0906-15 New York Times Crossword Answers 6 Sep 15, Sunday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Patrick Berry
THEME: Double Digits … we have a very nice rebus puzzle today, with several squares in the grid containing two-digit numbers:

28A. Rallying cry during the Polk administration : 54-40 OR FIGHT!
30A. 1957 film set almost entirely in one room : 12 ANGRY MEN
60A. Return date? : APRIL 15
70A. Game that people rarely agree to play twice : 52 PICKUP
79A. Alejandro G. Iñárritu film with the tagline “How much does life weigh?” : 21 GRAMS
107A. 2004 rom-com in which a middle schooler is transformed into an adult overnight : 13 GOING ON 30
110A. Contiguous U.S. states, colloquially : THE LOWER 48
4D. 1960s-’70s police drama : ADAM-12
11D. 1960s buddy cop sitcom, informally : CAR 54
12D. Pop group? : TOP 40
36D. Re/Max competitor : CENTURY 21
46D. Rock band from Athens, Ga. : THE B-52S
62D. Figurative duration of short-lived fame : 15 MINUTES
93D. Rating first used for “Red Dawn” : PG-13
109D. NBC sitcom set at NBC : 30 ROCK
113D. Eddie Murphy’s big-screen debut : 48 HRS

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 38m 20s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 2 … 54-40 OR FIGHT! (54-10 or fight!), TOP 40 (Top 10)

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

20. Word of parting : CIAO
“Ciao” is the Italian for “‘bye”. “Arrivederci” is more formal, and translates as “goodbye”.

23. Something saved for a rainy day : TARP
Originally, tarpaulins were made from canvas covered in tar that rendered the material waterproof. The word “tarpaulin” comes from “tar” and “palling”, with “pall” meaning “heavy cloth covering”.

24. Caribbean capital : HAVANA
Havana is the capital city of Cuba. The city was founded by the Spanish in the early 1500s after which it became a strategic location for Spain’s exploration and conquest of the Americas. In particular, Havana was used as a stopping-off point for treasure-laden ships on the return journey to Spain.

25. Nog topper : NUTMEG
The fruit of the nutmeg tree yields two very different spices. What we call “nutmeg” comes from the seed of the tree. “Mace” is the dried covering of the seed.

It’s not really clear where the term “nog” (as in “eggnog”) comes from although it might derive from the word “noggin”, which was originally a small wooden cup that was long associated with alcoholic drinks.

28. Rallying cry during the Polk administration : 54-40 OR FIGHT!
The US participated in tripartite negotiations with imperial powers of Russia and Britain in the 1820s that established a boundary along the line of latitude at 54 degrees, 40 minutes north. Back then, the border separated Russian interests north of the border, and British and American interests to the south. Today, that border separates the US State of Alaska and the Canadian Province of British Columbia. The area south of the border was referred to as the Columbia District by the British, and the Oregon Country by the Americans, with the two nations disputing ownership. In the 1840s, the US Democratic Party took the position that America should annex the entire area, and coined the slogan “Fifty-four forty or fight!”.

30. 1957 film set almost entirely in one room : 12 ANGRY MEN
The powerful 1957 movie “12 Angry Men” was directed by Sidney Lumet, and has a stellar cast of “jury members” including Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Klugman and Ed Begley. If ever there is a movie that clearly was based on a play, it’s this one. Practically the whole film takes place on one set, the jury room.

39. Changes to the bill? : NOSE JOBS
“Bill” is a slang term for the nose, as in the a bird’s bill or beak.

45. Blotto : LIT
The term “blotto” meaning “drunk” dates back to the early 1900s. It supposedly is derived from the word “blot”, in the sense that being drunk one must have soaked up a whole load of booze.

47. Fab Four surname : STARR
Ringo Starr’s real name is Richard Starkey. Before he joined the Beatles (replacing drummer Pete Best), Starkey played with the Raving Texans. It was with the Raving Texans that he adopted the name “Ringo Starr”, because he wore a lot of rings and he thought it sounded “cowboyish”. Back then his drum solos were billed as “Starr Time”.

The Beatles were described on the sleeve notes of their 1963 album “With the Beatles” as the “fabulous foursome”. The press picked up on the phrase and morphed it into “the Fab Four”.

