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CROSSWORD SETTER: Jeremy Newton
THEME: Sound Argument … today’s grid contains the childish debate “Is not!”, “Is too!”. This serves as a hint to today’s themed answers, each of which is a common phrase with an “is” sound either subtracted or added. In fact, we sequentially subtract and add the “is” sound as we proceed through list of themed answers in order:
28A. One side of a childish debate … or a phonetic hint to the answers to the four starred clues : IS NOT!
109A. Other side of a childish debate … or a phonetic hint to the answers to the four double-starred clues : IS TOO!21A. *Shrink who’s always changing his diagnosis? : FICKLE THERAPIST (“physical therapist” … is not!)
26A. **What ballet patrons dine on? : DANCING CUISINE (“Dancing Queen” … is too!)40A. *Oregon State’s mascot played by actress Arthur? : BEA AS A BEAVER (“busy as a beaver” … is not!)
54A. **A deal on Afro wigs? : BUY ONE, GET ONE FRIZZY (“buy one, get one free” … is too!)80A. *How actor Bill feels about houseguests? : MURRAY LOVES COMPANY (“misery loves company” … is not!)
95A. **Find cake or Jell-O in the back of the fridge? : DIG UP DESSERT (“dig up dirt” … is too!)113A. *Fall colors? : AUTUMN SPECTRUM (“autism spectrum” … is not!)
121A. **Question from El Al security? : ARE YOU FOR ISRAEL? (“Are you for real?” … is too!)
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 32m 33s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 3 … SATIVA (satina), MSU (SSU!!), OVUM (onus!!)
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Bye at Wimbledon : TATA
An Englishman might say “tata” or “cheerio” instead of “goodbye”. Well, supposedly so!
Wimbledon is a suburb of London located in the southwest of the metropolis. Wimbledon translates from Old English as “Wynnman’s Hill”, with “dun” being an archaic word for “hill”. And, the district is home to the All England Club where the Wimbledon tennis championships are played each year.
5. Bonnie who sang “Nick of Time” : RAITT
Bonnie Raitt is a blues singer, originally from Burbank, California. Raitt has won nine Grammys for her work, but she is perhaps as well known for her political activism as she is for her music. She was no fan of President George W. Bush while he was in office, and she sure did show it.
13. Pop star with the fragrance Miami Glow : J LO
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.
16. Scientist Pavlov : IVAN
Ivan Pavlov was studying gastric function in dogs in the 1890s when he observed that his subject dogs started to salivate before he even presented food to them. This “psychic secretion”, as he called it, interested him so much that he changed the direction of his research and studied the reactions of dogs to various stimuli that were associated with the presentation of food. Famously, he discovered that a dog could be conditioned to respond as though he was about to be fed, just by sensing some stimulus that he had come to associate with food. This might be a bell ringing, an electric shock (poor dog!) or perhaps the waving of a hand. Nowadays we might describe someone as “Pavlov’s Dog” if that person responds just the way he/she has been conditioned to respond, rather than applying critical thinking.
18. Ike’s charge during W.W. II : ETO
General Dwight D. Eisenhower (“Ike”) was in command of the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during WWII. If you’re a WWII buff like me, then I recommend you take a look at a great, made-for-TV movie starring Tom Selleck as Eisenhower called “Ike: Countdown to D-Day” that came out in 2004.
19. What King was king of : BLUES
B.B. King was the stage name of Riley B. King, the celebrated blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. Referred to as the King of the Blues, King truly was a dedicated performer. He was doing gigs for over 50 years, and made over 15,000 appearances on stage. King’s first hit was “3 O’Clock Blues”, recorded in 1952. He passed away in May of 2015.
24. Piece in early Indian chess sets : RAJAH
It is believed that the game of chess originated in northwest India, evolving from a 6th-century game called “chaturanga”, a Sanskrit word meaning “four divisions”. These four (military) divisions were represented in the game:
– Infantry (now “pawns”)
– Cavalry (now “knights”)
– Elephants (now “bishops”)
– Chariots (now “rooks”)
26. **What ballet patrons dine on? : DANCING CUISINE (“Dancing Queen” … is too!)
