0410-22 NY Times Crossword 10 Apr 22, Sunday

Constructed by: David W. Tuffs
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: Ordering Seconds

Themed answers have the ORDER of the letters in the SECOND word changed:

  • 23A Unwavering : ROCK SOLID (“ordering” IDOLS)
  • 24A Bit of cinema décor : MOVIE POSTER (“ordering” TROPES)
  • 34A Outbursts of megalomania : POWER TRIPS (“ordering” STRIP)
  • 47A You might come to one suddenly : DEAD STOP (“ordering” SPOT)
  • 55A Antiquated source of light : OIL LAMP (“ordering” PALM)
  • 67A Spectators taking potshots, collectively : PEANUT GALLERY (“ordering” ALLERGY)
  • 82A Feature of a healthy dog : WET NOSE (“ordering” ONES)
  • 90A Fish with a prehensile tail : SEAHORSE (“ordering” SHORE)
  • 99A Birthplace of three major world religions : MIDDLE EAST (“ordering” SEAT)
  • 115A Advances in a baby’s cognitive development : MENTAL LEAPS (“ordering” LAPSE)
  • 117A Demonology and such : BLACK ARTS (“ordering” STAR)

Bill’s time: 27m 05s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

10 Treat that’s dangerous to fillings : TAFFY

Salt water taffy was invented in Atlantic City and is now found all over the US, but primarily in coastal towns (for some reason) and not really outside of America. Taffy is made by stretching the solid mass made by boiling up sugar, butter, flavoring, and coloring until it achieves a fluffy texture. Despite the inference in the name, the recipe for salt water taffy does not include “seawater”, but does include both salt and water.

15 It has cameras set up around the House : C-SPAN

C-SPAN is a privately-funded, nonprofit cable channel that broadcasts continuous coverage of government proceedings. C-SPAN Video Library is an amazing online archive provided by C-SPAN that offers a complete audio and video archive of Congressional proceedings going back to 1987. Users can search the archive for free, by topic, speaker date and more. When the site was launched in 2010, the archive already contained 160,000 hours of programming. There is a is a section of the archive called “Congressional Chronicle” that is particularly easy to navigate.

20 Home of the Hittite Empire : ASIA MINOR

Asia Minor is also known as Anatolia. It is the geographic part of Asia that protrudes out into the west, towards Europe, and is roughly equivalent to modern-day Turkey.

The Hittites were a people living in Ancient Anatolia (Asia Minor) during the Bronze Age. Notably, the Hittite military were early users of chariots, the design of which can be seen in some Ancient Egyptian drawings.

21 Novelist Zola : EMILE

The most famous work by French writer Émile Zola is his 1898 open letter “J’Accuse!” written to French president Félix Faure. The letter was published on the front page of a leading Paris newspaper, and accused the government of anti-Semitism in its handling of the trial of Captain Alfred Dreyfus. Dreyfus was a Jewish military officer in the French army, falsely accused and convicted of spying for Germany. Even after the error was discovered, the government refused to back down and let Dreyfus rot away on Devil’s Island rather than admit to the mistake. It wasn’t until 1906, 12 years after the wrongful conviction, that Dreyfus was freed and reinstated, largely due to the advocacy of Emile Zola.

24 Bit of cinema décor : MOVIE POSTER (“ordering” TROPES)

A trope is a figure of speech. The term “trope” comes from the Greek word “tropos” that has the same meaning.

26 Latin verb that’s a letter off from 9-Down : ESSE
(9D Language that’s a letter off from 26-Across : ERSE)

“Esse” is the Latin for “to be”. “Sum” means “I am”, “est” means “he, she is”, and “erat” means “he, she was”.

29 Man-eaters : OGRES

An ogre is a hideous monster of legend. There is a suggestion that “ogre” is French in origin and comes from “Orcus”, the name of an Etruscan underworld god who fed on human flesh. Nice guy …

30 Demeanor : MIEN

One’s mien is one’s bearing or manner. “Mien” shares the same etymological root as our word “demeanor”.

40 Educator Khan who founded Khan Academy : SAL

“Khan Academy” is a not-for-profit organization that aims to provide a “free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere”. Founded by educator Sal Khan in 2006, the academy mainly teaches mathematics and science through the medium of YouTube videos. Check out some of the videos. They are really excellent …

43 -esque : -ISH

The suffix “-esque” came into English from Italian (“-esco”), which in turn derives from Latin (“-iscus”).

