LA Times Crossword Answers 23 Aug 15, Sunday

Frequently Asked Question: Why isn’t the puzzle in my paper the same as the one shown on your blog?
If the puzzle in your paper doesn’t match the one that I solved, it is probably a Sunday crossword. On Sundays, the “LA Times” chooses to publish Merl Reagle’s excellent crossword, and not their own “LA Times” Crossword. The “LA Times” puzzle is still sent out in syndication, and is also published in the “LA Times” online. I’ve been asked to blog about Merl Reagle’s crossword, but frankly I don’t have the time. Sunday puzzles have lots of clues!

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Gordon Johnson
THEME: Eight is Enough … the first word from our themed answers give us a well-known MNEMONIC for the names of the eight PLANETS: MY VERY EDUCATED MOTHER JUST SERVED US NACHOS.

104A. A typical one for the 35-Across can be found in the first words of the answers to starred clues MNEMONIC
35A. Familiar octet PLANETS

23A. *”I won’t tell a soul!” MY LIPS ARE SEALED! (Mercury)
36A. *”You’re not even close!” VERY COLD! (Venus)
53A. *Not just a shot in the dark EDUCATED GUESS (Earth)
59A. *Sci-fi fleet leader MOTHERSHIP (Mars)
73A. *Not seriously JUST FOR FUN (JUPITER)
82A. *Words from the aptly punished SERVED ME RIGHT (Saturn)
94A. *Adversarial attitude US VS THEM (Uranus)
113a. *Popular party dish NACHOS AND CHEESE (Neptune)

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 19m 42s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

14. Japanese comics MANGA
The Japanese word “manga” means “whimsical pictures” and is an apt term to describe the Japanese style of comic book. Manga publications are more diverse than American comic books and have a larger audience. Manga cover many subjects including romance, sports, business, horror, and mystery.

21. Work on the road PAVE
Back in Ireland, the “pavement” is what we call the “footpath” (because the footpath is “paved”!). It’s very confusing when you arrive in this country from Ireland, and a little dangerous when one has been taught to “walk on the pavement” …

22. Subject of a 1989 international trade ban IVORY
The hard, white material called ivory has mainly been sourced from the tusks of elephants, although it can also be collected from the walrus, hippopotamus, killer whale, wart hog and others. The word “ivory” comes into English via Latin from the Ancient Egyptian word for “elephant”.

26. Riyadh natives SAUDIS
Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia, and is located near the center of the country. The name “Riyadh” translates from Arabic as ‘the gardens”.

27. Botanical cover ARIL
The casing surrounding many seeds is called the aril, and it may be quite fleshy. This fruit-like characteristic makes it desirable as a food and aids in the dispersion of the seeds.

28. One scouring the junkyard RUMMAGER
Or verb “to rummage”, meaning “to search thoroughly”, has an interesting history. Back in the 16th century, a “rummage” was the act of arranging cargo in a ship. In the early 17th century, the verb “to rummage” was introduced, originally meaning to search thoroughly (the hold of a ship). It should be noted that rummaging usually involves moving things around.

30. Dam city ASWAN
The Egyptian city of Aswan lies in the south of the country, on the River Nile. Aswan is famous for its stone quarries, going back to ancient times. The most celebrated granite rock from the area is called syenite. Stone from Aswan was shipped northwards along the Nile and used in the construction of the pyramids. From ancient times right up to 1970, the annual flooding of the Nile was a significant event in Egypt. The flooding allowed the deposition of fertile silt far beyond the banks of the river, helping the region’s agriculture. However, the flooding was unpredictable. So the Aswan Dam was built in the sixties and from 1970 the flooding was brought under control.

32. 104 of Haydn’s are numbered: Abbr. SYMS
Symphony (sym.)

Josef Haydn was an Austrian composer, often called the “Father of the Symphony” due to his prolific output of symphonies that helped define the form. This is one of the reasons that he was known, even in his own lifetime, as “Papa Haydn”. Haydn was also the father figure among “the big three” composers of the Classical Period: Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Hayden was a good friend to Mozart, and a teacher of Beethoven.

35. Familiar octet PLANETS
In our solar system, the four planets nearest the sun (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars) are known as terrestrial planets, and are composed mainly of silicate rocks and metal. The remaining four planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) are referred to as gas planets, as they have no solid rock or metal. The gas planets are do not have a solid surface, although they are sometimes said to have a “rocky center”. This is actually liquid metal or rock formed by the high temperatures and pressures at the centers of the gas planets.

