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Jump to a complete list of today’s clues and answers
CROSSWORD SETTER: C.C. Burnikel
THEME: All Square … ALL of today’s themed answers are SQUARE in shape:
23A. Refrigerator message STICKY NOTE
25A. Fight spot BOXING RING
38A. Pastime that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2013 CROSSWORD PUZZLE
54A. One of a game’s 100 SCRABBLE TILE
80A. Picnic purchases PAPER NAPKINS
93A. Soup toss-ins SALTINE CRACKERS
110A. Audiophile’s collectible ALBUM COVER
113A. Place to find a mate? CHESSBOARD
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 15m 24s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Palms in your hands PDAS
Palm handhelds were Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) that were introduced in 1996 by Palm Computing. The original products were known as Palm-Pilots, and very successful they were too. However, Palm failed to stave off the competition and so the company was purchased by HP in 2010. The Palm brand name is now a thing of the past, with all products now labelled “HP”.
5. Used Google Wallet, say PAID
Google Wallet is a clever mobile payment system that allows users to store credit cards, loyalty cards, gift cards and the like on cell phones. The ideal use of the system involves just tapping one’s phone at Wallet-enabled terminal at checkout. But, there aren’t many stores that have such a capability. Great idea though …
9. Washington or Ford ACTOR
Denzel Washington is an actor from Mount Vernon, just outside New York City. Washington’s big break came with a TV role, playing Dr. Phillip Chandler on “St. Elsewhere” from 1982 to 1988.
Harrison Ford played at least three celebrated, recurring roles in movies: Han Solo in the “Star Wars” series, the title character in the “Indiana Jones” series, and Jack Ryan in the movie versions of Tom Clancy novels. In the early days, Ford became a self-taught carpenter in order to put bread on the table while he looked for acting roles. As a carpenter he worked as a stagehand for the rock band “The Doors”, and he built a sun deck for actress Sally Kellerman (from the movie “M*A*S*H”). George Lucas hired him to build cabinets in his home, and then gave him a part in “American Graffiti”, after which I think Ford hung up his tool belt …
14. __ shot SLAP
A slapshot in ice hockey involves slapping the ice just behind the puck with the stick, causing the stick to bend and store up extra energy. When the stick finally hits the puck, all that extra energy is released along with the energy from the swing resulting in the hardest shot in hockey.
21. Milan-based fashion house PRADA
Prada was started in 1913 as a leathergoods shop in Milan, by the two Prada brothers. One of the brothers, Mario Prada, prevented the female members of his family participating in the company as he didn’t believe women should be involved in business (!). When the sexist brother died, his son had no interest in the business so it was his daughter who took over and ran the company for about twenty years, handing it over to her own daughter. I’d say “the devil loved” that …
22. Duel measure PACE
March fifteen paces, turn and fire …
23. Refrigerator message STICKY NOTE
“Sticky notes” are commonly known by the brand name “Post-it”.
The Post-it note was invented at 3M following the accidental discovery of a low-tack, reusable adhesive. The actual intent of the development program was the discovery of a super-strong adhesive.
27. Toe preceder? TAC
When I was growing up in Ireland we played “noughts and crosses” … our name for the game tic-tac-toe.
32. Ball standout BELLE
A “beau” is the boyfriend of a “belle”, a young lady. “Beau” and “belle” are the masculine and feminine forms of the French word for “handsome, beautiful”.
34. Weasel relative STOAT
The stoat has dark brown fur in the summer, and white fur in the winter. Sometimes the term “ermine” is used for the animal during the winter when the fur is white. Ermine skins have long been prized by royalty and are often used for white trim on ceremonial robes.
36. Barfly SOT
Our word “sot” comes from the Old English “sott”, meaning a fool. The word “sot” started to be associated with alcohol and not just foolery in the late 1500s.
