LA Times Crossword Answers 24 Jun 2018, Sunday

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Constructed by: Michael Ashley
Edited by: Rich Norris

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Today’s Theme: Hey, That Hurt!

Themed answers are common words or phrases with the letter string OW inserted:

  • 23A. “Fire!,” say? : ALARM BELLOW (from “alarm bell”)
  • 44A. “That bloke is hurt!” : FELLOW DOWN! (from “fell down”)
  • 67A. Disappointing digs for pigs? : DRY WALLOW (from “drywall”)
  • 92A. Sign attracting wickerwork craftspeople? : FREE WILLOW (from “free will”)
  • 115A. High-tech all-night study aid? : SMART PILLOW (from “smart pill”)
  • 33D. Consumer who admires store displays? : WINDOW SURFER (from “windsurfer”
  • 40D. Pale yellow, light brown, etc.? : FALLOW COLORS (from “fall colors”)

Bill’s time: 21m 01s

Bill’s errors: 0

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1. Primary aspirant’s challenge : SMEAR

The US is one of just a few countries that uses primary elections, selections of party candidates by popular vote. In the runup to most national elections outside of the US, political parties select their own candidates. Indeed, primaries weren’t introduced into the US until relatively recently. The first presidential primary took place in 1920, in New Hampshire.

11. Skunk River city : AMES

The city of Ames, Iowa is famous for holding the now-defunct Ames Straw Poll (also “Iowa Straw Poll) in advance of presidential elections. The poll in question was used to gauge the level of support for two or more Republican candidates, although non-Republicans were allowed to cast a vote. To vote one had to be an Iowa resident and had buy a ticket to the fundraising dinner at which the vote is taken. The event got a lot of coverage, so it boosted the local economy as journalists hit the town. It was a very successful fundraiser for the Republican Party in Iowa as well, but the usefulness of the straw poll in predicting the eventual winner of the nomination was less clear. There were six straw polls from its inception in 1979, and just 2 out of the 6 times the poll winner went on to capture the party’s nomination. The Republican Party decided to pull the plug on the event in 2015.

The Skunk River in Iowa is a tributary of the Mississippi. The etymology of the river’s name is a little unclear, and is probably a mistranslation of the Sauk and Meskwaki name “Shecaqua”, which means “strong and obnoxious smell”. The headwaters of the Skunk River was known for its wild onions along the banks, hence the “odoriferous” reference. A better translation might have been “Onion River”.

19. Historic Jordanian city : PETRA

The New7Wonders of the World is a list of seven existing monuments that were selected by a popularity poll conducted by telephone and over the Internet between 2000 and 2007. The final list is:

  • The Great Wall of China
  • Petra (Jordan)
  • The Colosseum (Rome)
  • Chichen Itza (Yucatán)
  • Machu Picchu (Cusco)
  • The Taj Mahal
  • The statue of Christ the Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro)

The Great Pyramid of Giza gets an honorary mention as the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that remains largely intact.

20. Tree native to southern Brazil : BALSA

Balsa is a very fast growing tree that is native to parts of South America. Even though balsa wood is very soft, it is actually classified as a hardwood, the softest of all the hardwoods (go figure!). Balsa is light and strong, so is commonly used in making model airplanes. Amazingly, in WWII a full-size British plane, the de Havilland Mosquito, was built largely from balsa and plywood. No wonder they called it “The Wooden Wonder” and “The Timber Terror”.

22. 1985 U.S. Open champ Mandlikova : HANA

Hana Mandlikova is a former professional tennis star from Czechoslovakia. Mandlikova won four Grand Slam titles and then retired in 1990, at the ripe old age of 28.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers’ founder : ART ROONEY

Art Rooney was the son of Irish immigrants who left the country during the Potato Famine. Rooney founded the Pittsburgh Pirates football team in 1933, a team that was to become the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1940.