39. Burpee product SEED
The Burpees Seeds company was formed in 1876 by Washington Atlee Burpee (what a name!).

41. Like Brahms’ Third IN F
Symphony No. 3 in F major is the shortest of all four of the symphonies composed by Johannes Brahms. Fans of the marvelous John Cleese sitcom “Fawlty Towers” might remember Sybil accusing Basil of “listening to that racket” one day, a piece of classical music. Her beleaguered husband replies, “Racket!? That’s Brahms! Brahms’ third racket!

Johannes Brahms was a leading German composer from the Romantic period. Brahms is one of the “Three Bs” of western classical music, often grouped with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven.

42. Word repeated before “sis” RAH
Apparently there’s a “cheering” song called “Rah, Rah, Sis Boom Bah”.

43. Ending with cup -OLA
A cupola is a small dome-like structure on the top of a building. “Cupola” comes from the Latin “cupula” meaning “small cup”.

44. Snoopy-Red Baron conflict, e.g. AIR WAR
Snoopy, the famous beagle in the “Peanuts” comic strip, has a number of alter-egos and is sometimes depicted as a World War I flying ace piloting a Sopwith Camel biplane. Snoopy’s arch-enemy in the air is Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, and Snoopy can often be seen shaking his fist and crying out, “Curse you, Red Baron!”

Manfred von Richthofen was a famous WWI fighter pilot flying for the Germans and was known as the Red Baron. Von Richthofen was credited with more kills than any other pilot fighting on either side of the conflict, recording over 80 combat victories. He didn’t survive the war though, as he was shot down near Amiens in France in 1918.

46. Where some precious metal may be exchanged ALTAR
The happy couple often exchanges rings at the altar during the marriage ceremony.

50. Valued geologic mass OREBODY
Yep, “orebody” is a word, although it is often written as “ore body”. When prospecting, the extent and value of ore found in a particular location is described as the “orebody”.

55. Whiskered swimmer OTTER
The fur of the sea otter is exceptionally thick. It is in fact the densest fur in the whole animal kingdom.

56. “Ah Sun-flower! … / Seeking after that sweet golden __”: Blake CLIME

Ah Sun-flower! weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the Sun:
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the travellers journey is done.

Where the Youth pined away with desire,
And the pale Virgin shrouded in snow:
Arise from their graves and aspire,
Where my Sun-flower wishes to go.

William Blake was an English poet and artist, considered now have been a powerful force in his fields during the Romantic Age. One of Blake’s poems is “Auguries of Innocence” that was written about 1803, but not published until 35 years after the poet had died. The first few lines are:

To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.

57. Sheltered at sea ALEE
“Alee” is the direction away from the wind. If a sailor points into the wind, he or she is pointing “aweather”.

58. Dune buggy, e.g., briefly ATV
All-terrain vehicle (ATV)

62. Renaissance fiddle REBEC
The rebec is an old stringed instrument of the Renaissance era that is played with a bow. It was played like a violin, under the chin or sometimes on the arm.

64. Storm harbinger CLAP
A clap of thunder might signal the arrival of storm.

A harbinger is a person or a thing that indicates what is to come. The word comes from the Middle English “herbenger”, a person sent ahead to arrange lodgings.

65. Hilo his ALOHAS
The Hawaiian word “Aloha” has many meanings in English: affection, love, peace, compassion and mercy. More recently “aloha” has come to mean “hello” and “goodbye”, but only since the mid-1800s.

Hilo is the largest settlement on the big island of Hawai’i, with a population of over 43,000 (that’s not very many!). I love the Big Island …

66. Kubla Khan’s palace XANADU
“Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is my wife’s favorite poem. Coleridge wrote his masterpiece one night in 1797 after a vivid dream heavily influenced by opium.

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree :
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.

68. Street __ CRED
“Street cred” is slang for “street credibility”, of which I have none …

71. Cornmeal loaves PONES
“Pone” is another word for corn bread, from the Powhatan word “apan” meaning “something baked”.

