LA Times Crossword Answers 9 Aug 15, Sunday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Gail Grabowski
THEME: Forgotten … each of today’s themed answers is a common phrase, but with the letter sequence EN removed:

23A. Seasonally decorated doorways? FALL ARCHES (from “fallen arches”)
25A. Inept burger joint cook? BUNS BURNER (from “Bunsen burner”)
47A. Prospector’s pooch? GOLD RETRIEVER (from “golden retriever”)
97A. Uncultivated area in Roseanne’s back forty? BARR WASTELAND (from “barren wasteland”)
122A. Snake looking scared? QUAKING ASP (from “quaking aspen”)
126A. Sales pitch for an Austrian pistol? GLOCK SPIEL (from “glockenspiel”)
36D. Gals’ gathering before the flick? CHICK DINNER (from “chicken dinner”)
46D. Allergen survey? RAGWEED POLL (from “ragweed pollen”)

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 18m 48s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. Dramatist Connelly MARC
Marc Connelly was a playwright who received the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1930, for his play “The Green Pastures”. Connelly was a member of the Algonquin Round Table that met in New York City’s Algonquin Hotel from 1919 until 1929.

19. 1997 film apiarist ULEE
“Ulee’s Gold” is a highly respected film from 1997 in which Peter Fonda plays the title role of Ulee. Ulee’s “gold” is the honey that Ulee produces. It is a favorite role for Peter Fonda and he has shared that playing Ulee brought to mind his father Henry Fonda, who himself kept a couple of hives. So if you see Peter Fonda in “Ulee’s Gold” you’re witnessing some characteristics that Peter saw in his father.

20. Glittery stone GEODE
A geode is a rock in which there is a cavity lined or filled with crystal formations.

25. Inept burger joint cook? BUNS BURNER (from “Bunsen burner”)
The Bunsen burner is common piece of lab equipment that is used for heating and combustion. The device was invented in 1854 by Robert Bunsen at the University of Heidelberg in Germany.

27. One begins “Rhapsody in Blue” TRILL
In music a “trill” is the rapid alternation of two tones that are very close to each other to make a vibrato sound.

“Rhapsody in Blue” is one of the most popular works by the great George Gershwin. The piece has a famous clarinet glissando at its opening, but is a work for solo piano and orchestra. Gershwin himself played the piano at its premiere in 1924. We can’t be certain how that original “Rhapsody” sounded as Gershwin improvised some of what he was playing, and didn’t write out the piano part until after the first performance.

28. Casual wear SLACKS
The term “slacks” was introduced in the early 1800s with the the meaning “loose trousers”. Those early slacks were part of a military uniform.

30. Sword-wielding legend ZORRO
The character Zorro was created by Johnston McCulley in 1919 for a series of stories and pulp fiction. The name “Zorro” is the secret identity of a Spanish colonial nobleman called Don Diego de la Vega. “Zorro” is Spanish for “fox”.

35. Crime-fighting film cyborg ROBOCOP
“RoboCop” is a film that was released in 1987, starring Peter Weller in the title role. Weller wore a very impressive “robot” suit for the film, the most expensive item on the set, costing over a million dollars. Weller would lose three pounds a day in sweat alone as temperatures inside the suit went to over 100 degrees F.

39. Condescending sort SNOB
Back in the 1780s, a “snob” was a shoemaker or a shoemaker’s apprentice. By the end of the 18th century the word was being used by students at Cambridge University in England to refer to all local merchants and people of the town. The term evolved to mean one who copies those who are his or her social superior (and not in a good way). From there it wasn’t a big leap for “snob” to include anyone who emphasized their superior social standing and not just those who aspired to rank. Nowadays a snob is anyone who looks down on those considered to be of inferior standing.

41. Hoodwinks FOOLS
“Hoodwink” has had the meaning “to deceive” since about 1600. Prior to that it meant simply “to blindfold”, a sort of portmanteau word from “hood” and “wink”.