50 Winston Churchill gesture : V-SIGN

One has to be careful making that V-sign depending where you are in the world. Where I came from, the V-for-victory (or peace) sign has to be made with the palm facing outwards. If the sign is made with the palm facing inwards, it can be interpreted as a very obscene gesture.

Winston Churchill found time in his busy life to write many, many books. For his efforts, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953. Although the quality of his historical and biographical works were cited in awarding the prize, quite rightly the citation also included the words “as well as for brilliant oratory in defending human values”. That man could write and deliver a speech …

58 Toy brand with colorful rods and gears : K’NEX

The name of the construction toy “K’Nex” is the phonetic spelling of the word “connects”. The toy was invented by Joel Glickman, who came up with the idea while playing with straws as he sat at a table after a wedding. He launched K’Nex in 1993, and it is still sold in stores.

59 Partner of dark : STORMY

A dark ‘n’ stormy is a classic cocktail made from dark rum and ginger beer, served over ice. The name comes from the ingredients, with the “dark” being the rum, and the “stormy” being the ginger beer.

60 Starts a course, with “off” : TEES …

In the game of golf, a “tee” is a wooden or plastic peg on which one can place a ball when “teeing off”. Also, the “teeing ground” (sometimes “tee” or “tee box”) is the area at the beginning of the hole from which the first stroke is taken, from where one tees off.

61 Where you might see scrolling credits? : IMDB

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) website was launched in 1990, and is now owned by Amazon.com. It’s a great site for answering questions one has about movies and actors.

64 Heidi of TV’s “Making the Cut” : KLUM

German-born Heidi Klum was married to the successful English singer, Seal. Klum is a talented lady and has built a multi-faceted career based on her early success as a model. She is the force behind the Bravo reality show called “Project Runway” that has been on the air since 2004. Klum has been nominated 4-5 times for an Emmy for her association with the show. Klum was also signed up as the official ambassador for Barbie in 2009, the 50th anniversary of the Barbie Doll, and for her service that year a Heidi Klum Barbie was produced. She has been adding a touch of class to the judging panel on the show “America’s Got Talent” from 2013 through 2020.

66 The Arthur Ashe Courage Award and others : ESPYS

The Arthur Ashe Courage Award has been presented annually since 1993 as part of the ESPY Awards. Named for tennis great Arthur Ashe, the Courage Award is presented to individuals whose contributions “transcend sports”. The list of recipients includes Howard Cosell (1995), Muhammad Ali (1997), Billie Jean King (1999), Nelson Mandela (2009), Caitlyn Jenner (2015) and Eunice Kennedy Shriver (2017).

67 Spectators taking potshots, collectively : PEANUT GALLERY (“ordering” ALLERGY)

“Peanut gallery” is a term dating back to the days of vaudeville. The peanut gallery was where the cheap seats were located in a theater. The cheap seats were usually occupied by the rowdiest patrons, and when they were particularly rowdy those patrons would throw the cheapest snack onto the stage, i.e. peanuts.

When firing a gun, a “potshot” is a “shot” taken purely to get the prey into the “pot” for cooking. The term “potshot” was coined in the 1830s, hence distinguishing between a shot taken for sport or marksmanship and a shot taken while hunting for game.

70 Will Smith’s actor/rapper son : JADEN

Actor Jaden Smith is the son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. Jaden played the title character in the 2010 remake of “The Karate Kid”. I must say, that is a very entertaining film and young Jaden did a great job. More recently, Jaden Smith has focused more on a career as a rap singer.

74 G or K : THOU

“G”, “K” and “thou” are slang terms used for a thousand dollars.

75 “Roll Tide!” school : BAMA

The athletic teams of the University of Alabama (“Bama”) are nicknamed the Crimson Tide, which is a reference to the team colors of crimson and white.

84 Fjord, e.g. : INLET

A drowned valley might be called a ria or a fjord, and both are formed as sea levels rise. A ria is a drowned valley created by river erosion, and a fjord is a drowned valley created by glaciation.

89 Film character who shouts “You are a toy!” : WOODY

1995’s “Toy Story” was the world’s first feature-length computer-animated movie. “Toy Story” was also Pixar’s first production. The main roles in the film are Buzz Lightyear and Woody, who are voiced by Tim Allen and Tom Hanks respectively. Hanks was the first choice to voice Woody, but Allen was asked to voice Buzz after Billy Crystal turned down the role.