27. “Peer Gynt” widow : ASE

“Ase’s Death” is a movement in Edvard Grieg’s beautiful “Peer Gynt” suite. The suite is a collection of incidental music that Grieg composed for Ibsen’s play of the same name. Ase is the widow of a peasant, and the mother of Peer Gynt.

28. Web portal since 1994 : LYCOS

Lycos is a search engine and web portal that was launched in 1994. Lycos began its life as a research project in Carnegie Mellon University.

30. Egg-shaped wind instruments : OCARINAS

An ocarina is an ancient wind-instrument that sounds like and is played like a flute. Usually an ocarina has an egg-shaped body with a number of finger holes cut into the material making up the instrument (usually ceramic). There is a tube protruding from the body through which one blows to make sounds. The air vibrates within the body of the instrument, and the pitch of the vibrations is changed by covering and uncovering the finger-holes. Ocarinas date back as far as 12,000 years ago when they were used both in China and Central America. The ocarina was brought to Italy in the 1800s where it became popular as a child’s toy, but also as a serious instrument. It was given the name “ocarina” as its shape resembles that of a goose, and “ocarina”is a diminutive word stemming from “oca”, the Italian word for “goose”.

36. “Two and a Half Men” co-star : CRYER

Actor Jon Cryer first came to public attention playing Duckie Dale in the 1986 John Hughes movie “Pretty in Pink”. Cryer’s most famous role was Alan Harper on the sitcom “Two and Half Men”.

38. “Happy Days” actor : BAIO

Scott Baio is the actor who played Chachi Arcola in the great sitcom “Happy Days” and in the not-so-great spin-off “Joanie Loves Chachi”. Baio also played the title role in a later sitcom called “Charles in Charge”. Earlier in his career, he played another title role, in the 1976 movie “Bugsy Malone”, appearing opposite a young Jodie Foster.

40. Sprat no-no : FAT

Jack Sprat was a nickname given in the 16th century to people of small stature. Jack featured in a proverb of the day:

Jack will eat not fat, and Jull doth love no leane. Yet betwixt them both they lick the dishes cleane.

Over time, this mutated into a nursery rhyme that is still recited in England:

Jack Sprat could eat no fat. His wife could eat no lean. And so between them both, you see, they licked the platter clean.

47. Racer Yarborough : CALE

Cale Yarborough is a former NASCAR driver and owner. Yarborough was the first NASCAR driver to appear on the cover of “Sports Illustrated”.

53. Muse of comedy : THALIA

In Greek mythology, the muses are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. The number of muses is a subject of debate at times, but the most popular view is that there are nine:

  • Calliope (epic poetry)
  • Clio (history)
  • Erato (lyric poetry)
  • Euterpe (music)
  • Melpomene (tragedy)
  • Polyhymnia (choral poetry)
  • Terpsichore (dance)
  • Thalia (comedy)
  • Urania (astronomy)

Before the adoption of the nine muses of Greek mythology, there were originally three muses, the three Boeotian Muses. These were:

  • Mneme (memory)
  • Melete (meditation)
  • Aoede (song)

61. Searches with a divining rod : DOWSES

Dowsing is the practice of divining, not just for water, but also for buried metals and gemstones. Often a dowser will use a Y-shaped or L-shaped rod as a tool, which can also be called a dowser. Here in the US, the tool used might be referred to as a “witching rod”, as it is usually made from witch-hazel.

65. Chant, often : MONOTONE

A monotone is a chant of a single, unchanging note.

79. Mountaineer’s rope fasteners : CARABINERS

Carabiners are specialty shackles that comprise a metal loop with a spring-loaded gate that facilitates speedy and safe connections. The name comes from the German “Karabinerhaken” meaning “spring hook”. The original carabiners were used by carabinier, soldiers armed with short muskets or rifles called “carbines”. The soldier attached items to his belt or bandolier using carabiners.

83. Red Muppet : ELMO

The “Sesame Street” character named Elmo has a birthday every February 3rd, and on that birthday he always turns 3½ years old. The man behind/under Elmo on “Sesame Street” is Kevin Clash. If you want to learn more about Elmo and Clash, you can watch the 2011 documentary “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey”.

