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CROSSWORD SETTER: Zhouqin Burnikel
THEME: Paper Jam
We have a rebus puzzle today, with the generic name for some newspapers filling several squares in the grid. I’ve had to abbreviate the names in the grid, as follows:
PR.. = PRESS
TI.. = TIMES
NE.. = NEWS
RE.. = RECORD
WO .. = WORLD
MA.. = MAIL20A. First Amendment guarantee : FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
60A. Now and then : AT TIMES
87A. Extends, in a way : RENEWS
88A. Black mark uncovered in a background check : PRISON RECORD
107A. Like a simple-majority voting system : FIRST PAST THE POST
113A. “What are the chances of seeing you here?!” : SMALL WORLD!
115A. It’ll never reach its destination : DEAD MAIL
1D. Hit band heard on the soundtrack of “Back to the Future” : HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS
9D. Weigh down : DEPRESS
10D. Like flip phones, now : BEHIND THE TIMES
37D. “To be clear …” : JUST FOR THE RECORD …
38D. Classic lie : THE CHECK IS IN THE MAIL
67D. Shocked cry : WHAT IN THE WORLD?!
86D. Upright : GOALPOST
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 16m 29s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Waste generator? : HASTE
Haste makes waste …
17. Lawn game that’s in the Special Olympics : BOCCE
The Italian bowling game of “bocce” (anglicized as “bocci”) is based on a game played in Ancient Rome. “Bocce” is the plural of the Italian word “boccia” meaning “bowl”.
Eunice Kennedy was the sister President John F. Kennedy. Eunice married Sargent Shriver, the running mate of George McGovern in the 1972 presidential race (which was won by the incumbent President Nixon). Shriver founded Camp Shriver in 1962, a day camp for children with intellectual disabilities. Camp Shriver became an annual event and was extended to communities across the country with funding from the Kennedy Foundation. A 1968 Chicago derivative of Camp Shriver developed the first “Olympics-style” competition, and at this competition Shriver announce the formation of the Special Olympics Games that we known so well today.
18. Director of the “Hostel” films : ELI ROTH
Eli Roth is one of a group of directors of horror movies known quite graphically as “The Splat Pack”. I can’t stand “splat” movies and avoid them as best I can. Roth is also famous for playing Donny Donowitz in the Quentin Tarantino movie “Inglourious Basterds”, a good film I thought, if you close your eyes during the gruesome bits.
20. First Amendment guarantee : FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
The Constitution of the United States was adopted on September 17, 1787. There have been 27 amendments to the constitution, the first ten of which are collectively called the Bill of Rights. In essence the Bill of Rights limits the power of the Federal Government and protects the rights of individuals. For example, the First Amendment states:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
23. Big name in chips : LAY’S
Lay’s potato chips were introduced in 1938 by Herman W. Lay. Lay started selling his chips out the trunk of his car, travelling all over the US. In those days the chips were pretty much handmade, but Lay put an end to that in 1942. He invented the first continuous potato processor in 1948, and chips started to take over the world!
25. Bad-mouth : DIS
“Dis” is a slang term meaning “insult” that originated in the eighties. It is a shortened form of “disrespect” or “dismiss”.
27. Dropbox competitor : ICLOUD
iCloud is an Apple service that provides cloud storage and cloud computing.
In the world of computing, when one operates “in the cloud”, one’s files and key applications are not stored on one’s own computer, but rather are residing “in the cloud”, on a computer somewhere out on the Internet. I do 90% of my computing in the cloud. That way I don’t have to worry about backing up files, and I can operate from any computer if I have to …
37. Miss in court? : JANE DOE
Though the English court system does not use the term today, John Doe first appeared as the “name of a person unknown” in England in 1659, along with another unknown, Richard Roe. An unknown female is referred to as Jane Doe. Variants of “John Doe” are “Joe Blow” and “John Q. Public”.
