Day: December 28, 2014

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
19. Neat as __ A PIN
Apparently the idiom “neat as a pin” arose in the early 1800s, with the advent of mass production. Up until that time, pins were handmade and so were irregular and relatively flawed. Mass-produced pins were uniform and of consistent quality. So, something that was uniform and of consistent quality came to be described as “neat as a pin”.

20. __ firma TERRA
“Terra firma” is Latin for “solid ground”.

22. Google Nexus competitor IPAD
Apple’s iPad has really pervaded our lives since it was introduced in 2010. We probably won’t see many pilots walking around airports laid down with briefcases chock full of paperwork anymore. Alaska Airlines replaced all that paperwork in 2011 so that now each pilot carries an iPad weighing 1½ pounds instead of a briefcase weighing perhaps 25 pounds.

Nexus is a line of smartphones and tablets made under the Google brand, all of which use Google’s Android operating system.

25. Predecessor of Begin RABIN
Yitzhak Rabin was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, and the first Prime Minister to have been born in the relatively young state of Israel. Rabin was a signatory of the Oslo Accords in 1993, along with PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, and US President Bill Clinton. Sadly, this led to his death as he was assassinated two years later by a right-wing radical who opposed the Accords.

Menachem Begin was Prime Minister of Israel from 1977 to 1983. Perhaps most notably, Begin signed a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979, following the Camp David Accords of 1978. This agreement earned Begin and Egyptian president Anwar Sadat the Nobel Peace Prize.

26. Superman’s cover KENT
Superman’s comic book creators gave their title character’s alter-ego the name “Clark Kent” by melding the names of Clark Gable and Kent Taylor, two leading men of the cinema at the time Superman was created. However, they modeled Clark’s character more on the silent film actor Harold Lloyd.

29. British aristocrat EARL
In the ranking of nobles, an earl comes above a viscount and below a marquess. The rank of earl is used in the British peerage system and is equivalent to the rank of count in other countries. Other British ranks have female forms (e.g. marquess and marchioness, viscount and viscountess), but there isn’t a female word for the rank of earl. A female given the same rank as an earl is known simply as a countess.

30. Get hot on Twitter TREND
In the world of Twitter, a word or phrase that is getting “tagged” more than others is said to be “trending”.

32. Longtime Guardian cartoonist Asquith ROS
Ros Asquith writes the “Teenage Worrier” books aimed at teens, as well as cartoons for “The Guardian” newspaper in the UK.

41. Tolkien forest giant ENT
Ents are those 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”.

42. “Moneyball” Oscar nominee BRAD PITT
Brad Pitt’s first major role was playing the cowboy hitchhiker in the 1991’s “Thelma and Louise”. Pitt’s life offscreen garners as much attention as his work onscreen, it seems. The tabloids revel in the series of high-profile relationships in which he has been involved. He was engaged to Gwyneth Paltrow for a while, married to Jennifer Aniston, and he now lives with Angelina Jolie.

Billy Beane is the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team. Michael Lewis wrote his book “Moneyball” about the way Billy Beane built his team by bringing on board players who were “undervalued”, getting the maximum benefit from his limited payroll budget. I must admit I know nothing about baseball, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Moneyball”, and the film adaptation with Brad Pitt playing Beane.

45. Candy that comes in three colors REESE’S PIECES
Reese’s Pieces are an extension to the successful Peanut Butter Cups line, and are pieces of candy that look like M&Ms but are filled with peanut butter.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were invented by Harry Burnett “H.B.” Reese. Peanut Butter Cups were originally called penny cups, reflecting the price at which they were sold. Then inflation took over, and maybe that’s why they were broken into smaller “pieces” …

49. “10538 Overture” band ELO
“10538 Overture” was the first single to be recorded by the British rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). ELO’s lead singer Jeff Lynne wrote the song, which is about an escaped prisoner. Lynne didn’t want to give his “hero” a name, and opted for a number. He noticed the number 1053 on a mixing console, and so he used it. The number 8 was later added so that it better fit with the melody. Hence, the song’s name is “10538 Overture”.