90 Fish with a prehensile tail : SEAHORSE (“ordering” SHORE)

Seahorses belong to the genus Hippocampus. The genus name comes from the Greek “hippo” meaning “horse” and “kampos” meaning “sea monster”. It’s the male seahorse who carries the fertilized eggs, and not the females. The region of the brain known as the hippocampus, is so called because it resembles a seahorse in shape.

A part of the body that is described as prehensile is adapted for grasping. Examples would be an elephant’s trunk and a monkey’s tail.

92 Primitive time : STONE AGE

Ancient societies can be classified by the “three-age system”, which depends on the prevalence of materials used to make tools. The three ages are:

  • The Stone Age
  • The Bronze Age
  • The Iron Age

The actual dates defined by each age depend on the society, as the timing of the transition from the use of one material to another varied around the globe.

95 German article : DIE

The definite article in German is der, die or das, for masculine, feminine and neuter nouns. The indefinite article is ein, eine or ein, again depending on the gender of the noun. A further complication, relative to English, is that the masculine form (and only the masculine form) of the article changes when used in the accusative case, when used with the object of a sentence. The accusative forms are “den” and “einen”.

96 Instagram hashtag accompanying a nostalgic photo : TBT

Throwback Thursday (#TBT)

97 Two-fifths of a quarter : DIME

The term “dime”, used for a 10-cent coin, comes from the Old French word “disme” meaning “tenth part”.

The American quarter is a little unusual in the world of decimal currency, if you think about it. Most currencies have a “20-cent” coin, which is easier to work with mathematically. The US went for the quarter in deference to the practice of dividing Spanish Milled Dollars into eight wedge-shaped “bits”. That’s also why the quarter is sometimes referred to as “two bits”. We’ve been using the adjective “two-bit” to mean “cheap, tawdry” at least since 1929. State quarters were introduced in 1999.

99 Birthplace of three major world religions : MIDDLE EAST (“ordering” SEAT)

In geographical terms there are three “Easts”. “Near East” and “Middle East” are terms that are often considered synonymous, although “Near East” tends to be used when discussing ancient history and “Middle East” when referring to the present day. The Near/Middle East encompasses most of Western Asia and Egypt. The term “Far East” describes East Asia (including the Russian Far East), Southeast Asia and South Asia.

Over 50% of the world’s population consider themselves to be adherents of the “big three” Abrahamic religions: Christianity (2-2.2 billion), Islam (1.6-1.7 billion) and Judaism (14-18 million).

101 What an agoraphobe avoids : OPEN SPACE

In early Greece, an agora was a place of assembly. The assemblies held there were often quite formal, perhaps for the reading of a proclamation. Later in Greek history, things became less formal as the agora evolved into a marketplace. Our contemporary word “agoraphobia” comes from these agorae, in the sense that an agoraphobe has a fear of open spaces, a fear of “public meeting places”.

105 Uber offering : RIDE

The rideshare service Uber takes its name from the English colloquial word “uber” meaning “super, topmost”, which in turn comes from the German “über” meaning “above”.

111 It’s not light reading : TOME

“Tome” first came into English from the Latin “tomus” which means “section of a book”. The original usage in English was for a single volume in a multi-volume work. By the late 16th century, “tome” had come to mean “large book”.

121 Cocktail often made with Tennessee whiskey, ironically : MANHATTAN

The cocktail called a manhattan is made from whiskey, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters. I favor my own version of a brandy manhattan, using brandy, sweet vermouth and orange bitters.

Down

1 March madness figure? : HARE

In Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, the Mad Hatter makes his first appearance in a chapter called “A Mad Tea-Party”. This event is usually described as “The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party”, even though the Mad Hatter was just a guest. The host was the March Hare. In fact, the phrase “Mad Hatter” doesn’t appear anywhere in Lewis Carroll’s novel, although the character, the Hatter (and sometimes “Hatta”), is described as “mad”.

2 Animals in hibernación : OSOS

In Spanish, “osa” is a female bear, and “oso” is a male. An “oso” might be found in “un zoológico” (a zoo).

5 Friend abroad : AMI

In French, an “ami” (friend) is the opposite of an “adversaire” (adversary).