37. Spinner? PR MAN
Public relations (PR)
38. Pastime that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2013 CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Arthur Wynne is generally credited with the invention of what we now known as a crossword puzzle. Wynne was born in Liverpool, England and emigrated to the US when he was 19-years-old. He worked as a journalist and was living in Cedar Grove, New Jersey in 1913 when he introduced a “Word-Cross Puzzle” in his page of puzzles written for the “New York World”. And the rest, as they say, is history …
48. __ Center: L.A. skyscraper AON
The Aon Center on Wilshire Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles is the second-tallest building in the California (after US Bank Tower, also in Los Angeles). There is also an Aon Center in Chicago, which is the third-tallest building in that city.
49. “X-Men” actor McKellen IAN
Sir Ian McKellen is a marvelous English actor, someone who is comfortable playing anything from Macbeth on stage to Magneto in an “X-Men” movie. On the big screen, McKellen is very famous for playing Gandalf in “The Lord of Rings”. In the UK Sir Ian is noted for being at the forefront of the campaign for equal rights for gay people, a role he has enthusiastically embraced since the eighties.
50. Yellowstone sight ELK
Yellowstone was the first National Park to be established in the world, when it was designated as such by President Grant in 1872. What a great tradition it started! The American National Parks truly are a treasure.
52. SFO info ARR
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) serves as the main base of operations for Virgin America, and is also the maintenance hub for United Airlines. SFO was the site of a 2013 crash of an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 that resulted in three fatalities.
53. “The Long, Hot Summer” director RITT
Martin Ritt is best remembered as a television and movie director. During the bad old days of the “Red Scare”, Ritt was working in television until he found himself on a blacklist for supposed support of Communist causes. He turned to the theater for work until the Red Scare had run its course, and then moved into the world of film. Some of his best known movies are “Hud”, “The Great White Hope” and “Norma Rae”.
“The Long, Hot Summer” is a 1958 film starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. The movie was made into a television series that aired in 1965 and 1966.
54. One of a game’s 100 SCRABBLE TILE
The game of Scrabble has been around since 1938, the invention of an architect named Alfred Mosher Butts. Butts determined how many tiles of each letter, and the point value of each tile, by analyzing letter distributions in publications such as “The New York Times”.
61. 2000 MapQuest acquirer AOL
MapQuest is a very popular Internet site, one that provides driving directions and maps. MapQuest has been owned by AOL since 2000. One nice feature of MapQuest is a page where gas prices are recorded by users, allowing others to find the lowest price in their area.
62. Morph- ending -EME
“Morpheme” is a term used in linguistics. A morpheme is a language’s smallest grammatical unit. A word may have several morphemes. A prefix such as “un-” is an example of a morpheme in English, as is the letter “s” added at the end of a word to make a plural.
63. Too cute, in Chelsea TWEE
In the UK, something “twee” is cutesy or overly nice. “Twee” came from “tweet”, which is the cutesy, baby-talk way of saying “sweet”.
Chelsea is an area of central London located just north of the River Thames that is famous for its high property prices. Chelsea is also home to many expat Americans, who make up almost 7% of all the area’s residents.
64. Not real ERSATZ
Something described as “ersatz” is a copy, and usually not a good one. “Ersatz” comes from the German verb “ersetzen” meaning “to replace”.
67. “Raging Bull” Oscar winner DE NIRO
I just do not like boxing, nor movies about boxing, but I certainly accept that “Raging Bull” is true cinema classic. It is a biopic released in 1980, with Robert De Niro starring as Jake LaMotta, and ably directed by Martin Scorsese. Famously, De Niro gained about 70 pounds in weight to lay LaMotta in his early years, showing true dedication to his craft.
71. __-wop DOO
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.
72. CBS hit set in Vegas CSI
“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” was the most-watched show in the world for five years, the most recent being 2012. “CSI” is finally winding down, and is scheduled to finish with a two-hour TV movie that will feature members of the original cast.