38. Pulls a yard prank on, briefly : TPS
TP’ing (toilet papering) is a prank involving the covering of some object or location with rolls and rolls of toilet paper. If you live in Texas or Minnesota, that little “prank” is legal, but if you live here in California it is classed as mischief or vandalism.
42. “Vous ___ ici” : ETES
“Vous êtes ici” are important words to know when navigating your way around Paris. They mean “You are here”, and you’ll often see them on maps in the street.
48. Hodgepodge : PASTICHE
A “pastiche” is an artistic work, such as a piece of music, that is written by one person in the style of another. The term can also apply to mixture of different things.
“Hochepot” is an Old French word for stew or soup, and this gave rise to an Anglo-French legal term for a collection of property that was gathered prior to being divided up. This became our “hodgepodge” in the early 1400s.
50. It may be full of bugs : BETA
In the world of software development, the first tested issue of a new program is usually called the “alpha” version. Expected to have a lot of bugs that need to be fixed, the alpha release is usually distributed to a small number of testers. After reported bugs have been eliminated, the refined version is called a “beta” and is released to a wider audience, but with the program clearly labeled as “beta”. The users generally check functionality and report further bugs that are encountered. The beta version feeds into a release candidate, the version that is tested just prior to the software being sold into the market, bug-free. Yeah, right …
51. Business reply encl. : SASE
An SAE is a “stamped, addressed envelope”. An SASE is a “self-addressed, stamped envelope”.
53. “Gigi” author, 1944 : COLETTE
The best known work of French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette is “Gigi”, the source material for the wonderful film starring Leslie Caron in the title role. The novel that brought Colette celebrity was published in 1920, called “Cheri”. “Gigi” followed much later, in 1944. “Cheri” was adapted into a screen version starring Michelle Pfeiffer. Colette led a very colorful life. She had three marriages, an affair with her stepson, and many affairs with other women.
55. D.D.E.’s two-time presidential rival : AES
Adlai Stevenson (AES) ran for president unsuccessfully against Dwight D. Eisenhower (DDE) 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!”
57. Biblical landing site : ARARAT
Mount Ararat is in Turkey. Ararat is a snow-capped, dormant volcano with two peaks. The higher of the two, Greater Ararat, is the tallest peak in the country. Ararat takes its name from a legendary Armenian hero called Ara the Beautiful (or Ara the Handsome). According to the Book of Genesis, Noah’s ark landed on Mount Ararat as the Great Flood subsided.
61. Alternatives to Twinkies : HO HOS
Ho Hos snack cakes were first produced in San Francisco in 1967. The “Happy Ho Ho” mascot was created for the brand in the 1970s, and was a cartoon character in a Robin Hood outfit. Ho Hos weren’t the best thing to come out of the sixties I’d say …
66. Beatles girl who “made a fool of everyone” : SADIE
“Sexy Sadie” is a song written by John Lennon and released by the Beatles in 1968. Lennon wrote the song in India, and its original title was “Maharishi”.
67. International commerce assn. : WTO
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The stated aim of the WTO is to liberalize international trade. The organization was founded in 1995 when an international agreement on trade was reached that effectively replaced the existing General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that was laid down in 1949.
68. Fontana di Trevi locale : ROMA
The Trevi Fountain (“Fontana di Trevi”) is a huge fountain in Rome, the largest constructed in the Baroque style. The tradition is that if one throws a coin in the fountain then one is guaranteed a return visit to the city. Tourists throw in an amazing 3,000 euros (over $4,000) every day. The money is collected and is used to stock a supermarket for the needy of the city.
69. Aleve shelfmate : ANACIN
Anacin is a pain reliever, with aspirin and caffeine as active ingredients.
Aleve is a brand name used for the anti-inflammatory drug Naproxen sodium.
70. Entr’___ : ACTE
The term “entr’acte” comes to us from French, and is the interval “between two acts” (“entre deux actes”) of a theatrical performance. It often describes some entertainment provided during that interval.
