0918-22 NY Times Crossword 18 Sep 22, Sunday

Constructed by: Katie Hale
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: Because I Said So!

Themed answers are GO-TO PARENTING PHRASES reinterpreted as phrases spoken by professionals cited in the corresponding clues:

  • 22A Mechanic’s go-to parenting phrase? : I’LL TURN THIS CAR AROUND!
  • 37A Personal trainer’s go-to parenting phrase? : SIT UP STRAIGHT!
  • 55A Conductor’s go-to parenting phrase? : DON’T USE THAT TONE WITH ME!
  • 79A Mathematician’s go-to parenting phrase? : I TOLD YOU A HUNDRED TIMES!
  • 100A Air traffic controller’s go-to parenting phrase? : YOU’RE GROUNDED!
  • 117A Librarian’s go-to parenting phrase? : LET’S PLAY THE QUIET GAME!

Bill’s time: 19m 24s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Fish tank buildup : ALGAE

Algae are similar to terrestrial plants in that they use photosynthesis to create sugars from light and carbon dioxide, but they differ in that they have simpler anatomies, and for example lack roots.

6 Bog product : PEAT

When dead plant matter accumulates in marshy areas, it may not fully decay due to a lack of oxygen or acidic conditions. We are familiar with this in Ireland, because this decaying matter can form peat, and we have lots and lots of peat bogs around the country.

10 P.M. times : AFTS

Our word “noon”, meaning “midday”, comes from the Latin “nona hora” that translates as “ninth hour”. Back in ancient Rome, the “ninth hour” was three in the afternoon. Over the centuries, traditions such as church prayers and “midday” meals shifted from 3 p.m. to 12 p.m., and so “noon” became understood as 12 noon.

14 Suisse peak : ALPE

In French, “la Suisse” (Switzerland) is a “pays” (country) in the “Alpes” (Alps).

18 Disney film with a titular heroine : MOANA

“Moana” is a 2016 animated feature film and the 56th animated Disney movie. The title character is the daughter of a Polynesian chief who heads off in search of the demigod Maui, hoping that he can save her people.

26 Painter whose motifs include ants and eggs : DALI

Artist Salvador Dalí liked to make a splash in public. He was known to walk an anteater on a lead around Paris. He also brought an anteater on stage to an interview on “The Dick Cavett Show” in 1970.

29 Mauna ___ : KEA

Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, the peak of which is the highest point in the whole state. Mauna Kea is in effect the tip of a gigantic volcano rising up from the seabed.

31 French liver : FOIE

Pâté is a rich spreadable paste made from a mixture of ground meat and fat to which various vegetables, herbs and spices may be added. The most famous version of the paste is pâté de foie gras, which is made from the fattened livers of geese (“foie gras” means “fat liver” in French).

33 Some remote power sources : AAS

The first television remote control was introduced by Zenith Radio Corporation, in 1950. That remote was hard-wired to the TV, and was marketed as “Lazy Bones”. Personally, my first “remote” was a broomstick that I used by pushing in large mechanical buttons that selected each of the three channels that were available back then on the east coast of Ireland …

35 Up to 11 meters for a pterodactyl : WINGSPAN

Pterodactyls were flying reptiles, the fossilized remains of which have been found mainly in limestone deposits in Bavaria, Germany. Now extinct, pterodactyls lived in the late Jurassic Period, around 150 million years ago. The term “pterodactyl” comes from Greek words meaning “winged finger”).

44 Stephen King’s first published novel : CARRIE

1974’s “Carrie” was Stephen King’s first published novel. The title character is humiliated in a cruel prank during her high school prom in which she ends up covered in the blood of an animal. This trauma leads to a fit rage, with Carrie slaughtering her classmates and the rest of her hometown’s inhabitants. At least, that’s what I read. I don’t do horror …

48 Horror star Chaney : LON

Lon Chaney, Sr. played a lot of crazed-looking characters in the days of silent movies. He did much of his own make-up work, developing the grotesque appearances that became his trademark, and earning himself the nickname “the man of a thousand faces”. Most famous were his portrayals of the title characters in the films “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1923) and “The Phantom of the Opera” (1925).

52 Small building block : ATOM

Atomism is a philosophical concept based on the idea that the physical world is composed of atoms, indivisible fundamental units, pieces of matter. The term “atom” comes from the Greek “a-” (not) and “tomos” (cutting), giving the “atomos” meaning “uncut, indivisible”. The pioneers of ancient Greek atomism were Leucippus and his pupil Democritus in the 5th century BCE.

