1020-19 NY Times Crossword 20 Oct 19, Sunday

Constructed by: Natan Last
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: Be Patient

We’re playing a version of the game OPERATION today. We remove body parts (circled letters in the grid) to make sense of several answers:

  • 112A Classic kids’ game involving removal of body parts … with a hint to this puzzle’s theme : OPERATION
  • 26A Melt down, as fat : REAR-ENDER – EAR = RENDER
  • 54A Golfer’s vehicle : CLIP ART – LIP = CART
  • 80A Homeowner’s need : DELIVERED – LIVER = DEED
  • 1D Top celebs : ALARMIST – ARM = A-LIST
  • 10D Karaoke selection : SHANDONG – HAND = SONG
  • 31D Contact electronically : PLUNGING – LUNG = PING
  • 33D Middle of a diamond : MORIBUND – RIB = MOUND
  • 68D Outhouses : PRIVILEGES – LEG = PRIVIES
  • 72D Treated meanly : SPIT-SHINED – SHIN = SPITED

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 21m 19s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 World capital with the historic Temple of Hercules : AMMAN

Amman is the capital city of Jordan, and is one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world. Amman has been occupied by a number of different civilizations over the centuries, including the Greeks who called it “Philadelphia”, a name retained by the Romans when they occupied the city just after 100 AD.

6 Responses to an offer, colloquially : BITES

Okay, I’ll bite …

11 ___ Dunphy, “Modern Family” matriarch : CLAIRE

Actress Julie Bowen is probably best known today for playing Claire Dunphy on the excellent sitcom “Modern Family”.

12 Slow Wi-Fi woe : LAG

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

“Wi-Fi” is nothing more than a trademark, a trademark registered by an association of manufacturers of equipment that use wireless LAN (Local Area Network) technology. A device labeled with “Wi-Fi” has to meet certain defined technical standards, basically meaning that the devices can talk to each other. The name “Wi-Fi” suggests “Wireless Fidelity”, although apparently the term was never intended to mean anything at all.

15 Actor Don of old Hollywood : AMECHE

Don Ameche was such a gentleman. He starred in the fun movie “Trading Places” in 1983, and was required to use the “f-word” in the script. According to co-star Jamie Lee Curtis, Ameche went around the set before the scene was shot, and apologized in advance to everyone for having to use bad language.

20 Paranoid types, slangily : TIN HATS

A paranoid person (“tin hat”) might wear a hat made of aluminum foil in the belief that it provides protection against mind-control and mind-reading.

22 Futon alternatives : AIR BEDS

Anyone lucky enough to have visited Japan might be familiar with the traditional Japanese futon. Unlike what we tend to call futon in this country, the Japanese original is a padded mattress and quilt. Japanese futons are usually rolled up in the morning so that the space used for sleeping can be repurposed during the day.

23 Stand that an artist might take : EASEL

The word “easel” comes from an old Dutch word meaning “donkey”, would you believe? The idea is that an easel carries its load (an oil painting, say) just as a donkey would be made to carry a load.

24 Villainous brother of Prospero in “The Tempest” : ANTONIO

William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest” tells the story of Prospero, who was removed from the throne of Milan and banished to a deserted island along with his daughter Miranda. The island is home to a devilish character called Caliban, who is forced into slavery on the arrival of the exiles. Prospero learns sorcery while cast away, and eventually conjures up a tempest that drives those who usurped his throne onto the island’s shores (in particular his own brother, Antonio). On the island, Prospero is eventually successful in revealing Antonio’s lowly nature.

26 Melt down, as fat : REAR-ENDER – EAR = RENDER

Fat, when extracted from the carcass of an animal, is called suet. Untreated suet decomposes at room temperature quite easily so it has to be rendered, purified to make it stable. Rendered fat from pigs is what we call lard. Rendered beef or mutton fat is known as tallow.

29 Occasion to sing “Dayenu” : SEDER

The Passover Seder is a ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish Passover holiday, celebrating the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

34 Faux pas : DON’T

The term “faux pas” is French in origin, and translates literally as “false step” (or “false steps”, as the plural has the same spelling in French).