71. Tuna variety : AHI
Yellowfin and bigeye tuna are usually marketed as “ahi”, the Hawaiian name. They are both big fish, with yellowfish tuna often weighing over 300 pounds, and bigeye tuna getting up to 400 pounds.
74. Surfboard stabilizer : SKEG
A skeg is an extension to the keel of a boat, towards the stern. “Skeg” is also the name for the fin on the underside of a surfboard, positioned towards the rear.
75. Physicist who said “Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it” : BOHR
Niels Bohr was a Danish physicist, who won his 1922 Nobel Prize for his work on quantum mechanics and atomic structure. Later in his life, Bohr was part of the team working on the Manhattan Project that developed the first atomic bomb. Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein had a series of public debates and disputes in the twenties and thirties. Although the two respected each other very highly, they held very different views on quantum theory, different views on the laws of physics at the atomic level. The passage of time has shown that Bohr won out in those debates.
78. Tribe under attack in “Hotel Rwanda” : TUTSI
The Tutsi are the second largest population of people in Rwanda, with the Hutu being the largest group. The bloody conflict that has existed between the Tutsi and Hutu peoples dates back to about 1880 when Catholic missionaries arrived in the region. The missionaries found that they had more success converting the Hutus than the Tutsi, and when the Germans occupied the area during WWI they confiscated Tutsi land and gave it to Hutu tribes in order to reward religious conversion. This injustice fuels fighting to this very day.
“Hotel Rwanda” is a very disturbing 2004 film that is based on a real account of events in 1994 in the Rwandan Genocide. “Hotel Rwanda” has been compared to “Schindler’s List” in that it tells the tale of one man fighting to save as many people as he can from the genocide taking place in his country. Don Cheadle has the starring role.
81. Islet in the Thames : AIT
Aits are little islands found in a river. Aits aren’t formed by erosion, but by the deposition of silt over time. As a result, aits often have a long and narrow shape running parallel to the banks as the sediment builds up with the flow of the water. Many of the islands in the River Thames in England have been given the name “Ait”, like Raven’s Ait in Kingston-upon-Thames, and Lot’s Ait in Brentford.
82. Tip of Cambodia? : RIEL
The Cambodian riel was first introduced in 1953, and was taken out of circulation by the Khmer Rouge in 1975 when they completely abolished money on taking control of the country. After the Vietnamese invasion of 1978, money was reintroduced and the Cambodian people are still using the “second” riel. The original riel was divided into 100 centimes, but this was changed to 100 “sen” in 1959.
83. West Coast gas brand : ARCO
The company name ARCO stands for the Atlantic Richfield Company. One of ARCO’s claims to fame is that it is responsible for the nation’s largest Superfund site. Mining and smelting in the area around Butte, Montana polluted the region’s water and soil, and ARCO have agreed to pay $187 million to help clean up the area.
84. Line part: Abbr. : SEG
Segment (seg.)
90. Trees used for making furniture : TEAKS
Teak is a hardwood tree in the mint family, commonly found in monsoon forests of Asia. Teak’s tight grain and high oil content make it very suitable for constructing outdoor furniture, where weather resistance is valued. For the same reason, teak is the wood of choice for wooden decks on boats.
92. Flat need? : TENANT
“Flat” is a word more commonly used in the British Isles than here, in the sense of an apartment or condominium. The word “flat” is Scottish in origin, in which language it meant a “floor in a house”.
94. Rhimes who created “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal” : SHONDA
Shonda Rhimes is the creator and head writer of the TV shows “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal”. She also serves as executive producer for the crime shows “How to Get Away with Murder” and “The Catch”.
96. Hit 1990s computer game : MYST
In the days when I played the occasional video game, the best of the bunch was undoubtedly “Myst”. It is a game full of puzzles with the player wandering through a beautifully-designed (for its day) interactive world.
100. U.P.S. delivery: Abbr. : CTN
Carton (ctn.)
