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Solution to today’s crossword in the New York Times
Solution to today’s SYNDICATED New York Times crossword in all other publications
CROSSWORD SETTER: Jeremy Newton
THEME: It’s Better This Way … we get better with today’s crossword, going from SICK in the circled letters at the top-left of the grid, to WELL in the bottom-right. If we look diagonally from SICK to WELL we see the adjacent letters Rx nicely positioned in asterisked answers. So, to get from SICK to WELL we are FOLLOWING THE PRESCRIPTION (Rx), as we are instructed in two other themed answers:
1A. So over : SICK OF
23A. *He bested Leonidas at Thermopylae : XERXES I OF PERSIA
31A. *Off-roader, often : FOUR X FOUR
49A. *Annual draw for snocross fans : THE WINTER X-GAMES
65A. *Iconic feature of comedy : GROUCHO MARX MUSTACHE
79A. *Founder of Marvel’s School for Gifted Youngsters : PROFESSOR XAVIER
97A. *Frequent problem faced by algebra students : SOLVE FOR X
108A. *Horror flick starring Humphrey Bogart as a mad scientist, with “The” : RETURN OF DOCTOR X
119A. Thrive : DO WELL16D. With 58-Down, a patient process? … or a hint to two consecutive letters in the answer to each of the seven starred clues : FOLLOWING THE
58D. See 16-Down : PRESCRIPTION
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 37m 45s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 2 … RL STINE (RL Stone), URIM (Urom)
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
7. Touching words? : BRAILLE
The Braille system of reading and writing was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, who was himself afflicted with blindness. Braille characters are composed of six positions or dots, each arranged in two columns of three dots each. Every dot can be raised or not raised, given a total of 64 possible characters.
19. “Seinfeld” cohort : ELAINE
The character called Elaine Benes, unlike the other lead characters (Jerry, Kramer and George), did not appear in the pilot episode of “Seinfeld”. NBC executives specified the addition of a female lead when they picked up the show citing that the situation was too “male-centric”.
20. 1965 R&B #1 song with the repeated lyric “Can’t you see that I’m lonely?” : RESCUE ME
“Rescue Me” is a song that was released back in 1965 by R7B singer Fontella Bass. “Rescue Me” made it onto a Clear Channel list of song with lyrics deemed inappropriate after the September 11 attacks.
23. *He bested Leonidas at Thermopylae : XERXES I OF PERSIA
The Battle of Thermopylae took place in 480 BC, fought between the Persian Empire of Xerxes and an alliance of Greek city-states led by Sparta. The Greeks chose the narrow pass of Thermopylae to make a stand against the advancing Persian army, as there they could minimize the advantage that the Persians had with their large army. The pass of Thermopylae was so narrow that only one chariot could pass through at a time. Famously, the vastly outnumbered Spartan forces held this pass with hand-to-hand combat for two full days, until a local resident showed the Persians a way around the pass so that the Greek army could be attacked and annihilated from the rear.
25. Nick of “Lorenzo’s Oil” : NOLTE
The actor Nick Nolte got his first big break playing opposite Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Shaw in “The Deep”, released in 1976. Prior to that he had worked as a model, and in fact appeared in a magazine advertisement for Clairol in 1972 alongside fellow model, Sigourney Weaver.
“Lorenzo’s Oil” is a 1992 film that is based on the true story of two parents who were searching for a cure for their son Lorenzo who suffered from adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). The parents are played by Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon.
27. Dashed ID : SSN
A Social Security number (SSN) is divided into three parts i.e AAA-GG-SSSS, Originally, the Area Number (AAA) was the code for the office that issued the card. Since 1973, the Area Number reflects the ZIP code from which the application was made. The GG in the SSN is the Group Number, and the SSSS in the number is the Serial Number. However, this is all moot, as since 2011 SSN’s are assigned randomly.
28. Monitor setting, for short : RES
Resolution (res.)
36. Stuff in sacks : BURLAP
Jute is a very popular vegetable fiber, second only to cotton in terms of the amount produced. Jute fiber is also called hessian, and fabric made from jute can be called hessian cloth. In the US, cloth made from jute can be called burlap.
39. Flying fisher : ERN
The ern (also erne) is also called the white-tailed eagle or sea-eagle.
44. Glassfuls in restaurantes : AGUAS
“Agua” is Spanish for “water”.