35 Picasso’s “___ Demoiselles d’Avignon” : LES

“Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” (“The Young Ladies of Avignon”) is an oil painting created by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso in 1917. The painting is generally regarded as having a profound influence on modern art and is hailed as the most important proto-Cubist work. You can go see “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

36 Baseball hit just beyond the infield : BLOOP

In baseball, a bloop single is more usually called a blooper. It’s a fly ball that drops for a single between and infielder and an outfielder.

39 Malawi-to-Kenya dir. : NNE

Malawi is in southeast Africa and is one of the least-developed countries in the world. The Malawi population has a low life expectancy and a high infant mortality rate. HIV/AIDS is a major killer. The British colonized the area in 1891, at which point it was called Nyasaland. Malawi became independent in 1964.

Kenya lies on the east coast of Africa, right on the equator. The country takes her name from Mount Kenya, the second-highest peak on the continent (after Kilimanjaro). The official languages of Kenya are English and Swahili.

40 Element used in old television tubes : YTTRIUM

Yttria is the oxide of yttrium, and is more completely known as yttrium oxide. Yttria is used to make the red phosphors that give the red color in picture tubes.

42 Creator of a philosophical “razor” : OCCAM

Ockham’s Razor (also “Occam’s Razor”) is a principle in philosophy and science that basically states that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. This explanation is a corollary to the more exact statement of the principle, that one shouldn’t needlessly use assumptions in explaining something. The principle is referred to as “lex parsimoniae” in Latin, or “the law of parsimony”. Parsimony is being thrifty with money or resources.

46 Best friend of Potter and Weasley : GRANGER

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are the principal characters in the “Harry Potter” series of fantasy novels by J. K. Rowling. The three are the best of friends.

48 Banquet vessels : URNS

A banquet is an elaborate feast. “Banquet” is a term that seems to have reversed in meaning over time. Coming into English via French from Old Italian, “banquet” is derived from “banco” meaning “bench”. The original “banco” meal was simply a snack eaten on a bench, rather than at a table. I guess we eat more these days …

50 One frequently saying “Sorry, I missed that” : SIRI

Siri is a software application that works with Apple’s iOS operating system. “Siri” is an acronym standing for Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface. Voice-over artist Susan Bennett revealed herself as the female American voice of Siri a few years ago. The British version of Siri is called Daniel, and the Australian version is called Karen. Also, “Siri” is a Norwegian name meaning “beautiful woman who leads you to victory”, and was the name the developer had chosen for his first child.

63 Muscle Beach sight : BOD

The original Muscle Beach was located on the south side of Santa Monica Pier in Southern California. Bodybuilders started working out on the beach back in the 1930s when exercise equipment was installed there as part of the WPA program. Some of the equipment was removed in the fifties, so the bodybuilding community shifted to the Venice Beach Weight Pen. That area was developed and is now known as Muscle Beach Venice.

64 Their eggs are incubated by males : EMUS

Emu eggs are very large, with a thick shell that is dark-green in color. One emu egg weighs about the same as a dozen chicken eggs. It is the male emu that incubates the eggs. The incubation period lasts about 8 weeks, during which time the male neither eats nor drinks, just lapping up any morning dew that is nearby. While incubating a clutch of eggs, male emus lose about a third of their weight.

66 Eldest of the “little women” in “Little Women” : MEG

“Little Women” is a novel written by American author Louisa May Alcott. The quartet of “little women” comprises Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March. Jo is a tomboy, the main character in the story, and is based on Alcott herself.

72 Farrah Fawcett’s signature do : SHAG

A shag cut is a layered hairstyle. Actress Meg Ryan famously sported a shag cut for many years, as did fellow actress Farrah Fawcett.