“Dancing Queen” is a great, great song from 1976 that was released by the Swedish group ABBA. ABBA’s music has never been as popular in the US as it is in other countries, but “Dancing Queen” did make it to the number-one spot in the charts here. It was in fact, ABBA’s only #1 hit in the US.
31. Lipton rival : NESTEA
Nestea is a brand of iced tea made by Nestlé. “Nestea” is a portmanteau of “Nestlé” and “tea”.
Sir Thomas Lipton was a grocer in Glasgow, Scotland. He founded a tea packing company in North America in 1893, in Hoboken, New Jersey. He was very successful as his blends of tea became popular in the US. Despite the Lipton roots in the UK, Lipton black tea isn’t available there, so I’ve always thought of it as an American brand.
32. 30 Rock’s location : NYC
What is now called the GE Building in New York City, was originally known as the RCA Building, with the name changing in 1988 after the 1986 takeover of RCA by GE. The building was completed in 1933 as part of the Rockefeller Center and was named for its main tenant, RCA. Famously, the skyscraper’s address of 30 Rockefeller Center is routinely shortened to “30 Rock”.
37. Arias, typically : SOLI
“Soli” (the plural of “solo”) are pieces of music performed by one artist, whereas “tutti” are pieces performed by all of the artists.
40. *Oregon State’s mascot played by actress Arthur? : BEA AS A BEAVER (“busy as a beaver” … is not!)
The athletic teams of Oregon State University are known as the Beavers. The big rivals to the Beavers are the Ducks of the University of Oregon, a rivalry that has been dubbed “the Civil War”. The two schools’ football teams play a game every year for the Platypus Trophy.
Actress Bea Arthur’s most famous roles were on television, as the lead in the “All in the Family” spin-off “Maude” and as Dorothy Zbornak in “The Golden Girls”. Arthur also won a Tony for playing Vera Charles on stage in the original cast of “Mame” in 1966, two years after she played Yente the matchmaker in the original cast of “Fiddler on the Roof”.
60. Commercial lead-in to Balls or Caps : SNO
The Hostess cakes called Sno Balls are usually pink in color, although in its original form each packet of two cakes contained one white and one pink. Around Halloween you can buy Sno Balls in the form of Scary Cakes and Glo Balls that are colored orange and green. and on St. Paddy’s Day there’s a green one available. Yoo hoo!
Sno-Caps are a brand of candy usually only available in movie theaters. Sno-caps have been around since the 1920s, would you believe?
68. Listen to Christmas carolers? : HARK
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” is one of my favorite Christmas carols. It was written in 1739 by Charles Wesley, although he scored it as a very slow and somber tune. A number of musicians modified the music over the years (including Felix Mendelssohn) giving us the more uplifting air that we know today.
72. Slipshod : POOR
Someone of something described as “slipshod” is slovenly in appearance or sloppy. The term probably comes from the idea of someone appearing in one’s slippers, someone who hasn’t made an effort in their dress.
75. Justice Kagan : ELENA
Elena Kagan was the Solicitor General of the United States who replaced Justice John Paul Stevens on the US Supreme Court. That made Justice Kagan the first female US Solicitor General and the fourth female US Supreme Court justice. I hear she is a fan of Jane Austen, and used to reread “Pride and Prejudice” once a year. Not a bad thing to do, I’d say …
77. Post-op locale : ICU
After being wheeled out of the Operating Room (OR) a patient might spend some time in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
79. Cold War-era territory: Abbr. : SSR
The former Soviet Union (USSR) was created in 1922, not long after the Russian Revolution of 1917 that overthrew the Tsar. Geographically, the new Soviet Union was roughly equivalent to the old Russian Empire, and was comprised of fifteen Soviet Socialist Republics (SSRs).
80. *How actor Bill feels about houseguests? : MURRAY LOVES COMPANY (“misery loves company” … is not!)
The actor and comedian Bill Murray got his big break on “Saturday Night Live”, replacing the departing Chevy Chase in the show’s second season. Murray then launched an hugely successful film career, starring in a host of hit movies such as “Caddyshack”, “Stripes”, “Tootsie”, “Ghostbusters”, “What About Bob?” and “Groundhog Day”. His film career took off again with a lead role in 2003’s “Lost in Translation”. A favorite Bill Murray for me is 2012’s “Hyde Park on the Hudson”, in which Murray plays Franklin D. Roosevelt.