49. “Young Frankenstein” assistant : INGA
I am not really a big fan of movies by Mel Brooks, but “Young Frankenstein” is the exception. I think the cast has a lot to do with me liking the film, as it includes Gene Wilder (Dr. Frankenstein), Teri Garr (Inga), Marty Feldman (Igor) and Gene Hackman (Harold, the blind man).

50. Degrees of magnitude? : PHDS
PhD is an abbreviation for “philosophiae doctor”, Latin for “teacher of philosophy”.

53. “Kinsey” star, 2004 : NEESON
Alfred Kinsey sure did create a stir with his work and publications. He founded the Institute for Sex Research in 1947, and published the famous “Kinsey Reports” in 1948 and 1953. I enjoyed the 2004 biopic “Kinsey”, starring Irish actor Liam Neeson in the title role.

55. Early manufacturer of home computers : ATARI
At one point, the electronics and video game manufacturer Atari was the fastest growing company in US history. However, Atari never really recovered from the video game industry crash of 1983.

57. Court figure Williams : SERENA
Serena Williams is the younger of the two Williams sisters playing professional tennis. Serena has won more prize money in her career than any other female athlete.

60. Return date? : APRIL 15
April 15th wasn’t always Tax Day in the US. The deadline for returns was March 1st from 1913-18, when it was moved to March 15th. Tax Day has been April 15th since 1955.

63. Ted with a guitar : NUGENT
Ted Nugent was the lead guitarist with the Amboy Dukes, and is now a successful solo artist.

66. 0%, in a way : SKIM
What we call “skim” milk here in North America is known as “skimmed” milk on the other side of the Atlantic.

67. Economic org. in D.C. : IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was established at the end of 1945 with 29 major economies supporting and funding a move to stabilize economies across the globe after WWII. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., today the IMF has 187 member countries.

69. Italian religious figure : CRISTO
“Cristo” is Italian for “Christ”.

70. Game that people rarely agree to play twice : 52 PICKUP
52 Pickup nominally is a card game. It might better be described as a practical joke. The joker asks his or her opponent, “Have you ever played the card game 52 Pickup?”. If the answer is “No”, then the joker/dealer throws the deck of cards into the air, leaving them strewn over the floor. The opponent has to pick them all up.

72. Zach’s old flame in “A Chorus Line” : CASSIE
“A Chorus Line” is a phenomenal hit musical first staged in 1975. The original Broadway production ran for well over 6,000 performances, making it the longest running production in Broadway history up to that time, a record held for over 20 years (until “Cats” came along).

74. First name in Objectivism : AYN
Ayn Rand was the pen name of Russian-American novelist Alisa Rosenbaum. Rand’s two best known works are her novels “The Fountainhead” published in 1943 and “Atlas Shrugged” in 1957. Back in 1951, Rand moved from Los Angeles to New York City. Soon after, she gathered a group of admirers around her with whom she discussed philosophy and shared drafts of her magnum opus, “Atlas Shrugged”. This group called itself “The Collective”, and one of the founding members was none other than future Federal Reserve chairman, Alan Greenspan.

The philosophy of objectivism comes in several forms, all holding that reality is objective and independent of the mind. The emphasis is on reality based on the observation of objects and events rather than feelings or thoughts that grow out of literature or art.

78. Byproduct in petroleum refining : ETHANE
Ethane is the second largest component of natural gas, after methane. Ethane’s main use is in the production of ethylene, a compound that is widely used in the chemical industry.

79. Alejandro G. Iñárritu film with the tagline “How much does life weigh?” : 21 GRAMS
“21 Grams” is a fascinating 2003 drama film starring Sean Penn and Naomi Watts. The title refers to work done by American physician Duncan MacDougall in the early 1900s. MacDougall weighed six patients who were dying from tuberculosis in the old age home. When it was clear that the afflicted were hours away from death, the patient’s bed was placed on a large weighing scale. From this study, MacDougall asserted that the human body lost a mass of 21 grams at the moment of death, and that this change in weight represented the departure of the soul.

83. Glass raiser’s word : SALUD
“Salud” is Spanish for “health”, and is used as a toast. Salud!

84. “___ Arrives” (1967 soul album) : ARETHA
I think Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, had a tough life. Franklin had her first son when she was just 13-years-old, and her second at 15. In 2008, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked Franklin as number one in their list of the greatest singers of all time.