63 Liquor in tiramisu : AMARETTO

Amaretto is an Italian liqueur with a sweet almond flavor. Even though the drink is sweet, it has a bitterness lent to it by the bitter almonds that are often used as a flavoring. The name “amaretto” is a diminutive of the Italian word “amaro” meaning “bitter”.

Tiramisu is an Italian cake. The name “tiramisu” translates from Italian as “pull me up”, and is often translated into our English phrase “pick-me-up”.

64 TV drama with spinoffs set in Hawaii and New Orleans : NCIS

NCIS is the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which investigates crimes in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The service gives its name to the CBS TV show “NCIS”, a spin-off drama from “JAG” in which the main “NCIS” characters were first introduced. The big star in “NCIS” is the actor Mark Harmon. “NCIS” is now a franchise, with spin-off shows “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “NCIS: New Orleans”.

65 Cornerstone abbr. : EST

Established (“est.” or “estd.”)

In practical terms, a cornerstone is the first stone set during the construction of a building with a masonry foundation. Also known as the foundation stone or setting stone, the cornerstone determines the final position of the final structure, as all other stones are laid with reference to that first stone. For some time, we’ve also used the term “cornerstone” in a ceremonial sense. A ceremonial cornerstone is set in a prominent position at the corner of a wall, and usually bears significant information such as date of construction and names of the architect and builder.

69 Animal working in the D.M.V. in “Zootopia” : SLOTH

All four of the extant species of three-toed sloths are native to South and Central America. Cousins of the three-toed sloths are the two-toed sloths, of which there are two species still living.

“Zootopia” is a 2016 Disney animated film about a rabbit police officer and a red fox con artist who team up to uncover a bizarre conspiracy.

72 Texas politician Beto : O’ROURKE

Texas politician Beto O’Rourke really came to the nation’s attention when he ran for the US Senate in 2018, and was narrowly beaten by the incumbent Ted Cruz. He followed up that close-run campaign with a run for the 2020 Democratic nomination for US president.

75 Singer James : ETTA

“Etta James” was the stage name of celebrated blues and soul singer Jamesetta Hawkins. James’ most famous recording was her 1960 hit “At Last”, which made it into the pop charts. James performed “At Last” at the age of 71 in 2009 on the reality show “Dancing with the Stars”, which was to be her final television appearance. She passed away in 2012.

86 Emmy-winning Ward : SELA

Actress Sela Ward turns up in crosswords a lot. She played Teddy Reed in the TV show “Sisters” in the nineties, and was in “Once and Again” from 1999-2002. I don’t know either show, but I do know Ward from the medical drama “House” in which she played the hospital’s lawyer and Greg House’s ex-partner. That was a fun role, I thought. More recently, Ward played a lead role on “CSI: NY” and was a very welcome and much-needed addition to the cast. And, Ward played Dr. Richard Kimble’s murdered wife in the 1993 film version of “The Fugitive”.

87 Lemon ___ : DROP

The lemon drop (beverage) is a sweet-and-sour, vodka-based cocktail, with the “sweet” coming from triple sec and simple syrup, and the “sour” coming from lemon juice. It was invented in the seventies here in San Francisco, in a bar called Henry Africa’s.

89 Hosp. area : ICU

An intensive care unit (ICU) is found in a hospital (hosp.).

90 Clean Air Act org. : EPA

The Clean Air Act of 1963 is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

92 “Star Wars” order : SITH

The Sith are characters in the “Star Wars” universe who use the “dark side” of “the Force”, and as such are the antithesis of the Jedi Knights. Members of the Sith use the title “Darth” before their name, as in Darth Vader. The last made of the six “Star Wars” movies is called “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith”.

93 Word seen at the end of many Jean-Luc Godard movies : FIN

In French, one might see the word “fin” (end) at the end of “un film” (a movie).

Jean-Luc Godard is a so-called “Nouvelle Vague” (New Wave) cinematographer, making movies that challenge the conventions of both traditional Hollywood and French cinema.

100 Air traffic controller’s go-to parenting phrase? : YOU’RE GROUNDED!

The concept of air traffic control (ATC) was introduced to the world in 1920, at Croydon Airport in South London, England.

107 2003 Will Ferrell movie : ELF

“Elf” is a comedy movie that was released for the 2003 Christmas season. It was directed by Jon Favreau and stars Will Ferrell in the title role, with James Caan supporting and Ed Asner playing Santa Claus. It’s all about one of Santa’s elves who finds out he is human and goes to meet his father in New York City. The film was adapted into a stage musical that premiered on Broadway during the Christmas season of 2010.