45. Country buggy : SHAY
A chaise is a light carriage with a folding hood that transports one or two people. “Chaise” is the French for “chair”, and takes its name from the “sedan chair” means of transportation. In the US, the name “chaise” evolved into “shay”.
48. Air : MIEN
One’s “mien” is one’s bearing or manner. “Mien” shares the same etymological root as our word “demeanor”.
49. *Annual draw for snocross fans : THE WINTER X-GAMES
Snocross is the sport of racing snowmobiles on tracks that include steep jumps, tight turns and other obstacles. “Snocross” is a melding of the words “snowmobile” and “motocross”.
52. Union leader? : LONG U
There is a long U at the start of the word “union”.
54. Like Advil or Aleve: Abbr. : OTC
Over the counter (OTC)
57. It’s low for gas guzzlers: Abbr. : MPG
Miles per gallon (mpg)
60. Home to King Harald V : OSLO
King Harald V is the current king of Norway, and has been on the throne since 1991 when his father King Olav V passed away. The European Royal houses are famously quite “incestuous”, so King Harald V of Norway is in the line of succession for the throne of England (albeit around no. 60).
65. *Iconic feature of comedy : GROUCHO MARX MUSTACHE
Groucho Marx’s real name was Julius Henry Marx. By the time Groucho started his successful, post-Hollywood career hosting the quiz show “You Bet Your Life”, he was sporting a real mustache. For all his movies, his mustache had been painted on with greasepaint.
69. Line at the Louvre : METRO
The Paris Métro is the busiest underground transportation system in western Europe, carrying about 4.5 million passengers a day, about the same as the New York City Subway. The system took its name from the company that originally operated it, namely “La Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris”, which was shorted to “Métro”. The term “Metro” was then adopted for similar systems in cities all over the world.
The Musée du Louvre has the distinction of being the most visited art museum in the whole world. The collection is housed in the magnificent Louvre Palace which used to be the seat of power in France, until 1682 when Louis XIV moved to Versailles.
72. D.D.E. challenger : AES
Adlai Stevenson (AES) ran for president unsuccessfully against Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and in 1956. Some years after his second defeat, Stevenson served under President Kennedy as Ambassador to the United Nations. Stevenson was always noted for his eloquence and he had a famous exchange in a UN Security Council meeting during the Cuban missile crisis. Stevenson bluntly demanded that the Soviet representative on the council tell the world if the USSR was installing nuclear weapons in Cuba. His words were “Don’t wait for the translation, answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’!” followed by “I am prepared to wait for my answer until Hell freezes over!”
73. “Revenge R Us” author : RL STINE
The author R. L. Stine is sometimes referred to as the Stephen King of children’s literature as he writes horror stories for young people.
78. Biting remark? : SIC ‘EM
“Sic ’em” is an attack order given to a dog, instructing the animal to growl, bark or even bite. The term dates back to the 1830s, with “sic” being a variation of “seek”.
79. *Founder of Marvel’s School for Gifted Youngsters : PROFESSOR XAVIER
X-Men is a team of superheroes created by Stan Lee for Marvel Comics. Nowadays the X-Men are perhaps best known as the subject of a series of movies, with Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine, and Patrick Stewart playing Professor Xavier (or simply “Professor X”). Some very respected actors have also played the villains that X-Men have to battle. For example, the enemy called Magneto is portrayed by veteran Shakespearean actor Sir Ian McKellan.
90. Got back to, in a way : RSVP’D
RSVP stands for “répondez s’il vous plaît”, which is French for “please, answer”.
94. Robed performer : GEISHA
The Japanese term “geisha” best translates as “artist” or “performing artist”.
97. *Frequent problem faced by algebra students : SOLVE FOR X
Algebra is a branch of mathematics in which arithmetical operations are performed on variables rather than specific numbers (x,y etc). The term “algebra” comes from the Arabic “al jebr” meaning “reunion of broken parts”.
102. Chichi getaway : SPA
Someone who is “chichi” is showily trendy and pretentious. “Chichi” is a French noun meaning “airs, fuss”.
103. A street drug, briefly : XTC
“Ecstasy” is a street name for the drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). MDMA was first synthesised way back in 1912, but wasn’t used recreationally until the late sixties and early seventies. The drug was designated a controlled substance in the US in 1988.