87. It “teaches you when to be silent,” per Disraeli : TACT
Benjamin Disraeli was the Prime Minister of Britain for a few months in 1868 and again from 1874 to 1880. Disraeli enjoyed a particularly warm relationship with Queen Victoria, partly because they both shared an intense dislike for Disraeli’s political rival, William Gladstone. Disraeli was the only British prime minister of Jewish birth, although he was baptized into the Anglican faith when he was 12 years old.

95. Nomadic conqueror : HUN
The Huns were a nomadic people who originated in Eastern Europe in the 4th century. Under the command of Attila the Hun they developed a unified empire that stretched from modern-day Germany across to the steppes of Central Asia. The whole of the Hunnic Empire collapsed within a year of Attila’s death in 453 AD.

99. Kid-lit’s Eloise, e.g. : CITY GIRL
Kay Thompson wrote the “Eloise” series of children’s books. Kay Thompson actually lived at the Plaza Hotel in New York, the setting she would choose for her “Eloise” stories. Eloise started out as a hit song for Thompson, a success that she parlayed into the book franchise.

102. Parts of many passwords: Abbr. : NOS
Numbers (nos.)

104. Imbecile : ASS
The rather unsavory term “imbecile” was formerly used by the medical community to describe someone with moderate to severe mental retardation. The term comes from the Latin “imbecillus” meaning “weak, feeble”, which was extended to mean “weak-minded”. 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

105. Ornament shape : ORB
I think that this a reference to Christmas ornaments for a tree, which are often orbs.

107. 2004 rom-com in which a middle schooler is transformed into an adult overnight : 13 GOING ON 30
“13 Going on 30” is a 2004 comedy fantasy film starring Jennifer Garner as a 13-year-old girl who magically turns into a woman who will have her 30th birthday in a matter of days. I haven’t seen this one, but I hear it’s very entertaining …

114. Org. with conferences : NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) dates back to the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. When his son broke his nose playing football at Harvard, President Roosevelt turned his attention to the number of serious injuries and even deaths occurring in college sports. He instigated meetings between the major educational institutions leading to the formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS) in 1906, which was given the remit of regulating college sports. The IAAUS became the NCAA in 1910.

119. Bee, e.g. : SOCIAL
Back in 18th-century America, when neighbors would gather to work for the benefit of one of their group, such a meeting was called a “bee”. The name “bee” was an allusion to the social nature of the insect. In modern parlance, a further element of entertainment and pleasure has been introduced, for example in a “quilting bee”, or even a “spelling bee”.

124. Beau Brummell accessories : ASCOTS
An Ascot tie is a horrible-looking (I think!) wide tie that narrows at the neck, which these days is only really worn at weddings. The tie takes its name from the Royal Ascot horse race at which punters still turn up in formal wear at Ascot Racecourse in England.

Beau Brummell was a friend of the future King George IV of England, and established himself as the arbiter of men’s fashions at the time. He claimed that it took him five hours to get dressed properly, and that he had his boots polished with champagne. It was Brummell who popularized the fashion of wearing a fitted jacket and pants with a knotted cravat. So, we guys have Brummell to thank/blame for us having to wear business suits with ties.

125. ___ Rabbit : BR’ER
Br’er Rabbit and Br’er Fox are characters in the Uncle Remus stories, written by Joel Chandler Harris. The Uncle Remus stories are adaptations of African American folktales that Harris collected across the Southern States. “Br’er” is an abbreviated form of “brother”.

128. Morales of “NYPD Blue” : ESAI
The actor Esai Morales is best known for his role in the 1987 movie “La Bamba”, which depicted the life of Ritchie Valens and his half-brother Bob Morales (played by Esai).

“NYPD Blue” is a police drama that was originally aired in 1993, and ran until 2005. Stars of the show are Dennis Franz, David Caruso, Jimmy Smits and Rick Schroder. The show created a bit of a fuss back in the nineties as it featured a relatively large amount of nudity for broadcast television.

129. Hieroglyphic symbol : EYE
Horus was one of the oldest gods in Ancient Egyptian religion. Most often, Horus was depicted as a falcon or a man with a falcon head. The Eye of Horus was a common symbol used in Ancient Egypt, a symbol of protection and royal power.