44. “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” band, briefly CCR
Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) was a rock band from San Francisco that actually played in a Southern rock style, with hits such as “Proud Mary”, “Bad Moon Rising”, “Down on the Corner”, “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” and “Who’ll Stop the Rain”.

47. Prospector’s pooch? GOLD RETRIEVER (from “golden retriever”)
The breed of dog called the Golden Retriever originated in Scotland in the mid-1700s. The breed was developed to retrieve game that had been down by hunters, whether the game was to be found in water or on land. Existing retrievers (which worked well on land) were crossed with water spaniels (which worked well in water) to come up with the Golden Retriever breed.

52. Sch. in Ames ISU
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (ISU) is located in Ames, Iowa. Among many other notable events, ISU created the country’s first school of veterinary medicine, in 1879. The sports teams of ISU are known as the Cyclones.

56. Some fitness ctrs. YMCAS
The YMCA is a worldwide movement that has its roots in London, England. There, in 1844, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was founded with the intent of promoting Christian principles through the development of “a healthy spirit, mind and body”. The founder, George Williams, saw the need to create YMCA facilities for young men who were flocking to the cities as the Industrial Revolution flourished. He saw that these men were frequenting taverns and brothels, and wanted to offer a more wholesome alternative.

57. Maker of Veriton computers ACER
I owned several Acer laptops, which are for my money the most reliable machine at the best price. Acer is a Taiwanese company that I used to visit a lot when I was in the electronics business. I was very impressed with the company’s dedication to quality, and haven’t been let down since.

63. Carol contraction ‘TIS
The music for the Christmas song “Deck the Halls” is a traditional Welsh tune that dates back to the 16th century. The same tune was used by Mozart for a violin and piano duet. The lyrics with which we are familiar (other than the “tra-la-la”) are American in origin, and were recorded in 19th century. “‘Tis the season to be jolly …”

64. Sign on a B’way booth TKTS
The “TKTS” booths sell discount theater tickets, notably in Times Square in New York and in the West End of London.

73. Ill-fated woman? PANDORA
In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman. Pandora was created by the gods, with each god bestowing on her a gift. Her name can be translated from Greek as “all-gifted”. Pandora is famous for the story of “Pandora’s Box”. In actual fact, the story should be about Pandora’s “Jar” as a 16th-century error in translation created a “box” out of the “jar”. In the story of Pandora’s Box, curiosity got the better of her and she opened up a box she was meant to leave alone. As a result she released all the evils of mankind, just closing it in time to trap hope inside.

75. The Clintons, notably YALIES
When Hillary Rodham Clinton was appointed US Secretary of State, she became the first former First Lady to serve in a president’s cabinet. Hillary met her husband, President Bill Clinton, when the two were studying at Yale law school.

President Bill Clinton was born not as a Clinton, but as William Jefferson Blythe. His father was killed in a car accident just three months before he was born. His mother remarried a few years later, to Roger Clinton. Bill didn’t formally adopt the Clinton name until he was fourteen years old, although he used it as he was growing up.

78. Citation or Corsair EDSEL
The Edsel brand of automobile was named for Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford. Sadly, the name “Edsel” has become synonymous with “failure”, which was no fault of Edsel himself who had died several years before the Edsel line was introduced.

82. Small amount PINCH
In cooking, a “dash” is a very small measure, one that is often undefined. However, you can in fact buy some measuring spoons that define not only a dash but also a “pinch” and a “smidgen”, as follows:

– a dash is 1/8 teaspoon
– a pinch is 1/16 teaspoon
– a smidgen is 1/32 teaspoon

83. Dry riverbed WADI
“Wadi” is an Arabic term referring to a valley, or perhaps a (mostly) dry riverbed. In English we might call this a “wash”, or in Spanish an “arroyo”.