86. Hershiser of the 1980s-’90s Dodgers : OREL
Orel Hershiser is big into poker now that he has retired from Major League Baseball. Hershiser lives in Las Vegas and when he isn’t working for ESPN, apparently he is at the poker tables, playing professionally. When Hershiser is eliminated in a poker tournament, he is in the habit of presenting the person who ousts him with an autographed baseball.
87. Cannabis ___ (marijuana) : SATIVA
“Potiguaya” is the Mexican-Spanish word for “marijuana leaves”. The slang name “pot” comes from “potiguaya”.
88. Chicago suburb : SKOKIE
The Chicago suburb of Skokie was incorporated in 1888 under the name Niles Center. The name was changed in 1940 to Skokie, which comes from a Potawatomi word for “marsh”.
95. **Find cake or Jell-O in the back of the fridge? : DIG UP DESSERT (“dig up dirt” … is too!)
If you like Jell-O, then you might want to stop by LeRoy, New York where you can visit the only Jell-O museum in the world. While at the museum, you can walk along the Jell-O Brick Road …
97. Hunger : YEN
The word “yen”, meaning “urge”, has been around in English since the very early 1900s. It comes from the earlier word “yin” imported from Chinese, which was used in English to describe an intense craving for opium!
98. Drawbridge locale : MOAT
A “moat” is a protective trench that surrounds a castle, say, or a an exhibit in a zoo. A moat may or may not be filled with water.
100. The Spartans of the N.C.A.A. : MSU
Michigan State University (MSU) is located in East Lansing, Michigan. MSU has the largest study-abroad program of any single-campus university in the US. Programs are offered on all continents of the world, including Antarctica. MSU’s athletic teams are called the Spartans.
101. PBS benefactor : NEA
The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the country, and mainly represents public school teachers.
102. And other stuff : ET ALIA
Et alii (et al.) is the equivalent of et cetera (etc.), with et cetera being used in place of a list of objects, and et alii used for a list of names. In fact “et al.” can stand for et alii (for a group of males, or males and females), aliae (for a group of women) and et alia (for a group of neuter nouns, or for a group of people where the intent is to retain gender-neutrality).
121. **Question from El Al security? : ARE YOU FOR ISRAEL? (“Are you for real?” … is too!)
El Al Israel Airlines is the flag carrier of Israel. The term “el al” translates from Hebrew as “to the skies”.
126. Pianist Gilels : EMIL
Emil Gilels was a pianist from the old Soviet Union, born in Odessa (now part of Ukraine). Gilels was one of the first musicians allowed to perform concerts outside of the Eastern Bloc. His debut appearance in Philadelphia with Eugene Ormandy was a resounding success.
128. Half of a classic Mad magazine feature : SPY
“Spy vs. Spy” is a comic strip that has run in “Mad” magazine continuously since 1961. It was drawn by Antonio Prohias, a refugee from Cuba, until his retirement. The early storyline was very fitting for the times, a statement about the futility of the arms race, detente and the Cold War.
129. County of Salem, Mass. : ESSEX
Salem is a seaport on the Massachusetts coast. It is noted as the location of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, an event that the city commemorates during the run-up to Halloween every year in October.
Down
2. New Balance competitor : AVIA
The Avia brand name for athletic shoes was chosen as “avia” is the Latin word for “to fly”, and suggests the concept of aviation. Avia was founded in Oregon in 1979.
New Balance is a footwear manufacturer based in Boston, Massachusetts.
4. Pyramid crosses : ANKHS
The ankh was the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic character for “eternal life”. The ankh wasn’t just used in inscriptions but was often fashioned into amulets and as surrounds for mirrors (perhaps symbolizing a view into another world). The ankh is also known as “the key of the Nile” and “crux ansata” (Latin for “cross with a handle”).
6. Cause of some impulsive behavior, for short : ADHD
The “official” name for the condition we sometimes still refer to as “attention deficit disorder” (ADD) is “attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder” (ADHD).