130. L.P.G.A. garment : SKORT
The garment called a “skort” is a hybrid between shorts and a skirt.

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) was founded in 1950 by a group of 13 lady golfers, and today it is the oldest ongoing women’s sports professional organization in the US.

Down
2. Doozy : LULU
We call a remarkable thing or a person a “lulu”. The term is used in honor of Lulu Hurst, a stage magician active in the 1880s who was also known as the Georgia Wonder.

3. Use a lance : TILT
Tilting is the most recognized form of jousting. Jousting can involve the use of a number of different weapons, but when lances are used the competition is called “tilting”. Jousting took place in a roped-off enclosure that was called the lists, or list field. In later medieval times, some castles and palaces had purpose-built “tiltyards” that were used for jousting. Do you remember where the Beach Volleyball events were held in the 2012 London Olympics? Well that was Horse Guards Parade, the former tiltyard for the Palace of Whitehall that was used in the time of King Henry VIII.

4. 1960s-’70s police drama : ADAM-12
“Adam-12” was a cop show that ran on television from the late sixties to the mid-seventies. The story revolved around two LAPD officers, played by Pete Malloy and Jim Reed. The show was created by Jack Webb, famous for his earlier hit, “Dragnet”.

6. Roadside assistance org. : AAA
The American Automobile Association (AAA) is a not-for-profit organization focused on lobbying, provision of automobile servicing, and selling of automobile insurance. The AAA was founded in 1902 in Chicago and published the first of its celebrated hotel guides back in 1917.

8. “Inside ___ Davis” (Coen brothers film) : LLEWYN
“Inside Llewyn Davis” is a 2013 film from the Coen brothers that stars Oscar Isaac, Casey Mulligan and John Goodman. The movie is about a week in the life of a folk singer in New York City in the early sixties. “Inside Llewyn Davis” has been well received, but based on the trailers I’ve seen, it looks a little too depressing for my taste. I could be wrong …

9. Adams, Monroe or Grant : ACTRESS
Amy Adams is an American actress. although she was actually born in Vicenza, Italy while her father was a US serviceman stationed on an Italian base. My favorite Amy Adams film so far is the outstanding “Julie & Julia” in which she acted alongside Meryl Streep. I highly recommend this truly delightful movie.

Marilyn Monroe was born in 1926 in LA County Hospital, the child of Gladys Pearl Baker. The young girl was given the name of Norma Jeane Mortenson on her birth certificate, but her mother changed this to Norma Jeane Baker almost immediately. She and her estranged husband, Martin Edward Mortensen, had separated before Baker became pregnant so it is suggested that the Mortensen name was used just to give Norma Jeane “legitimacy”. Norma Jeane married a Jim Dougherty when she 16 years old, and took his name to become Norma Jeane Dougherty in 1932. During WWII she was discovered by a photographer and became quite a successful model. The modelling earned her a screen test, at which time it was suggested that Norma Jean change her name yet again. The first name chosen for her by studio executives was Carole Lind (after Carole Lombard and Jenny Lind), but then Norma Jeane chose “Jeane Monroe” for herself, using her mother’s maiden name. It didn’t take long before the studio intervened again, suggesting that they had too many “Jeans” already. The name Marilyn Monroe was floated as it had a nice ring to it. Along with the new name, Marilyn changed from a brunette to a blonde, and a star was born …

The actress Lee Grant won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for playing Felicia Karpf in the the 1975 film “Shampoo”. Lee ended up on the Hollywood Blacklist in the fifties and sixties for refusing to testify against her husband, playwright Arnold Manoff, before the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

10. The Company, in govt. lingo : CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is the successor to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) formed during WWII. The CIA was chartered by the National Security Act of 1947. The organization has been nicknamed “the Company” at least since 1972. The nickname became popular with the public following the release of the book “Inside the Company” by former case officer Philip Agee in 1975.

11. 1960s buddy cop sitcom, informally : CAR 54
“Car 54, Where Are You?” is a sitcom that first aired in the early sixties. The show is about two police officers patrolling a precinct in the Bronx in “Car 54”. The two officers are Gunther Toody played by Joe E. Ross and Francis Muldoon played by Fred Gwynne.