85. Victim of curiosity CAT
The proverb “curiosity killed the cat” dates back at least to the late 1500s. The original form of the proverb was “care killed the cat”, with “care” used in the sense of “worry, sorrow”. Shakespeare uses the phrase in his 1599 play “Much Ado About Nothing”.
What, courage man! what though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care.

87. Award-winning Disney animator Glen KEANE
Glen Keane was a Disney animator from 1973 until 2012. Included in the list of characters drawn by Keane are the title characters in “The LIttle Mermaid” (1989), “Aladdin” (1992), “Pocahontas” (1995) and “Tarzan” (1999). Glen is the son of cartoonist Bil Keane who created the comic strip “The Family Circus”.

88. Tijuana title SENOR
Tijuana is the largest city in the Mexican state of Baja California, and lies just across the US-Mexico border from San Diego. Tijuana is also the most westerly of all Mexican cities. A lot of Tijuana’s growth took place in the twenties as tourists flocked south of the border during the days of prohibition in the US. One of the many casinos and hotels that flourished at that time was Hotel Caesar’s in the Avenida Revolución area. Hotel Caesar’s claims to be the birthplace of the now ubiquitous Caesar Salad.

89. Longtime Kentucky hoops coach RUPP
Adolph Rupp was a very successful college basketball coach. A native of Kentucky, Rupp was a reserve player for the University of Kansas basketball team from 1919 to 1923, and then coached the Kansas men’s basketball team from 1930 to 1972.

95. Peace Nobelist Cassin RENE
René Cassin drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after WWII that was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948. This work led to Cassin being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968.

97. Uncultivated area in Roseanne’s back forty? BARR WASTELAND (from “barren wasteland”)
The comedienne Roseanne Barr is perhaps best known as the star of her own sitcom called “Roseanne” in which she played the character Roseanne Conner. In 2012 Barr unsuccessfully vied for the Green Party’s nomination for US President. She didn’t give up though, and was successful in winning the nomination of the Peace and Freedom Party. In the 2012 presidential election she earned over 60,000 votes, and placed sixth in the list of candidates.

104. “The Great Dictator” Oscar nominee OAKIE
Jack Oakie was the stage name of actor Lewis Offield, who was originally from Missouri. Offield was raised in Oklahoma, and for this reason picked up the nickname “Oakie”. The “Jack” in his stage name came from the first character that he portrayed in a play. Oakie played Benzino Napaloni in Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator”, a character that was very much based on Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

110. Potpourri pieces PETALS
The French term “pot pourri” literally translates to “rotten pot”, but in France it used to mean “stew”. Over time, the term “potpourri” evolved in English usage to mean a “medley”, and eventually a mixture of dried flowers and spices.

113. Fragrant resin BALSAM
The Balm of Gilead tree is also known as the Balsam poplar. The tree’s resin is extracted for use in cough syrups and as a first-aid salve.

117. Modern storage area, with “the” CLOUD
In the world of computing, when one operates “in the cloud”, one’s files and key applications are not stored on one’s own computer, but rather are residing “in the cloud”, on a computer somewhere out on the Internet. I do 90% of my computing in the cloud. That way I don’t have to worry about backing up files, and I can operate from any computer if I have to. In fact, I am working in the cloud right now as I type up this post …

122. Snake looking scared? QUAKING ASP (from “quaking aspen”)
The “quaking” aspen tree is so called because the structure of the leaves causes them to move easily in the wind, to “tremble, quake”.

126. Sales pitch for an Austrian pistol? GLOCK SPIEL (from “glockenspiel”)
Glock G.m.b.H. is an Austrian company that produces the Glock series of pistols. Much of the frame of the Glock is made out of a polymer, as opposed to metal.

A spiel is a lengthy speech or argument designed to persuade, like a sales pitch. “Spiel” comes to us from German, either directly (“spiel” is the German for “play”) or via the Yiddish “shpil”.

The glockenspiel and xylophone are similar instruments, the main difference being the material from which the keys are made. Xylophone keys are made from wood, and glockenspiel keys are made from metal.