8. Beach walkers : TERNS
Terns are seabirds that are found all over the world. The Arctic Tern makes a very long-distance migration. One Arctic Tern that was tagged as a chick in Great Britain in the summer of 1982, was spotted in Melbourne, Australia just three months later. The bird had traveled over 14,000 miles in over those three months, an average of about 150 miles a day. Remarkable …
9. Mere vestige : TRACE
We use the term “vestige” for a trace, mark or sign. The term comes from the Latin “vestigium” that also means trace, as well as footprint.
12. What knows the drill, for short? : ROTC
The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is a training program for officers based in colleges all around the US. The ROTC program was established in 1862 when as a condition of receiving a land-grant to create colleges, the federal government required that military tactics be part of a new school’s curriculum.
13. It has a variety of locks and pins : JUJITSU
Jujitsu (also “jiujitsu”) is a group of martial arts associated with Japan. The name “jujitsu” comes from “ju” meaning “gentle” and “jitsu” meaning “technique”. The name was chosen to represent the principle of using the opponent’s force against himself, rather than relying on one’s own strength.
15. Vegas casino with the mascot Lucky the Leprechaun : O’SHEA’S
O’Shea’s Casino in Las Vegas features an Irish pub theme. It is now part of the LINQ casino and resort complex.
19. French cheese : BRIE
Brie is a soft cheese, named after the French region from which it originated. Brie is similar to the equally famous (and delicious) camembert.
22. ESPN’s McEachern a.k.a. the Voice of Poker : LON
Lon McEachern is a sports commentator working for ESPN. McEachern is particularly well known for providing commentary for the World Series of Poker events. As a result, he has the nickname “voice of poker”.
27. Social welfare grp. with a Peace Prize : UNICEF
The United Nations Children’s Fund is known by the acronym UNICEF because the organization’s original name when it was founded in 1946 was the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. The original focus of the fund was to provide relief to children in countries that had been devastated by WWII. UNICEF is supported by contributions from governments, but also by individual donors. One of the more successful programs for collecting private donations is the Trick-or-Treat UNICEF box that has been a tradition here in North America since 1950.
29. Neighbor of a ” ~ ” key : TAB
Like most features on our computer keyboards, the tab key is a hangover from the days of typewriters. When using a typewriter, making entries into a table was very tedious, involving lots of tapping on the spacebar and backspace key. So, a lever was added to typewriters that allowed the operator to “jump” across the page to positions that could be set by hand. Later this was simplified to a tab key which could be depressed, causing the carriage to jump to the next tab stop in much the same way that the modern tab key works on a computer.
41. Dress at the altar : ALB
An alb is a white, neck-to-toe vestment worn by priests, usually with a rope cord around the waist. The term alb comes from “albus”, the Latin word for “white”.
43. Author Seton : ANYA
Anya Seton was the pen name of Ann Seton, an author of historical romances from New York City. Seton’s 1944 novel “Dragonwyck” was released into theaters in 1946 and starred Gene Tierney and Walter Huston.
45. First name in long jumps : EVEL
Daredevil Evel Knievel contracted hepatitis C from the many blood transfusions that he needed after injuries incurred during stunts. He had to have a liver transplant as a result, but his health declined after that. Knievel eventually passed away in 2007.
49. Odette’s counterpart in “Swan Lake” : ODILE
“Swan Lake” is such a delightfully light and enjoyable ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. “Swan Lake” tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by a sorcerer. The ballet also features Odile, Odette’s “evil twin”. Odile is disguised to look like Odette with the goal of tricking the prince to fall in love with her. In the ballet, the roles of Odette and Odile are played by the same ballerina.
52. QB Tony : ROMO
Tony Romo is a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo is also an avid amateur golfer and has even tried (albeit unsuccessfully) to qualify for the US Open golf championship.
56. Prefix with realism : NEO-
In the art world, “neorealism” was a movement that started in the early twentieth century, led by two English painters Charles Ginner and Harold Gilman. The neorealists returned to more realistic style after the Romantic Era.
57. London jazz duo? : ZEDS
There is a duo of letters Z (zee, or “zed” on the other side of the Atlantic) in the word “jazz”.