105. She betrayed Samson : DELILAH
Delilah is a Biblical figure, the wife of Samson. Delilah was engaged by the Philistines to betray her husband by determining the secret of his great strength. Samson lied to his wife three times, but on the fourth asking he told his wife the truth, that he did not cut his hair. Delilah then persuaded Samson to shear his locks and so allowed him to be captured by his enemies. Over the centuries, it has been usual to depict Delilah actually cutting off her husband’s hair, but the Bible actually says that she persuaded Samson to do the job himself.
111. Two-time N.L. batting champ Willie : MCGEE
Willie McGee is a retired professional league baseball player, who spent most of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals.
112. Banks that are too important to fail? : LEVEES
A levee is an artificial bank usually made of earth, running along the length of a river. A levee is designed to hold back river water at a time of potential flooding. “Levée” is the French word for “raised” and is an American term that originated in French-speaking New Orleans around 1720.
115. It’ll never reach its destination : DEAD MAIL
Dead letter mail is undeliverable, mail that cannot be delivered to the addressee nor returned to the sender. Here in the US, once a letter has been deemed undeliverable, postal workers are permitted to violate the principle of secrecy of correspondence, in an attempt to track down the letter’s origin or destination.
Down
1. Hit band heard on the soundtrack of “Back to the Future” : HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS
Huey Lewis and the News are a local band out here in the Bay Area, based in San Francisco. When the movie “Ghostbusters” came out in 1984, the band sued Ray Parker, Jr. who wrote the film’s theme song, claiming that it was very similar to their own song “I Want a New Drug”. The case was settled out of court, and the following year “Huey Lewis and the News” made the most of an opportunity to write a movie theme themselves. Their smash hit “The Power of Love” was written for “Back to the Future”, and propelled the band into stardom.
In the fun 1985 movie “Back to the Future”, Marty McFly finds himself back in 1955, and is trying to get back to HIS future, which is 1985. But on the other hand, 1985 is really Marty’s present, before he went back in time. Why does time travel have to be so complicated …?
3. PBS’s “___ the Science Kid” : SID
“Sid the Science Kid” is a children’s show aired by PBS. “Sid the Science Kid” is made using CGI technology, and is a production of the Jim Henson Company that was founded on the success of “The Muppets”.
4. The so-called “path of virtue” : TAO
The Chinese character “tao” translates as “path”, but the concept of Tao signifies the true nature of the world.
8. Summertime coffee order : ICED LATTE
The term “latte” is an abbreviation of the Italian “caffelatte” meaning “coffee (and) milk”. Note that in the correct spelling of “latte”, the Italian word for milk, there is no accent over the “e”. An accent is often added by mistake when we use the word in English, perhaps meaning to suggest that the word is French.
13. Mmes., to Don Juan : SRAS
Don Juan is a flighty character who has been featured by a number of authors, poets and composers, including Molière, Byron, and Mozart. In the underlying legend, Don Juan ends up talking to the statue of the dead father of one of his conquests. Don Juan dines with the ghost of the dead man and when shaking the hand of the ghost he is dragged away to hell. We now use the term “Don Juan” to describe any womanizer or ladies’ man.
16. Orthodontist’s recommendation : BRACES
Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry dealing with the straightening of teeth. The name comes from the Greek “orthos” meaning “straight” and “dontia” meaning “teeth”.
21. Rest spots for camels : OASES
An isolated area of vegetation in a desert is called an oasis (plural “oases”). As water is needed for plant growth, an oasis might also include a spring, pond or small lake.
28. It’ll give you a lift : UBER
Uber is a ridesharing service that was founded in 2009 and is based in San Francisco. The service is somewhat controversial and has been described as an illegal taxicab operation. Central to Uber’s service is the company’s mobile app, which can use the client’s GPS location to help find the nearest available ride. Uber’s main competitor is Lyft. Personally, I love the service and have only had good experiences …
29. Big name in medical scales : DETECTO
The Detecto Scale Company makes weighing scales. The company was founded in 1900 in New York City by three Jacobs Brothers.