108. *Horror flick starring Humphrey Bogart as a mad scientist, with “The” : RETURN OF DOCTOR X
“The Return of Doctor X” is a 1939 science-fiction/horror film starring Humphrey Bogart in the title role. Bogie never made another horror movie, and didn’t like to talk about this one as he thought it was one of the worst films he made.
114. Something LOL-worthy : A HOOT
Laugh out loud (LOL)
115. Water, wryly : ADAM’S ALE
I suppose water was all that Adam had available to him to drink, so that’s how the expression Adam’s ale arose (I am guessing … can’t find anything definitive anywhere). The phrase “Adam’s Ale” makes a nice juxtaposition with “the demon drink”!
116. Canadian coin named for a bird : LOONIE
The great northern loon is the provincial bird of Ontario, and the state bird of Minnesota. The loon once appeared on Canadian $20 bills and also appears on the Canadian one dollar coin, giving the coin the nickname “the Loonie”.
117. “The ___ Project” (Fox comedy) : MINDY
“The Mindy Project” is a Fox sitcom that stars and was created by Mindy Kaling. Mindy plays an obstetrician/gynecologist, a role that was inspired by her own mother who is an OB/GYN.
Down
1. Something dirty kept in a cell? : SEXT
“Sexting” (a portmanteau of “sex” and “texting”) is the sending of explicit dialog and images between cell phones. The term “sexting” was first coined by the UK’s “Sunday Telegraph Magazine” in a 2005 article. Apparently the practice is “rampant” among teens and young adults. Whatever happened to dinner and a movie …?
2. ___ de la Société : ILES
The Society Islands (in French, “Îles de la Société”) are a group of islands in the South Pacific that are part of French Polynesia. It is thought that the islands were named by English explorer Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society. The Society Islands are divided into two groups: The Windward Islands (the most famous of which is Tahiti) and the Leeward Islands (which includes the island of Bora Bora).
3. Complain, complain, complain : CARP
The word “carp” used to mean simply “talk” back in the 13th century, with its roots in the Old Norwegian “karpa” meaning “to brag”. A century later the Latin word “carpere” meaning “to slander” influenced the use of “carp” so that it came to mean “find fault with”.
4. “Kid-tested” breakfast cereal : KIX
Kix cereal has been around since 1937, would you believe? Kix used to be just puffed grains, processed to give the characteristic shape. Then the decision was made to add sugar to get better penetration into the young kid marketplace. Sad really …
5. 50/50 : ONE
50 divided by 50 is 1.
6. “Admit it!” : FESS UP!
The term “fess” is most often seen as part of the phrasal verb “to fess up” meaning “to admit to something”. “Fess” is simply a shortened form of “confess”.
7. J.Lo’s birthplace : BRONX
The New York City borough known as the Bronx takes its name from the Bronx River that runs through it. The river was named after Jonas Bronck, an early immigrant to the Dutch colony of New Netherland. Bronck’s farm gave rise to the name “Broncksland” and “Bronck’s River”.
J.Lo is the nickname of singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. “J.Lo” is also the title of her second studio album, released in 2001.
9. Danger for Indiana Jones : ASP
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” is, in my humble opinion, the best of the Indiana Jones franchise of movies. This first Indiana Jones film was released in 1981, produced by George Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg. Harrison Ford was Spielberg’s first choice to play the lead, but Lucas resisted as he was concerned that he would be too closely associated with the actor (as Ford played Han Solo in “Star Wars”, and also appeared in Lucas’s “American Graffiti”). Tom Selleck was offered the role but couldn’t get out of his commitments to “Magnum, P.I.” Eventually Spielberg got his way, and that was a good thing I’d say …
11. Siren, say : LURER
In Greek mythology, the Sirens were seductive bird-women who lured men to their deaths with their song. When Odysseus sailed closed to the island home of the Sirens he wanted to hear their voices, but in safety. He had his men plug their ears with beeswax and then ordered them to tie him to the mast and not to free him until they were safe. On hearing their song Odysseus begged to be let loose, but the sailors just tightened his bonds and and the whole crew sailed away unharmed.
13. Member of the music industry’s former Big Four : EMI
EMI was a British music company, with the acronym originally standing for Electric and Musical Industries.