73 Sikorsky of aviation : IGOR

Igor Sikorsky was a Russian pioneer in the world of aviation. He designed and indeed piloted the world’s first multi-engine, fixed-wing aircraft in 1913. He moved to the US in 1919 and set up his own aircraft manufacturing business. In the thirties he made the magnificent flying boats that were used by Pan Am in their Clipper era. Sikorsky also developed the world’s first mass-produced helicopter, in 1942.

78 Actress Roberts of “Everybody Loves Raymond” : DORIS

In the hit television show “Everybody Loves Raymond”, Raymond’s mother is Marie Barone, played by Doris Roberts.

80 Homeowner’s need : DELIVERED – LIVER = DEED

The human liver has many functions, one of which is to store vital substances. The list of substances stored in the liver includes glucose (as glycogen), vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin K, iron and copper. Another function of the liver is to produce bile, a substance stored in the gallbladder that aids in the digestion of fats.

83 Tribe famous for weaving and sand painting : NAVAJO

There are more speakers of the Navajo (also “Navaho”) language than any other Native American language north of the US-Mexico border. Famously, the Navajo language was used by the “code talkers” in the Pacific Theater during WWII to send secure communications by radio. These Navajo “coded” messages were used in fast tactical communications, with one bilingual Navajo speaker talking over the radio to another speaker, and the two acting as translators at either end of the conversation. The Navajo code was never broken by the Japanese.

85 Crème de la crème : ELITE

The “crème de la crème” are the elite, the best of the best. The term is French and translates as “cream of the cream”.

88 Russian ruler known as “the Moneybag” : IVAN I

Ivan I was Prince of Moscow, and was nicknamed “Kalita” (“Moneybag”). He used his wealth well, giving loans to neighboring principalities. These cities got into so much debt that Ivan’s successors were eventually able to annex them.

96 N.B.A. franchise whose mascot is the fireball Burnie : MIAMI HEAT

The Miami Heat basketball team debuted in the NBA in the 1988-89 season. The franchise name was chosen in a competitive survey, with “Miami Heat” beating out “Miami Vice”.

100 Kind of tuna : BIGEYE

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.

101 Troglodyte : CAVEMAN

“Troglodyte” is a Greek word that translates literally as “one who creeps into holes”. We use it to mean “caveman”.

105 Base of a column : PLINTH

A plinth is a block on which something is placed, especially a column. The Greek word “plinthos” means “squared stone”.

106 Juul, e.g. : E-CIG

An electronic cigarette (also called an “e-cigarette”) is a battery-powered device that resembles a real cigarette. The e-cigarette vaporizes a solution that contains nicotine, forming a vapor that resembles smoke. The vapor is inhaled in a process called “vaping”, delivering nicotine into the body. The assumption is that an e-cigarette is healthier than a regular cigarette as the inhaled vapor is less harmful than inhaled smoke. But, that may not be so …

110 Historical role for Peter Lorre in “The Story of Mankind” : NERO

The marvelous actor Peter Lorre was born in what is now modern-day Slovakia. Lorre’s real name was Laszlo Lowenstein. He started acting in Vienna when he was quite young, only 17 years old. When Hitler came to power, the Jewish Lowenstein headed to Paris and then London, eventually ending up in Hollywood. Lorre found himself typecast as the wicked foreigner in American movies, but I think he sneered and snarled his way to the bank.

111 Party that might not start till midnight : RAVE

As you might imagine, I’ve never been to a rave, and don’t have one upcoming in my diary. And as raves often start at 2 a.m.,then I’m unlikely ever to experience one. A rave is generally an all-night party featuring loud, electronically-synthesized music usually played by a DJ as opposed to a live band.

112 Classic kids’ game involving removal of body parts … with a hint to this puzzle’s theme : OPERATION

The game called Operation was invented by John Spinello and was first produced in 1965 by Milton Bradley. The game is based on the old electric wire loop game where players had to guide a loop along a winding wire without touching it. Touching the wires completed a circuit causing a buzzer to go off and/or a light to come on.

