made today by Procter & Gamble. “Duracell” is a portmanteau of “durable” and “cell”.

120. First name in photography : ANSEL
As an amateur photographer, I have been a big fan of the work of Ansel Adams for many years and must have read all of his books. Adams was famous for clarity and depth in his black and white images. Central to his technique was the use of the zone system, his own invention. The zone system is a way of controlling exposure in an image, particularly when there is a high contrast in the subject. Although the technique was developed primarily for black & white film, it can even apply to digital color images. In the digital world, the main technique is to expose an image for the highlights, and one or more images for the shadows. These images can then be combined digitally giving a final photograph with a full and satisfying range of exposures.

121. Nickname for Palmer : ARNIE
Arnold Palmer is one of the greats of the world of golf. Palmer is very popular with many fans of the game, and his followers are usually referred to as “Arnie’s Army”.

125. Trader ___ : JOE’S
Trader Joe’s is a grocery store chain based in Monrovia, California that was founded in 1979 by Joe Coulombe. Trader Joe’s is very popular where I live, even though it stocks less than 10% of the items found in a typical grocery store. 80% of the items on the shelves are sold under a Trader Joe’s brand name, and are obviously chosen well. One of the more successful items is Charles Shaw wine, known as “Two Buck Chuck” here in California as it sold from many years at a price of $1.99.

Down
2. Relative of S.O.S : BRILLO
Brillo Pad is a soapy, steel wool pad, patented in 1913. The company claims that the name “Brillo” is derived from the Latin word for “bright”. The problem with the assertion is that no such word exists in Latin, although the prefix brill- is used for words meaning “bright” in Italian, French and Spanish.

S.O.S is a brand name of scouring pads made from steel wool impregnated with soap. The product was invented as a giveaway by an aluminum pot salesman in San Francisco called Ed Cox. His wife gave it the name “S.O.S” as an acronym for “Save Our Saucepans”. Note the punctuation! There is no period after the last S, and that is deliberate. When Cox went to register the trademark, he found that “S.O.S.” could not be a trademark because it was used as an international distress signal. So he dropped the period after the last S, and I hope made a lot of money for himself and his wife.

3. Galoot : BABOON
“Galoot” is an insulting term meaning an awkward or boorish man, an ape. “Galoot” comes from the nautical world, where it was originally what a sailor might call a soldier or marine.

4. One-hit wonder? : ACE
In tennis, an ace is a serve that an opponent fails to hit.

5. Friend of d’Artagnan : ARAMIS
Alexandre Dumas’ “Three Musketeers” are Athos, Porthos and Aramis, and their young protégé is D’Artagnan. A musketeer was an infantry soldier who was equipped with a musket. Funnily enough, the “Three Musketeers” really don’t use their muskets, and are better known for their prowess with their swords.

6. Thick bunch? : MORONS
The rather unsavory term “moron” was formerly used by the medical community to describe someone with a degree of mental retardation. The term comes from the Greek “moros” meaning “foolish, dull”. Back in the early 1900s, IQ tests were used to classify those suffering from mental retardation into categories:

– “idiot” … IQ of 0-20
– “imbecile” … IQ of 21-50
– “moron” …IQ of 51-70

9. Miranda of the Miranda warning : ERNESTO
The Miranda warning is given by US police officers to suspects in order to ensure that any statements made by the suspect can be used at trial. The warning became part of police procedure after a 1966 Supreme Court decision in the case of Miranda v. Arizona. The crux of the court’s decision was that statements made by a suspect during interrogation were only admissible at trial if the defendant was informed of his or her right to consult an attorney, and right to remain silent. The “Miranda” in the case was Ernesto Mirando, who was arrested by the Phoenix PD on suspicion of kidnapping and rape. The Supreme Court decision set aside Miranda’s conviction as his confession was deemed inadmissible. Miranda was rearrested and retried. At the second trial he was convicted without the use of the contested confession.

11. Course listing : PAR
Par for the “golf” course …

12. Percussion instrument in “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” : ANVIL
“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a song written by Paul McCartney and released by the Beatles in 1969. Although it’s a very jaunty tune, the lyrics are pretty gruesome:

Bang! Bang! Maxwell’s silver hammer
Came down upon her head
Bang! Bang! Maxwell’s silver hammer
Made sure that she was dead

13. Sophisticated : URBANE
We use “urbane” today to mean something courteous or refined. Back in the 1500s the term was used in the same way that we now use “urban”. Those townsfolk thought they were more sophisticated than the countryfolk, and so the usage evolved.