14. Israelite tribe progenitor : LEVI
In the Torah, the Israelites are traced back to Jacob, the grandson of Abraham. Jacob had twelve sons, six with each of his concurrent wives Leah and Rachel. The sons became the ancestors of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The sons were:

– Reuben
– Simeon
– Levi
– Judah
– Dan
– Naphtali
– Gad
– Asher
– Issachar
– Zebulun
– Joseph
– Benjamin

15. Slow movements : ADAGIOS
An adagio is a piece of music with a slow tempo. The “adagio” marking on the score is an instruction to play the piece slowly and in a stately manner. The word adagio is Latin for “at ease”.

16. Simple camera’s aperture : PINHOLE
A pinhole camera is an amazing device that can project a very clear image, without the use of a lens. In general the smaller the pinhole the sharper the image, a phenomenon we can observe ourselves by peeking through a tiny hole made with the fingers.

19. Pertaining to a sovereign : REGNAL
Something describes a “regnal” relates to a sovereign, a king or a queen. The term derives from the Latin “regnare” meaning “to reign”.

21. Rock or Pine : CHRIS
Chris Rock is a great stand-up comedian. Interestingly, Rock cites his paternal grandfather as an influence on his performing style. Grandfather Allen Rock was a preacher.

Actor Chris Pine played a very young Captain James T. Kirk in the 2009 “Star Trek” film. Pine was also the fourth actor to play the role of Jack Ryan in the film series from the Tom Clancy novels (after Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck).

27. Broody rock genre : EMO
The musical genre of “emo” originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from “emotional hardcore”. “Emo” is also the name given to the associated subculture. Not my cup of tea …

31. Film set assistants : GRIPS
On a film set, grips are lighting and rigging technicians who set up the infrastructure that supports lights, cameras etc. The “key grip” is the leader of the whole team. The first “grips” were technicians that worked in circuses in its early days. The name “grip” possibly comes from the bags called grips. in which the technicians carried their tools.

35. Colombia’s national airline : AVIANCA
The national airline of Colombia is Avianca. Avianca is an acronym standing for “Aerovías del Continente Americano S.A.”, which translates as “Airways of the American Continent”. Avianca was founded in 1919 as SCADTA, and is the second oldest, continually-operating airline in the world, after KLM.

36. Re/Max competitor : CENTURY 21
Century 21 is a real estate company that was founded in 1971 in Orange County, California. It is now headquartered in Madison, New Jersey.

RE/MAX is an international real estate company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The name RE/MAX stands for “real estate maximum”, and the company’s logo is a hot air balloon with RE/MAX emblazoned on it.

40. “The Brady Bunch” kid : JAN
On “The Brady Bunch”, Eve Plumb played Jan Brady, the middle of the three sisters.

41. Resource in the board game The Settlers of Catan : ORE
The Settlers of Catan is a board game that was introduced in 1995, in Germany as “Die Siedler von Catan”. The game is very popular in the US and was called “the board game of our time” by the “Washington Post”. My son plays it a lot, and as a lover of board games, I am going to have to check it out …

42. Tax-exempt bond, for short : MUNI
A municipal bond (muni) is one that is issued by a city or local government, or some similar agency. Munis have an advantage over other investments in that any interest earned on the bond is usually exempt from state and federal income taxes.

46. Rock band from Athens, Ga. : THE B-52S
The B-52s are a rock band that formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976. The band’s name comes from a certain style of beehive hairdo that resembles the nose cone of the B-52 Stratofortress bomber aircraft. In turn, the band loaned its name to the B-52 cocktail.

52. Title IX target : SEXISM
Title IX is a 1972 law that prohibits discrimination in the field of education on the basis of gender. The statue doesn’t mention sports in particular, but it is in the field of athletics that the law has had the biggest effect. After the law was enacted, the number of female sports teams ballooned in schools as funds started to flow more fairly through the system.

58. Maker of candy wafers : NECCO
Necco Wafers are the best known product line of the candy manufacturer called the New England Confectionery Company. The firm’s name is abbreviated to NECCO, an acronym that became synonymous with the wafers.

61. Singer with the band Cult Jam : LISA LISA
Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam is a band that was active in the late eighties and early nineties. Lisa Lisa is the stage name of musician Lisa Velez.