The Big Four recording labels were (until EMI was broken up in 2012 and absorbed by what became “the Big Three”):
1. Universal Music Group
2. Sony Music Entertainment
3. Warner Music Group
4. EMI
14. Part of a Napa Valley tour : WINERY
The first commercial winery in Napa Valley, California was established way back in 1858. However, premium wine production only dates back to the 1960s, with the region really hitting the big time after its success at the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976. The story of that famous blind wine tasting is told in the entertaining 2008 film “Bottle Shock”.
15. Whack-___ : A-MOLE
The Whac-A-Mole arcade game was invented in 1976. Players use a mallet to force five plastic moles back into their holes. Whacking the moles can be so frustrating that we sometimes use the term “Whac-a-mole” to describe a repetitive and futile task.
16. With 58-Down, a patient process? … or a hint to two consecutive letters in the answer to each of the seven starred clues : FOLLOWING THE
(58D. See 16-Down : PRESCRIPTION)
There seems to some uncertainty about the origin of the symbol “Rx” that’s used for a medical prescription. One explanation is that it comes from the astrological sign for Jupiter, a symbol put on prescriptions in days of old to invoke Jupiter’s blessing to help a patient recover.
17. What one might go for a spin in? : TUTU
The word “tutu”, used for a ballet dancer’s skirt, is actually a somewhat “naughty” term. It came into English from French in the early 20th century. The French “tutu” is an alteration of the word “cucu”, a childish word for “cul” meaning the “bottom,” or “backside”.
18. Any “cha” in the cha-cha-cha : STEP
The cha-cha-cha is a Latin dance with origins in Cuba, where it was introduced by composer Enrique Jorrin in 1953.
24. Mount Zion’s land: Abbr. : ISR
Mount Zion is a hill in Jerusalem that his home to a number of important sites including King David’s Tomb, the Room of the Last Supper and the Chamber of the Holocaust. The Catholic cemetery on Mount Zion is also where Oskar Schindler was buried, the German national who saved over 1,000 Jews during the Holocaust.
33. “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind,” per H. P. Lovecraft : FEAR
H. P. Lovecraft was an author of horror, fantasy and science fiction. His books aren’t my cup of tea …
34. Cousin of a gazelle : ORYX
The oryx is a large antelope species, mainly found in Africa but also in the Arabian Peninsula. One species was introduced by man into the White Sands Missile Range. As a result, the oryx is now considered an invasive species in the neighboring White Sands National Monument.
35. Drink with two lizards in its logo : SOBE
The brand name SoBe can be found on teas, juices and bottled waters. SoBe is an abbreviation for South Beach, the neighborhood in Miami Beach, Florida.
40. “Clueless” and “Bridget Jones’s Diary” : ROMCOMS
The 1995 movie “Clueless” is apparently based on Jane Austen’s “Emma”, which is a favorite novel of mine. As a result, I am going to have to check out the film. That said, “Clueless” is set in a Beverly Hills high school, so I probably should prepare myself to be disappointed …
“Bridget Jones’s Diary” is a 1996 novel by English novelist Helen Fielding. The novel is a clever adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” and even includes a lead character called Darcy. “Bridget Jones’s Diary” was adapted into a very successful movie released in 2001. Colin Firth plays Darcy in the movie, and of course also played Mr. Darcy in a famous television version of “Pride and Prejudice” in 1995.
42. Sponsorships : AEGISES
Someone is said to be under the aegis (also “egis”) of someone else (for example) if that other person provides protection, or perhaps sponsorship. The word “aegis” comes from the Greek word for a goat (“aigis”), the idea being that the goatskin shield or breastplate worn by Zeus or Athena, gave some measure of protection.
43. Serengeti prey : GNUS
A gnu is also known as a wildebeest, an antelope native to Africa. “Wildebeest” is actually the Dutch word for “wild beast”.
The Serengeti is a region in Africa, located in northern Tanzania and southwest Kenya. The name “Serengeti” comes from the Maasai language and means “Endless Plains”.
47. Paint variety : LATEX
Water-based acrylic paints are also known as “latex paints”.
48. Type-A friend from “Friends” : MONICA
Courteney Cox played Monica Geller on the incredibly successful sitcom “Friends”. Before “Friends” she played the girlfriend of Michael J. Fox’s character on “Family Ties” for a couple of years in the late eighties. Her role in “Friends” was her biggest success, no question, when she and her fellow female costars became the highest paid TV actresses ever, earning a million dollars per episode.