129. Wasatch Mountains resort ALTA
Alta ski resort actually lies within the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Area. The first ski lift in the resort was opened way back in 1939. Today, Alta is one of only three ski resorts in the country that prohibits snowboarding (along with Deer Valley, Utah and Mad River Glen, Vermont. The ski resort of Snowbird located next to Alta has been in operation since 1971.

The Wasatch Range is at the western edge of the Rocky Mountains and runs through Utah. “Wasatch” is a Ute word meaning “mountain pass”.

131. Sight from Taormina ETNA
Taormina is a village on the coast of Sicily that is a popular tourist destination. The village sits perched on a cliff, and overlooks the Ionian Sea. It is also about a 45-minute drive from Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano.

132. Bond player before Dalton MOORE
Roger Moore is best known in the US for taking on the role of 007 in seven James Bond movies from 1973 to 1985. In my part of the world we remember him playing a very debonair hero called Simon Templar in a TV series called “The Saint” from 1962 to 1969. Moore’s Templar character could very easily have morphed into a great James Bond, but by the time he was offered the part I personally think that he was just a tad too long in the tooth to pull off a credible 007.

Timothy Dalton is a British actor who is perhaps best known for playing James Bond in “The Living Daylights” (1987) and “Licence to Kill” (1989). Pierce Brosnan was the first choice to take over the Bond role after Roger Moore, but Brosnan could not get out of his contractual commitment to the show “Remington Steele”. For many years, Dalton was in a relationship with English actress Vanessa Redgrave.

134. “Dragonwyck” author SETON
Anya Seton was the pen name of Ann Seton, an author of historical romances from New York City. Seton’s 1944 novel “Dragonwyck” was released into theaters in 1946 and starred Gene Tierney and Walter Huston.

Down
1. Civilian attire MUFTI
“Mufti” is civilian dress that is worn by someone who usually wears a uniform. The term is probably related somehow to the Arabic “mufti”, the word for a Muslim scholar who interprets Islamic law.

4. Ensemble of eight in the score of Villa-Lobos’ “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5” CELLOS
Heitor Villa-Lobos was a composer from Brazil who was particularly prolific. He wrote over 2,000 works by the time of his death in 1959.

5. Cabinet dept. AGR
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) actually dates back to 1862, when it was established by then-president Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln referred to the USDA as the “people’s department” as our economy had such a vast agrarian base back then.

7. “Expect great things” retailer KOHL’S
Kohl’s is a department store chain with its headquarters in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The store takes its name from the founder, Maxwell Kohl.

9. Brand that includes Taster’s Choice NESCAFE
Nescafé is an instant coffee brand made by Nestlé. The name is a portmanteau of “Nestlé” and “café”. Nescafé was developed in the thirties and was introduced to the market in 1938.

11. Calcutta Tech grad on “The Simpsons” APU
The fictional Kwik-E-Mart store is operated by Apu Nahasapeemapetilon on “The Simpsons” TV show. Apu is married to Manjula , and the couple have eight children, actually eight octuplets. The convenience store owner doesn’t seem to be making much use of his Ph.D in computer science that he earned in the US. Apu’s undergraduate degree is from Caltech (the Calcutta Technical Institute), where he graduated top of his class of seven million students …

12. Kay of “Rich Man, Poor Man” LENZ
Kay Lenz is an American television actress, most famous for playing Kate Jordache in the TV mini-series adaptation of Irwin Shaw’s novel “Rich Man, Poor Man”. Off the screen, she was noted as the first wife of the singer and actor, David Cassidy.

13. Belgian painter James ENSOR
James Ensor was a Belgian painter active in the first half of the twentieth century. He lived in Ostend for almost all of his life, and in terms of travel, he only made three brief trips abroad, to Paris, London and Holland.