6 Home of many schools in the Big Ten Conference : MIDWEST

The Big Ten is the nation’s oldest Division I college athletic conference. It was founded in 1896, and earned the name “Big Nine” in 1899 when Iowa and Indiana joined to bring the number of teams in the conference to nine. The conference name was changed to the Big Ten after Michigan rejoined in 1917. Right after WWII, the University of Chicago dropped out so the conference became known as the Big Nine again until 1949. The official designation of “Big Ten” was adopted in 1987 when the conference (once again with a complement of ten teams) registered as a not-for-profit corporation. It was decided to keep the official name of Big Ten when Penn State joined in 1990 bringing the number of schools to the level of eleven. The number of schools in the conference continues to evolve, but that “Big Ten” moniker persists.

7 Uses chrism on : ANOINTS

Chrism is an anointing oil, one perhaps better known as “myrrh”. “Chrism” is a Greek word meaning “anointing”.

8 Chuckles online : LOLS

Apparently, the text-speak “LOLZ” is the plural form of LOL (laugh out loud).

9 Language that’s a letter off from 26-Across : ERSE
(26A Latin verb that’s a letter off from 9-Down : ESSE)

There are actually three Erse languages: Irish, Manx (spoken on the Isle of Man) and Scots Gaelic. In their own tongues, these would be “Gaeilge” (in Ireland), “Gaelg” (on the Isle of Man) and “Gaidhlig” (in Scotland).

11 “… that’s ___” : AMORE

“That’s Amore” is a pop standard written by Harry Warren and Jack Brooks in 1952. “That’s Amore” became the signature song for Dean Martin after he sang it (with some help from Jerry Lewis) in the 1953 comedy film “The Caddy”. “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore …”

12 When many commutes begin : FIVE PM

Our verb “to commute”, meaning “to go back and forth to work”, ultimately derives from the Latin “commutare”, meaning “to often change”. Back in the late 1800s, a “commutation ticket” was a season pass, so named because it allowed one to “change” one kind of payment into another. Quite interesting …

15 Favorite dog breed of Queen Elizabeth II : CORGI

The Welsh corgi is a herding dog that originated in Britain, with two recognized breeds: the Pembroke and Cardigan. Corgis aren’t fast enough to do their job by running around livestock like collies, and instead nip at the heels. “Corgi” is Welsh for “dwarf dog”.

Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 when her father, King George VI died. The Princess was on an official visit to Kenya when her husband broke the news to her; that she had become queen. When she was crowned in 1953 in Westminster Abbey, it was the first coronation to be televised. Queen Elizabeth’s reign is the longest in the history of the UK.

16 Where bats and birdies are found : SPORTS SHOP

“Birdie” is another name for a shuttlecock, the projectile used in the sport of badminton.

18 God with a helmet : ARES

The Greek god Ares is often referred to as the Olympian god of warfare, but originally he was regarded as the god of bloodlust and slaughter. Ares united with Aphrodite to create several gods, including Phobos (Fear), Deimos (Terror) and Eros (Desire). Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera, and the Roman equivalent to Ares was Mars.

19 Rapper with the platinum albums “Street’s Disciple” and “God’s Son” : NAS

Rapper Nas used to go by an earlier stage name “Nasty Nas”, and before that by his real name “Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones”. Nas released his first album “Illmatic” in 1994, and inventively titled his fifth studio album “Stillmatic”, released in 2001.

25 Skater Harding : TONYA

Tonya Harding won the US Figure Skating Championships in 1991. Harding’s reputation was greatly tarnished in the run up to the 1994 Olympics, when her former husband and her bodyguard contracted someone to attack Harding’s main competitor, Nancy Kerrigan. During a practice session for the US Championship, a hired thug assaulted Kerrigan with a police baton, attempting to break her leg. Kerrigan was forced to withdraw, and Harding won the championship. Both Harding and Kerrigan were selected for the Olympic team, and despite attempts to get Harding removed, both skated at the Games in Lillehammer. Harding finished in eighth place, and Kerrigan won the silver medal. Harding admitted that she helped cover up the attack when she found out about it, and was stripped of her US Championship title.

31 The third of Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” : IRINA

Olga, Masha and Irina are the “Three Sisters” in the play by Anton Chekhov. The three title characters were inspired by the three Brontë sisters, the English authors.

Anton Chekhov was a Russian writer of short stories and a playwright, as well as a physician. He wrote four classic plays that are often performed all around the world, namely “The Seagull”, “Uncle Vanya”, “Three Sisters” and “The Cherry Orchard”. All the time Chekhov was writing, he continued to practice medicine. He is quoted as saying “Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress.”