59. Belgian river to the North Sea : YSER
The Yser originates in northern France and flows through Belgium into the North Sea. The Yser is often associated with WWI as it figured in a major battle early in the conflict. In the first three months of the war, the German Army pushed almost completely through Belgium, inflicting heavy losses on the Belgian Army as the defenders were forced to fight a fast-moving rearguard action. The Germans were intent on pushing right through Belgium and across France in a “race to the sea”. But the Belgians, with the help of their Allies, decided to make a final stand at the Yser Canal in an effort to prevent the Germans reaching the French ports of Calais and Dunkirk. The 22-mile long defensive line was chosen at the Yser because the river and canal system could be flooded to create a barrier that might be defended. The plan was successful and the front was “stabilized”. As we now know, millions of lives were lost over the coming years with very little movement of that battle line.
61. Restaurant chain founded by a celebrity chef : NOBU
Nobu Matsuhisa is celebrity chef from Japan. Nobu was invited to open a Japanese restaurant in Lima, Peru in 1973, and while in South America developed his own Peruvian-Japanese fusion cuisine. He moved to the US a few years later, and now there “Nobu” and “Matsuhisa” restaurants all over the world.
62. Febreze target : ODOR
The odor eliminating product we know today as Febreze was developed in England in the early nineties, and is now produced by Product & Gamble.
69. Greeting on el teléfono : ALO
In Spanish, one might answer “el teléfono” (the telephone) with the word “Aló” (hello).
76. Alternative to Soave : ASTI
Asti is in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. The region is perhaps most famous for its Asti Spumante sparkling white wine.
Soave is a dry white wine produced in the area around the city of Verona in northeast Italy.
81. Administrative worker on a ship : YEOMAN
In the US Navy, a yeoman is tasked with administrative and clerical work. In fact the position of yeoman is the oldest rating in the navy. You’ll see a lot of yeomen in the background on “Star Trek”.
84. Google ___ : MAPS
Google Maps was developed as a web mapping service for desktops. The (wonderful!) Google Maps for mobile app was released in 2008, and is now the most popular app in the world for smartphones.
89. Casino activity with numbered balls : KENO GAME
The name “Keno” has French or Latin roots, with the French “quine” being a term for five winning numbers, and the Latin “quini” meaning “five each”. The game originated in China and was introduced into the West by Chinese immigrants who were working on the first Transcontinental Railroad in the 1800s.
90. Dander : IRE
The phrases “to get one’s Irish up” and “to get one’s dander up” mean to get riled up, to get angry. I guess we are always picking on the poor Irish!
91. Part of a flight plan, for short : ETA
Estimated time of arrival (ETA)
92. Pig with pigtails : PETUNIA
Petunia Pig is a cartoon character in the “Looney Tunes” and “Merrie Melodies” universes. Petunia is the girlfriend of Porky Pig and has been around since 1937.
94. Kaplan course for H.S. students : SAT PREP
Today the standardized test for admission to colleges is known as the SAT Reasoning Test, but it used to be called the Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic Assessment Test, which led to the acronym SAT.
Kaplan Inc. was founded in 1938 by Stanley Kaplan, who started out tutoring students for the New York State Regents Exam in the basement of his parents’ home in Brooklyn. He opened up locations for tuition around the country, and in 1984 sold the company to the Washington Post. Revenue for Kaplan was over 2½ billion dollars in 2009.
96. Hwy. violation : DUI
In some states, there is no longer a legal difference between a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) and a DUI (Driving Under the Influence). Other states retain that difference, so that by definition a DUI is a lesser offence than a DWI.
99. Looney Tunes bird : TWEETY
Tweety Bird is a yellow canary character who appears in Warner Brothers cartoons. In the main, Tweety Bird was voiced by the great Mel Blanc.
103. Play the siren to : LURE
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.
104. Chatted with, in a way : IMED
Even though instant messaging (sending IMs) has been around since the 1960s, it was AOL who popularized the term “instant message” in the eighties and nineties.
107. Arsenal : STORE
Our word “arsenal” comes from the Italian “arzenale”, a work adapted from the Arabic for “workshop”. There was a large wharf in Venice called the Arzenale that became associated with the storage of weapons and ammunition, and this led to our contemporary usage of “arsenal”.