113 Qatari leader : EMIR

Qatar is a sovereign state in the Middle East occupying the Qatar Peninsula, itself located in the Arabian Peninsula. Qatar lies on the Persian Gulf and shares one land border, with Saudi Arabia to the south. Qatar has more oil and gas reserves per capita of population than any other country in the world. In 2010, Qatar had the fastest growing economy in the world, driven by the petrochemical industry. Qatar is scheduled to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, although the nation’s eligibility to do so is under question after a far-reaching bribery scandal was uncovered at the sport’s governing body.

114 102-Down, affectedly : TRES
(102 See 114-Across : VERY)

In French, one might be “très” (very) glad to finish the crossword.

116 “It is the ___, and Juliet is the sun” : EAST

There’s a famous couplet in William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” spoken by Romeo as he spots Juliet above him at a window or on a balcony:

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Romeo continues with:

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.

I reckon Romeo is smitten …

117 Actress Cannon : DYAN

Actress Dyan Cannon is perhaps best known for playing Alice in the 1969 film “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice”, for which she received a Best Actress Oscar nomination. Cannon is also famous for having been on Cary Grant’s long list of wives, from 1965 to 1968 (and he was 33 years her senior).

Down

3 Middle-distance runner : MILER

The 4-minute barrier for the mile run was first broken in 1954 by Roger Bannister, when he finished in just over 3m 59s. If you plan on running a 4-minute mile, you should probably be warned that this means you have to run the whole race at an average speed of over 15 mph (do the math!).

4 Nickname for an ESPN baseball commentator : A-ROD

Baseball player Alex Rodriguez, nicknamed “A-Rod”, broke a lot of records in his career, albeit under a shroud of controversy due to his use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs. When he signed a 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers for $252 million in 2000, it was the most lucrative contract in sports history. In 2007, Rodriguez signed an even more lucrative 10-year contract with the New York Yankees, worth $275 million. Rodriguez retired in 2016.

6 Weapons thrown by the Dark Knight : BATARANGS

A batarang is a bat-shaped boomerang used as a weapon by Batman.

Originally referred to as “Bat-Man” when introduced in comics in 1939, Batman is also referred to as the Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight, the World’s Greatest Detective, and along with sidekick Robin, the Dynamic Duo.

10 Karaoke selection : SHANDONG – HAND = SONG

Shandong is a coastal province in East China.

“Karate” is a Japanese word meaning “empty hand”, and the related word “karaoke” translates as “empty orchestra”.

11 Gift that grows on you? : CHIA PET

Chia is a flowering plant in the mint family. Chia seeds are an excellent food source and are often added to breakfast cereals and energy bars. There is also the famous Chia Pet, an invention of a San Francisco company. Chia Pets are terracotta figurines to which are applied moistened chia seeds. The seeds sprout and the seedlings become the “fur” of the Chia Pet.

13 Semidomed church area : APSE

The apse of a church or cathedral is a semicircular recess in an outer wall, usually with a half-dome as a roof and often where there resides an altar. Originally, apses were used as burial places for the clergy and also for storage of important relics.

16 Saint-___, capital of the Loire department : ETIENNE

The city of Saint-Étienne is the capital of the Loire department in France. The city is home to the extremely successful soccer team AS Saint-Étienne.

18 Wisecracking Marvel superhero : DEADPOOL

“Deadpool” is a 2016 superhero film, the eighth of the “X-Men” series of movies. The title character is played by Ryan Reynolds.

27 British rocker Brian : ENO

Brian Eno is a musician, composer and record producer from England who first achieved fame as the synthesizer player with Roxy Music. As a producer, Eno has worked with David Bowie, Devo, Talking Heads and U2.

33 Middle of a diamond : MORIBUND – RIB = MOUND

That would be a baseball diamond.

38 They might be hawked : WARES

The verb “to hawk” has a Germanic origin, and comes from the Low German word “hoken” meaning “to peddle”. A hawker is actually slightly different from a peddler by definition, as a hawker is a peddler that uses a horse and cart, or a van nowadays perhaps, to sell his or her wares.