32 Iota : SPECK

Iota is the ninth letter in the Greek alphabet, and one that gave rise to our letters I and J. We use the word “iota” to portray something very small, as it is the smallest of all Greek letters.

35 Actor/activist Davis : OSSIE

Ossie Davis was a very successful actor, and also a director, poet, playwright and social activist. One of Davis’s better known performances was in the 1993 movie “Grumpy Old Men”, in which he played the owner of the bait shop by the lake.

38 Contacts quickly, in a way : IMS

Instant message (IM)

42 Fertile mixtures : LOAMS

Loam is soil made up of sand, silt and clay in the ratio of about 40-40-20. Relative to other soil types, loam is usually rich in nutrients and moisture, drains well and is easy to till. Loam can also be used in constructing houses as it is quite strong when mixed with straw and dried.

51 Plot device, in brief? : GPS

Global positioning system (GPS)

56 Debt holdings : LIENS

A lien is a right that one has to retain or secure someone’s property until a debt is paid. When an individual takes out a car loan, for example, the lending bank is usually a lien holder. The bank releases the lien on the car when the loan is paid in full.

57 Bouts with pay-per-view events, for short : MMA

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact combat sport in which competitors use a variety of techniques from a variety of traditional combat sports and martial arts.

59 Transition : SEGUE

A segue is a transition from one topic to the next. “Segue” is an Italian word that literally means “now follows”. It was first used in musical scores directing the performer to play into the next movement without a break. The oft-used term “segway” is given the same meaning, although the word “segway” doesn’t really exist. It is a misspelling of “segue” that has been popularized by its use as the name of the personal transporter known as a Segway.

62 Left-leaning organizing grp. : DNC

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) was set up way back in 1848, and governs the day-to-day affairs of the Democratic Party. Past chairpersons of the DNC include Howard Dean from Vermont, Chris Dodd from Connecticut and Tim Kaine from Virginia.

67 Australia’s “City of Light” : PERTH

Perth is the capital city of Western Australia. Perth earned itself the nickname of “City of Light” in 1962 as virtually all the town’s lights were turned on at full power when astronaut John Glenn passed overhead in earth orbit in Friendship 7, so that he could see the city below. The city gave a repeat performance for Glenn in 1998 when he passed overhead in the Space Shuttle in 1998.

68 Covers for campers : TARPS

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”.

70 Former Fed chair Yellen : JANET

Economist Janet Yellen was appointed Chair of the Federal Reserve in 2014 by President Obama. When her appointment was confirmed by the US Senate, Yellen became the first woman to hold the position. In the Biden administration, Yellen became the first woman to hold the post of Secretary of the Treasury.

71 Classroom with cameras, for short : AV LAB

Audio-visual (AV)

76 One end of a cell : ANODE

A battery is a device that converts chemical energy into electric energy. A simple battery is made up of three parts: a cathode, an anode and a liquid electrolyte. Ions from the electrolyte react chemically with the material in the anode producing a compound and releasing electrons. At the same time, the electrolyte reacts with the material in the cathode, absorbing electrons and producing a different chemical compound. In this way, there is a buildup of electrons at the anode and a deficit of electrons at the cathode. When a connection (wire, say) is made between the cathode and anode, electrons flow through the resulting circuit from the anode to cathode in an attempt to rectify the electron imbalance.

79 Beyoncé, to Solange, informally : SIS

Solange Knowles is a singer/songwriter, and the younger sister of the incredibly successful singer Beyoncé. Solange was in the news a while back when security camera footage was released showing her punching and kicking Beyoncé’s husband Jay-Z in an elevator.

81 Tundra or savanna : BIOME

I tend to think of “biome” as another word for “ecosystem”.

Tundra is an ecosystem that is treeless, or very nearly so. There are three types of tundra. Arctic and Antarctic tundra can’t support the growth of trees as the ground is pretty much frozen. Alpine tundra cannot support tree-growth due to high altitude.

83 Fabric in a flat cap : TWEED

Tweed is a rough woolen fabric that is very much associated with Scotland in the UK, and with County Donegal in Ireland. The cloth was originally called “tweel”, the Scots word for “twill”. Apparently a London merchant misinterpreted some handwriting in the early 1800s and assumed the fabric was called “tweed”, a reference to the Scottish River Tweed, and the name stuck …

85 Leprechaun’s home : ERIN

A leprechaun is a mischievous fairy of Irish folklore. Traditionally, leprechauns spend their days making shoes and hide all their money in a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Our word “leprechaun” comes from the Irish name for such a sprite, i.e. “leipreachán”.