110. Where capri pants stop : SHIN
Capri pants first became popular on the island of Capri, apparently. They were invented in Europe in 1948, but only became stylish in the US in the sixties. Mary Tyler Moore often wore Capri pants on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and to some extent she sparked a fashion trend. After a lull in the seventies and eighties there was a resurgence in sales after Uma Thurman wore them (and danced in them) in “Pulp Fiction”. Can’t stand the look of them myself …
111. #2s at college : TAS
Teaching assistant (TA)
115. Hover craft? : UFOS
In 1952, the USAF revived its studies of reported sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) in a program called Project Blue Book. Project Blue Book ran from 1952 until it was shut down in 1969 with the conclusion that there was no threat to national security and that there were no sightings that could not be explained within the bounds of modern scientific knowledge.
118. Film character who says “I’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee!” : LEIA
Princess Leia is Luke Skywalker’s sister in the original “Star Wars” trilogy and was played by Carrie Fisher. Carrie Fisher has stated that she hated the famous “cinnamon bun hairstyle” that she had to wear in the films, as she felt it made her face look too round. She also had to to sit for two hours every day just to get her hair styled. Two hours to get your hair done? It takes me just two seconds …
In the 1980 movie “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back”, there is a famous exchange between Han Solo and Princess Leia:
Han Solo: Afraid I was gonna leave without giving you a goodbye kiss?
Princess Leia: I’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee.
Han Solo: I can arrange that. You could use a good kiss.
Wookiees are a biped race featured in “Star Wars”, the most notable being Chewbacca, the loyal friend and associate of Han Solo.
122. King of old Rome : REX
“Rex” is Latin for king.
For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Bye at Wimbledon : TATA
5. Bonnie who sang “Nick of Time” : RAITT
10. Needle holder : FIR
13. Pop star with the fragrance Miami Glow : J LO
16. Scientist Pavlov : IVAN
17. Move unsteadily : DODDER
18. Ike’s charge during W.W. II : ETO
19. What King was king of : BLUES
21. *Shrink who’s always changing his diagnosis? : FICKLE THERAPIST (“physical therapist” … is not!)
24. Piece in early Indian chess sets : RAJAH
25. Grasp : FATHOM
26. **What ballet patrons dine on? : DANCING CUISINE (“Dancing Queen” … is too!)
28. One side of a childish debate … or a phonetic hint to the answers to the four starred clues : IS NOT!
30. Take care of : SEE TO
31. Lipton rival : NESTEA
32. 30 Rock’s location : NYC
34. Bend : ARC
37. Arias, typically : SOLI
39. Aerosol sound : SSS
40. *Oregon State’s mascot played by actress Arthur? : BEA AS A BEAVER (“busy as a beaver” … is not!)
47. Festoon : DECK OUT
50. Pick in class : CALL ON
51. Assuming it’s even possible : IF EVER
53. Cross, with “off” : TEED
54. **A deal on Afro wigs? : BUY ONE, GET ONE FRIZZY (“buy one, get one free” … is too!)
60. Commercial lead-in to Balls or Caps : SNO
63. “Couldn’t be” : NAH
64. Not so awesome : LAMER
65. Court positions : PLEAS
66. In need of a cracker, perhaps : CODED
68. Listen to Christmas carolers? : HARK
72. Slipshod : POOR
73. Overlook : LEDGE
74. Multiple-choice options : A, B OR C
75. Justice Kagan : ELENA
77. Post-op locale : ICU
79. Cold War-era territory: Abbr. : SSR
80. *How actor Bill feels about houseguests? : MURRAY LOVES COMPANY (“misery loves company” … is not!)
86. Hershiser of the 1980s-’90s Dodgers : OREL
87. Cannabis ___ (marijuana) : SATIVA
88. Chicago suburb : SKOKIE
92. Removes from a can? : PARDONS
95. **Find cake or Jell-O in the back of the fridge? : DIG UP DESSERT (“dig up dirt” … is too!)