83. Any one of a 1963 all-brothers Giant outfield ALOU
Felipe Alou is a former professional baseball player and manager. Alou managed the Montreal Expos from 1992 to 2001, and the San Francisco Giants from 2003 to 2006. Alou was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and came to the US to play for the Giants in 1955. Felipe’s brothers Matty and Jesús followed him to the US, and into Major League baseball.
85. Bodega pronoun ESA
In Spanish, the other (otra) is neither this (esta) nor that (esa).
“Bodega” is the Spanish term for a winery, or these days for a grocery store.
86. Big name in lip balms EOS
eos Products is a company that was founded in 2006 in New York City. eoS sells beauty products such as lotions and creams, and is most famous for its lip balm. The initials “eos” stand for “Evolution of Smooth”.
87. Med. checkup initials LDL
LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is one of the compounds responsible for transporting fats around the body. When LDL is combined with cholesterol it can be referred to as “bad cholesterol”. This is because LDL actually transports cholesterol into the inner walls of blood vessels leading to atherosclerosis.
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is a compound that is used to transport fats around the body. When HDL is combined with (i.e. is transporting) cholesterol, it is often called “good cholesterol”. This is because HDL seems to remove cholesterol from where it should not be, say on the walls of arteries, and transports it to the liver for reuse or disposal. Important stuff …
88. N.Y school overlooking the Hudson RPI
The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is a private school in Troy, New York. The university is named after its founder Stephen Van Rensselaer who set up the school in 1824. The goal of RPI has always been the “application of science to the common purposes of life”, an objective set by the founder. Given that, the name for the school’s sports teams is quite apt: the Engineers.
92. Award named for a Muse CLIO
The Clio Awards are the Oscars of the advertising world and are named after Clio, the Greek Muse of History. Clio was also the recorder of great deeds, the proclaimer and celebrator of great accomplishments and a source of inspiration and genius. The Clio Awards were first presented in 1959.
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93. Soup toss-ins SALTINE CRACKERS
F. L. Sommer & Company of St. Joseph, Missouri starting making wafer thin soda crackers in 1876. The crackers were later marketed as Saltines, due to the baking salt that was a key ingredient. Trademark protection of the term “saltine” was subsequently lost.
97. Pink label RCA
Pink is the stage name of American singer Alecia Beth Moore. I know nothing about her, except that I do like her song 2013 “Just Give Me a Reason …
99. Lover of balance and harmony, so they say LIBRA
The constellation of Libra is named for the scales held by the goddess of justice. Libra is the only sign of the zodiac that isn’t named for a living creature.
100. Like TV’s “Wayward Pines” EERIE
“Wayward Pines” is Fox TV series that is based on a series of novels by Blake Crouch.
103. Swabbie GOB
“Gob” is a slang term for a sailor, and it may derive from a slang term for chewing tobacco, itself a derivative of the slang term for a mouth, a “gob”.
“Swabbie” (also “swabby, swab, swabber”) is a slang term for a sailor, which we’ve been using since the late 1700s. A “swab” was originally a member of the crew assigned to the swabbing (mopping) of the ship’s decks.
108. __-K PRE
Pre-kindergarten (pre-K)
“Kindergarten” is of course a German term, literally meaning “children’s garden”. The term was coined by the German education authority Friedrich Fröbel in 1837, when he used it as the name for his play and activity institute that he created for young children to use before they headed off to school. His thought was that children should be nourished educationally, like plants in a garden.
113. Place to find a mate? CHESSBOARD
In the game of chess, when the king is under immediate threat of capture it is said to be “in check”. If the king cannot escape from check, then the game ends in “checkmate” and the player in check loses. In the original Sanskrit game of chess, the king could actually be captured. Then a rule was introduced requiring that a warning be given if capture was imminent (today we announce “check!”) so that an accidental and early ending to the game doesn’t occur.
116. Track bet PLACE
In a race, a horse finishing first, second or third is said to “place”.