39. Rear end : PATOOTIE
Back in the 1920s, the term “patootie” was used for a sweetheart, a very pretty girl. Somehow, the term has evolved into slang for the posterior, rear end.
40. Final performance : SWAN SONG
The phrase “swan song” is used for a final gesture, a lat performance. The expression derives from an ancient belief that swans are silent for most of their lives, but sing a beautiful song just before they die.
47. Like Comic-Con attendees vis-à-vis the general public : NERDIER
San Diego’s Comic-Con was founded in 1970 as the Golden State Comic Book Convention. Held over four days each summer, apparently Comic-Con is the largest show in North America.
48. Bow tie topper : PESTO
The term “pesto” applies to anything made by pounding. What we tend to know as “pesto” sauce is more properly called “pesto alla genovese”, pesto from Genoa in northern Italy. I love, love pesto sauce …
“Farfalle” is commonly referred to as “bow-tie pasta” because of its shape. The name comes from the Italian “farfalla” meaning “butterfly”.
51. Topping station at a Mexican restaurant : SALSA BAR
“Salsa” is simply the Spanish for “sauce”.
52. Three before seven? : AREA CODE
Area codes were introduced in the 1940s. Back then the “clicks” one heard when dialling a number led to mechanical wear on various pieces of equipment. In order to minimize overall mechanical wear, areas with high call volumes were given the most efficient area codes (lowest number of clicks). That led to New York getting the area code 212, Los Angeles 213 and Chicago 313.
54. Part of LIFO, to an accountant : LAST IN
In the world of accounting, inventory might be managed on a FIFO or LIFO basis. FIFO stands for first-in, first-out. LIFO stands for last-in, first-out.
61. Solo in space : HAN
Han Solo is the space smuggler in “Star Wars” played by Harrison Ford. Ford was originally hired by George Lucas just to read lines for actors during auditions for “Star Wars”, but over time Lucas became convinced that Ford was right for the pivotal role of Han Solo.
64. Golf resort known for its Blue Monster course : DORAL
The Doral Golf Resort in Doral, Florida has five championship golf courses, including one called the Blue Monster.
65. Canadian hockey team : CANUCKS
The Canucks are Vancouver’s professional hockey team, a franchise that joined the National Hockey League in 1970 as an expansion team. “Canuck” is a slang term for “Canadian”.
72. Dancer’s boss : SAINT NICK
Saint Nicholas of Myra is the inspiration for Santa Claus. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra (now in modern-day Turkey) during the 4th century AD, and was known for being generous to the poor. Centuries after he died, his remains were desecrated by Italian sailors and moved to Bari in Italy. One legend has it that the relics were moved again centuries later and reburied in the grounds of Jerpoint Abbey in Co. Kilkenny in Ireland, where you can visit the grave today. I choose to believe that Santa Claus’s relics are indeed buried in Ireland …
73. Another, in Aragón : OTRA
Modern-day Aragón is an autonomous community in the northeast of Spain. The region is named for the medieval Kingdom of Aragón.
77. Ending with Jumbo : -TRON
A JumboTron is a big-screen television system from Sony, often seen in sports stadiums. The brand name “JumboTron” is used pretty generically now for any big-screen system in such venues, even though Sony exited the business in 2001.
79. Comedy Central host Daniel : TOSH
Daniel Tosh is a stand-up comedian and host of “Tosh.0”, a video clip show on Comedy Central.
83. One writing about “hare loss”? : AESOP
The Tortoise and the Hare is perhaps the most famous fable attributed to Aesop. The cocky hare takes a nap during a race against the tortoise, and the tortoise sneaks past the finish line for the win while his speedier friend is sleeping.
93. Basilica recesses : APSES
In its modern usage, the term “basilica” applies to a Roman Catholic church that has been given special ceremonial rights by the Pope.