The Type A and Type B personality theory originated in the fifties. Back then, individuals were labelled as Type A in order to emphasize a perceived increased risk of heart disease. Type A personality types are so called “stress junkies”, whereas Type B types are relaxed and laid back. But there doesn’t seem to be much scientific evidence to support the linkage between the Type A personality and heart problems.
50. One turning to the right : NEOCON
By definition, a neoconservative supports the use of American power and military to bring democracy, liberty, equality and human rights to other countries.
57. Loud beast heard in theaters : MGM LION
There has been a lion in the logo of the MGM studio since 1924. The original was an Irishman (!), a lion named Slats who was born in Dublin Zoo in 1919. However, it wasn’t until Jackie took over from Slats in 1928 that the roar was heard, as the era of silent movies was coming to an end. The current lion is called Leo, and he has been around since 1957.
59. Bamboozled : GOTTEN
It’s thought that the lovely word “bamboozle” came into English from the Scottish “bombaze” meaning “perplex”. We’ve been using “bamboozle” since the very early 1700s.
73. They’re 18 to 21 : RSTU
The 18th through 21st letters of the alphabet are RSTU.
74. Things for here and now : EPHEMERA
“Ephemera” was originally a medical term, used to describe a fever that only lasted a day. The use of the term was expanded in the 17th century to include insects that were “short-lived”, and by end of the 18th century “ephemera” were any things of transitory existence.
81. Jib, e.g. : SAIL
A jib is a triangular sail that is set at the bow of a sailboat.
82. John Candy’s old comedy program : SCTV
John Candy was a Canadian comedian and actor. He was an alum of Canada’s famed comedy troupe called the Second City (later “SCTV”). In the world of movies I have to say my favorite of Candy’s performances were in supporting roles, as in “Stripes” and “Home Alone”. Sadly, Candy died of a heart attack in 1994, when he was only 43 years old.
85. Book after Galatians: Abbr. : EPH
It seems that the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians (EPH) is now regarded by scholars as written “in the style of Paul” by someone who was influenced by Paul’s thought.
86. Nutritional info : RDA
Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs)
88. Photogs’ choices : SLRS
SLR stands for “single lens reflex”. Usually cameras with changeable lenses are the SLR type. The main feature of an SLR is that a mirror reflects the image seen through the lens out through the viewfinder, so that the photographer sees exactly what the lens sees. The mirror moves out of the way as the picture is taken, and the image that comes through the lens falls onto unexposed film, or nowadays onto a digital sensor.
93. Like Brando’s Don Corleone : HOARSE
Mario Puzo created Corleone Mafia family in his 1969 novel “The Godfather”. The head of the family is Vito Corleone (whose birth name was Vito Andolini), a native of Corleone in Sicily. He was given the name Corleone by immigration officers at Ellis Island.
97. Eject, as froth : SPUME
Our word “spume” that we use for “froth” comes from the Latin “spuma” meaning “foam”.
99. Co. making arrangements : FTD
Back in 1910, fifteen florists from around America agreed to fulfill each other’s orders using the telegraph system, setting up what they called the Florists’ Telegraph Delivery. The concept grew so large that in 1965 the group started to offer international service, and changed its name to Florists’ Transworld Delivery (FTD).
100. Dutch wheels : EDAM
Edam cheese takes its name from the Dutch town of Edam in North Holland. The cheese is famous for its coating of red paraffin wax, a layer of protection that helps Edam travel well and prevents spoiling. You might occasionally come across an Edam cheese that is coated in black wax. The black color indicates that the underlying cheese has been aged for a minimum of 17 weeks.
101. Member of the old Chero-Cola product line : NEHI
The brand of Nehi cola has a name that sounds like “knee-high”, a measure of a small stature. Back in the mid-1900’s, the Chero-Cola company that owned the brand went for a slightly different twist on “knee-high” in advertising. The logo for Nehi was an image of a seated woman’s stockinged legs, with her skirt pulled up to her knees, to hint at “knee-high”.
102. “Chop-chop!” : STAT
The exact etymology of “stat”, a term meaning “immediately” in the medical profession, seems to have been lost in the mists of time. It probably comes from the Latin “statim” meaning “to a standstill, immediately”. A blog reader has helpfully suggested that the term may also come from the world of laboratory analysis, where the acronym STAT stands for “short turnaround time”.
“Chop chop” is Chinese Pidgin English, and is just a reiteration of the word “chop” used in the sense of moving quickly.