62. Figurative duration of short-lived fame : 15 MINUTES
The expression “15 minutes of fame” was coined by Andy Warhol in 1968. Famously he said, “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes”.

64. Mel who co-wrote “The Christmas Song” : TORME
Mel Tormé was a jazz singer, with a quality of voice that earned him the nickname “The Velvet Fog”. Tormé also wrote a few books, and did a lot of acting. He was the co-author of the Christmas classic known as “The Christmas Song”, which starts out with the line “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire …”

66. Filibuster feature : SPEECH
A filibuster is a procedure used in parliamentary circles whereby someone extends a debate in order to prevent a vote taking place. The use of the filibuster has led to most legislation needing a 60% vote in order to come the floor of the US Senate. At least that has been the case since 1975. The filibuster was an option in the US House as well until 1842, at which time a rule was introduced that limits the duration of a debate.

71. Minor predecessor? : URSA
Ursa Minor (Latin for “Smaller Bear”) sits right beside the constellation Draco (Latin for “dragon”). Ursa Minor used to be considered the wing of Draco, and so was once called “Dragon’s Wing”.

73. SeaWorld performer : SHAMU
Shamu was the name of the third orca, or killer whale, ever to be featured in a public exhibition. Shamu starred in a popular SeaWorld show in San Diego in the sixties. After she died in 1971, her name lived on as the name “Shamu” is still used by SeaWorld for its killer whale shows. That original Shamu was retired after she grabbed and refused to let go of the leg of one of her trainers.

80. Colorado State’s team : RAMS
Colorado State University was founded in Fort Collins in 1870 as the Colorado Agricultural College. The school’s athletic teams are known as the Colorado State Rams, although back in the days of the Colorado Agricultural College, the teams were referred to as the Aggies.

86. First name of Dickens’s Little Dorrit : AMY
“Little Dorrit” is a novel by Charles Dickens, a satirical work that takes potshots at the government and society of the day.

89. Clues to a sunken ship’s location : FLOTSAM
Flotsam and jetsam are both terms used to describe “garbage” in the ocean. Flotsam is floating wreckage from a ship or its cargo. Jetsam is similar to flotsam, except that it is part of a ship or cargo that is deliberately cast overboard, perhaps to lighten a vessel.

91. Hitchcock film with a nameless heroine : REBECCA
“Rebecca” is a fabulous film from 1940, the first Hollywood movie for director Alfred Hitchcock , and winner of a Best Picture Oscar. The story is adapted from Daphne du Maurier’s novel of the same name, and stars Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. I don’t normally like movies or books with Gothic themes, but I highly recommend this one.

Daphne du Maurier’s fabulous novel “Rebecca” was first published in 1938. The title refers to the first wife of the main male character, Maxim de Winter, who is now a widower. The main female character in the novel is a woman who Maxim meets in Monte Carlo, briefly courts, marries and brings back to his estate in Cornwall, England named Manderley.

93. Rating first used for “Red Dawn” : PG-13
The Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) film-rating system is purely voluntary and is not backed by any law. Movie theaters agree to abide by the rules that come with the MPAA ratings in exchange for access to new movies.

“Red Dawn” is an interesting war film released in 1984 about a group of American high school students who resist an occupying force of Soviet allies who invade part of the US. The film’s cast includes Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen and Jennifer Grey. “Red Dawn” has the distinction of being the first movie to be released with an MPAA rating of PG-13. The film was remade in 2012, and this time the invading army came from North Korea.

96. Relentless faultfinder : NOODGE
Noodge is a slang term, meaning “to nag”, or as a noun it can mean “a nag”. It comes into English from the Yiddish word “nudyen” meaning “to bore, be tedious”.

99. Religious outfits : COWLS
A cowl is a long garment with a hood that is primarily worn by monks in the the Christian tradition.

100. “Arabian Nights” predator : ROC
The mythical roc is a huge bird of prey, reputedly able to carry off and eat elephants. The roc was said to come from the Indian subcontinent. The supposed existence of the roc was promulgated by Marco Polo in the accounts that he published of his travels through Asia.

103. Siesta sounds : SNORES
We use the word “siesta” to describe a short nap in the early afternoon, taking the word from the Spanish. In turn, the Spanish word is derived from the Latin “hora sexta” meaning “the sixth hour”. The idea is that the nap is taken at “the sixth hour” after dawn.