96. OB/GYNs, e.g. : MDS
Obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN)
99. Weymouth of Talking Heads : TINA
Tina Weymouth is one of the founding members of the group called Talking Heads. Talking Heads was a New Wave band from New York City, formed in 1974 and active until 1991. I couldn’t name one of their songs, to be honest …
103. Like Sir Ben Kingsley : BALD
English actor Ben Kingsley won his Best Actor Oscar for playing the title role in the 1982 epic biographical film “Gandhi”. Kingsley was knighted in 2002, so if you meet him you should address him as “Sir Ben” …
106. “Bad” cholesterol, for short : LDL
LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is one of the compounds responsible for transporting fats around the body. When LDL is combined with cholesterol it can be referred to as “bad cholesterol”. This is because LDL actually transports cholesterol into the inner walls of blood vessels leading to atherosclerosis.
109. Rural power org. : TVA
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has to be one of America’s great success stories when it comes to economic development. Created in 1933, the TVA spearheaded economic development in the Tennessee Valley at the height of the Great Depression. Central to the success was the federally-funded construction of flood-control and electricity-generation facilities.
For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Waste generator? : HASTE
6. Bookkeeper’s stamp : PAID
10. Talks a big game : BOASTS
16. Time capsule ceremony : BURIAL
17. Lawn game that’s in the Special Olympics : BOCCE
18. Director of the “Hostel” films : ELI ROTH
20. First Amendment guarantee : FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
22. Digital technology that provides higher-quality sound : HD RADIO
23. Big name in chips : LAY’S
24. Like most 23-Across chips : SALTED
25. Bad-mouth : DIS
26. In need of an ice bath, say : SORE
27. Dropbox competitor : ICLOUD
30. Not just imply : SAY
31. Send into space : LAUNCH
34. It’s not used in miniature golf : TEE
35. French topper : BERET
37. Miss in court? : JANE DOE
38. Pulls a yard prank on, briefly : TPS
41. Duluth-to-St. Paul dir. : SSW
42. “Vous ___ ici” : ETES
43. Last shot, often : PUTT
44. Give it a go : TRY
45. “Yee-___!” : HAW
46. How Chinese brides are often dressed : IN RED
48. Hodgepodge : PASTICHE
50. It may be full of bugs : BETA
51. Business reply encl. : SASE
53. “Gigi” author, 1944 : COLETTE
55. D.D.E.’s two-time presidential rival : AES
56. App image : ICON
57. Biblical landing site : ARARAT
59. “Yeah, right!” : AS IF!
60. Now and then : AT TIMES
61. Alternatives to Twinkies : HO HOS
62. Give for a bit : LEND TO
63. Pinch-hit (for) : STOOD IN
65. Totaled : CAME TO
66. Beatles girl who “made a fool of everyone” : SADIE
67. International commerce assn. : WTO
68. Fontana di Trevi locale : ROMA
69. Aleve shelfmate : ANACIN
70. Entr’___ : ACTE
71. Tuna variety : AHI
72. Attach, as a seat belt : STRAP ON
74. Surfboard stabilizer : SKEG
75. Physicist who said “Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it” : BOHR
76. What may go to your head around Christmas? : SANTA HAT
78. Tribe under attack in “Hotel Rwanda” : TUTSI
80. Fruity drink : ADE
81. Islet in the Thames : AIT
82. Tip of Cambodia? : RIEL
83. West Coast gas brand : ARCO
84. Line part: Abbr. : SEG
87. Extends, in a way : RENEWS
88. Black mark uncovered in a background check : PRISON RECORD
90. Trees used for making furniture : TEAKS
91. Agreement preceding a kiss : I DO
92. Flat need? : TENANT
93. Little batteries : AAS
94. Rhimes who created “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal” : SHONDA
96. Hit 1990s computer game : MYST
100. U.P.S. delivery: Abbr. : CTN
101. “Sure thing!” : NO PROB!
104. Elec., e.g. : UTIL
105. She betrayed Samson : DELILAH
107. Like a simple-majority voting system : FIRST PAST THE POST
110. Con : SWINDLE
111. Two-time N.L. batting champ Willie : MCGEE
112. Banks that are too important to fail? : LEVEES
113. “What are the chances of seeing you here?!” : SMALL WORLD!