14. Longtime New Yorker cartoonist James THURBER
James Thurber was a cartoonist, author and humorist who was noted for his wit. One of Thurber’s most famous works is the 1939 short story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”.

16. Hankering YEN
The word “yen”, meaning “urge”, has been around in English since the very early 1900s. It comes from the earlier word “yin” imported from Chinese, which was used in English to describe an intense craving for opium!

17. Key for Satie? ILE
In French, an island (île) is a piece of ground (terre) in the sea (mer).

A “key” (also “cay”) is a low island offshore, as in the Florida Keys. Our term in English comes from the Spanish “cayo” meaning “shoal, reef”.

Erik Satie was a French composer most famous for his beautiful composition, the three “Gymnopédies”. I have tried so hard to appreciate other works by Satie but I find them so very different from the minimalist simplicity of the lyrical “Gymnopédies”.

18. Original D&D co. TSR
Dungeons & Dragons is a complex role-playing game first published in 1974, by Tactical Studies Rules Incorporated (TSR). Dungeons & Dragons was probably the first of the modern role-playing games to be developed, and the most successful. It is still played by lots of people today, including my nerdy son …

29. Granny __ KNOT
The “granny knot” is related to the “reef knot” in that both are doubled overhand knots. The granny knot is formed by tying two left-handed (or two right-handed) overhand knots. The reef knot is formed by tying a right-handed and then a left-handed overhand knot (or vice versa). As a former sailor, I can attest that it is important to use a reef knot rather than a granny knot, as a granny knot is very difficult to untie whereas a reef knot is secure, yet can be released relatively easily.

42. The Amish, e.g. SECT
The Amish are a group of Christian churches, a sub-group of the Mennonite churches. The Amish church originated in Switzerland and Alsace in 1693 when it was founded by Jakob Ammann. It was Ammann who gave the name to the Amish people. Many Amish people came to Pennsylvania in the 18th century.

44. Mild smoke CLARO
A claro is mild cigar made with light-colored tobacco. The name “claro” comes from the Spanish for “clear”.

45. Mystery middle name CONAN
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the author who created the character Sherlock Holmes. Doyle also wrote a pamphlet justifying the UK position in the Second Boer War, at a time when the UK was universally criticized for action taken in South Africa. Doyle believed that it was this pamphlet that earned him his knighthood. Doyle died in 1930. His gravestone reads:
Steel true/Blade straight/Arthur Conan Doyle/Knight/Patriot, Physician, and man of letters.

46. Allergen survey? RAGWEED POLL (from “ragweed pollen”)
The pollen of ragweed is the greatest allergen of all pollens. It seems that the pollen season has been lengthening in recent years, probably due to global warming.

51. “Me Talk Pretty One Day” piece ESSAY
“Me Talk Pretty One Day” is a collection of essays by the great humorist David Sedaris, first published in 2000.

David Sedaris is a humorist and author from Binghamton, New York who grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is one of my wife’s favorite authors so we attended an event where Sedaris read some of his works a few years back. He was very, very entertaining. David’s sister is actress and comedienne Amy Sedaris who plays the lead in the Comedy Central series “Strangers with Candy”.

57. Artist’s studio ATELIER
An atelier is an artist’s studio, with “atelier” being the French word for “studio” or “workshop”.

61. River of Tuscany ARNO
The Arno is the principal river in the Tuscany region of Italy, passing through the cities of Florence and Pisa. Famously the Arno flooded in 1966, the worst flood in the region for centuries. There were numerous deaths and extensive destruction of priceless art treasures, particularly in Florence.

68. “Summer Nights” musical GREASE
“Grease” was, and still is, a very successful stage musical with a blockbuster film version released in 1978. “Summer Nights” is a song from the musical that was a huge hit for John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

74. Year’s record ANNAL
“Annal” is a rarely used word, the singular of the more common “annals”. An annal would be the recorded events of one year, with annals being the chronological record of events in successive years. The term “annal” comes from the Latin “annus” meaning “year”.