79. Nonnative Hawaiian HAOLE
The Hawaiian term “haole” is used to refer to a foreigner, particular a Caucasian.

81. Stiller’s mom MEARA
Anne Meara has been married to fellow comedic actor Jerry Stiller since 1954. Anne and Jerry are the parents of actors Ben and Amy Stiller. Meara co-starred with Carroll O’Connor and Martin Balsam in the eighties sitcom “Archie Bunker’s Place”, a spinoff from “All in the Family”.

85. 1966 #1 hit for The Association CHERISH
The Association is a soft rock band that made it big in the sixties, and is still going strong. The group’s first big hit was “Along Comes Mary” in 1966. The following year they released their first album, inventively titled “And Then … Along Comes the Association”. The biggest hits by the Association are “Cherish”, “Windy” and “Never My Love”.

87. DNA structure HELIX
Francis Crick and James Watson discovered that DNA had a double-helix, chain-like structure, and published their results in Cambridge in 1953. To this day the discovery is mired in controversy, as some crucial results collected by fellow researcher Rosalind Franklin were used without her permission or even knowledge.

88. 7-__ ELEVEN
The first precursor to the 7-Eleven store opened in Dallas, Texas in 1927. The stores were so named (much later, in 1946) because they were open longer than other stores, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

89. Foe of Chiang MAO
Mao Zedong (also “Mao Tse-tung”) was born on December 16, 1893 in the Hunan Province of China. As Mao was the son of a peasant farmer, his prospects for education were limited. Indeed he left school at age 13 to work on the family farm but did eventually get to secondary school in Changsha, the provincial capital. In the years following, Mao continued his education in Beijing and actually turned down an opportunity to study in France.

Chiang Kai-Shek was the leader of the Nationalist Movement in China right through to the end of WWII. The Nationalists lost out in a Civil War to the Communists backed by the Soviet Union after war, and Chiang Kai-Shek and his government were forced to flee to Taiwan. Chiang Kai-shek claimed rule over China from Taiwan until his death in 1975.

90. Sigma follower TAU
Tau is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet, the letter which gave rise to our Roman “T”. Both the letters tau (T) and chi (X) have long been symbolically associated with the cross.

Sigma is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, and is the one used for an “ess” sound, equivalent to our letter S. Sigma is used in mathematics to represent a summation, the adding together of a sequence of numbers.

91. Jersey casino, with “The” TAJ
Donald Trump’s Taj Mahal Casino Resort opened up for business in Atlantic City in 1990. The star performer at the casino’s opening ceremony was Michael Jackson.

97. Apple and Google started in them GARAGES
Apple Computers was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. The company incorporated the following year, but without Wayne. He sold his share of the company back to Jobs and Wozniak, for $800 …

The search engine “Google” was originally called “BackRub” would you believe? The name was eventually changed to Google, an intentional misspelling of the word “googol”. A googol is a pretty big number, 10 to the power of 100. That would be the digit 1 followed by 100 zeros.

104. A typical one for the 35-Across can be found in the first words of the answers to starred clues MNEMONIC
There are several mnemonics used to remember the planets and the order in which they are found in the Solar System. One example is “My Very Easy Method Just Shows Us Nine Planets” which doesn’t really work since Pluto was relegated from “planethood”. The most oft-quoted mnemonic for the eight planets is “My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nachos”. Given the relegation of Pluto, I kind of like “Many Very Educated Men Just Screwed Up Nature”.

113. *Popular party dish NACHOS AND CHEESE
The dish known as “nachos” were supposedly created by the maître d’ at a restaurant called the Victory Club in the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. The name of the maître d’ was Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya.

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

Down
1. Doo-wop syllables DUMS
Doo-wop developed in the 1940s and can be described as a vocal-based R&B music. Even though the style has been around since the forties, the name doo-wop wasn’t introduced until the early sixties.

2. “Orinoco Flow” singer ENYA
Enya’s real name is Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, which can translate from Irish into Enya Brennan. Her Donegal family (in the northwest of Ireland) formed a band called Clannad, which included Enya. In 1980 Enya launched her very successful solo career. She sure does turn up a lot in crosswords!

3. NSA wiretap challenger ACLU
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has its roots in the First World War when it was founded to provide legal advice and support to conscientious objectors. The ACLU’s motto is “Because Freedom Can’t Protect Itself”.