44 Ukulele accessory : CAPO

A capo is a clamp-like device that is placed around the neck of a guitar or other stringed instrument to shorten the strings, and hence raise the pitch. The full name, rarely used these days, is “capo tasto”, which is Italian for “head tie”.

The ukulele (uke) originated in the 1800s and mimicked a small guitar brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants.

47 Writer Anaïs : NIN

Anaïs Nin was a French author who was famous for the journals that she wrote for over sixty years from the age of 11 right up to her death. Nin also wrote highly regarded erotica and cited D. H. Lawrence as someone from whom she drew inspiration. Nin was married to banker and artist Hugh Parker Guiler in 1923. Decades later in 1955, Nin married former actor Rupert Pole, even though she was still married to Guiler. Nin and Pole had their marriage annulled in 1966, but just for legal reasons, and they continued to live together as husband and wife until Nin passed away in 1977.

52 Old kingdom of Spain : ARAGON

Modern-day Aragón is an autonomous community in the northeast of Spain. The region is named for the medieval Kingdom of Aragón.

59 Urged (on) : EGGED

The verb “to edge” has been used to mean to incite, to urge on, from the 16th century. Somewhere along the way “edge” was mistakenly replaced with “egg”, giving us our term “to egg on” meaning “to goad”.

65 Peace Nobelist who went on to become president : MANDELA

As a young man, Nelson Mandela led the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC). Mandela was eventually arrested and admitted to charges of sabotage and was sentenced to life in prison in 1964. He remained behind bars for 27 years, mainly in the infamous prison on Robben Island. As the years progressed, Mandela became a symbol of the fight against apartheid. He was released in 1990, and immediately declared his commitment to peace and reconciliation with South Africa’s white minority population. Mandela was elected president of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) in 1994, an office that he held until 1999. Nelson Mandela passed away on December 5, 2013.

68 Outhouses : PRIVILEGES – LEG = PRIVIES

“Privy” is slang for “outhouse, toilet”, and is a term that presumably comes from “private”.

70 Well, I’ll be dammed! : NILE

The Aswan Dam on the River Nile is actually two dams. The Low Dam was first built in 1902 (and modified later). The High Dam was completed in 1970.

76 Brine-cured cheese : FETA

Feta is a Greek cheese made from sheep’s milk, or a mixture of sheep and goat’s milk. The cheese is salted and cured in a brine solution for several months before it is eaten.

79 Classic Harlem ballroom, with “the” : … SAVOY

The Savoy Ballroom was a very popular dance spot in Harlem in New York city from the twenties to the fifties. In the days of “whites only” entertainment venues (like the “Cotton Club”), the Savoy was integrated, with white and black Americans dancing together.

82 Language from which “curry” comes : TAMIL

Curry powder is a mixture of spices used in South Asian dishes. The actual composition of curry powder varies depending on the cuisine. The term “curry” is an anglicization of the Tamil “kari” meaning “sauce”.

84 King who lent his name to a Bible : JAMES

In 1604, King James I of England convened a conference at Hampton Court in order to produce a new translation of the Bible, as the Puritan sect within the church had problems with prior versions. 47 scholars made new translations for the New Testament from Greek and from the Old Testament from Hebrew. The result is the King James Authorized Version.

91 Communist sympathizers, pejoratively : PINKOS

The term “pinko” came to us courtesy of “Time” magazine in 1925. Back then, “pinko” was used to describe those who were politically left of center. Red was the color associated with the left going back to the 1800s (how times have changed!), and “pink” was assigned to people who were not aligned with the left politically, but had left-leaning tendencies.

92 He was “thumb” critic! : EBERT

Roger Ebert co-hosted a succession of film review television programs for over 23 years, most famously with Gene Siskel until Siskel passed away in 1999. Siskel and Ebert famously gave their thumbs up or thumbs down to the movies they reviewed. Ebert himself died in 2013.

93 Bishop’s deputy : VICAR

A vicar is a member of the clergy in several Christian traditions. In more general terms, we can use the word “vicar” for a person who acts in the place of another, i.e. a deputy. It was the latter usage of the term that gave rise to the religious usage, as a vicar in a church was considered a person acting for God.