56. Don McLean song that begins “Starry, starry night” VINCENT
The Don McLean hit song “Vincent” was released in 1971, and was written by McLean himself as a tribute to the artist Vincent Van Gogh. The song opens with a reference to the painting “The Starry Night”, and continues with references to several more Van Gogh works.

58. Large spitz AKITA
The Akita breed of dog is named for its point of origin, the Akita Prefecture in Japan. When Helen Keller visited Japan in 1937, she asked for and was given an Akita breed of dog, with the name of Kamikaze-go. Sadly, the dog died within a year from distemper. The following year the Japanese government officially presented Keller with a replacement dog. Supposedly Keller’s dogs were the first members of the breed to be introduced into the US.

Spitz-type dogs are those with long thick fur that is usually white. Most spitz-type dogs seem to have originated in the Arctic and/or East Asia. Examples of breed described as spitz-type are the Alaskan Malamute and the Canadian Eskimo Dog.

62. Parts of teacups EARS
Apparently the handle of a teacup can be referred to as its “ear”.

63. Central Utah city OREM
Orem, Utah was originally known as “Sharon” (a Biblical name), then “Provo Bench”, and in 1914 it was given the family name of a local railroad operator called “Orem”. Orem gave itself the nickname “Family City USA” and sure enough in 2010, “Forbes” rated Orem the 5th best place in the country to raise a family.

65. Pomegranate color RED
The name of the fruit called a “pomegranate” comes from the Latin “pomum” meaning “apple” and “granatum” meaning “seeded”.

66. Dragon roll ingredient EEL
A dragon roll is a sushi dish made from eel, cucumber, seaweed, rice and avocado. Without the eel, I am sure it’s delicious!

69. Still undecided, briefly TBA
To be advised (TBA)

70. X Games pursuits EXTREME SPORTS
The X Games are annual events, with a Summer X Games held every year as well as a Winter X Games. It’s very much a commercial venture, with all aspects controlled by the TV station ESPN. The games focus on extreme action sports, like skateboarding and freestyle motocross in the summer and various extreme snowboarding events in the winter.

75. Uni, in sushi bars ROE
Sea urchins are globular, spiny creatures found just about everywhere in the ocean. The “roe” of a sea urchin is eaten as a delicacy in several cuisines around the world. In a sushi restaurant, the sea urchin roe is called “uni”. The term “roe” normally means “fish eggs”, but in the case of the sea urchin it refers to the gonads of both the male and female.

76. You, to Goethe SIE
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer (among other things, many other things!). Goethe’s most famous work is probably his play “Faust”. This epic work was published in parts, starting in 1808. The work was only published in toto after his death in 1832.

77. Tax-sheltered accts. IRAS
Individual retirement account (IRA)

79. Delivery expert, briefly OB/GYN
Obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN)

81. Canal transport GONDOLA
The word “gondola” was originally limited to the famous boats that travel along the canals of Venice. When man started to fly through the air in hot air balloons, “gondola” was used for the basket in which the passenger(s) traveled. By extension, the structure carrying passengers and crew under an airship is also called a gondola, as are the cars suspended from a cable at a ski resort.

84. “Ich bin __ Berliner” EIN
“Ich bin ein Berliner” (I am a Berliner) are famous words of support uttered by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 in a speech in West Berlin. The supposed translation of “Ich bin ein Berliner” as “I am a jelly doughnut” … that’s just an urban legend. Even though a “Berliner” can be the name of a jelly doughnut, President Kennedy’s use of German was perfectly correct.

86. Has too much, briefly ODS
Overdoses (ODs)

89. Position held three times by Henry Clay HOUSE SPEAKER
Henry Clay was a statesman from Kentucky well known for his gift as an orator. He was very persuasive in his arguments in favor of war with Britain resulting in the War of 1812. In 1957, a Senate committee chaired by John F. Kennedy declared Henry Clay one of the five greatest senators in American history (the others being Daniel Webster, John Calhoun, Robert LaFollette, Sr., and Robert Taft). Clay served three times as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and once as the Secretary of State.