117. Unit of purity KARAT
A karat (also “carat”, the spelling outside of North America) is a measure of the purity of gold alloys, with 24-karat representing pure gold.
120. Its mascot uses fowl language AFLAC
In 1999 Aflac was huge in the world of insurance but it wasn’t a household name, so a New York advertising agency was given the task of making the Aflac brand more memorable. One of the agency’s art directors, while walking around Central Park one lunchtime, heard a duck quacking and in his mind linked it with “Aflac”, and that duck has been “Aflacking” ever since …
121. Seasoned salts TARS
A Jack Tar, or just “tar”, was a seaman in the days of the British Empire. The term probably arose due to a sailor’s various uses of tar back then, including waterproofing his clothes and using tar in his hair to slick down his ponytail.
“Salt” is a slang word for a sailor.
122. Blue-bottled vodka SKYY
Skyy Vodka is produced in the US, although the operation is owned by the Campari Group headquartered in Italy. Skyy first hit the shelves in 1992 when it was created by an entrepreneur from San Francisco, California.
Down
3. 2013 Literature Nobelist ALICE MUNRO
Alice Munro is a writer from southwestern Ontario in Canada. Munro won the 2013 Nobel Prize for Literature.
5. Two-time U.S. Open winner Stewart PAYNE
Payne Stewart was a crowd favorite on the golf course, and always recognizable as he wore flamboyant attire that included bright, patterned knickerbockers. Sadly, Stewart died in famous airplane accident. All aboard the private plane in which he was travelling, including the pilots, succumbed to hypoxia after a loss of cabin pressure. The stricken plane flew for hours on autopilot escorted by USAF planes, until it ran out of fuel and crashed in South Dakota.
6. Actress Paquin ANNA
Anna Paquin is an actress from New Zealand who won an Oscar as an 11-year-old for her role in “The Piano”. In the HBO series “True Blood” she plays Sookie Stackhouse, a role for which she won a Golden Globe.
7. How some games are won, briefly IN OT
Overtime (OT)
9. SFPD alert APB
An All Points Bulletin (APB) is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.
The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) is the 11th largest police department in the country. The SFPD dates back to the days of the Gold Rush, being founded in 1849 as a force of 35 officers. SFPD has featured a lot in movies and on television. The most famous films are probably “Bullitt”, the “Dirty Harry” series and “48 Hrs.” On television there was “Ironside”, “The Streets of San Francisco” and now “Monk”.
12. Asgard head ODIN
Asgard is one of the Nine Worlds of Norse religions. It is where the Norse gods live and is also home to Valhalla, the enormous hall ruled over by the god Odin.
14. Quick squirt SPRITZ
A “spritz” is a squirt, a brief spray of liquid. The term ultimately comes from German, possibly via Yiddish, in which language “spritzen” means “to squirt, spout”. A “spritzer” is a glass of wine with a “spritz” of carbonated water, and is a drink we’ve been enjoying since the early sixties.
20. First Literature Nobelist from Ireland YEATS
Irish poet and dramatist William Butler Yeats won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923 for “inspired poetry” that gave “expression to a whole nation”. Yeats was Ireland’s first Nobel laureate.
24. German city, to Germans KOLN
Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany, and is known as “Koln” in German.
26. Tiler’s need GROUT
Grout is a thin mortar used to fill the joints between ceramic tiles. The name “grout” comes from the Old English word “gruta”, the word for a “coarse porridge” (due to the similarity in appearance of the two). Interestingly, the word “grits” comes from the same root. Grout … grits … makes sense …
29. City SSE of Santa Fe ROSWELL
The Roswell UFO Incident took place in 1947. Some people believe that an extraterrestrial spacecraft crashed, with aliens aboard. After the initial reports the public accepted the US Military’s explanation of the crash, that the debris recovered belonged to an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon. The whole incident was dug up again over 30 years later when a claim was made that there was a cover-up in 1947, and that the armed forces had recovered an alien craft and brought it to Roswell Army Air Field. “The National Enquirer” ran the story, and it has been running ever since.