86 Idaho, with “the” : GEM STATE

Idaho has the nickname “Gem State”, mainly because almost every known type of gemstone has been found there. Idaho is also sometimes called the Potato State, as potatoes are such a popular crop in the state. I’d go for the potatoes over the gems, but that’s probably just me. Oh, and Idaho license plates have borne the slogan “Famous Potatoes” for decades …

87 Nickname in “Star Wars” : ANI

Anakin “Ani” Skywalker is the principal character in the first six of the “Star Wars” movies. His progress chronologically through the series of films is:

  • Episode I: Anakin is a 9-year-old slave boy who earns the promise of Jedi training by young Obi-Wan Kenobi.
  • Episode II: Anakin is 18-years-old and goes on a murdering rampage to avenge the killing of his mother.
  • Episode III: Anakin is 21-years-old and a Jedi knight, but he turns to the Dark Side and becomes Darth Vader. His wife Padme gives birth to twins, Luke and Leia Skywalker.
  • Episode IV: Darth Vader, comes into conflict with his children, Luke Skywalker and the Princess Leia.
  • Episode V: Darth Vader attempts to coax his son Luke over to the dark side, and reveals to Luke that he is his father.
  • Episode VI: Luke learns that Leia is his sister, and takes on the task of bringing Darth Vader back from the Dark Side in order to save the Galaxy. Vader saves his son from the Emperor’s evil grip, dying in the process, but his spirit ends up alongside the spirits of Yoda and Obi-Wan. They all live happily ever after …

88 Country code for Holland in the Olympics : NED

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) uses its own set of three-letter abbreviations for country names, e.g. NED (Netherlands)

Some Dutch people can get a little annoyed if one refers to their country as “Holland”, as the correct name is “the Netherlands”. North and South Holland are two of the country’s twelve provinces. The use of “Holland” instead of “the Netherlands” is analogous to the former Soviet Union being referred to as “Russia” and the United Kingdom being called “England”. That said, sometimes even the Dutch people themselves refer to the country as Holland, especially at a soccer match!

91 N.F.L. star ___ Beckham Jr. : ODELL

Odell Beckham Jr. is a National Football League wide receiver from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In 2014, “OBJ” made a much-applauded, one-handed catch while falling backwards to score a touchdown for the New York Giants against the Dallas Cowboys, a move that some have dubbed the greatest catch ever made.

93 Supermodel Lima : ADRIANA

Adriana Lima is a fashion model from Brazil. She is perhaps best known as one of the Victoria’s Secret Angels. Her modeling career started when she won a “Supermodel of Brazil” competition in 1996, at 15 years of age.

94 Like many a beta release : GLITCHY

“Glitch” comes into English from German via Yiddish. The original German word is “glitschen” meaning “to slip”. It is a relatively new term, and generally applied to computer software bugs.

98 Reaction reducer : EPIPEN

EpiPen is a brand of epinephrine auto-injector. An EpiPen delivers a measured dose of epinephrine, which is a common treatment for an extreme allergic reaction.

103 Norse pantheon : AESIR

The gods and goddesses of Norse mythology generally belong to either the Aesir tribe or the Vanir tribe. Most of the Norse gods with which we are familiar belong to Aesir, including Odin, Thor, Frigg and Tyr. Examples of the Vanir gods are Freya and Njord. The Aesir live in Asgard, and the Vanir in Vanaheim. The Aesir and Vanir eventually united into one pantheon after the Aesir-Vanir War.

A pantheon is the set of all gods in a particular religion or mythology. The term comes from the Greek “pan” (all) “theon” (of gods). “Pantheon” is also the name given to a temple dedicated to all deities.

104 Birthplace of Zeus : CRETE

Crete is the largest of the Greek Islands. Crete figures heavily in Greek mythology. Zeus was born in a cave at Mount Ida, the highest peak on the island. Crete was also home to the Labyrinth where the Minotaur was slain by Theseus. Icarus and Daedalus, after having crafted the Labyrinth, escaped from the island using wings that they crafted.