77. Scintilla SHRED
A “scintilla” is a small amount. The term can also be used to describe a spark or a flash (as in “to scintillate”). The term came into English from Latin, in which language it means “spark, particle of fire, atom”.

79. “If I Only Had the Nerve” singer LAHR
Bert Lahr’s most famous role was the cowardly lion in “The Wizard of Oz”. Lahr had a long career in burlesque, vaudeville and on Broadway. Lahr also starred in the first US production of Samuel Beckett’s play “Waiting for Godot”, alongside Tom Ewell.

“If I Only Had the Nerve” is a song from the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz”. The song is sung three times in the movie, each time with different lyrics. It is sung first by the Scarecrow, then the Cowardly Lion and finally by the Tin Man. The other versions of the song are, “If I Only Had a Brain” and “If I Only Had a Heart”.

81. French governing group SENAT
The French Senate (“Sénat”) meets in the beautiful Luxembourg Palace (“Palais du Luxembourg”) in Paris. There are occasions when both houses of the French Parliament (the Senate and the National Assembly) meet at the Palace of Versailles. This joint session is held for the purpose of voting on revisions to the Constitution, or to listen to an address by the President.

86. Islands staple TARO
The corm of some taro plants is used to make poi, the traditional Hawaiian dish (that I think tastes horrible). When a taro plant is grown as an ornamental, it is often called Elephant Ears due to the shape of its large leaves.

97. No-nonsense route BEELINE
To make a beeline for somewhere or something, one takes a direct route. The term derives from excellent homing instinct of bees.

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

99. SWAT team supply TEAR GAS
SWAT is an acronym standing for Special Weapons and Tactics. The first SWAT team was pulled together in the Los Angeles Police Department in 1968.

100. Fast races DRAGS
Back in the 18th century “drag” was slang for a wagon or buggy, as it was “dragged” along by a horse or horses. In the 1930s, the underworld adopted drag as slang for an automobile. This sense of the word was imported into automobile racing in the forties, giving the name to “drag racing”. A drag race is basically a competition between two cars to determine which can accelerate faster from a standstill.

108. Hamlet, to Gertrude SON
In William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, Hamlet’s mother Gertrude stands over the grave of Ophelia, whom she had hoped would marry her son. Gertrude throws flowers (“sweets”) on the grave of Ophelia (“the sweet”) saying:

Sweets to the sweet, farewell!
I hop’d thou shouldst have been my Hamlet’s wife:
I thought thy bride-bed to have deck’d, sweet maid,
And not have strew’d thy grave.

111. De Gaulle’s birth city LILLE
Lille is a large city in the very north of France sitting right on the border with Belgium. The name “Lille” is a derivation of the term “l’isle” meaning “the island”.

Charles de Gaulle was a Brigadier General early in WWII and led one of the few successful counter-attacks against invading German forces during the Battle of France in 1940. He escaped to Britain, and from there encouraged the French populace to resist the occupation. By the end of the war he was leading the French government in exile, and when France was retaken he was named Prime Minister in the French Provisional Government. He resigned his position in 1946. Over a decade later he was elected as Prime Minister in 1958, and then President in 1959, an office he held until 1969. The main airport of Paris is named in his honor, as is the French navy’s only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

112. Supercilious sort SNOOT
“Snoot” is a variant of “snout” and is a word that originated in Scotland. The idea is that someone who is “snooty”, or snouty, tends to look down his or her nose at the rest of the world.

“Supercilious” is a such a lovely-sounding word, with a not-so-lovely meaning. Some described as supercilious is lofty with pride, haughtily contemptuous. The term derives from the Latin “supercilium” meaning “eyebrow” (actually “above the eyelid), the idea being that a person is prone to raise his or her eyebrows to express haughtiness.