35. “__ man should have money in his head, but not in his heart”: Swift A WISE
Jonathan Swift was an Irish author and cleric. Swift is most famous perhaps for his 1726 novel “Gulliver’s Travels”, but we Irishmen also remember him as the Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. Swift was renowned for his wit and satire.
36. Eggs on SPURS
The verb “edge” has been used to mean to incite, to urge on, from the 16th century. Somewhere along the way “edge” was mistakenly replaced with “egg”, giving us our term “to egg on” meaning “to goad”.
37. Goody two shoes PRISS
The expression “goody two-shoes” is used for someone who is virtuous, but in a smug way. The term comes from a nursery tale published in 1765 called “The History of Goody Two-Shoes”. Goody Two-Shoes is the heroine of the tale, and isn’t smug at all. Instead she is a Cinderella-like character in a retelling of the Cinderella story.
38. One taking a selfie CELL
A “selfie” is a self-portrait, usually one taken with a digital camera or cell phone.
40. Software instruction file README
A readme (or “read me”) file is usually a simple text file that is issued with software when it is distributed. It often contains the latest information about the application, including bugs that were found at the last minute just before release.
41. __ Tracey, one of the original Mouseketeers DOREEN
Doreen Tracey was twelve-years-old when she was hired as a Mouseketeer on the “Mickey Mouse Club”. Tracey appeared for the first three seasons of the show, from 1955 until 1958.
42. Rumble in the Jungle setting ZAIRE
The Rumble in the Jungle was that celebrated fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman that took place in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The fight was set in Zaire because of financial arrangements between promoter Don King and Zaire’s President Mobutu Seko. Ali coined the term “Rope-a-dope” to describe his incredibly successful strategy in the contest. From the second round onwards, Ali adopted a protected stance on the ropes letting Foreman pound him with blows to the body and head, with Ali using his arms to dissipate the power of the punches. He kept this up until the eighth round and then opened up and downed the exhausted Foreman with a left-right combination. I hate boxing but I have to say, that was an fascinating fight.
43. Lenya of “From Russia With Love” LOTTE
Lotte Lenya was an Austrian singer and actress. She was married to composer Kurt Weill, and was noted for her performances of his works. Late in her career she played Rosa Klebb, one of the main villains in the 1963 Bond movie “From Russia With Love”. Klebb was the character who had the knife that popped out from the toe of her shoe.
44. Tolkien tree giants ENTS
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”.
51. Carnival city RIO
Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil (after São Paulo). “Rio de Janeiro” translates as “January River”. The name reflects the discovery of the bay on which Rio sits, on New Years Day in 1502.
The celebration of carnival comes right before the Lenten period in some Christian traditions. It is thought that carnival perhaps arose from the need to “eat and drink up” any excess food and drink before the beginning of Lent.
55. Brief glance APERCU
An “apercu” is a first view, a glance. By extension, the term “apercu” can also be used for a detached view, an overview or a short synopsis. “Aperçu” is French for “perceived”.
57. Passion tea maker TAZO
The Tazo Tea Company was founded in 1994 in Portland, Oregon. Tazo was purchased in 1999 by Starbucks. Starbucks now runs tea shops that are fully dedicated to Tazo teas.
59. Throat condition STREP
Streptococcus bacteria multiply and divide along a single axis so that they form linked chains. That behavior gives the genus of bacteria its name, as “streptos” is Greek for “easily twisted, like a chain”. I had to battle with streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat) twice in the past few years and it was not at all pleasant, I must say. Another species of streptococcus is responsible for that terrible “flesh-eating” infection that makes the news from time to time.
62. Singer Adams EDIE
Edie Adams was an all-round entertainer. She worked for many years on television with Ernie Kovacs and Jack Paar, marrying Ernie Kovacs in 1954. On the big screen she had a major supporting role in “The Apartment”, and was one of the stars of “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”.