114. “The ___ the limit!” : SKY’S
115. It’ll never reach its destination : DEAD MAIL
Down
1. Hit band heard on the soundtrack of “Back to the Future” : HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS
2. “Am not!” rebuttal : ARE SO!
3. PBS’s “___ the Science Kid” : SID
4. The so-called “path of virtue” : TAO
5. Trees associated with the underworld in Celtic myth : ELMS
6. ___-mouthed : POTTY
7. Throb : ACHE
8. Summertime coffee order : ICED LATTE
9. Weigh down : DEPRESS
10. Like flip phones, now : BEHIND THE TIMES
11. Things to settle : OLD SCORES
12. Word before strike or ball : AIR
13. Mmes., to Don Juan : SRAS
14. Commotion : TO-DO
15. Commotion : STIR
16. Orthodontist’s recommendation : BRACES
17. Key next to A : B-FLAT
19. Plot turner : HOE
20. Darts about : FLITS
21. Rest spots for camels : OASES
25. Amount ___ : DUE
28. It’ll give you a lift : UBER
29. Big name in medical scales : DETECTO
32. Con : ANTI
33. “Hold on there!” : HEY!
36. Start over : REDO
37. “To be clear …” : JUST FOR THE RECORD …
38. Classic lie : THE CHECK IS IN THE MAIL
39. Rear end : PATOOTIE
40. Final performance : SWAN SONG
43. Grilling site : PATIO
47. Like Comic-Con attendees vis-à-vis the general public : NERDIER
48. Bow tie topper : PESTO
49. Short rest : CATNAP
50. Much organic matter : BIOMASS
51. Topping station at a Mexican restaurant : SALSA BAR
52. Three before seven? : AREA CODE
54. Part of LIFO, to an accountant : LAST IN
58. Took courses : ATE
60. Target : AIM AT
61. Solo in space : HAN
64. Golf resort known for its Blue Monster course : DORAL
65. Canadian hockey team : CANUCKS
67. Shocked cry : WHAT IN THE WORLD?!
71. “If memory serves …” : AS I RECALL …
72. Dancer’s boss : SAINT NICK
73. Another, in Aragón : OTRA
77. Ending with Jumbo : -TRON
79. Comedy Central host Daniel : TOSH
81. Suitable : APT
83. One writing about “hare loss”? : AESOP
85. Water whirls : EDDIES
86. Upright : GOALPOST
89. ___ Diego : SAN
90. French pastry : TARTE
93. Basilica recesses : APSES
95. No longer in the closet : OUTED
96. OB/GYNs, e.g. : MDS
97. Trees used for making wands : YEWS
98. Like some chances : SLIM
99. Weymouth of Talking Heads : TINA
102. Rowdy revelry : ORGY
103. Like Sir Ben Kingsley : BALD
106. “Bad” cholesterol, for short : LDL
107. Most music radio stations : FMS
108. “Understand?” : SEE?
109. Rural power org. : TVA
33:59, no errors, iPad. Not too difficult, but I was kiinda slow …
37:11 and four errors, most involving the bottom right. I was thinking more "erect" for upright clue, and have never heard of "First past the post", so there was just no way I was going to run that gauntlet… Not a horrible rebus, but then I can always do without such cheap trickery….
37:10, no errors. Took me a while to realize that the rebus words were names of newspapers. I, too, am confused about "First past the post". I got the answer from the down clue 'Upright' for GOAL POST; was initially looking for something like godly or godlike.
Did not finish. I figure maybe 10% of the puzzle was left blank and two or three mistakes were made. I'm still happy with my effort. My game is getting better. A few months ago I would not even attempt a Sunday NYT and now I know at least that I have a chance to finish.
Got them all, though I'd never heard of the computer game Myst or the word skeg. I do enjoy the challenge of stuffing a word into a single square. 😉