104. Radius, e.g. : BONE
The radius and ulna are bones in the forearm. If you hold the palm of your hand up in front of you, the radius is the bone on the “thumb-side” of the arm, and the ulna is the bone on the “pinkie-side”.
105. Seed casing : ARIL
The casing surrounding many seeds is called the aril, and it may be quite fleshy. This fruit-like characteristic makes it desirable as a food and aids in the dispersion of the seeds.
106. Jump on ice : AXEL
An Axel is a forward take-off jump in figure skating. It was first performed by Norwegian Axel Paulsen at the 1882 World Figure Skating championships.
109. Jet crew, briefly : EDS
Editors (eds.)
“Jet” is a weekly magazine published in Chicago that targets mainly an African American readership.
For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. So over : SICK OF
7. Touching words? : BRAILLE
14. Gently floats : WAFTS
19. “Seinfeld” cohort : ELAINE
20. 1965 R&B #1 song with the repeated lyric “Can’t you see that I’m lonely?” : RESCUE ME
22. “Too rich for me” : I’M OUT
23. *He bested Leonidas at Thermopylae : XERXES I OF PERSIA
25. Nick of “Lorenzo’s Oil” : NOLTE
26. Medicinal qty. : TSP
27. Dashed ID : SSN
28. Monitor setting, for short : RES
29. Balloon : SWELL UP
31. *Off-roader, often : FOUR X FOUR
35. What an iPod plays in : STEREO
36. Stuff in sacks : BURLAP
39. Flying fisher : ERN
40. Roughhousing : ROWDY
41. Jokester : WAG
44. Glassfuls in restaurantes : AGUAS
45. Country buggy : SHAY
47. Places for studs : LOBES
48. Air : MIEN
49. *Annual draw for snocross fans : THE WINTER X-GAMES
52. Union leader? : LONG U
53. Close up : SEAL
54. Like Advil or Aleve: Abbr. : OTC
55. “That may be true, but …” : THING IS …
57. It’s low for gas guzzlers: Abbr. : MPG
60. Home to King Harald V : OSLO
62. “___ good cheer!” : BE OF
64. Doesn’t bring up : OMITS
65. *Iconic feature of comedy : GROUCHO MARX MUSTACHE
69. Line at the Louvre : METRO
70. Bomb shelter? : SILO
71. Sub side, maybe : SLAW
72. D.D.E. challenger : AES
73. “Revenge R Us” author : RL STINE
75. Suffix with peace : -NIK
76. Bent beam : L-BAR
78. Biting remark? : SIC ‘EM
79. *Founder of Marvel’s School for Gifted Youngsters : PROFESSOR XAVIER
87. Of two minds : TORN
88. TALK LIKE THIS! : SHOUT!
89. Teen headache : ACNE
90. Got back to, in a way : RSVP’D
91. Prefix with cycle : UNI-
92. Give one’s O.K. : BLESS
93. Google datum : HIT
94. Robed performer : GEISHA
95. “Nothing seems to go my way” : POOR ME
97. *Frequent problem faced by algebra students : SOLVE FOR X
100. Pump up : ENTHUSE
102. Chichi getaway : SPA
103. A street drug, briefly : XTC
104. Rural call : BAA
107. Stoop : DEIGN
108. *Horror flick starring Humphrey Bogart as a mad scientist, with “The” : RETURN OF DOCTOR X
114. Something LOL-worthy : A HOOT
115. Water, wryly : ADAM’S ALE
116. Canadian coin named for a bird : LOONIE
117. “The ___ Project” (Fox comedy) : MINDY
118. In hot water? : STEEPED
119. Thrive : DOWELL
Down
1. Something dirty kept in a cell? : SEXT
2. ___ de la Société : ILES
3. Complain, complain, complain : CARP
4. “Kid-tested” breakfast cereal : KIX
5. 50/50 : ONE
6. “Admit it!” : FESS UP!