98 Features of many malls : ATRIA

In modern architecture, an atrium (plural “atria” or “atriums”) is a large open space usually in the center of a building and extending upwards to the roof. The original atrium was an open court in the center of an Ancient Roman house. One could access most of the enclosed rooms of the house from the atrium.

Surprisingly (to me!), our word “mall”, meaning “shady walk” or “enclosed shopping space”, comes from the Italian for “mallet”. All of our shopping-style malls are named for “The Mall” in St. James’s Park in London. This tree-lined promenade was so called as it used to a famous spot to play the croquet-like game called “pall-mall”. The game derived its name from the Italian for ball (palla) and mallet “maglio”. The London thoroughfare called the Mall still exists, at one end of which is Buckingham Palace. Indeed, parallel to the Mall is a street called Pall Mall.

99 Part of an acacia tree : THORN

Acacia is a genus of tree and shrub, also known as thorntree, whistling thorn and wattle. The acacia is the primary food source for the giraffe in the wild, with the animal eating the leaves high in the tree, leaves that are inaccessible to competing species. The natural gum from two species of acacia tree is known as gum arabic, which is used in the food industry as a stabilizer.

103 Subj. of a “Delayed” sign : ETA

Estimated time of arrival (ETA)

104 Speck : MOTE

A mote is a speck of dust.

108 Decorative fish : KOI

Koi are fish that are also known as Japanese carp. Koi have been bred for decorative purposes and there are now some very brightly colored examples found in Japanese water gardens.

109 “The Lord of the Rings” tree creature : ENT

Ents are tree-like creatures that live in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth in his series of books “The Lord of the Rings”. “Ent” is an Old English word for “giant”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 World capital with the historic Temple of Hercules : AMMAN
6 Responses to an offer, colloquially : BITES
11 ___ Dunphy, “Modern Family” matriarch : CLAIRE
12 Slow Wi-Fi woe : LAG
15 Actor Don of old Hollywood : AMECHE
17 Uninteresting and self-absorbed : SHALLOW
18 One-named electronic musician and D.J. with multiple Grammys : DIPLO
20 Paranoid types, slangily : TIN HATS
22 Futon alternatives : AIR BEDS
23 Stand that an artist might take : EASEL
24 Villainous brother of Prospero in “The Tempest” : ANTONIO
25 E-sports enthusiast : GAMER
26 Melt down, as fat : REAR-ENDER
29 Occasion to sing “Dayenu” : SEDER
30 Long narrative poem : EPIC
31 Ice skating spot : POND
32 Crew : TEAM
34 Faux pas : DON’T
35 Picasso’s “___ Demoiselles d’Avignon” : LES
36 Baseball hit just beyond the infield : BLOOP
37 “No kidding!” : I KNOW!
39 Malawi-to-Kenya dir. : NNE
40 Element used in old television tubes : YTTRIUM
42 Creator of a philosophical “razor” : OCCAM
46 Best friend of Potter and Weasley : GRANGER
48 Banquet vessels : URNS
49 Speechify : ORATE
50 One frequently saying “Sorry, I missed that” : SIRI
51 Like classic Disney films : RATED-G
54 Golfer’s vehicle : CLIP ART
56 “No fighting!” : BE NICE!
60 Geologic period : ERA
61 Eye roll accompanier, often : SIGH
63 Muscle Beach sight : BOD
64 Their eggs are incubated by males : EMUS
66 Eldest of the “little women” in “Little Women” : MEG
67 Wettish : DAMP
69 It’s always something : NOUN
71 What may follow bigger or better : … THAN
72 Farrah Fawcett’s signature do : SHAG
73 Sikorsky of aviation : IGOR
74 “Message received” : GOT IT
76 Rabid enthusiast : FIEND
77 Warrior, e.g., in yoga : POSE
78 Actress Roberts of “Everybody Loves Raymond” : DORIS
80 Homeowner’s need : DELIVERED
82 Like most standardized tests : TIMED
83 Tribe famous for weaving and sand painting : NAVAJO
85 Crème de la crème : ELITE
86 Really tickles : ELATES
88 Russian ruler known as “the Moneybag” : IVAN I
90 It’s in the bag : TEA
91 Fruit in an often-parodied William Carlos Williams poem : PLUMS
92 Dark forebodings : EVIL OMENS
96 N.B.A. franchise whose mascot is the fireball Burnie : MIAMI HEAT
100 Kind of tuna : BIGEYE
101 Troglodyte : CAVEMAN
105 Base of a column : PLINTH
106 Juul, e.g. : E-CIG
107 It can open a lot of doors for you : SKELETON KEY
110 Historical role for Peter Lorre in “The Story of Mankind” : NERO
111 Party that might not start till midnight : RAVE
112 Classic kids’ game involving removal of body parts … with a hint to this puzzle’s theme : OPERATION
113 Qatari leader : EMIR
114 102-Down, affectedly : TRES
115 Minuscule, informally : ITSY
116 “It is the ___, and Juliet is the sun” : EAST
117 Actress Cannon : DYAN