99. “The Royal Tenenbaums” director Anderson WES
Wes Anderson’s most famous movie is probably “The Royal Tenenbaums”, released in 2001, not my favorite film by any stretch. However, his 2007 release “The Darjeeling Limited”, that I enjoyed.

107. Ottoman governor BEY
Bey is a Turkish title for a chieftain. In the days of the Ottoman Empire, the term “bey” was used for many different officials, but traditionally it referred to the leader of a small tribal group. Today “bey” is used very much like “mister”.

110. Olympian war god ARES
The Greek god Ares is often referred to as the Olympian god of warfare, but originally he was regarded as the god of blood-lust and slaughter. Ares united with Aphrodite to create several gods, including Phobos, Deimos and Eros. The Roman equivalent to Ares was Mars.

112. Stern with a bow ISAAC
Isaac Stern was Ukrainian-born, but moved with his family to San Francisco at a very young age. He was a wonderful violin virtuoso who passed away in 2001.

114. South Pacific capital APIA
Apia is the capital city, and in fact the only city, of the Pacific island-nation of Samoa. The harbor of Apia is famous for a very foolish incident in 1889 involving seven naval vessels from Germany, the US and Britain. A typhoon was approaching so the safest thing to do was to head for open water away from land, but no nation would move its ships for fear of losing face in front of the others. Six of the ships were lost in the typhoon as a result and 200 American and German sailors perished. The British cruiser HMS Calliope barely managed to escape from the harbor and rode out the storm safely.

115. Tea grade PEKOE
A pekoe (or more commonly, orange pekoe) is a medium-grade black tea. There is no orange flavor in an orange pekoe tea. The “orange” name most likely derived from the name of the trading company that brought the tea to Europe from Asia.

122. Spice Girl Halliwell GERI
Geri Halliwell was called Ginger Spice because of her red hair when she was with the Spice Girls. Halliwell was quite a bit older than the rest of the group and so sometimes she was less charitably referred to as “Old Spice”.

123. Hebrides tongue ERSE
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).

The Hebrides is a group of islands just off the west coast of Scotland that are divided into two main group, the Inner and Outer Hebrides.

126. Teeny amt. of time NSEC
“Nanosecond” is more correctly abbreviated to “ns”, and really is a tiny amount of time … one billionth of a second.

Down
1. Paella ingredient SAFFRON
Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice by weight. The spice is derived from the saffron crocus. The spice itself is the dried stigma found in the flower of the plant.

Paella is sometime referred to as the Spanish national dish, but not by Spaniards. In Spain, paella is regarded as a typical regional dish from Valencia.

2. Existing independent of experience, in logic  A PRIORI
In the world of philosophy, one can have “a priori” knowledge or “a posteriori” knowledge. A priori (“from the earlier) knowledge is independent of experience, it is just known or assumed. For example, one might say that “all boys are males” is a priori knowledge. A posteriori knowledge relies on experience or some empirical evidence. For example, one might say that “boys are more likely to diagnosed with ADD” is a posteriori knowledge.

3. Eponymous market analyst NIELSEN
Arthur Nielsen founded his Nielsen Media Research company to track brand advertising. He quickly moved into market analysis of radio audiences in the thirties, and today the company is famous for tracking television audiences. I remember watching the last episode of the TV series “Becker”, in which Ted Danson played a doctor. Given that the show had been ordered off the air, there’s a great line in the last episode when Becker asks for the chart of a patient called “Nielsen”. He looks at the lab results and announces “I don’t know what everyone is talking about … these numbers aren’t so bad!” Great stuff …

4. Joint where kids are welcome? KNEE
One might welcome the grandkids onto one’s knee.

7. Pianist Claudio ARRAU
Claudio Arrau was a greatly respected Chilean pianist who performed for much of the twentieth century until his death in 1991. Arrau left Chile to study in Germany where he lived for many years, having married a German opera singer. During WWII, Arrau and his family left Germany and settled in New York City.