14. Automaker that started as a bicycle company : KIA
Kia Motors is the second largest manufacturer of cars in South Korea, behind Hyundai (and Hyundai is a part owner in Kia now). Kia is the oldest car company in the country, and was founded in 1944 as a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts. The company introduced a line of bicycles in 1951, motorcycles in 1957, trucks in 1962 and cars in 1974.

16. “She’s a good old worker and a good old pal,” in song : SAL
The song “Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal” was written in 1905. The lyrics are nostalgic and look back to the days when traffic on the canal was pulled by mules, bemoaning the introduction of the fast-moving engine-powered barges.

I’ve got a mule, her name is Sal
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
She’s a good old worker and a good old pal
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal

18. Med. workplaces : ERS
Emergency Room (ER)

21. “Days of Heaven” co-star : GERE
Richard Gere has played such great roles on the screen, and I find him to be a very interesting character off the screen. Gere has been studying Buddhism since 1978 and is a very visible supporter of the Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet.

“Days of Heaven” is a 1978 romantic drama film starring Richard Gere and Brooke Adams as two poor farm workers who try to trick a wealthy farmer (played by Sam Shepherd) out of his fortune.

27. Little town : BURG
“Burg” is an informal term used in the US for a smaller town, from the German word “burg” meaning a fortified city.

30. Site of a 1963 J.F.K. speech : WEST BERLIN
“Ich” is the German for “I”, as in “Ich bin ein Berliner” (I am a Berliner), the famous words of support uttered by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 in a speech in West Berlin. The supposed translation of “Ich bin ein Berliner” as “I am a jelly doughnut” … that’s just an urban myth. President Kennedy’s use of German was perfectly correct.

33. Chargers and coursers : STEEDS
A “charger” is a horse trained for battle, a medieval war horse.

A “courser” is a swift and strong horse. In days of old, knights rode coursers.

35. “By that logic …” : ERGO
“Ergo” is the Latin word for “hence, therefore”.

38. Director Daniels of “The Butler” : LEE
“Lee Daniels’ The Butler” is a 2013 movie that is loosely based on the life of Eugene Allen, who worked at the White House for 34 years before retiring as head butler in 1986. Forest Whitaker plays the title role. My wife saw this one, and really enjoyed it …

39. Of the lymph glands : ADENOID
The adenoid is a mass of lymphatic tissue behind the nasal cavity, where the nose blends into the throat. Although the adenoid is sometimes removed surgically, in 20% of cases the adenoid actually regrows.

40. Signet ring feature : SEAL
A signet is a seal, in particular one used by an official to mark a document. A signet can be incorporated into a “signet ring”.

45. Dropper? : KLUTZ
“Klutz” of course comes from Yiddish. The Yiddish word for a clumsy person is “klots”.

47. Steven Bochco series : LA LAW
“L.A. Law” ran on NBC from 1986 to 1994, and was one of the network’s most successful drama series. It took over from the equally successful “Hill Street Blues” in the Thursday night 10 p.m. slot until, after a six-year run, it was itself replaced by yet another respected drama, “E.R.” The opening credits showed that famous California licence plate. The plate was on a Jaguar XJ for most of the series, but moved onto a Bentley towards the end of the run. For each series the registration sticker was updated, so no laws were being broken.

Steven Bochco is a television producer and writer. He created such shows as “Hill Street Blues”, “L.A. Law” and “NYPD Blue”.

48. Youngest of Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” : IRINA
Olga, Masha and Irina were the “Three Sisters” in the play by Anton Chekhov.

Anton Chekhov was a Russian writer of short stories and a playwright, as well as a physician. He wrote four classic plays that are often performed all around the world, namely “The Seagull”, “Uncle Vanya”, “Three Sisters” and “The Cherry Orchard”. All the time Chekhov was writing, he continued to practice medicine. He is quoted as saying “Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress.”

49. Eldest Best Actress winner : TANDY
Actress Jessica Tandy was famous for having played very American roles, but she started out her career as an English actress. Tandy’s first marriage was to the marvelous English actor Jack Hawkins, but the couple divorced in 1940 and Tandy moved to New York. There she met Canadian actor Hume Cronyn whom she married in 1942. Cronyn and Tandy were jointly honored with a special Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 1994. Tandy won the Best Actress Oscar in 1989 for playing the title role in “Driving Miss Daisy”.

50. Acronymic aircraft name : MIG
The Russian fighter jets that we know as “MiGs” are so called because they were designed by the Mikoyan-and-Gurevich Design Bureau, and MiG is an acronym for “Mikoyan-and-Gurevich” in Russian.