4. When Shabbat begins FRIDAY
Shabbat is the day of rest in the Jewish tradition and is observed each Saturday.

5. Linden tree BASSWOOD
Linden trees are also called lime trees and basswood trees.

6. BWI posting ETA
Estimated time of arrival (ETA)

There are three airports serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area:

– Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
– Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
– Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)

7. Arizona opponent in a landmark Supreme Court case MIRANDA
The Miranda warning is given by US police officers to suspects in order to ensure that any statements made by the suspect can be used at trial. The warning became part of police procedure after a 1966 Supreme Court decision in the case of Miranda v. Arizona. The crux of the court’s decision was that statements made by a suspect during interrogation were only admissible at trial if the defendant was informed of his or her right to consult an attorney, and right to remain silent. The “Miranda” in the case was Ernesto Miranda, who was arrested by the Phoenix PD on suspicion of kidnapping and rape. The Supreme Court decision set aside Miranda’s conviction as his confession was deemed inadmissible. Miranda was rearrested and retried. At the second trial he was convicted without the use of the contested confession.

9. Both Arnaz guys DESIS
Desi Arnaz was famous for his turbulent marriage to Lucille Ball. Arnaz was a native of Cuba, and was from a privileged family. His father was Mayor of Santiago and served in the Cuban House of Representatives. However, the family had to flee to Miami after the 1933 revolt led by Batista.

Desi Arnaz, Jr.is the youngest child of Hollywood celebrity couple Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. Lucille’s pregnancy was very public, and was part of the storyline of her show “I Love Lucy”. When Desi junior was born, he appeared on the cover of the very first issue of “TV Guide”.

10. Tax season VIP CPA
Certified public accountant (CPA)

11. Shakespearean prince HAL
“Prince Hal” is a term used for Prince Henry, the son of the title character in Shakespeare’s plays “Henry IV, Part 1” and “Henry IV, Part 2”. Prince Hal then becomes the King in Shakespeare’s “Henry V”.

15. Frequent flier’s malady? AVIAN FLU
Avian flu (also “bird flu”) is caused by influenza viruses that are particularly adapted to birds. While birds are the animals primarily affected, human deaths have been recorded, as have deaths of seals and cats, would you believe?

16. Sweden : Sverige :: Norway : __ NORGE
“Sverige” is Swedish for “Sweden”, and “Norge” is Norwegian for “Norway”.

18. Australia’s __ Rock AYERS
Ayers Rock was discovered by Europeans in 1873, who gave it its name in honor of Sir Henry Ayers who was the Chief Secretary of South Australia at the time. The Aborigines call the landmark Uluru, the more accepted name these days.

20. Certain Prot. EPISC
The Episcopal Church in the US is a branch of the Anglican Communion, and so is associated with the Church of England. The Episcopal Church is descended from the Church of England’s presence in the American colonies, prior to the American Revolution. The American Anglicans split with mother church, largely because the clergy of the Church of England are required to swear allegiance to the British monarch. Members of the Episcopal Church are known as Episcopalians. “Episcopal” is an adjective and “Episcopalian” is a noun.

24. Mythological heaven ELYSIUM
In Greek mythology Elysium was part of the Underworld where heroic and virtuous souls were laid to rest. Nowadays we use the word Elysium to mean a place or condition of ideal happiness, a Garden of Eden.

33. Macon university MERCER
Mercer University is a private school with a main campus in Macon, Georgia. Mercer was founded in Penfield, Georgia as a boys’ preparatory school called Mercer Institute, in 1833. The school was named in honor of Jesse Mercer, a Baptist leader who provided the initial funding.

34. “__ needle pulling thread” SEW A
Doe, a deer, a female deer

Ray, a drop of golden sun
Me, a name I call myself
Far, a long, long way to run
Sew, a needle pulling thread
La, a note to follow Sew
Tea, a drink with jam and bread
That will bring us back to Do

36. Formula One sound VROOM!
In motor racing, the designation “formula” is a set of rules that all participants and cars must abide by. The definition of “Formula One” was agreed back in 1946, with the “one” designating that it is the most advanced of the “formulae”, and the most competitive.

38. Butler with “a cynical humor in his mouth” RHETT
In Margaret Mitchell’s novel “Gone with the Wind”, when Rhett Butler finally walks out on Scarlett O’Hara he utters the words “My dear, I don’t give a damn”. Most of us are more familiar with the slightly different words spoken by Clark Gable in the film adaption of the story: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

47. Bluish green TEAL
The beautiful color of teal takes it name from the duck called a “teal”, which has dark greenish-blue (teal) markings on its head and wings.