Will Ferrell is a comedian and comic actor from Irvine, California who got his big break as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) in the mid-nineties. While appearing on SNL, Ferrell was noted for several impersonations, including President George W. Bush, Neil Diamond, James Lipton, Ted Kennedy and Janet Reno.

123 Backless shoe : MULE

A mule is a shoe without a back and usually with a closed toe. The original mule was a shoe worn by the highest magistrates in ancient Rome.

Down

2 Tragic showgirl of song : LOLA

The Copacabana of the 1978 Barry Manilow song is the Copacabana nightclub in New York City (which is also the subject of the Frank Sinatra song “Meet Me at the Copa”). The Copa opened in 1940 and is still going today, although it is struggling. The club had to move due to impending construction and is now “sharing” a location with the Columbus 72 nightclub.

Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there
She would merengue and do the cha-cha
And while she tried to be a star
Tony always tended bar
Across the crowded floor, they worked from 8 ’til 4
They were young and they had each other
Who could ask for more?

3 Chutzpah : GALL

Our word “chutzpah” meaning “nerve, gall, impudence” is derived from the Yiddish “khutspe”, which has the same meaning.

4 Like PETA : ANTIFUR

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is a large animal rights organization, with about 300 employees and two million members and supporters worldwide. Although the group campaigns for animal rights across a broad spectrum of issues, it has a stated focus in opposition of four practices:

  • Factory farming
  • Fur farming
  • Animal testing
  • Use of animals in entertainment

5 ___ de vie : EAU

Eau de vie is a clear, colorless fruit brandy. The name “eau de vie” is French for “water of life”.

7 Noshes : EATS

Our word “nosh” has been around since the late fifties, when it was imported from the Yiddish word “nashn” meaning “to nibble”. We use “nosh” as a noun that means “snack”, or as a verb meaning “to eat between meals”.

10 Epitome of simplicity : ABC

The more common meaning of “epitome” is “perfect example of a group, quality, type”. An epitome is also an abstract or summary of a book or article.

11 Guam’s features a sailboat and palm tree : FLAG

Guam is a US territory in the western Pacific Ocean, and is the largest of the Mariana Islands. Guam is also the first territory in the United States to see the sun rise on any particular day. As such, the territory has adopted the motto, “Where America’s day begins”. During WWII, the US territory of Guam was occupied by the Japanese for 31 months until it was liberated in the Battle of Guam in July 1944. Of the 18,000 Japanese men holding the island, only 485 surrendered, so almost all perished in the invasion. One Japanese sergeant hid out on the island for an incredible 28 years, finally surrendering in 1972!

12 “The Burden of Proof” author : TUROW

Scott Turow is an author and lawyer from Chicago. Turow has had several bestselling novels including “Presumed Innocent”, “The Burden of Proof” and “Reversible Errors”, all three of which were made into films. He also wrote the autobiographical book “One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School”.

15 Reed of the Velvet Underground : LOU

Lou Reed was best known as a rock musician and songwriter, and was especially associated with the fabulous 1973 hit “Walk on the Wildside”. Reed is less well known as a photographer, but he published two collections of his work. The first was released in 2003 under the title “Emotions in Action”, and the second in 2006 called “Lou Reed’s New York”. Reed passed away in 2013.

The Velvet Underground was an influential New York City rock band active in the late sixties and early seventies. The group was formed by Lou Reed and John Cale, and was managed by pop artist Andy Warhol.

16 Sellers franchise, with “The” : … PINK PANTHER

Apparently, some people think that the Inspector Clouseau character (played originally by Peter Sellers) is “The Pink Panther”. It’s actually the jewel that was stolen in the original movie. Would you believe there are eleven “Pink Panther” movies in the whole series?

Peter Sellers was a British comedian and actor, and a genius (in my humble opinion). In Britain, Sellers was famous on the radio as a star on “The Goon Show”, In the rest of the world, Sellers is perhaps best-known for playing Inspector Clouseau in “The Pink Panther” series of films. Like so many of the greatest comic performers it seems, Sellers struggled with depression in his life off-camera.

25 Baroque painter Guido : RENI

Guido Reni was an Italian painter from Bologna who was active in the first half of the 17th century. Reni’s most famous work is probably “Crucifixion of St. Peter”, an altarpiece commissioned in the early 1600s that is now on display in the Vatican.