52. With a will : TESTATE
Someone who dies “intestate” does so without having made a will.

53. It’s “well regulated” in the Constitution : MILITIA
The Second Amendment of the US Constitution was adopted in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights. The actual text of the amendment is:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

I hear that the wording and punctuation in the original text has led to some controversy over the years, some debate over the original intent …

55. “Lovergirl” singer : TEENA MARIE
Teena Marie is a very successful R&B singer, born Mary Christine Brockert.

61. Morally degraded : SEAMY
We’ve used “seamy” to mean “the least pleasant, the worst” since the 1600s. The idea comes from the seamed side of a sewn garment being the less attractive.

63. Fish hawks : OSPREYS
The Osprey is also known as the sea hawk or fish eagle.

66. Streetcar sound : CLANG
A streetcar makes a clanging sound, as we learned in the musical “Meet Me in St. Louis”. Judy Garland sang “The Trolley Song” for us:

Clang, clang, clang went the trolley
Ding, ding, ding went the bell
Zing, zing, zing went my heartstrings
From the moment I saw him I fell

67. Chrissie in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame : HYNDE
Chrissie Hynde is the lead singer and guitarist of the rock band the Pretenders. Hynde formed the Pretenders in the late seventies, and despite changes in the band’s lineup, Hynde kept the Pretenders going right through the early nineties. Hynde is an enthusiastic vegan and supporter of the animal rights group PETA. If you’re in Hynde’s home town of Akron, Ohio you can eat at her vegan restaurant, “The VegiTerranean”.

69. Start of a George Eliot title : SILAS
“Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe” is a novel written by George Eliot and first published in 1861. There’s an excellent BBC TV version of the tale (shown on PBS) starring Ben Kingsley in the title role, with Patsy Kensit playing Eppie, the young orphaned child that Marner takes under his wing.

71. N.B.A. team originally called the Americans : NETS
The New Jersey Nets NBA team used to play in the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The franchise relocated to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York that opened for business recently. The team’s name has now changed to the Brooklyn Nets. The franchise was founded back in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans, when they played in Teaneck, New Jersey.

74. Elephant’s opposite, symbolically : DONKEY
The Democratic Party’s donkey mascot dates back to the days of Andrew Jackson. President Jackson’s family name was twisted to “jackass” by his enemies. Jackson’s followers founded the modern Democratic Party and liked the common-man image associated with the jackass or donkey. So, the party elders adopted the donkey as the new party’s symbol.

76. URL component : DOT
Internet addresses (like NYTCrossword.com and LAXCrossword.com) are more correctly called Uniform Resource Locators (URLs).

79. Zeus swore oaths upon it : STYX
The River Styx of Greek mythology was the river that formed the boundary between the Earth and the Underworld (or Hades). The souls of the newly dead had to cross the River Styx in a ferry boat piloted by Charon. Traditionally, a coin would be placed in the mouths of the dead “to pay the ferryman”.

81. Excited Oscars attendee : NOMINEE
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) is the organization that gives the annual Academy Awards also known as the “Oscars”. The root of the name “Oscar” is hotly debated, but what is agreed is that the award was officially named “Oscar” in 1939. The first Academy Awards were presented at a brunch in 1929 with an audience of just 29 people. The Awards ceremony is a slightly bigger event these days …

83. Nave furniture : PEWS
In large, Christian churches, the nave is the main approach to the altar, where most of the faithful are seated.

A pew is a bench in a church, usually with a high back. The original pews were raised and sometimes enclosed seats in the church used by women and important men or families. “Pew” comes from the Old French “puie” meaning “balcony, elevation”.

84. Airline that doesn’t fly on religious holidays : EL AL
El Al Israel Airlines is the flag carrier of Israel. The term “el al” translates from Hebrew as “to the skies”.

85. Khartoum’s river : NILE
Khartoum is the capital city of Sudan, and is located at the point where the Blue Nile and White Nile meet.

91. ___ Vineyard : MARTHA’S
Martha’s Vineyard is a relatively large island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. “Martha’s Vineyard” was originally the name of a smaller island to the south, named by English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold in 1602. The name was eventually transferred to the main island, and is now the eighth-oldest English place-name still used in the US. It is likely that the Gosnold named the island for his daughter Martha.

98. Soothsayers of old : SIBYLS
The word and name “Sibyl” comes from the Greek word “sibylla” meaning “prophetess”. There were many sibyls (prophetesses), but most famous is probably the Delphic Sibyl.

99. Person prone to sunburn : ALBINO
“Albino”, meaning an organism lacking normal pigmentation, comes from “albus” Latin for “white”.