84. Jenna of “Dharma & Greg” : ELFMAN

Actress Jenna Elfman is best known for playing Dharma on the sitcom “Dharma & Greg”. Elfman’s most noted role on the big screen is Anna Riley in the 2000 film “Keeping the Faith”.

85. Big tower, briefly: Abbr. : AAA

The American Automobile Association (AAA) is a not-for-profit organization focused on lobbying, provision of automobile servicing, and selling of automobile insurance. The AAA was founded in 1902 in Chicago and published the first of its celebrated hotel guides back in 1917.

92. Sign attracting wickerwork craftspeople? : FREE WILLOW (from “free will”)

Most willows (trees and shrubs of the genus Salix) are called just that, willows. Some of the broad-leaved shrub varieties are called sallow, and the narrow-leaved shrubs are called osier. The variety known as osier is commonly used in basketry, as osier twigs are very flexible. The strong and flexible willow stems are sometimes referred to as withies.

96. Corrida chant : OLE!

Spanish bullfighting is known locally as “corrida de toros”, or literally “race of bulls”.

98. Baby marsupial : JOEY

In Australia, male kangaroos are known by several names including bucks, boomers, jacks or old men. Females are called does, flyers, or jills. There seems to be just the one name for young kangaroos, i.e. joeys. A group of kangaroos might be called a mob, troop or court.

Marsupials are mammals that carry their young in a pouch. Better-known marsupials are kangaroos, koalas, wombats and Tasmanian devils. As you can perhaps tell from this list, most marsupials are native to the Southern Hemisphere.

99. Cold, in Cartagena : FRIA

Cartagena is a major port city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. The Colombian city was founded in 1553 and was named for Cartagena in Spain. The Spanish city in turn was named for Carthage in Tunisia.

104. Capital on I-84 : BOISE

Interstate 84 is a highway that exists in two sections, which are not connected. In the west of the country, I-84 starts from Portland, Oregon and ends at I-80 near Echo, Utah. In the east, I-84 starts at I-81 near Dunmore, Pennsylvania and ends at I-90 near Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Along the way, I-84 passes through two state capitals: Boise, Idaho and Hartford, Connecticut.

105. Arabic “son of” : IBN

In Arabic names, “ibn” is a word meaning “son of”. The words “bin” and “ben” are also used for “son of”. The word “bint” means “daughter of”. Similarly, in Hebrew “ben” is used to mean “son of”, and “bat” is used to mean “daughter of”.

106. Some Guggenheim works : PICASSOS

The artist Pablo Picasso’s full name was Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso, a name he was given right from birth. Got that?

Bilbao is a city in the Basque region of northern Spain. One of the most famous buildings in the city is the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, a spectacular structure standing on the banks of the Nervión river in the downtown area.

110. Workout regimen : TAE BO

Tae Bo isn’t an ancient martial art, even though it perhaps sounds like one. The discipline was developed as a form of aerobic exercise in the 1990s by taekwondo expert Billy Blanks who gave it the name Tae Bo, a melding of “taekwondo” and “boxing”.

112. Crazy Eights cousin : UNO

UNO is a card game that was developed in the early seventies and that has been sold by Mattel since 1992. UNO falls into the “shedding” family of card games, in that the goal is to get rid of all your cards while preventing opponents from doing the same.

115. High-tech all-night study aid? : SMART PILLOW (from “smart pill”)

Smart pills are ingestible sensors that can be swallowed. The pills then transmit medical data as they pass through the body.

120. Jersey, for one : ISLE

Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands, a British Crown dependency located off the coast of Normandy in France. I’ve never been to Jersey, although my grandmother used to vacation there every year …

125. Child measures?: Abbr. : TSPS

Julia Child was an American chef who is recognized for bringing French cuisine to the American public. During WWII, Julia Child joined the OSS (Office of Strategic Services), the predecessor to the CIA. She worked for the OSS in Washington, Ceylon and China. While in the OSS, she met her husband Paul Child who was also an OSS employee. Paul joined the Foreign Service after the war, and it was his posting to France that created the opportunity for Julie to learn about French cuisine. If you haven’t seen it, I highly, highly recommend the movie “Julie & Julia”, one of the best films of 2009. Meryl Streep does a fabulous job playing the larger-than-life Julia Child.