32 Nail polish brand with a “Tickle My France-y” shade : OPI

Opi (originally “Odontorium Products Inc.”) is a manufacturer of nail polish based in North Hollywood, California. One of Opi’s marketing coups was the introduction of a line of Legally Blonde 2 polishes, which featured in the film.

34 Part of a homemade Halloween costume : SHEET

All Saints’ Day is November 1st each year. The day before All Saints’ Day is All Hallows’ Eve, better known by the Scottish term “Halloween”.

36 Animal that turns white in the winter : STOAT

The stoat has dark brown fur in the summer, and white fur in the winter. Sometimes the term “ermine” is used for the animal during the winter when the fur is white. Ermine skins have long been prized by royalty and are often used for white trim on ceremonial robes.

37 Large number : SCAD

The origin of the word “scads”, meaning “lots and lots”, is unclear. That said, “scads” was used to mean “dollars” back in the mid-1800s.

38 “I am not what I am” speaker : IAGO

Iago is the schemer in Shakespeare’s “Othello”. He is a soldier who fought alongside Othello and feels hard done by, missing out on promotion. Iago hatches a plot designed to discredit his rival Cassio by insinuating that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona, Othello’s wife.

39 Pioneering sci-fi film that was snubbed for the Best Visual Effects Oscar for its use of computers : TRON

Released in 1982, Disney’s “Tron” was one of the first mainstream films to make extensive use of computer graphics. The main role in the movie is played by Jeff Bridges. The original spawned a 2010 sequel called “Tron: Legacy”, as well as a 2012 TV show called “Tron: Uprising”.

41 Decade in which many in Gen Z were born : AUGHTS

An “aught” is a zero. The term can be used in the context of dates as in “the aughts”, the years 2000-2009. I’ve also heard those years referred to as “the noughties”.

Definitions vary, but it seems that the term “Generation Z” is reserved for the children of “Generation X”, and for the generation that follows the “Millennials” (Generation Y). Gen-Zers are also known as “Zoomers”, a portmanteau of “Z” and “boomer” (as in “baby boomer”).

42 Main ingredient in poi : TARO

I am a big fan of starch (being an Irishman I love potatoes). That said, I think that poi tastes horrible! Poi is made from the bulbous tubers (corm) of the taro plant by cooking the corm in water and mashing it until the desired consistency is achieved.

47 Kind of diagram : VENN

Englishman John Venn was an expert in the field of logic, and introduced the Venn diagram in his book “Symbolic Logic” in 1881. Venn diagrams are used in set theory, to illustrate the logical relationships between sets of variables.

53 City on the Irtysh River : OMSK

Omsk is a city in southwest Siberia. It is located over 1400 miles from Moscow and was chosen as the destination for many internal exiles in the mid-1900s. Perhaps the most famous of these exiles was the author Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

56 Elementary particle named for a Greek letter : TAU

Neutrinos are small subatomic particles that do not carry an electric charge. The term “neutrino” is Italian for “small neutral one”, and was coined by physicist Enrico Fermi in 1932. There are three types of neutrino: electron neutrinos, muon neutrinos and tau neutrinos.

57 Called a strike, say : UMPED

Back in the 15th century, “an umpire” was referred to as “a noumpere”, which was misheard and hence causing the dropping of the initial letter N. The term “noumpere” came from Old French “nonper” meaning “not even, odd number”. The idea was that the original umpire was a third person called on to arbitrate between two, providing that “odd number” needed to decide the dispute.

59 Part of NATO: Abbr. : ATL

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was founded not long after WWII in 1949 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. The first NATO Secretary General was Lord Ismay, Winston Churchill’s chief military assistant during WWII. Famously, Lord Ismay said the goal of NATO was “to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down.”

61 Tech and culture magazine since 1993 : WIRED

“Wired” is a technology-focused magazine published since 1993 by Condé Nast in San Francisco. One interesting feature in “Wired” is the annual granting of the magazine’s Vaporware Awards, “honoring” products and games that were pitched and hyped but never delivered.

66 Jay-Z and Kanye West song that samples “Try a Little Tenderness” : OTIS

The love song “Try a Little Tenderness” was first released in 1932 by the Ray Noble Orchestra, and has since been covered countless times. The most famous version is probably by Otis Redding from 1966. My personal favorite performance is in the Irish movie “The Commitments”. That movie is a must-see for anyone interested in contemporary Irish culture, in my humble opinion …

71 ___ Ledbetter, a.k.a. Lead Belly : HUDDIE

“Lead Belly” was the nickname of blues guitarist Huddie Ledbetter. Ledbetter’s name was often written as “Leadbelly” on many of his records, although he himself wrote it as “Lead Belly”.