108. Drew in books : NANCY
I loved the Nancy Drew mysteries as a kid (I know, as a boy I “shouldn’t” have been reading girls’ books!). The Nancy Drew stories were written by a number of ghost writers, although the character was introduced by Edward Stratemeyer in 1930. Nancy Drew’s boyfriend was Ned Nickerson, a college student from Emerson.

109. NBC sitcom set at NBC : 30 ROCK
“30 Rock” is a sitcom on NBC that was created by the show’s star Tina Fey. Fey is an ex-performer and writer from “Saturday Night Live” and uses her experiences on that show as a basis for the “30 Rock” storyline. Fey plays Liz Lemon, the head writer for the fictional sketch comedy series “TGS with Tracy Jordan”.

111. Symbol of England : LION
Apparently the lion became associated with English royal family when Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry II. The lion appears on the coat of arms of the Eleanor’s family, the Duchy of Aquitaine. The lion most famously came to the fore with Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart. Richard was Henry and Eleanor’s son.

113. Eddie Murphy’s big-screen debut : 48 HRS
“48 HRS.” is a hilarious 1982 movie starring Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte. Even though the lead characters play a convict and a cop who team up, “48 HRS.” is often cited as the first of the modern “buddy cop” movies, a precursor to the likes of “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Lethal Weapon”.

116. West End district : SOHO
The area of London called Soho had a very poor reputation for most of the 20th century as it was home to the city’s red light district. Soho has been transformed though, and has been a very fashionable neighborhood since the 1980s.

The West End of London is part of the central area of the city that contains many tourist attractions and in particular a large number of theaters. The West End of London is also home to the most expensive office space in the world.

121. Sponsor of some PBS programs : NEA
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an agency funded by the federal government that offers support and financing for artistic projects. The NEA was created by an Act of Congress in 1965. Between 1965 and 2008, the NEA awarded over $4 billion to the arts, with Congress authorizing around $170 million annually through the eighties and much of the nineties. That funding was cut to less than $100 million in the late nineties due to pressure from conservatives concerned about the use of funds, but it is now back over the $150 million mark. I wonder how long that will last though …

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. One raised in church? : ALTAR
6. Beltmaking tool : AWL
9. Emailer’s need: Abbr. : ACCT
13. Hand-made percussion : CLAPS
18. Assembly line track : GUIDE RAIL
20. Word of parting : CIAO
21. Ability to borrow : CREDIT
22. On edge : ILL AT EASE
23. Something saved for a rainy day : TARP
24. Caribbean capital : HAVANA
25. Nog topper : NUTMEG
26. Vessel with a spout : EWER
28. Rallying cry during the Polk administration : 54-40 OR FIGHT!
30. 1957 film set almost entirely in one room : 12 ANGRY MEN
33. Unimportant flaw : NIT
34. Payment promise : IOU
35. Master : ACE
38. Lessen the value of, maybe : MAR
39. Changes to the bill? : NOSE JOBS
42. Infiltrator : MOLE
43. Hawk on the street : VEND
45. Blotto : LIT
47. Fab Four surname : STARR
48. Becomes one : FUSES
49. “Young Frankenstein” assistant : INGA
50. Degrees of magnitude? : PHDS
53. “Kinsey” star, 2004 : NEESON
55. Early manufacturer of home computers : ATARI
57. Court figure Williams : SERENA
60. Return date? : APRIL 15
63. Ted with a guitar : NUGENT
65. Moving day need : BOXES
66. 0%, in a way : SKIM
67. Economic org. in D.C. : IMF
69. Italian religious figure : CRISTO
70. Game that people rarely agree to play twice : 52 PICKUP
72. Zach’s old flame in “A Chorus Line” : CASSIE
74. First name in Objectivism : AYN
75. Historical topics : ERAS
77. Make a point : SCORE
78. Byproduct in petroleum refining : ETHANE
79. Alejandro G. Iñárritu film with the tagline “How much does life weigh?” : 21 GRAMS
81. Hunts, as a house cat might : MOUSES
83. Glass raiser’s word : SALUD
84. “___ Arrives” (1967 soul album) : ARETHA
87. It “teaches you when to be silent,” per Disraeli : TACT
88. Wee bit : MITE
89. Growing businesses : FARMS
92. Lively comedies : ROMPS
95. Nomadic conqueror : HUN
97. Dealer’s customer : USER
98. Trust eroders : LIES
99. Kid-lit’s Eloise, e.g. : CITY GIRL
102. Parts of many passwords: Abbr. : NOS
104. Imbecile : ASS
105. Ornament shape : ORB
106. “Oh wow!” : GOD!
107. 2004 rom-com in which a middle schooler is transformed into an adult overnight : 13 GOING ON 30
110. Contiguous U.S. states, colloquially : THE LOWER 48
114. Org. with conferences : NCAA
115. At the back : DORSAL
119. Bee, e.g. : SOCIAL
120. Cry of dismay : OH NO!
122. Routine-bound : IN A GROOVE
124. Beau Brummell accessories : ASCOTS
125. ___ Rabbit : BR’ER
126. Car chase sounds : SCREECHES
127. Ability : MEANS
128. Morales of “NYPD Blue” : ESAI
129. Hieroglyphic symbol : EYE
130. L.P.G.A. garment : SKORT