100. Last Hitchcock film with Tippi Hedren : MARNIE
“Marnie” is a good example of the Hitchcock genre of psychological thrillers, although it wasn’t as well received as so many of Hitchcock’s works. Released in 1964, “Marnie” stars Tippi Hedren (who also starred in Hitchcock’s “The Birds”) and Sean Connery of James Bond fame.

101. Some Google search results : IMAGES
The search engine “Google” was originally called “BackRub” would you believe? The name was eventually changed to Google, an intentional misspelling of the word “googol”. A googol is a pretty big number, 10 to the power of 100. That would be the digit 1 followed by 100 zeros.

104. English film festival city : LEEDS
I went to school for a while not far from Leeds in West Yorkshire in the north of England. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, Leeds was a major center for the production and trading of wool, and then with the onset of mechanization it became a natural hub for manufacture of textiles. These days Leeds is noted as a shopping destination and so has been dubbed “the Knightsbridge of the North”. The city is also home to the Leeds International Film Festival, the largest film festival in the UK outside of London.

106. It “hits the spot,” per old radio ads : PEPSI
The Pepsi-Cola formulation was developed by one Caleb Bradham who made the drink at home and sold it as “Brad’s Drink”. Bradham’s aim was to provide a drink that was pleasant to taste, that would aid digestion and boost energy. Included in the formula were pepsin (a digestive enzyme) and kola nuts. These two ingredients inspired the Pepsi Cola brand name that is used today.

110. Yarn quantity : HANK
A “hank” is a looped bundle of yarn.

111. Hair strands? : DNA
I don’t think that there is DNA in hair per se, although there is in the hair root …

113. “EastEnders” network : BBC
The marvelous British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is mainly funded by the UK government through a television licence fee that is levied annually on all households watching TV transmissions. Currently the fee is 145 UK pounds, about 230 US dollars.

“EastEnders” is a very, very successful soap opera produced and aired by the BBC since 1985. The term “EastEnder” is used for someone from the East End of London.

115. Metaphysical concept : TAO
The Chinese character “tao” translates as “path”, but the concept of Tao signifies the true nature of the world.

116. Fortune cover subj. : CEO
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

“Fortune” is a bi-weekly business magazine that was founded by Henry Luce in 1930, just four months after the 1929 Wall Street Crash. “Fortune” is noted for its annual ranking of companies by revenue, especially the Fortune 500.

118. Longtime Sixers nickname : DR J
Julius Erving is a retired professional basketball player who was known as “Dr. J”, a nickname he picked up in high school. Dr. J was a trailblazer in many ways, being the first player associated with slam dunking and other moves above the rim.

The Philadelphia 76ers basketball team is one of the oldest franchises in the NBA. The Sixers were formed in 1946 as the Syracuse Nationals. The team moved to Philadelphia in 1963, and the name 76er was chosen in a fan contest, a name that honors the men who fought for the country’s independence in 1776.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Palindromic band name : ABBA
5. Tosca’s feeling for Cavaradossi : AMORE
10. Spring for a vacation : SPA
13. Hawaiian tourist purchases : UKES
17. “___ yourself” : BRACE
19. Cow catcher : ROPER
20. Red wine drinker’s paradise? : SHANGRI-LA (& SANGRIA)
22. Employee at the Ron Paul Archive? : LIBERTARIAN (& LIBRARIAN)
24. Pitch that fixes everything? : CURVEBALL (& CURE-ALL)
25. “Strange Magic” band, briefly : ELO
26. Dollar bill featuring a portrait of Duran Duran’s lead singer? : SIMON LE BON (& SIMOLEON)
28. IRS Form 5498 subject : IRA
29. Street caution : SLOW
31. Ball with a yellow stripe : NINE
32. Shiner? : SUN
33. Willowy : SLENDER
37. Like a robot’s voice : TONELESS
39. Still : AT REST
41. Architect Saarinen : EERO
42. Blue expanse : SEA
43. Follow closely : DOG
44. Hair-raising shout : EEK!
46. “___ te absolvo” (priest’s phrase) : EGO
47. The one puppy that can read? : LITTERMATE (& LITERATE)
53. Creator of perfect whirlpools? : MAELSTROM (& MAESTRO)
56. Baath Party member : ARAB
57. Uncommunicative : SILENT
59. Political title of the 1930s-’40s : IL DUCE
60. Counter formations : LINES
62. Mix in a tank : GASOHOL
64. Overextend oneself? : STRETCH
68. Classical guitarist Segovia : ANDRES
70. Adds to the batter, say : STIRS IN
72. In a kooky manner : ZANILY
73. Buttonholed : WAYLAID
75. Given a home : ADOPTED
77. Triumphant song : PAEAN
78. “This isn’t making sense” : I’M LOST
80. Whom John Bull symbolizes : BRITON
82. Have an objection : MIND
83. Minor-league championship flag? : PENNY-ANTE (& PENNANT)
86. Alienate a New Jersey city? : EAST ORANGE (& ESTRANGE)
88. Biblical priest of Shiloh : ELI
89. Blue expanse : SKY
90. “Man of Steel” actress Adams : AMY
92. Sully : MAR
93. Go on strike : WALK
95. Film crowd : EXTRAS
97. CBS spinoff that ran for 10 seasons : CSI: MIAMI
102. How sports cars are contoured : SLEEKLY
105. “Cover ___ Face” (P. D. James’s first novel) : HER
106. Distress : PAIN
107. Actor Jack of oaters : ELAM
108. Cousin of a crumble : PIE
109. Begat a soft place to sleep? : FEATHER BED (& FATHERED)
112. Burlesque garment : BRA
113. “Charge!,” to Duracells? : BATTLE CRY (& BATTERY)
117. Satisfying finale coming to pass? : HAPPY ENDING (& HAPPENING)
119. Labeled idiotic? : BRAIN-DEAD (& BRANDED)
120. First name in photography : ANSEL
121. Nickname for Palmer : ARNIE
122. “Don’t be a spoilsport!” : C’MON!
123. Savory condiment : SOY
124. Variety show fodder : SKITS
125. Trader ___ : JOE’S