73 Newswire co. : UPI

Founded in 1958, United Press International (UPI) used to be one of the biggest news agencies in the world, sending out news by wire to the major newspapers. UPI ran into trouble with the change in media formats at the end of the twentieth century and lost many of its clients as the afternoon newspapers shut down due to the advent of television news. UPI, which once employed thousands, still exists today but with just a fraction of that workforce.

76 A4 automaker : AUDI

The Audi name has an interesting history. The Horch company was founded by August Horch in 1909. Early in the life of the new company, Horch was forced out of his own business. He set up a new enterprise and continued to use his own name as a brand. The old company sued him for using the Horch name so a meeting was held to choose something new. Horch’s young son was studying Latin in the room where the meeting was taking place. He pointed out that “horch” was German for “hear” and he suggested “Audi” as a replacement, the Latin for “listen”.

80 Rock used to make ultramarine : LAPIS

Ultramarine is a deep blue color. The name was originally applied to a pigment made by grinding the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli into a powder. “Ultramarine” comes from the Latin for “beyond the sea”, a reference to the fact that the pigment was imported into Europe from Afghanistan by Italian traders.

82 Snack cakes with creamy swirls : 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 …

96 Naval Academy grads : ENSIGNS

Ensign is (usually) the most junior rank of commissioned officer in the armed forces. The name comes from the tradition that the junior officer would be given the task of carrying the ensign flag.

104 Tropical vine : LIANA

Liana (also “liane”) is a vine that generally grows in moist areas such as rain forests. Lianas grow using the trees in the forest as structural support. My bet is that Tarzan swung from tree to tree on liana vines …

109 “Brown ___ Girl” : EYED

Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” is one of my favorite songs of all time. I’ll bet it is one of Morrison’s favorites too, as it was his first big hit as a solo artist, back in 1967 …

Van Morrison is a singer-songwriter from Belfast in Northern Ireland. Back in Ireland we refer to him as “Van the Man”. Some of Morrison’s more famous songs are “Brown Eyed Girl”, “Moondance”, “Gloria” and “Have I Told You Lately”.

116 Actress Garr : TERI

Actress Teri Garr had a whole host of minor roles in her youth, including appearances in nine Elvis movies. Garr’s big break came with the role of Inga in “Young Frankenstein”, and her supporting role in “Tootsie” earned Garr an Academy Award nomination. Sadly, Teri Garr suffers from multiple sclerosis. She is a National Ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

118 Hot spot in England? : TEA

I guess the reference here is to the oft-quoted British phrase “a spot of tea”. Mind you, I’ve only ever heard that said in jest …

119 Airport inits. : TSA

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is the agency that employs the good folks who check passengers and baggage at airports.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Fish tank buildup : ALGAE
6 Bog product : PEAT
10 P.M. times : AFTS
14 Suisse peak : ALPE
18 Disney film with a titular heroine : MOANA
19 Pricing word : EACH
20 Christmas color for Elvis : BLUE
21 Pork cut : LOIN
22 Mechanic’s go-to parenting phrase? : I’LL TURN THIS CAR AROUND!
26 Painter whose motifs include ants and eggs : DALI
27 Give the nod : ASSENT
28 “Check it out for yourself” : GO SEE
29 Mauna ___ : KEA
31 French liver : FOIE
33 Some remote power sources : AAS
35 Up to 11 meters for a pterodactyl : WINGSPAN
37 Personal trainer’s go-to parenting phrase? : SIT UP STRAIGHT!
43 Like some restrictions : DIETARY
44 Stephen King’s first published novel : CARRIE
45 Your and my relative? : OUR
46 Roof overhang : EAVE
48 Horror star Chaney : LON
49 In the past : AGO
50 Affectionate greeting : HUG
51 Arid : SERE
52 Small building block : ATOM
55 Conductor’s go-to parenting phrase? : DON’T USE THAT TONE WITH ME!
63 Liquor in tiramisu : AMARETTO
64 TV drama with spinoffs set in Hawaii and New Orleans : NCIS
65 Cornerstone abbr. : EST
66 Eightfold : OCTUPLE
69 Animal working in the D.M.V. in “Zootopia” : SLOTH
72 Texas politician Beto : O’ROURKE
74 It’s a drag : TOW
75 Singer James : ETTA
77 Share accommodations : DOUBLE UP
79 Mathematician’s go-to parenting phrase? : I TOLD YOU A HUNDRED TIMES!
86 Emmy-winning Ward : SELA
87 Lemon ___ : DROP
88 Insult : DIS
89 Hosp. area : ICU
90 Clean Air Act org. : EPA
92 “Star Wars” order : SITH
93 Word seen at the end of many Jean-Luc Godard movies : FIN
94 From where : WHENCE
97 From the get-go : AT FIRST
100 Air traffic controller’s go-to parenting phrase? : YOU’RE GROUNDED!
103 Accepts the facts : GETS REAL
105 Her pronoun partner : SHE
106 Farmyard mamas : EWES
107 2003 Will Ferrell movie : ELF
108 Spooky : EERIE
110 Lacking the resources : UNABLE
113 Not out of the running : IN IT
117 Librarian’s go-to parenting phrase? : LET’S PLAY THE QUIET GAME!
121 Google ___ (Zoom alternative) : MEET
122 Chemical suffixes : -INES
123 Backless shoe : MULE
124 Maybe one, maybe both : AND/OR
125 GPS calculations, in brief : ETAS
126 “I did it!” : TA-DA!
127 Jabbers : YAKS
128 Jen ___, 2021-22 White House press secretary : PSAKI