115. “The Hunger Games” setting ARENA
“The Hunger Games” is a 2008 novel by Suzanne Collins, the first in a trilogy of titles that also includes “Catching Fire” (2009) and “Mockingjay” (2010). “The Hunger Games” was adapted into a very successful movie released in 2012, with the sequels following soon after.

116. Back biter? MOLAR
Molars are grinding teeth. The term “molar” comes from the Latin “mola” meaning “millstone”.

118. “Lobster Telephone” artist DALI
The famous surrealist painter Salvador Dalí was born in Figueres, Spain. I had the privilege of visiting the Dalí Museum in Figueres some years ago, just north of Barcelona. If you ever get the chance, it’s a “must see” as it really is a quite magnificent building with a fascinating collection.

120. Lovelorn nymph ECHO
In Greek mythology, Echo is one of the Oreads, the mountain nymphs. Echo fell in love with the vain Narcissus, and followed him into the forest one day. Narcissus heard her following him and called out, “Who’s there?”. Echo answered, “Who’s there?” Again he called out, and again Echo echoed his words back to him. Get the gist?

122. Iranian pilgrimage site QOM
Qom (also Qum) is a city in Iran located about 100 miles southwest of Tehran. Qom is a holy city in the Shi’a Islam tradition, and a pilgrimage destination.

123. Tabloid pic subject UFO
Unidentified flying object (UFO)

“Tabloid” is the trademarked name (owned by Burroughs, Wellcome and Co,) for a “small tablet of medicine”, a name that goes back to 1884. The word “tabloid” had entered into general use to mean a compressed form of anything, and by the early 1900s was used in “tabloid journalism”, applied to newspapers that had short, condensed articles and stories printed on smaller sheets of paper.

125. Fr. holy woman STE
“Sainte” (ste.) is French for “saint”, when referring to a female.

127. Leavenworth locale: Abbr. KAN
Fort Leavenworth in Kansas is actually home to three federal prisons:

– US Disciplinary Barracks … a military prison
– Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility … a military prison
– US Penitentiary, Leavenworth … a civilian prison

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Dramatist Connelly MARC
5. Invite to enter ASK IN
10. Mall draw SALE
14. “Take a chance!” TRY IT!
19. 1997 film apiarist ULEE
20. Glittery stone GEODE
21. Available OPEN
22. Reason for wobbling, perhaps HEELS
23. Seasonally decorated doorways? FALL ARCHES (from “fallen arches”)
25. Inept burger joint cook? BUNS BURNER (from “Bunsen burner”)
27. One begins “Rhapsody in Blue” TRILL
28. Casual wear SLACKS
30. Sword-wielding legend ZORRO
31. “No worries, dude” I’M COOL
33. Viewpoints SLANTS
35. Crime-fighting film cyborg ROBOCOP
39. Condescending sort SNOB
41. Hoodwinks FOOLS
43. Prefix with centric ETHNO-
44. “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” band, briefly CCR
47. Prospector’s pooch? GOLD RETRIEVER (from “golden retriever”)
52. Sch. in Ames ISU
53. Rye buy LOAF
55. Whittle (down) PARE
56. Some fitness ctrs. YMCAS
57. Maker of Veriton computers ACER
58. Viewpoint ANGLE
60. “What a shame!” SO SAD!
63. Carol contraction ‘TIS
64. Sign on a B’way booth TKTS
65. Not as experienced RAWER
66. Digital jewelry TOE RING
69. Identified NAMED
71. Like he-man push-ups ONE-ARM
73. Ill-fated woman? PANDORA
75. The Clintons, notably YALIES
78. Citation or Corsair EDSEL
80. Lets out a bit LOOSENS
82. Small amount PINCH
83. Dry riverbed WADI
85. Victim of curiosity CAT
87. Award-winning Disney animator Glen KEANE
88. Tijuana title SENOR
89. Longtime Kentucky hoops coach RUPP
90. Deep depression CHASM
93. Registered, with “in” SANK
95. Peace Nobelist Cassin RENE
96. Excitement ADO
97. Uncultivated area in Roseanne’s back forty? BARR WASTELAND (from “barren wasteland”)
101. Casting aid ROD
102. 88-Across feature TILDE
104. “The Great Dictator” Oscar nominee OAKIE
105. Shredded TORE
107. Most sacred HOLIEST
110. Potpourri pieces PETALS
113. Fragrant resin BALSAM
117. Modern storage area, with “the” CLOUD
119. Sacred structure SHRINE
121. Choose to play for pay GO PRO
122. Snake looking scared? QUAKING ASP (from “quaking aspen”)
126. Sales pitch for an Austrian pistol? GLOCK SPIEL (from “glockenspiel”)
128. A lot OFTEN
129. Wasatch Mountains resort ALTA
130. __ shirt ALOHA
131. Sight from Taormina ETNA
132. Bond player before Dalton MOORE
133. Level TIER
134. “Dragonwyck” author SETON
135. Cherished DEAR