97. Hunger : YEN
98. Drawbridge locale : MOAT
100. The Spartans of the N.C.A.A. : MSU
101. PBS benefactor : NEA
102. And other stuff : ET ALIA
105. Misconstrue, as words : TWIST
109. Other side of a childish debate … or a phonetic hint to the answers to the four double-starred clues : IS TOO!
113. *Fall colors? : AUTUMN SPECTRUM (“autism spectrum” … is not!)
117. Talk down? : HAGGLE
120. Yawnfest : SNORE
121. **Question from El Al security? : ARE YOU FOR ISRAEL? (“Are you for real?” … is too!)
123. Like lightning rounds : TIMED
124. Tear-stained, e.g. : WET
125. Investigate, as a cold case : REOPEN
126. Pianist Gilels : EMIL
127. “Woo-hoo!” : YAY!
128. Half of a classic Mad magazine feature : SPY
129. County of Salem, Mass. : ESSEX
130. High ___ : SEAS
Down
1. Small scrap : TIFF
2. New Balance competitor : AVIA
3. Employing strategy : TACTICAL
4. Pyramid crosses : ANKHS
5. Rubbish : ROT
6. Cause of some impulsive behavior, for short : ADHD
7. It might begin with a “What if …?” : IDEA
8. Beach walkers : TERNS
9. Mere vestige : TRACE
10. They may have you going the wrong way : FEINTS
11. Announcer’s cry after a field goal : IT’S GOOD!
12. What knows the drill, for short? : ROTC
13. It has a variety of locks and pins : JUJITSU
14. Like buffalo meat vis-à-vis beef and pork : LEANEST
15. Vegas casino with the mascot Lucky the Leprechaun : O’SHEA’S
17. Show piece : DEMO
19. French cheese : BRIE
20. Miss : LASS
22. ESPN’s McEachern a.k.a. the Voice of Poker : LON
23. Edible entry at a county fair : PIE
27. Social welfare grp. with a Peace Prize : UNICEF
29. Neighbor of a ” ~ ” key : TAB
32. 30 Rock grp. : NBC
33. Pro’s position : YEA
35. Check : REIN
36. Brunch spot : CAFE
38. “Fire away!” : LET ‘ER RIP!
41. Dress at the altar : ALB
42. PC part of interest to audiophiles : SOUND CARD
43. Author Seton : ANYA
44. Kick back : VEG
45. First name in long jumps : EVEL
46. Open again, as a keg : RETAP
48. Sounds of fall? : KERPLUNKS
49. Odette’s counterpart in “Swan Lake” : ODILE
52. QB Tony : ROMO
55. “Over my dead body!” : OH HELL NO!
56. Prefix with realism : NEO-
57. London jazz duo? : ZEDS
58. Sudden turns : ZAGS
59. Belgian river to the North Sea : YSER
60. Play for a fool : SCAM
61. Restaurant chain founded by a celebrity chef : NOBU
62. Febreze target : ODOR
67. Goof : ERROR
69. Greeting on el teléfono : ALO
70. Supercharges, with “up” : REVS
71. Get one’s hands on some dough? : KNEAD
76. Alternative to Soave : ASTI
78. Nominative, e.g. : CASE
81. Administrative worker on a ship : YEOMAN
82. Smoke : CIG
83. Bank asset that’s frozen? : OVUM
84. Google ___ : MAPS
85. Rap shouts : YOS
89. Casino activity with numbered balls : KENO GAME
90. Dander : IRE
91. Part of a flight plan, for short : ETA
92. Pig with pigtails : PETUNIA
93. Body of science? : ANATOMY
94. Kaplan course for H.S. students : SAT PREP
96. Hwy. violation : DUI
97. Like bread dough and beer : YEASTY
99. Looney Tunes bird : TWEETY
103. Play the siren to : LURE
104. Chatted with, in a way : IMED
106. Emotionally distant : ICY
107. Arsenal : STORE
108. Aligns : TRUES
110. Where capri pants stop : SHIN
111. #2s at college : TAS
112. Inhumane types : OGRES
114. Lumber mill equipment : SAWS
115. Hover craft? : UFOS
116. Brood : MOPE
118. Film character who says “I’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee!” : LEIA
119. Some pipe joints : ELLS
122. King of old Rome : REX