48. Hammett hound ASTA
Asta is the wonderful little dog in the superb “The Thin Man” series of films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy (as Nick and Nora Charles). In the original story by Dashiell Hammett, Asta was a female Schnauzer, but on screen Asta was played by a wire-haired fox terrier called “Skippy”. Skippy was also the dog in “Bringing up Baby” with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, the one who kept stealing the dinosaur bone. Skippy retired in 1939, so Asta was played by other dogs in the remainder of “The Thin Man” films.

49. It may contain regrets RSVP
RSVP stands for “répondez, s’il vous plaît”, which is French for “please, answer”.

52. Russian city east of Kiev OREL
Orel (also Oryol) is a city lying on the Oka River, just over 200 miles SSW of Moscow. Orel was one of the cities occupied by Germany during WWII. It was liberated in 1943, but had been almost completely destroyed.

Kiev is the capital of Ukraine and a beautiful city, from what I’ve heard from friends who have visited …

53. Beethoven honoree ELISE
“Für Elise” is a beautiful piece of music written by Beethoven, and is also known as “Bagatelle in A Minor”. “Für Elise” means simply “For Elise”, but sadly no one knows for sure the identity of the mysterious dedicatee.

64. One using salt, perhaps CURER
Salt is used to “cure” meats. Curing is a preservation process. The salt kills and inhibits the growth of microorganisms by sucking the water (osmosis) out of the microbe’s cells.

69. South Korean president, 1948-1960 RHEE
Syngman Rhee was born in Korea, but received much of his education in the US, including a Ph.D. from Princeton. The very much westernized Rhee returned to Korea in 1910, a Korea that by then had been annexed by Japan. Soon after he found himself President of a Provisional Government of Korea based in Shanghai, but was eventually ousted for misuse of power. After WWII, Rhee was installed as President, heavily backed by the United States. However, Rhee’s rule proved to be more like tyranny and during the Korean War his relationship with the US Government became very strained. He stayed in power until 1960 when student revolts became popular enough to force him out of office. The CIA flew him out of the country and he went into exile in Hawaii, where a few years later he died of a stroke.

70. “Downton Abbey” title EARL
In the incredibly successful period drama “Downton Abbey”, the patriarch of the family living at Downton is Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham or Lord Grantham. The character is played by Hugh Bonneville.

73. Biblical baptist JOHN
John the Baptist is regarded by some Christians as the forerunner of Jesus. Early in his life, Jesus was a disciple or follower of John, and is was John who baptized Jesus.

74. “Taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase”: MLK FAITH
Martin Luther King, Jr. was only 35 years old when he won the Nobel Peace Prize, making him the youngest person to be so honored. King was given the award for his work to end racial segregation and discrimination using non-violent means. The following year he was awarded the American Liberties Medallion by the American Jewish Community.

76. Book describing the fall of Nineveh NAHUM
Nahum was one of the twelve minor prophets of the Hebrew Bible.

Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River in modern-day Iraq. The ruins of the city are located just on the other side of the river from the Iraqi city of Mosul. At one time, Nineveh was the largest city in the world.

83. Carrot nutrient VITAMIN A
Vitamin A is actually a group of chemicals, including retinol, retinal and beta-carotene.

92. “Friends” actress, familiarly JEN
Jennifer Aniston won a 2002 Emmy for playing Rachel on the great sitcom “Friends”. Jennifer’s parents are both actors, and her godfather is the actor Telly Savalas.

95. Violinist Louis who invented the chinrest SPOHR
The German composer Louis Spohr was also violinist, and indeed invented the instrument’s chinrest. Spohr was also on friendly terms with fellow composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

96. 1840s White House family TYLERS
John Tyler was the tenth President of the US, and the first to take the office on the death of the incumbent. Tyler’s predecessor was President William Henry Harrison, who was in office only 32 days before he died of natural causes. For a while there was a little confusion about the wording in the constitution that covered such an eventuality. There was an argument made that Tyler would continue as Vice-President but would assume the responsibilities of the office of President, in effect as “Acting President”. However, Tyler proceeded as though he was taking over as President and took the oath of office in his hotel room in Washington. Soon afterwards, Congress declared that Tyler was indeed President, although many continued to dispute the fact. Many of President Tyler’s opponents referred to him as “His Accidency”. His term in office ended in 1845. When the Civil War began in 1861, Tyler sided with the Confederacy and was even elected to the Confederate House of Representatives for the 3rd District of Virginia. President Tyler passed away only a few days after taking his seat in the House. His death was the only one in presidential history that was not recognized in the nation’s capital, as he sided with the Confederate States.