66. Pre-Aztec Mesoamerican TOLTEC
The Aztec’s viewed the Toltec people as their cultural ancestors. In the “Aztec” language, the term “Toltec” came to mean “artisan”.
Mesoamerica is a region extending from Central Mexico, south to Costa Rica. It is known as an area where societies flourished prior to the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 16th and 17th centuries.
69. Mea __ CULPA
Many Roman Catholics are very familiar with the Latin phrase “mea culpa” meaning “my fault”, as it is used in the Latin Mass. The additional term “mea maxima culpa” translates as “my most grievous fault”.
72. Game show with a Red Light Challenge CASH CAB
“Cash Cab” is a fun TV game show that originated in the UK and is now shown all over the world, including here in North America. In the US version, contestants are picked up in a cab in New York City and asked questions during their ride.
75. Milwaukee Brewers’ home MILLER PARK
The Brewers are Milwaukee’s professional baseball team, and they play at Miller Park. Miller Park was completed in 2001. The stadium has the country’s only fan-shaped convertible roof, and it can open and close in under ten minutes.
79. MetLife competitor AETNA
When the health care management and insurance company known as Aetna was founded, the name was chosen to evoke images of Mt. Etna, the European volcano.
MetLife is the familiar name for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. MetLife was founded way back in 1868, and is headquartered in New York City.
80. Praline piece PECAN
A praline is a candy made made out of nuts and sugar syrup. The frist pralines were made in France in the 17th century for an industrialist named Marshal du Plessis-Praslin, who gave his name to the confection.
82. Nutmeg-flavored quaffs NOGS
It’s not really clear where the term “nog” (as in “eggnog”) comes from although it might derive from the word “noggin”, which was originally a small wooden cup that was long associated with alcoholic drinks.
“Quaff” is both a verb and a noun. One quaffs (takes a hearty drink) of a quaff (a hearty drink).
89. Order to attack SIC ‘EM
“Sic ’em” is an attack order given to a dog, instructing the animal to growl, bark or even bite. The term dates back to the 1830s, with “sic” being a variation of “seek”.
90. Area south of SoHo TRIBECA
TriBeCa is a clever little acronym that expands into “TRI-angle BE-low CA-nal Street”. The name was developed by local residents who basically copied the naming technique used by residents of the neighboring area of SoHo, which is short for “SO-uth of HO-uston Street”.
92. Baby panda CUB
Taxonomic classification of the giant panda has been a subject of great debate for years, the main question being whether it belongs to the bear or raccoon family. The accepted opinion these days, based on molecular studies, seems to be that the panda is in fact a true bear.
94. Holy threesome TRIUNE
A triune is another word for a trinity, three beings in one. The term is often associated with triple deities.
96. “Shadow Dancing” singer Andy GIBB
Andy was the younger brother of the brothers Gibb that made up the British band the Bee Gees. Andy pursued a successful solo career, but got himself into trouble with drug use. He died in 1988, just after his 30th birthday.
101. Carrier with a King David Club EL AL
The King David Club is the frequent flyer program of El Al Israel Airlines. El Al Israel Airlines is the flag carrier of Israel. The term “el al” translates from Hebrew as “to the skies”.
102. Jeter’s 1,311, briefly RBIS
Derek Jeter played his entire professional baseball career with the New York Yankees, and was the team’s captain. Jeter is the all-time career leader for the Yankees in hits, games played, stolen bases and at bats. He is also the all-time leader in hits by a shortstop in the whole of professional baseball. Jeter retired from the game in 2014.
106. Vindictive goddess HERA
In Greek mythology, Hera was the wife of Zeus and was noted for her jealous and vengeful nature, particularly against those who vied for the affections of her husband. The equivalent character to Hera in Roman mythology was Juno. Hera was the daughter of Cronus and Rhea.