126. Snarky : SNIDE

“Snark” is a term that was coined by Lewis Carroll in his fabulous 1876 nonsense poem “The Hunting of the Snark”. Somehow, the term “snarky” came to mean “irritable, short-tempered” in the early 1900s, and from there “snark” became “sarcastic rhetoric” at the beginning of the 21st century.

Down

2. Blanc behind Bugs : MEL

Mel Blanc was known as “The Man of a Thousand Voices”. We’ve all heard Mel Blanc at one time or another, I am sure. His was the voice behind such cartoon characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Woody Woodpecker, Elmer Fudd and Barney Rubble. And the words on Blanc’s tombstone are … “That’s all folks”.

3. LAX posting : ETA

Estimated time of arrival (ETA)

5. Big name in Egyptian kings : RAMSES

Ramesses (also “Ramses”) was the name taken by eleven of the Egyptian pharaohs. “Ramesses” translates as “Born of the sun-god Ra”.

6. Fiver : ABE

The US five-dollar bill is often called an “Abe”, as President Lincoln’s portrait is on the front. An Abe is also referred to as a “fin”, a term that has been used for a five-pound note in Britain since 1868.

7. Quartet for walking? : BALLS

That would be baseball. Pitching four balls leads to a walk.

8. TV hillbilly __ May Clampett : ELLY

Elly May Clampett was played by Donna Douglas on the sixties television show “The Beverly Hillbillies”. Douglas is best known on the big screen for playing the lead opposite Elvis Presley in 1966’s “Frankie and Johnny”.

12. Where Fez is : MOROCCO

Fes (sometimes “Fez”) is the second largest city in Morocco. Fes is home to the Fes el Bali quarter, a walled part of the city that is thought to be the largest car-free urban area in the world. Fes is also gave the name to the red felt hat called a “fez”.

13. Make a humble retraction : EAT CROW

The phrase “eat crow”, an alternative to “eat humble pie”, perhaps refers to the fact that cooked crow may be edible, but is not a great food choice.

15. Tabernacle singers : CHOIR

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a self-funded entity that is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Known within the church as simply “MoTab”, the choir was founded back in 1847, just a few weeks after the original Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.

16. “The Insider” director Michael : MANN

Not only is Michael Mann a film director, but he also produced the Academy Awards ceremony twice, in 1999 and 2004.

Jeffrey Wigand was once vice president of research and development at the tobacco company Brown & Williamson. Famously, Wigand gave a “tell all” interview for television’s “60 Minutes” in which he described deliberate actions by his employers to increase the level of addiction of cigarette smokers. Wigand’s fascinating story was told in the 1999 movie “The Insider”, with Russell Crowe playing the whistle-blower.

17. Fit for service : ONE-A

The US government maintains information on all males who are potentially subject to military conscription, using what is called the Selective Service System (SSS). In the event that a draft was held, men registered would be classified into groups to determine eligibility for service. Class 1-A registrants are those available for unrestricted military service. Other classes are 1-A-O (conscientious objector available for noncombatant service), 4-A (registrant who has completed military service) and 4-D (Minister of religion).

24. Swain : BEAU

A swain is a country lad, or a beau. Back in the 12th century, a swain was a young man who attended a knight.

26. Turgenev’s birthplace : 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.

Ivan Turgenev was a Russian novelist and playwright. Turgenev’s most famous works are a collection of short stories called “A Sportsman’s Sketches” (1852) and the novel “Fathers and Sons” (1862).