7. J.Lo’s birthplace : BRONX
8. Shot caller : REF
9. Danger for Indiana Jones : ASP
10. Spring river breakup : ICE RUN
11. Siren, say : LURER
12. Not so great : LESS
13. Member of the music industry’s former Big Four : EMI
14. Part of a Napa Valley tour : WINERY
15. Whack-___ : A-MOLE
16. With 58-Down, a patient process? … or a hint to two consecutive letters in the answer to each of the seven starred clues : FOLLOWING THE
17. What one might go for a spin in? : TUTU
18. Any “cha” in the cha-cha-cha : STEP
21. How lines of latitude run : EAST-WEST
24. Mount Zion’s land: Abbr. : ISR
30. Couples : WEDS
31. Scratch, say : FLAW
32. Rest stop : OASIS
33. “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind,” per H. P. Lovecraft : FEAR
34. Cousin of a gazelle : ORYX
35. Drink with two lizards in its logo : SOBE
36. Club : BAT
37. “Bleah!” : UGH!
38. Have second thoughts about : RUE
40. “Clueless” and “Bridget Jones’s Diary” : ROMCOMS
42. Sponsorships : AEGISES
43. Serengeti prey : GNUS
45. Put away for safekeeping : STASH
46. Hugs and kisses, at times : HELLOS
47. Paint variety : LATEX
48. Type-A friend from “Friends” : MONICA
50. One turning to the right : NEOCON
51. Lose everything : GO BROKE
52. Certain bean : LIMA
56. Hair-razing stuff? : HOT WAX
57. Loud beast heard in theaters : MGM LION
58. See 16-Down : PRESCRIPTION
59. Bamboozled : GOTTEN
61. Like gathering storm clouds : OMINOUS
63. No-holds-barred : FULL-ON
66. ___ and Thummim (sacred Judaic objects) : URIM
67. “Need ___?” (query to hitchhikers) : A LIFT
68. Baron’s blade : SABRE
73. They’re 18 to 21 : RSTU
74. Things for here and now : EPHEMERA
77. More pink, perhaps : RARER
80. It can be prickly : ROSE
81. Jib, e.g. : SAIL
82. John Candy’s old comedy program : SCTV
83. Motor with some muscle : V-SIX
84. You might get stuck with them : IVS
85. Book after Galatians: Abbr. : EPH
86. Nutritional info : RDA
88. Photogs’ choices : SLRS
92. It may help catch a fugitive : BOUNTY
93. Like Brando’s Don Corleone : HOARSE
94. Disappear, as a trail : GO COLD
96. “Good heavens!” : OH GOD!
97. Eject, as froth : SPUME
98. Retired govt. agent : EX-FED
99. Co. making arrangements : FTD
100. Dutch wheels : EDAM
101. Member of the old Chero-Cola product line : NEHI
102. “Chop-chop!” : STAT
104. Radius, e.g. : BONE
105. Seed casing : ARIL
106. Jump on ice : AXEL
109. Jet crew, briefly : EDS
110. Quick time-out : NAP
111. Scream at a ring : OLE!
112. Bit of love talk : COO
113. Drag : TOW
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Your comments for this puzzle remind me why I need to stick to just reading your blog. I occasionally look at another NYXword blog, but the comments by both the blogger and some of his readers are too often little more than trivial complaints with very little useful information. His 3-16 blog was a good example. Your blog for the 3-16 puzzle was informative and to the point. Thanks. I'll stick with yours.
Hi there, Bart.
Thanks for the kind words about the blog. I'm not here to critique the puzzles. Frankly, I don't feel that I am qualified to do so. I am just grateful to all of the constructors for giving us th eopportunity to solve 🙂
I forgot to mention that I read about the father in the Lorenzo oil story having passed away recently. That was a powerful movie. Several years ago I helped to care for a child with the same disease. His family lived far away so I stayed with the boy in the hospital overnight so they could get a break. Very sad. He is still hanging on after getting lots of cell replacement.
Hi there, Bart.
Thanks for the background info on the "Lorenzo's Oil" story. I can somewhat empathize with you and your hospital patient. I used to work in a Children's Hospital many moons ago back in Ireland. It's very, very tough to see kids that are so sick. But, they almost all have an amazing attitude to life.
Back from a 2 week vacation and have 14 nyt crosswords waiting, (forget to cancel papers!)+the new ones arriving daily.
Just, completed 0316-14, the big one from 2 weeks ago, and still have to face todays big one. No yard work today!
Thank heavens for your blog!
Hi there, Doc.
Welcome back from vacation. I'm glad to hear the blog is being of some service 🙂
I really appreciate your article. You're so intelligent and very creative in posting comments. Keep it up searching new things in life.Learning is fun, you gain more knowledge as what others did.have a great day
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