107. Onetime Russian monarch TSAR
The term czar (also tsar) is a Slavic word that was first used as a title by Simeon I of Bulgaria in 913 AD. “Czar” is derived from the word “Caesar”, which was synonymous with “emperor” at that time.
111. Nos. expert CPA
Certified public accountant (CPA)
114. Pigs out (on), for short ODS
Overdoses (ODs)
For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Palms in your hands PDAS
5. Used Google Wallet, say PAID
9. Washington or Ford ACTOR
14. __ shot SLAP
18. Event before a closing SALE
19. Bug ANNOY
21. Milan-based fashion house PRADA
22. Duel measure PACE
23. Refrigerator message STICKY NOTE
25. Fight spot BOXING RING
27. Toe preceder? TAC
28. Really hot ON A TEAR
30. Attach, in a way PIN
31. Fair attractions RIDES
32. Ball standout BELLE
34. Weasel relative STOAT
36. Barfly SOT
37. Spinner? PR MAN
38. Pastime that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2013 CROSSWORD PUZZLE
45. Agree to another tour RE-UP
46. Campus bigwig DEAN
47. Surfing mishap WIPEOUT
48. __ Center: L.A. skyscraper AON
49. “X-Men” actor McKellen IAN
50. Yellowstone sight ELK
51. Hi-__ monitor RES
52. SFO info ARR
53. “The Long, Hot Summer” director RITT
54. One of a game’s 100 SCRABBLE TILE
58. Last courses DESSERTS
60. Buy from SHOP AT
61. 2000 MapQuest acquirer AOL
62. Morph- ending -EME
63. Too cute, in Chelsea TWEE
64. Not real ERSATZ
67. “Raging Bull” Oscar winner DE NIRO
69. Attention CARE
71. __-wop DOO
72. CBS hit set in Vegas CSI
74. License PERMIT
78. Tour of taverns PUB CRAWL
80. Picnic purchases PAPER NAPKINS
83. Any one of a 1963 all-brothers Giant outfield ALOU
84. Enjoy some courses EAT
85. Bodega pronoun ESA
86. Big name in lip balms EOS
87. Med. checkup initials LDL
88. N.Y school overlooking the Hudson RPI
89. Expanse STRETCH
91. Downward movements SAGS
92. Award named for a Muse CLIO
93. Soup toss-ins SALTINE CRACKERS
96. Invitee GUEST
97. Pink label RCA
98. Cockamamie INANE
99. Lover of balance and harmony, so they say LIBRA
100. Like TV’s “Wayward Pines” EERIE
103. Swabbie GOB
105. Where most people get into hot water BATHTUB
108. __-K PRE
110. Audiophile’s collectible ALBUM COVER
113. Place to find a mate? CHESSBOARD
115. Puffed-up VAIN
116. Track bet PLACE
117. Unit of purity KARAT
118. Move with a mouse DRAG
119. “Anything __?” ELSE
120. Its mascot uses fowl language AFLAC
121. Seasoned salts TARS
122. Blue-bottled vodka SKYY
Down
1. “Over here!” PSST!