106 Female figure in the “Iliad” : HERA

In Greek mythology, Hera was the wife of Zeus and the goddess of women, marriage, family and childbirth. She was noted for her jealous and vengeful nature, particularly against those who vied for the affections of her husband. The equivalent character to Hera in Roman mythology was Juno. Hera was the daughter of Cronus and Rhea.

“Iliad” is an epic poem by the Greek poet Homer that tells the story of the ten-year siege of “Ilium” (i.e. “Troy”) during the Trojan war. “The Odyssey”, also attributed to Homer, is sometimes described as a sequel to “Iliad”.

109 Many mainframes : IBMS

Tech giant IBM was founded as the Tabulating Machine Company in 1896. The company changed its name to the Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation (CTR) in 1911 and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1916. The name “International Business Machines” (IBM) was given first to the company’s Canadian subsidiary, and then to its South American subsidiary. In 1924, it was decided to adopt the International Business Machines name for the whole company. Good choice …

In contemporary usage, “mainframe” describes a large and powerful computer tasked with high-volume and processor-intensive tasks. Mainframes are typically used by large businesses and scientific institutes. In the ranking of computers, mainframes would sit below supercomputers, and above the personal computers with which we are all so familiar.

112 Number between sette and nove : OTTO

In Italian, “otto” (eight) lies between “sette” (seven) and “nove” (nine).

113 Some petting zoo noises : MAAS

“Maa” is the call of a goat.

114 Seaside bird : ERNE

The ern (sometimes “erne”) is also known as the white-tailed eagle or the sea eagle.

115 Dash fig. : MPG

Back in the 1800s, “dashboard” was the name given to a board placed at the front of a carriage to stop mud from “dashing” against the passengers in the carriage, mud that was kicked up by the hooves of the horses. Quite interesting …

116 Twitch user’s bane : LAG

In Internet terms, lag is a delay in response caused by network latency. We might notice lag when streaming a video, for example.

Twitch is a live streaming platform used primarily by gamers. Folks playing games can broadcast their game play live to an audience.

118 Comic Penn : KAL

Indian-American actor Kal Penn made a name for himself in the “Harold & Kumar” series of comedy films. These so-called “stoner comedies” are not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed him playing his more mainstream roles on TV’s “House” and “24”. He left the world of acting when President Obama won the 2008 election to work as an Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement (although he did leave the White House briefly to film the “Harold & Kumar” sequel).

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Sexy one : HOT TAMALE
10 Treat that’s dangerous to fillings : TAFFY
15 It has cameras set up around the House : C-SPAN
20 Home of the Hittite Empire : ASIA MINOR
21 Novelist Zola : EMILE
22 Word with box or gloves : OPERA …
23 Unwavering : ROCK SOLID (“ordering” IDOLS)
24 Bit of cinema décor : MOVIE POSTER (“ordering” TROPES)
26 Latin verb that’s a letter off from 9-Down : ESSE
27 Sagelike : WISE
28 Get ready for dinner : PREP
29 Man-eaters : OGRES
30 Demeanor : MIEN
32 Puts the pedal to the metal : STEPS ON IT
34 Outbursts of megalomania : POWER TRIPS (“ordering” STRIP)
39 Boglike : MIRY
40 Educator Khan who founded Khan Academy : SAL
43 -esque : -ISH
44 “Ugh, we have so much to sort out” : IT’S A MESS
47 You might come to one suddenly : DEAD STOP (“ordering” SPOT)
50 Winston Churchill gesture : V-SIGN
52 They’re out on their own : ESCAPEES
54 “Word on the street is …” : I HEAR …
55 Antiquated source of light : OIL LAMP (“ordering” PALM)
58 Toy brand with colorful rods and gears : K’NEX
59 Partner of dark : STORMY
60 Starts a course, with “off” : TEES …
61 Where you might see scrolling credits? : IMDB
64 Heidi of TV’s “Making the Cut” : KLUM
66 The Arthur Ashe Courage Award and others : ESPYS
67 Spectators taking potshots, collectively : PEANUT GALLERY (“ordering” ALLERGY)
70 Will Smith’s actor/rapper son : JADEN
73 Quickly join hands? : CLAP
74 G or K : THOU
75 “Roll Tide!” school : BAMA
79 Relishes : SAVORS
80 Eats : GRUB
82 Feature of a healthy dog : WET NOSE (“ordering” ONES)
84 Fjord, e.g. : INLET
85 Like Hathor, goddess of motherhood : EGYPTIAN
89 Film character who shouts “You are a toy!” : WOODY
90 Fish with a prehensile tail : SEAHORSE (“ordering” SHORE)
92 Primitive time : STONE AGE
95 German article : DIE
96 Instagram hashtag accompanying a nostalgic photo : TBT
97 Two-fifths of a quarter : DIME
99 Birthplace of three major world religions : MIDDLE EAST (“ordering” SEAT)
101 What an agoraphobe avoids : OPEN SPACE
105 Uber offering : RIDE
106 Group email greeting : HI, ALL!
108 Class : TIER
109 “That so?” : IS IT?
111 It’s not light reading : TOME
115 Advances in a baby’s cognitive development : MENTAL LEAPS (“ordering” LAPSE)
117 Demonology and such : BLACK ARTS (“ordering” STAR)
119 Show vanity, in a way : PREEN
120 Face-planted : ATE IT
121 Cocktail often made with Tennessee whiskey, ironically : MANHATTAN
122 Looks long and hard : GAZES
123 Class : GENRE
124 Not get tense : STAY LOOSE