Down
1. “I’m ___ it!” (hick’s nix) : AGIN
2. Doozy : LULU
3. Use a lance : TILT
4. 1960s-’70s police drama : ADAM-12
5. Make another movie together, say : RETEAM
6. Roadside assistance org. : AAA
7. Harder to fool : WISER
8. “Inside ___ Davis” (Coen brothers film) : LLEWYN
9. Adams, Monroe or Grant : ACTRESS
10. The Company, in govt. lingo : CIA
11. 1960s buddy cop sitcom, informally : CAR 54
12. Pop group? : TOP 40
13. Pottery, e.g. : CRAFT
14. Israelite tribe progenitor : LEVI
15. Slow movements : ADAGIOS
16. Simple camera’s aperture : PINHOLE
17. Square figures : STATUES
19. Pertaining to a sovereign : REGNAL
21. Rock or Pine : CHRIS
27. Broody rock genre : EMO
29. Not working, say : ON BREAK
31. Film set assistants : GRIPS
32. Stocking fabric : NET
35. Colombia’s national airline : AVIANCA
36. Re/Max competitor : CENTURY 21
37. Instantly likable : ENGAGING
40. “The Brady Bunch” kid : JAN
41. Resource in the board game The Settlers of Catan : ORE
42. Tax-exempt bond, for short : MUNI
44. Has the temerity : DARES
46. Rock band from Athens, Ga. : THE B-52S
48. Modern rock and news/talk, for two : FORMATS
51. Bit of rain : DROP
52. Title IX target : SEXISM
54. Liven (up) : SPICE
56. Visibly moved : IN TEARS
58. Maker of candy wafers : NECCO
59. Invite to dinner, say : ASK OUT
61. Singer with the band Cult Jam : LISA LISA
62. Figurative duration of short-lived fame : 15 MINUTES
64. Mel who co-wrote “The Christmas Song” : TORME
66. Filibuster feature : SPEECH
68. Birdseed containers : FEEDERS
71. Minor predecessor? : URSA
73. SeaWorld performer : SHAMU
76. On both sides of : ASTRIDE
80. Colorado State’s team : RAMS
82. Deeply offended : STUNG
85. Selling well : HOT
86. First name of Dickens’s Little Dorrit : AMY
89. Clues to a sunken ship’s location : FLOTSAM
90. Diving helmet attachment : AIRHOSE
91. Hitchcock film with a nameless heroine : REBECCA
93. Rating first used for “Red Dawn” : PG-13
94. Italian gentlemen : SIGNORI
96. Relentless faultfinder : NOODGE
99. Religious outfits : COWLS
100. “Arabian Nights” predator : ROC
101. Serve as a go-between : LIAISE
103. Siesta sounds : SNORES
106. Bearded ones : GOATS
108. Drew in books : NANCY
109. NBC sitcom set at NBC : 30 ROCK
111. Symbol of England : LION
112. Spa wear : ROBE
113. Eddie Murphy’s big-screen debut : 48 HRS
116. West End district : SOHO
117. Maintain : AVER
118. For fear that : LEST
121. Sponsor of some PBS programs : NEA
123. Word often shortened to its middle letter in texts : ARE

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