2. Records concern DATA BREACH
3. 2013 Literature Nobelist ALICE MUNRO
4. Instant SEC
5. Two-time U.S. Open winner Stewart PAYNE
6. Actress Paquin ANNA
7. How some games are won, briefly IN OT
8. Spoils DOTES ON
9. SFPD alert APB
10. Midriff-revealing wear CROP TOP
11. Airport arrival TAXI
12. Asgard head ODIN
13. Tried to win, with “for” RAN
14. Quick squirt SPRITZ
15. Set, as a trap LAID
16. Troubling spots ACNE
17. Spots for coats PEGS
20. First Literature Nobelist from Ireland YEATS
24. German city, to Germans KOLN
26. Tiler’s need GROUT
29. City SSE of Santa Fe ROSWELL
33. Tablet holder LAP
35. “__ man should have money in his head, but not in his heart”: Swift A WISE
36. Eggs on SPURS
37. Goody two shoes PRISS
38. One taking a selfie CELL
39. Casino chip collector RAKE
40. Software instruction file README
41. __ Tracey, one of the original Mouseketeers DOREEN
42. Rumble in the Jungle setting ZAIRE
43. Lenya of “From Russia With Love” LOTTE
44. Tolkien tree giants ENTS
46. Ownership consequences, often DEBTS
51. Carnival city RIO
53. Edit a lot REWORK
55. Brief glance APERCU
56. Less adorned BARER
57. Passion tea maker TAZO
59. Throat condition STREP
62. Singer Adams EDIE
65. Pop-up producer ADWARE
66. Pre-Aztec Mesoamerican TOLTEC
68. “None for me” I PASS
69. Mea __ CULPA
70. Hot and bothered ABOIL
72. Game show with a Red Light Challenge CASH CAB
73. Place for peels SPA
75. Milwaukee Brewers’ home MILLER PARK
76. Disorderly IN DISARRAY
77. Letter-shaped opening T-SLOT
78. 3, 4 and 5 PARS
79. MetLife competitor AETNA
80. Praline piece PECAN
81. Back REAR
82. Nutmeg-flavored quaffs NOGS
89. Order to attack SIC ‘EM
90. Area south of SoHo TRIBECA
91. “What did I tell you!” SEE THAT?!
92. Baby panda CUB
94. Holy threesome TRIUNE
95. Talent KNACK
96. “Shadow Dancing” singer Andy GIBB
99. Craves, with “for” LUSTS
100. Gutter locale EAVE
101. Carrier with a King David Club EL AL
102. Jeter’s 1,311, briefly RBIS
103. Holey pursuit? GOLF
104. Track OVAL
106. Vindictive goddess HERA
107. Onetime Russian monarch TSAR
109. Liable to snap EDGY
111. Nos. expert CPA
112. __ hall REC
114. Pigs out (on), for short ODS
Pretty easy Sunday, but I just ran into a double Natick where both RITT and TWEE intersected LOTTE. I didn't know any of the 3. Killed the puzzle for me.
Very interesting tidbit on the allocation of letters and points in the development of Scrabble. That had to be an unbelievably tedious task. There were no apps for such things in 1938….
I'm not a gambler, but I believe to place is to finish second. Win is finishing first, place is finishing second, and show is actually finishing first, second OR third…although to win a trifecta the "show" horse would have to finish third by definition or your win and place bets would be incorrect.
Stay out of the rain, Bill
Best –
Bill, you need a pith helmet and netting! You two are sure the outdoors types.
I PASS ^0^
Those Tolkien things got me again 🙁
Did pretty well otherwise.
This is how I remember
LOTTE LENYA
Three penny opera.
Never ever saw a Bond movie and don't think I missed anything except for crossword references.
Jeff, hope you're mending and agree on win, place, and show
Win, Place, Show:
The definition and the betting payout are slightly different. By definition Win is to finish first, Place is to finish second and Show is to finish third. But in betting at the track, Win =your horse must finish first to pay out, Place = your horse must finish second or first to pay out, Show = your horse must finish third, second or first to pay out. I believe Bill's remark is still correct though. When a horse finishes in the money it is said to "place".
@Pookie
…and there's poker where you PLACE your bets, WIN the hand, and SHOW your cards… 🙂
Jeff- good one! Never thought of it.
Did the L.A. Times, the N.Y. Times syndicate and Merl Reagle today and just about nothing else.
And… I don't care! It's hot here, we don't have A.C and the most effort I made thus far is a great big salad, cut up some roly-poly squash to steam and going to heat up leftover penne/broccoli/bechamel/cheese casserole. See you all tomorrow!
Never heard of CASH CAB. That's not too surprising, I guess, as I never watch TV anymore, but I haven't even seen it mentioned in the newspapers. So … live and learn, I guess …