Down
1. Civilian attire MUFTI
2. Thing to set ALARM
3. Thing of the past RELIC
4. Ensemble of eight in the score of Villa-Lobos’ “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5” CELLOS
5. Cabinet dept. AGR
6. Brief times SECS
7. “Expect great things” retailer KOHL’S
8. Perfect IDEAL
9. Brand that includes Taster’s Choice NESCAFE
10. Often-exaggerated tale SOB STORY
11. Calcutta Tech grad on “The Simpsons” APU
12. Kay of “Rich Man, Poor Man” LENZ
13. Belgian painter James ENSOR
14. Longtime New Yorker cartoonist James THURBER
15. Establish a fresh foothold REROOT
16. Hankering YEN
17. Key for Satie? ILE
18. Original D&D co. TSR
24. During ALONG
26. Dude BRO
29. Granny __ KNOT
32. Aerial stunt LOOP
34. Poor, chance-wise SLIM
36. Gals’ gathering before the flick? CHICK DINNER (from “chicken dinner”)
37. Advent ONSET
38. Does some bartending POURS
40. Big blowout BLAST
42. The Amish, e.g. SECT
44. Mild smoke CLARO
45. Mystery middle name CONAN
46. Allergen survey? RAGWEED POLL (from “ragweed pollen”)
48. React to humidity, in a way DROOP
49. Close again RESEAL
50. Ineffectual VAIN
51. “Me Talk Pretty One Day” piece ESSAY
54. Pet parasite treatment FLEA DIP
57. Artist’s studio ATELIER
59. Throws wildly, say ERRS
61. River of Tuscany ARNO
62. Was fairly successful DID OK
67. Narrow margin NOSE
68. “Summer Nights” musical GREASE
70. Weather reporters MAPS
72. Tourist attraction MECCA
74. Year’s record ANNAL
76. Money-saving, commercially ECONO
77. Scintilla SHRED
79. “If I Only Had the Nerve” singer LAHR
81. French governing group SENAT
83. Fury WRATH
84. Speaker’s output AUDIO
86. Islands staple TARO
91. Kids’ baseball card deal SWAP
92. Matches the scorecard, so to speak MAKES PAR
94. A lock may be in one KNOB
97. No-nonsense route BEELINE
98. “Dark side” sci-fi group SITH
99. SWAT team supply TEAR GAS
100. Fast races DRAGS
103. Haggle DICKER
106. Took off to team up ELOPED
108. Hamlet, to Gertrude SON
109. Pull with effort TUG AT
111. De Gaulle’s birth city LILLE
112. Supercilious sort SNOOT
114. Ill will SPITE
115. “The Hunger Games” setting ARENA
116. Back biter? MOLAR
118. “Lobster Telephone” artist DALI
120. Lovelorn nymph ECHO
122. Iranian pilgrimage site QOM
123. Tabloid pic subject UFO
124. From __ Z A TO
125. Fr. holy woman STE
127. Leavenworth locale: Abbr. KAN

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