11. Midwest hub O’HARE
O’Hare International is the fourth busiest airport in the world. The original airport was constructed on the site between 1942 and 1943, and was used by the Douglas Aircraft Company for the manufacture of planes during WWII. Before the factory and airport were built, there was a community in the area called Orchard Place, so the airport was called Orchard Place Airport/Douglas Field. This name is the derivation of the airport’s current location identifier: ORD (OR-chard D-ouglas). Orchard Place Airport was renamed to O’Hare International in 1949 in honor of Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare who grew up in Chicago. O’Hare was the US Navy’s first flying ace and a Medal of Honor recipient in WWII. As an aside, Butch O’Hare’s father Edward was a lawyer friend of Al Capone who eventually worked undercover for the IRS and helped get the famous gangster convicted on tax evasion. Some years later, Edward was shot to death while driving his car.

13. Longtime Brit. music label EMI
EMI was a British music company, with the initials originally standing for Electric and Musical Industries.

15. Colorado Gold Rush area PIKES PEAK
Zebulon Pike was an American Army officer and explorer. On his first expedition for the military he discovered a mountain in the Rockies that had been dubbed El Capitan by Spanish settlers. It was later renamed to Pike’s Peaks (now “Pikes Peak”) in honor of the explorer.

The Pike’s Peak Gold Rush in the late 1850s and early 1860s was later referred to as the Colorado Gold Rush. Those gold seekers were called the “Fifty-Niners”, a play on the “Forty-Niners” of the California Gold Rush that started a decade earlier. The Fifty-Niners sometimes used the motto “Pike’s Peak or Bust”, referring to the mountain in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.

18. Safeco Field summer hrs. PDT
Safeco Field is the home of the Seattle Mariners. Safeco Insurance was the highest bidder when it came to christening the new stadium opened in 1999, paying $40m for a 20-year contract.

29. Where el sol rises ESTE
In Spanish, the sun (el sol) rises in the east (este).

34. Ernest Moniz’s dept. ENER
Ernest Moniz has served as the Secretary of Energy since 2013. Moniz is a nuclear physicist and was Head of the Department of Physics at MIT for several years. Moniz was named “designated survivor” while President Obama was delivering his 2014 State of the Union Address. In other words, Moniz was the member of the US Cabinet who was required to be at a secure location while the country’s leaders all gathered in the State Capitol. Should any catastrophic event have taken place killing those in the presidential line of succession, it would have fallen to Moniz to maintain continuity of government.

35. 2001 scandal subject ENRON
After all the trials following the exposure of fraud at Enron, several of the key players ended up in jail. Andrew Fastow was the Chief Financial Officer. He plea-bargained and received ten years without parole, and became the key witness in the trials of others. Even Fastow’s wife was involved and she was sentenced to one year for helping her husband hide money. Jeffrey Skilling (ex-CEO) was sentenced to 24 years and 4 months. Kenneth Lay (CEO) died in 2006 after he had been found guilty but before he could be sentenced. The accounting firm Arthur Andersen was found guilty of obstruction of justice for shredding thousands of pertinent documents and deleting emails and files (a decision that the Supreme Court later overturned on a technicality). But still, Arthur Andersen collapsed under the weight of the scandal and 85,000 people lost their jobs (despite only a handful being directly involved with Enron).

36. Who and No: Abbr. DRS
The iconic science-fiction television show “Doctor Who” was first aired in 1963, and relaunched in 2005 by the BBC. The relaunched series is produced in-house by the BBC in Cardiff in Wales, the location that is the setting of the successful “Doctor Who” spin-off called “Torchwood”. The new show is about the Cardiff branch of the Torchwood Institute which investigates incidents involving extraterrestrials (ETs).

“Dr. No” may have been the first film in the wildly successful James Bond franchise, but it was the sixth novel in the series of books penned by Ian Fleming. Fleming was inspired to write the story after reading the Fu Manchu tales by Sax Rohmer. If you’ve read the Rohmer books or seen the films, you’ll recognize the similarities between the characters Dr. No and Fu Manchu.

38. Rehab hurdle DTS
The episodes of delirium that can accompany withdrawal from alcohol are called Delirium Tremens (the DTs). The literal translation of this Latin phrase is “trembling madness”.

43. National Humor Mo. APR
National Humor Month was launched in 1976, and is observed in April of each year. The idea came from author and humorist Larry Wilde. HIs intent was to highlight the therapeutic value of laughter and joy.