Down

1 March madness figure? : HARE
2 Animals in hibernación : OSOS
3 Twitches : TICS
4 “Please, I’ll go with you” : TAKE ME
5 Friend abroad : AMI
6 Home of many schools in the Big Ten Conference : MIDWEST
7 Uses chrism on : ANOINTS
8 Chuckles online : LOLS
9 Language that’s a letter off from 26-Across : ERSE
10 Tantalize : TEMPT
11 “… that’s ___” : AMORE
12 When many commutes begin : FIVE PM
13 Converse : FLIP SIDE
14 “___-haw!” : YEE
15 Favorite dog breed of Queen Elizabeth II : CORGI
16 Where bats and birdies are found : SPORTS SHOP
17 ___ the Frog (internet meme) : PEPE
18 God with a helmet : ARES
19 Rapper with the platinum albums “Street’s Disciple” and “God’s Son” : NAS
25 Skater Harding : TONYA
31 The third of Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” : IRINA
32 Iota : SPECK
33 Valuable deposits : ORES
34 Turning point : PIVOT
35 Actor/activist Davis : OSSIE
36 Stretch : WHILE
37 Woman’s name that’s part of the body backward : RAE
38 Contacts quickly, in a way : IMS
41 Imitation : APERY
42 Fertile mixtures : LOAMS
45 Finished the golf hole : SANK A PUTT
46 One might be cold or dry : SPELL
48 Scatterbrained : DITSY
49 Shot, so to speak : TRY
51 Plot device, in brief? : GPS
53 Rejoice (in) : EXULT
56 Debt holdings : LIENS
57 Bouts with pay-per-view events, for short : MMA
59 Transition : SEGUE
62 Left-leaning organizing grp. : DNC
63 Like pronounced muscles : BULGY
65 Feeling described by this: 😐 : MEH
67 Australia’s “City of Light” : PERTH
68 Covers for campers : TARPS
69 Spat : ROW
70 Former Fed chair Yellen : JANET
71 Classroom with cameras, for short : AV LAB
72 Executes perfectly : DOES TO A TEE
75 “That’s just awful!” : BOO!
76 One end of a cell : ANODE
77 ___ circus : MEDIA
78 To now : AS YET
79 Beyoncé, to Solange, informally : SIS
81 Tundra or savanna : BIOME
83 Fabric in a flat cap : TWEED
85 Leprechaun’s home : ERIN
86 Idaho, with “the” : GEM STATE
87 Nickname in “Star Wars” : ANI
88 Country code for Holland in the Olympics : NED
91 N.F.L. star ___ Beckham Jr. : ODELL
93 Supermodel Lima : ADRIANA
94 Like many a beta release : GLITCHY
98 Reaction reducer : EPIPEN
100 Tackles : SETS TO
102 “I have other ___, sorry” : PLANS
103 Norse pantheon : AESIR
104 Birthplace of Zeus : CRETE
106 Female figure in the “Iliad” : HERA
107 Name akin to Agnes : INEZ
109 Many mainframes : IBMS
110 Blind sight : SLAT
112 Number between sette and nove : OTTO
113 Some petting zoo noises : MAAS
114 Seaside bird : ERNE
115 Dash fig. : MPG
116 Twitch user’s bane : LAG
118 Comic Penn : KAL