John Tyler was married to Letitia Christian when he became President of the United States in 1841 after the untimely death of President William Henry Harrison. Letitia was to become the first wife of a US president to die in the White House, passing away in 1842 after suffering a stroke. She was also the youngest First Lady to die, at 51 years of age.

98. Pianist Watts ANDRE
André Watts is a classical pianist who was born in Germany to a Hungarian mother and an American father who was serving with the US military. Watts is a professor at the Jacobs School of Music in Indiana University.

105. Sugar source CANE
When sugarcane is processed to extract sugar, it is crushed and mashed to produce a juice. The juice is boiled to make a sugary concentrate called cane syrup, from which sugar crystals are extracted. A second boiling of the leftover syrup produces second molasses, from which more sugar crystals can be extracted. A third boiling results in what is called blackstrap molasses.

107. Roombas, briefly VACS
The Roomba vacuum cleaner is a cool-looking device that navigates its way around a room by itself, picking up dirt as it goes. Like I said, it’s cool-looking but I am note sure how effective it is …

109. Sister of Luke LEIA
The full name of the character played by Carrie Fisher in the “Star Wars” series of films is Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, and later Leia Organa Solo. Leia is the twin sister of Luke Skywalker, and the daughter of Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader) and Padmé Amidala. Leia is raised by her adoptive parents Bail and Breha Organa. She eventually marries Han Solo.

114. Crew chief COX
The coxswain of a boat is one in charge, particularly of its steering and navigation. The name is shortened to “cox” particularly when used for the person steering and calling out the stroke in a competition rowing boat.

115. Pacific Coast or Alaska: Abbr. HWY
“Pacific Coast Highway” is the name given to several sections of California State Route 1, which runs along much of the state’s Pacific coastline.

The Alaska Highway is also known as the Alaska-Canadian Highway or ALCAN Highway. A highway connecting the contiguous United States to Alaska was proposed in the twenties, but the Canadian authorities didn’t believe the project had much merit as the road would be used by very few of its citizens. The perceived importance of the route increased during WWII and President Roosevelt deemed the road a strategic necessity so he made a deal with Canada. The cost of construction would be born by the US, but the road and related facilities were to be handed over to Canada at the end of the war. The project was accelerated when the Japanese invaded and occupied Kiska and Attu Islands in the Aleutians. The road of course has been improved and is still in use today. The ALCAN Highway forms part of what is popularly known as the Pan-American Highway, which runs from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to the south of Argentina or Chile depending on how the route is defined.

116. 115-Down offense DWI
(115D. Pacific Coast or Alaska: Abbr. HWY)
In some states, there is no longer a legal difference between a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) and a DUI (Driving Under the Influence). Other states retain that difference, so that by definition a DUI is a lesser offence than a DWI.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Unwilling to listen DEAF
5. “Please don’t __” BE MAD
10. Pot holder CHEF
14. Japanese comics MANGA
19. Lacking originality UNCREATIVE
21. Work on the road PAVE
22. Subject of a 1989 international trade ban IVORY
23. *”I won’t tell a soul!” MY LIPS ARE SEALED!
25. “Yes __!” SIREE
26. Riyadh natives SAUDIS
27. Botanical cover ARIL
28. One scouring the junkyard RUMMAGER
30. Dam city ASWAN
32. 104 of Haydn’s are numbered: Abbr. SYMS
35. Familiar octet PLANETS
36. *”You’re not even close!” VERY COLD!
39. Burpee product SEED
41. Like Brahms’ Third IN F
42. Word repeated before “sis” RAH
43. Ending with cup -OLA
44. Snoopy-Red Baron conflict, e.g. AIR WAR
46. Where some precious metal may be exchanged ALTAR
50. Valued geologic mass OREBODY
53. *Not just a shot in the dark EDUCATED GUESS
55. Whiskered swimmer OTTER
56. “Ah Sun-flower! … / Seeking after that sweet golden __”: Blake CLIME
57. Sheltered at sea ALEE
58. Dune buggy, e.g., briefly ATV
59. *Sci-fi fleet leader MOTHERSHIP
62. Renaissance fiddle REBEC
64. Storm harbinger CLAP
65. Hilo his ALOHAS
66. Kubla Khan’s palace XANADU
68. Street __ CRED
71. Cornmeal loaves PONES
73. *Not seriously JUST FOR FUN
77. “Found it!” AHA!
78. Chopped down HEWN
79. Nonnative Hawaiian HAOLE
81. Stiller’s mom MEARA
82. *Words from the aptly punished SERVED ME RIGHT
85. 1966 #1 hit for The Association CHERISH
87. DNA structure HELIX
88. 7-__ ELEVEN
89. Foe of Chiang MAO
90. Sigma follower TAU
91. Jersey casino, with “The” TAJ
93. Gets it SEES
94. *Adversarial attitude US VS THEM
97. Apple and Google started in them GARAGES
101. “Dang!” DRAT!
103. Tending to ooze SEEPY
104. A typical one for the 35-Across can be found in the first words of the answers to starred clues MNEMONIC
106. Kind of agt. GOVT
108. Arrive, as clouds ROLL IN
112. Contribute ADD IN
113. *Popular party dish NACHOS AND CHEESE
117. “The Three Sisters” sister IRINA
118. More than think KNOW
119. Environmental activist ECO-WARRIOR
120. Allowed LEGAL
121. Alluring SEXY
122. Moving about ASTIR
123. Shore thing SAND