Down

1 Surrounded by : AMID
2 Tragic showgirl of song : LOLA
3 Chutzpah : GALL
4 Like PETA : ANTIFUR
5 ___ de vie : EAU
6 Gift for writing : PEN SET
7 Noshes : EATS
8 Feel that gym session : ACHE
9 What something might appear out of or disappear into : THIN AIR
10 Epitome of simplicity : ABC
11 Guam’s features a sailboat and palm tree : FLAG
12 “The Burden of Proof” author : TUROW
13 Like many resorts : SEASIDE
14 Ingredient in homemade hand sanitizer : ALOE GEL
15 Reed of the Velvet Underground : LOU
16 Sellers franchise, with “The” : … PINK PANTHER
17 Charm : ENDEAR
23 Poker option : RAISE
24 Solo : STAG
25 Baroque painter Guido : RENI
30 ___ port in a storm : ANY
32 Nail polish brand with a “Tickle My France-y” shade : OPI
34 Part of a homemade Halloween costume : SHEET
36 Animal that turns white in the winter : STOAT
37 Large number : SCAD
38 “I am not what I am” speaker : IAGO
39 Pioneering sci-fi film that was snubbed for the Best Visual Effects Oscar for its use of computers : TRON
40 Road trip determination : ROUTE
41 Decade in which many in Gen Z were born : AUGHTS
42 Main ingredient in poi : TARO
47 Kind of diagram : VENN
50 In this matter : HERETO
51 Arose : STOOD UP
53 City on the Irtysh River : OMSK
54 Parcel (out) : METE
56 Elementary particle named for a Greek letter : TAU
57 Called a strike, say : UMPED
58 Like some potato chips and language : SALTY
59 Part of NATO: Abbr. : ATL
60 Jardins d’enfants, par exemple : ECOLES
61 Tech and culture magazine since 1993 : WIRED
62 Has left the office, e.g. : IS OUT
66 Jay-Z and Kanye West song that samples “Try a Little Tenderness” : OTIS
67 Pigeon coop : COTE
68 What a bad dancer is said to have : TWO LEFT FEET
70 Large number : TON
71 ___ Ledbetter, a.k.a. Lead Belly : HUDDIE
73 Newswire co. : UPI
76 A4 automaker : AUDI
78 “___ it!” (informal challenge) : BRING
80 Rock used to make ultramarine : LAPIS
81 Pretentious : ARTY
82 Snack cakes with creamy swirls : HO HOS
83 It might be changed or made up : MIND
84 “Look!,” in Latin : ECCE!
85 Took to court : SUED
91 Miscreant’s record, maybe : ARRESTS
92 Like a clear night : STARLIT
93 Rival you kind of like : FRENEMY
94 “That’s amazing!” : WOWEE!
95 Color classification : HUE
96 Naval Academy grads : ENSIGNS
97 Basic personal information : AGE
98 “Spill it!” : TELL ME!
99 Flow slowly : SEEP
101 “Not gonna happen!” : UH-UH
102 Counts (on) : RELIES
104 Tropical vine : LIANA
109 “Brown ___ Girl” : EYED
111 Pool shade : AQUA
112 Kind of discount : BULK
114 Nothin’ : NADA
115 Words of reassurance : I’M OK
116 Actress Garr : TERI
118 Hot spot in England? : TEA
119 Airport inits. : TSA
120 Dance with a paradiddle step : TAP