Down

1 Top celebs : ALARMIST
2 Red wine from France : MALBEC
3 Middle-distance runner : MILER
4 Nickname for an ESPN baseball commentator : A-ROD
5 Post production locales? : NEWSROOMS
6 Weapons thrown by the Dark Knight : BATARANGS
7 Volunteer’s phrase : I’M IN
8 Sights on many music festival grounds : TENTS
9 Seconded, so to speak : ECHOED
10 Karaoke selection : SHANDONG
11 Gift that grows on you? : CHIA PET
12 Fabulist : LIAR
13 Semidomed church area : APSE
14 Secluded valley : GLEN
16 Saint-___, capital of the Loire department : ETIENNE
17 With wisdom : SAGELY
18 Wisecracking Marvel superhero : DEADPOOL
19 Experienced one : OLD-TIMER
21 Worker at a recycling plant : SORTER
27 British rocker Brian : ENO
28 Cry of terror : EEK!
31 Contact electronically : PLUNGING
33 Middle of a diamond : MORIBUND
36 Hawks, e.g. : BIRDS
38 They might be hawked : WARES
41 Lament : RUE
43 Mobile home? : CRIB
44 Ukulele accessory : CAPO
45 Not much : A TAD
47 Writer Anaïs : NIN
51 Fixed up : REDID
52 Old kingdom of Spain : ARAGON
53 Author Pierce of the fantasy series “The Song of the Lioness” : TAMORA
54 Way down : CHUTE
55 Response to tickling : TE-HEE
57 “Hi, honey!” follower : I’M HOME!
58 Finishes : CEASES
59 Urged (on) : EGGED
62 “Now that was funny!” : GOOD ONE!
65 Peace Nobelist who went on to become president : MANDELA
68 Outhouses : PRIVILEGES
70 Well, I’ll be dammed! : NILE
71 Drain : TIRE
72 Treated meanly : SPIT-SHINED
75 Inclination : TILT
76 Brine-cured cheese : FETA
79 Classic Harlem ballroom, with “the” : … SAVOY
81 Go (for) : VIE
82 Language from which “curry” comes : TAMIL
84 King who lent his name to a Bible : JAMES
87 Like most oatmeal : LUMPY
89 Plant, as an idea, modern-style : INCEPT
91 Communist sympathizers, pejoratively : PINKOS
92 He was “thumb” critic! : EBERT
93 Bishop’s deputy : VICAR
94 “Mercy!” : I GIVE!
95 Metric of corporate success : SALES
96 Frenzy : MANIA
97 Other side : ENEMY
98 Features of many malls : ATRIA
99 Part of an acacia tree : THORN
102 See 114-Across : VERY
103 Subj. of a “Delayed” sign : ETA
104 Speck : MOTE
108 Decorative fish : KOI
109 “The Lord of the Rings” tree creature : ENT