Down
1. Doo-wop syllables DUMS
2. “Orinoco Flow” singer ENYA
3. NSA wiretap challenger ACLU
4. When Shabbat begins FRIDAY
5. Linden tree BASSWOOD
6. BWI posting ETA
7. Arizona opponent in a landmark Supreme Court case MIRANDA
8. Categorically state AVER
9. Both Arnaz guys DESIS
10. Tax season VIP CPA
11. Shakespearean prince HAL
12. Where or when attachment -EVER
13. Exasperated FED UP
14. Handle badly MISMANAGE
15. Frequent flier’s malady? AVIAN FLU
16. Sweden : Sverige :: Norway : __ NORGE
17. Meet partner GREET
18. Australia’s __ Rock AYERS
20. Certain Prot. EPISC
24. Mythological heaven ELYSIUM
29. 11th-century year MLI
31. Friend ALLY
33. Macon university MERCER
34. “__ needle pulling thread” SEW A
36. Formula One sound VROOM!
37. Keep an __ the ground EAR TO
38. Butler with “a cynical humor in his mouth” RHETT
40. Record collection DATABASE
44. Take __: try the pool A DIP
45. Cave RELENT
47. Bluish green TEAL
48. Hammett hound ASTA
49. It may contain regrets RSVP
51. Get conned BE HAD
52. Russian city east of Kiev OREL
53. Beethoven honoree ELISE
54. Unleaded? DECAF
56. Speaks for spirits CHANNELS
60. Lured (in) ROPED
61. “This I gotta see” SHOW ME
63. Rejoice EXULT
64. One using salt, perhaps CURER
67. Rounded roof DOME
68. Kind of cow? CASH
69. South Korean president, 1948-1960 RHEE
70. “Downton Abbey” title EARL
72. Cold response SHIVER
73. Biblical baptist JOHN
74. “Taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase”: MLK FAITH
75. Latin bears URSAE
76. Book describing the fall of Nineveh NAHUM
78. Like typical snowflakes HEXAGONAL
80. Way back when AGES AGO
83. Carrot nutrient VITAMIN A
84. Swamp thing REED
85. Check out, as a joint CASE
86. Sci-fi transport HOVERCAR
89. Prohibitive words MUST NOT
92. “Friends” actress, familiarly JEN
95. Violinist Louis who invented the chinrest SPOHR
96. 1840s White House family TYLERS
97. AOL alternative GMAIL
98. Pianist Watts ANDRE
99. Excavate again REDIG
100. Founders SINKS
102. Where cruise ships go TO SEA
105. Sugar source CANE
107. Roombas, briefly VACS
109. Sister of Luke LEIA
110. “The heat __!” IS ON
111. Stereotypical computer whiz NERD
114. Crew chief COX
115. Pacific Coast or Alaska: Abbr. HWY
116. 115-Down offense DWI

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