46. Blunted blades EPEES
The épée that is used in today’s sport fencing is derived from the old French dueling sword. In fact, the the sport of épée fencing is very similar to the dualing of the 19th century. The word “épée” translates from French as “sword”.

54. Big wheel NABOB
A nabob is a person of wealth and prominence. “Nabob” derives from the title of a governor in India.

55. Borneo rainforest denizen ORANG
Orangutans (also “orangs”) are arboreal creatures, in fact the largest arboreal animals known to man. They are native to Indonesia and Malaysia, living in the rain forests. Like most species in rain forests these days, orangutans are endangered, with only two species surviving. The word “orangutan” is Malay, meaning “man of the forest”.

Borneo is the third largest island on the planet (after Greenland and New Guinea), and is located north of Australia in Maritime Southeast Asia. Most of the island is part of Indonesia (taking up 73% of the island) with almost all of the remainder being part of Malaysia (26%). The final 1% is home to the sovereign state of Brunei.

57. Words to live by CREED
A creed is a confession of faith, or a system of belief or principles. The word “creed” comes from the Latin “credo” meaning “I believe”.

61. Fidgeting ANTSY
The word “antsy” seems to embody the concept of “having ants in one’s pants”, meaning being nervous and fidgety. However, “antsy” has been used in English since the 1830s, whereas the expression “ants in the pants” originated a century later.

63. Good Grips kitchenware brand OXO
The OXO line of kitchen utensils is designed to be ergonomically superior to the average kitchen too. The intended user of OXO products is someone who doesn’t have the normal range of motion or strength in the hands e.g. someone suffering from arthritis.

64. Google Maps offering: Abbr. RTE
Route (rte.)

Google Maps is the core application to a suite of services that includes the Google Maps Website, Google Ride Finder and Google Transit. Google acquired this technology when they purchased a company based in Sydney, Australia. The basic application was developed by two Danish brothers called Lars and Jens Rasmussen.

66. Depression __ ERA
The Great Depression (sometimes “Depression Era) was a worldwide phenomenon in the decade or so that preceded World War II. The depression was sparked by a dramatic drop in stock prices in the US in September 1929, which eventually made the news around the world following the stock market crash of October 29th of that year, now known as Black Tuesday. US unemployment rose to 25% during the Great Depression, and in some countries unemployment was as high as 33%. Many economists believe that World War II played a large role in ending the depression, at least here in the US. Government spending on the war increased employment dramatically, although many of those jobs were in the front lines. During the war, unemployment fell back below 10%.

67. “The X-Files” extras ETS
“The X-Files” is a very successful science fiction show that aired on the Fox network from 1993 to 2002. The stars of the show are David Duchovny (playing Fox Mulder) and the very talented Gillian Anderson (playing Dana Scully). By the time the series ended, “The X-Files” was the longest running sci-fi show in US broadcast history.

70. Two-time British Open champ ERNIE ELS
Ernie Els is a South African golfer. Els a big guy but he has an easy fluid golf swing that has earned him the nickname “The Big Easy”. He is a former World No. 1 and won four majors: the US Open (1994 & 1997) and the British Open (2002 & 2012). He has a child who suffers from autism and so Els has been very effective in raising money for charities that focus on the condition.

71. Belarus capital MINSK
Minsk is the capital of Belarus, formerly known as the Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. One of Minsk’s more infamous residents was Lee Harvey Oswald who lived there from 1960 to 1962.

78. Cake pan trademark BUNDT
Here in the US, what we know as “Bundt cake” takes its name from the ring-shaped pan in which it is usually baked. This pan was introduced in 1950 by the company NordicWare, at which time the “Bundt” name was trademarked.

85. Pres. advisory team NSC
The National Security Council (NSC) was created by President Harry S. Truman in 1947. The NSC is chaired by the sitting president and meets in the White House Situation Room.

88. DXV ÷ V CIII
515 ÷ 3 = 103

92. National org. with the slogan “everychild. onevoice” PTA
The National Parent Teacher Association (National PTA) was founded back in 1897 as the National Congress of Mothers.