Down
1. Most qualified : ABLEST
2. Relative of S.O.S : BRILLO
3. Galoot : BABOON
4. One-hit wonder? : ACE
5. Friend of d’Artagnan : ARAMIS
6. Thick bunch? : MORONS
7. Venture a thought : OPINE
8. Unfeigned : REAL
9. Miranda of the Miranda warning : ERNESTO
10. Avoid : SHUN
11. Course listing : PAR
12. Percussion instrument in “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” : ANVIL
13. Sophisticated : URBANE
14. Automaker that started as a bicycle company : KIA
15. Bent pipe : ELL
16. “She’s a good old worker and a good old pal,” in song : SAL
18. Med. workplaces : ERS
20. Tea go-with : SCONE
21. “Days of Heaven” co-star : GERE
23. Would-be singers’ liabilities : TIN EARS
27. Little town : BURG
30. Site of a 1963 J.F.K. speech : WEST BERLIN
33. Chargers and coursers : STEEDS
34. Forest game : DEER
35. “By that logic …” : ERGO
36. Boarder’s domain : ROOM
38. Director Daniels of “The Butler” : LEE
39. Of the lymph glands : ADENOID
40. Signet ring feature : SEAL
45. Dropper? : KLUTZ
47. Steven Bochco series : LA LAW
48. Youngest of Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” : IRINA
49. Eldest Best Actress winner : TANDY
50. Acronymic aircraft name : MIG
51. Wistful remark : ALAS
52. With a will : TESTATE
53. It’s “well regulated” in the Constitution : MILITIA
54. Quarrel : SCRAP
55. “Lovergirl” singer : TEENA MARIE
58. Pulsation : THROB
61. Morally degraded : SEAMY
63. Fish hawks : OSPREYS
65. Cross-promotion : TIE-IN
66. Streetcar sound : CLANG
67. Chrissie in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame : HYNDE
69. Start of a George Eliot title : SILAS
71. N.B.A. team originally called the Americans : NETS
74. Elephant’s opposite, symbolically : DONKEY
76. URL component : DOT
79. Zeus swore oaths upon it : STYX
81. Excited Oscars attendee : NOMINEE
83. Nave furniture : PEWS
84. Airline that doesn’t fly on religious holidays : EL AL
85. Khartoum’s river : NILE
87. Run headlong into : RAM
90. Datum in a house listing : AREA
91. ___ Vineyard : MARTHA’S
94. Confined : KEPT IN
96. “I thought ____ never leave!” : THEY’D
97. Pile on the floor : CARPET
98. Soothsayers of old : SIBYLS
99. Person prone to sunburn : ALBINO
100. Last Hitchcock film with Tippi Hedren : MARNIE
101. Some Google search results : IMAGES
103. Hot pot locale : KILN
104. English film festival city : LEEDS
106. It “hits the spot,” per old radio ads : PEPSI
109. Begin to show wear : FRAY
110. Yarn quantity : HANK
111. Hair strands? : DNA
113. “EastEnders” network : BBC
114. Shot spot : ARM
115. Metaphysical concept : TAO
116. Fortune cover subj. : CEO
118. Longtime Sixers nickname : DR J

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