93. “Babe” extras EWES
The hit 1995 film “Babe” was produced and filmed in Australia. The movie is an adaptation of a 1983 novel called “The Sheep-Pig” written by Dick King-Smith. “Babe” was a smash hit at the box office and was extremely well received by the critics. The film was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, but lost out to “Braveheart”. However, it did win the Oscar for Best Visual Effects by beating out “Apollo 13”, which was an amazing feat, I’d say…

94. Twelve Steps support group ALATEEN
Alateen is part of Al-Anon, a support group formed to help people enrolled in Alcoholics Anonymous. Alateen is a 12-step program of recovery for young people who are affected by another person’s drinking.

104. Danish coin KRONE
“Krone” translates into English as “crown”, and was the name given to coins that bore the image of the monarch in several countries. Today, the krone is the name given to the currency of Norway and of Denmark. Some of the Norwegian and Danish kroner have holes in the middle, giving them a “doughnut” or “torus” shape.

105. Victoria Quarter city LEEDS
Victoria Quarter is an upmarket shopping area in the city center of Leeds in the North of England.

I went to school for a while not far from Leeds in West Yorkshire in the north of England. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, Leeds was a major center for the production and trading of wool, and then with the onset of mechanization it became a natural hub for manufacture of textiles. These days Leeds is noted as a shopping destination and so has been dubbed “the Knightsbridge of the North”. People from Leeds are known locally as “Loiners”, but nobody really knows why.

106. Rich boy in “Nancy” comics ROLLO
“Nancy” is a comic strip that was originally called “Fritzi Ritz” when it first appeared in 1938. Nancy Ritz is a mischievous young girl, and Rollo is a friendly rich kid.

109. Rebuttal piece, perhaps OP-ED
Op-ed is an abbreviation for “opposite the editorial page”. Op-eds started in “The New York Evening World” in 1921 when the page opposite the editorials was used for articles written by a named guest writer, someone independent of the editorial board.

113. Fire __ SIGN
Each of the twelve astrological signs is associated with one of the classical elements:

– Fire signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
– Earth signs: Taurus, Capricorn, Virgo
– Air signs: Libra, Aquarius, Gemini
– Water signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

116. Feathered six-footer EMU
The emu has had a tough time in Australia since man settled there. There was even an “Emu War” in Western Australia in 1932 when migrating emus competed with livestock for water and food. Soldiers were sent in and used machine guns in an unsuccessful attempt to drive off the “invading force”. The emus were clever, breaking their usual formations and adopting guerrilla tactics, operating as smaller units. After 50 days of “war”, the military withdrew. Subsequent requests for military help for the farmers were ignored. The emus had emerged victorious …

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Holed, as a putt SANK
5. Gives and takes SWAPS
10. Unlit? SOBER
15. Showy display POMP
19. Neat as __ A PIN
20. __ firma TERRA
21. Butt (in) CHIME
22. Google Nexus competitor IPAD
23. Nonconformist FREE SPIRIT
25. Predecessor of Begin RABIN
26. Superman’s cover KENT
27. Choice cut FILET
28. Went for a seat RAN
29. British aristocrat EARL
30. Get hot on Twitter TREND
32. Longtime Guardian cartoonist Asquith ROS
33. Roadwork warning REDUCE SPEED
37. Equally hot AS MAD
39. Rosemary relative OREGANO
41. Tolkien forest giant ENT
42. “Moneyball” Oscar nominee BRAD PITT
44. Boneheads NINNIES
45. Candy that comes in three colors REESE’S PIECES
48. “Gimme __!”: start of a Rutgers cheer AN R
49. “10538 Overture” band ELO
51. Good buddy PAL
52. HDTV brand RCA
53. Pulls a fast one on SNOWS
56. Don McLean song that begins “Starry, starry night” VINCENT
58. Large spitz AKITA
62. Parts of teacups EARS
63. Central Utah city OREM
65. Pomegranate color RED
66. Dragon roll ingredient EEL
68. Room to chill DEN
69. Still undecided, briefly TBA
70. X Games pursuits EXTREME SPORTS
73. Permitted LET
74. Huge load TON
75. Uni, in sushi bars ROE
76. You, to Goethe SIE
77. Tax-sheltered accts. IRAS
78. They may be placed BETS
79. Delivery expert, briefly OB/GYN
81. Canal transport GONDOLA
83. Forward PUSHY
84. “Ich bin __ Berliner” EIN
86. Has too much, briefly ODS
87. Styling stuff GEL
88. Pop holder CAN
89. Position held three times by Henry Clay HOUSE SPEAKER
94. Troop support mission AIRDROP
98. Looks for flaws in INSPECTS
99. “The Royal Tenenbaums” director Anderson WES
101. Eavesdrops, with “in” LISTENS
102. Stretch SPELL
103. Athlete’s setback ANKLE SPRAIN
107. Ottoman governor BEY
108. “You __ right!” ARE SO
110. Olympian war god ARES
111. Auction group LOT
112. Stern with a bow ISAAC
114. South Pacific capital APIA
115. Tea grade PEKOE
117. Pledge drive talk, essentially SALES PITCH
119. Brings together WEDS
120. Revise, as text EMEND
121. Map fleck ISLET
122. Spice Girl Halliwell GERI
123. Hebrides tongue ERSE
124. Fellas DUDES
125. Insincere PHONY
126. Teeny amt. of time NSEC

Down
1. Paella ingredient SAFFRON
2. Existing independent of experience, in logic  A PRIORI
3. Eponymous market analyst NIELSEN
4. Joint where kids are welcome? KNEE
5. Son of a Gun! vinyl protectant maker STP
6. Oddballs WEIRDOS
7. Pianist Claudio ARRAU
8. Royal issue PRINCE
9. Held court SAT
10. Junkyard metal SCRAP
11. Midwest hub O’HARE
12. Fundamentalist region BIBLE BELT
13. Longtime Brit. music label EMI
14. Second-home income, perhaps RENT
15. Colorado Gold Rush area PIKES PEAK
16. Feature of club nights for wannabes OPEN MIC
17. Official order MANDATE
18. Safeco Field summer hrs. PDT
24. Stretches to the limit STRAINS
29. Where el sol rises ESTE
31. Extremists RADICALS
34. Ernest Moniz’s dept. ENER
35. 2001 scandal subject ENRON
36. Who and No: Abbr. DRS
38. Rehab hurdle DTS
40. Chews (on) GNAWS
43. National Humor Mo. APR
46. Blunted blades EPEES
47. Construction site sight SAND PILE
49. Continually EVER
50. Citrus drink LIME SODA
53. Squabble SET-TO
54. Big wheel NABOB
55. Borneo rainforest denizen ORANG
57. Words to live by CREED
59. Wastes time IDLES
60. Brush targets TEETH
61. Fidgeting ANTSY
63. Good Grips kitchenware brand OXO
64. Google Maps offering: Abbr. RTE
66. Depression __ ERA
67. “The X-Files” extras ETS
70. Two-time British Open champ ERNIE ELS
71. Belarus capital  MINSK
72. __ exam ORAL
78. Cake pan trademark BUNDT
80. Polite acceptance YES PLEASE
81. Gets buff? GOES NAKED
82. Role-playing game beasts OGRES
83. Carrot cousin PARSNIP
85. Pres. advisory team NSC
88. DXV ÷ V CIII
89. “To each __ own” HIS
90. Hypothetically ON PAPER
91. Handles for surfers USER IDS
92. National org. with the slogan “everychild. onevoice” PTA
93. “Babe” extras EWES
94. Twelve Steps support group ALATEEN
95. Money-back lures REBATES
96. Plot size, perhaps ONE ACRE
97. One with the ability hidden in nine puzzle answers PSYCHIC
100. Make waves, in a way SPLASH
104. Danish coin KRONE
105. Victoria Quarter city LEEDS
106. Rich boy in “Nancy” comics ROLLO
109. Rebuttal piece, perhaps OP-ED
113. Fire __ SIGN
114. Leave wide-eyed AWE
116. Feathered six-footer EMU
117. Nurse SIP
118. Muddy home STY

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