31. Sitcom sign-off word : NANU

The sitcom “Mork & Mindy” was broadcast from 1978 to 1982. We were first introduced to Mork (played by Robin Williams) in a special episode of “Happy Days”. The particular episode in question has a bizarre storyline culminating in Fonzie and Mork having a thumb-to-finger duel. Eventually Richie wakes up in bed, and alien Mork was just part of a dream! Oh, and “Nanu Nanu” means both “hello” and “goodbye” back on the planet Ork. “I am Mork from Ork, Nanu Nanu”. Great stuff …

32. Berkshire school : ETON

The world-famous Eton College is just a brisk walk from Windsor Castle, which itself is just outside London. Eton is noted for producing many British leaders including David Cameron who took power in the last UK general election. The list of Old Etonians also includes Princes William and Harry, the Duke of Wellington, George Orwell, and the creator of James Bond, Ian Fleming (as well as 007 himself as described in the Fleming novels).

34. APR reducer : REFI

Annual percentage rate (APR)

38. Hard to make out : BLEARY

To blear is to dim the vision, usually with watery eyes.

40. Pale yellow, light brown, etc.? : FALLOW COLORS (from “fall colors”)

Fallow is a light yellow-brown color. The name “fallow” comes from the color of sandy soil in fallow fields, fields left unplanted for a season in the process of crop rotation.

41. Property recipient, in law : ALIENEE

An alienee is one to whom ownership of property is transferred, alienated.

45. Start of a duel : EN GARDE!

“En garde” is a French term that has been absorbed into the sport of fencing. Originally a warning “on guard!”, it is spoken at the start of an encounter to warn the fencers to take a defensive position.

46. Marlins manager Mattingly : DON

Don Mattingly is a former professional baseball player who played his entire career with the New York Yankees. Mattingly coached the LA Dodgers from 2011 until 2015, and the Florida Marlins from 2016.

49. Masthead VIPs : EDS

The masthead is a list often found on the editorial page of a newspaper that gives the members of a newspaper’s editorial board.

50. Caviar : ROE

Caviar is the roe of a large fish that has been salted and seasoned, and especially the roe of a sturgeon. Beluga caviar comes from the beluga sturgeon, found primarily in the Caspian Sea. It is the most expensive type of caviar in the world. 8 ounces of US-farmed beluga caviar can be purchased through Amazon.com for just over $850, in case you’re feeling peckish …

51. Wedding consequence, perhaps : MRS

Mr. is an abbreviation for “mister”, and Mrs. is an abbreviation for “mistress”.

54. Med. care group : HMO

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)

59. Spanish sherry : AMOROSO

“Oloroso” is the Spanish word for “scented, fragrant”. It is used to describe a sherry that is usually dark and nutty, characteristics brought on by oxidative aging. A sweetened oloroso can be be described as a cream sherry, amoroso or brown sherry, depending on the sugar content.

61. Bishop’s jurisdiction : DIOCESE

In some Christian traditions, a district under the control of a bishop is called a diocese, bishopric or see. Dioceses are in turn divided into parishes that are under the control of priests. A particularly significant diocese might be called an archdiocese, and falls under the control of an archbishop.

68. CBS CEO Moonves : LES

Leslie Moonves had many senior positions in the television industry, especially with CBS and Viacom. Early in his career he was an actor and played tough guys on “Cannon” and “The Six Million Dollar Man”. Moonves is the great-nephew of David Ben-Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel, and is married to TV news personality Julie Chen.

72. Hightails it : LAMS

To be on the lam is to be in flight, to have escaped from prison. “On the lam” is American slang that originated at the end of the 19th century. The word “lam” also means to “beat” or “thrash”, as in “lambaste”. So “on the lam” might derive from the phrase “to beat it, to scram”.

73. Professional org. since 1878 : ABA

The American Bar Association (ABA) was founded back in 1878 and is a voluntary association for lawyers and law students. The ABA focuses on setting academic standards for law schools and setting ethical codes for the profession.

74. Presumed defense against mind-reading : TINFOIL HAT

Before thin sheets of aluminum metal were available as aluminum foil, thin sheets of tin were used in various applications. Tin foil isn’t a great choice for wrapping food though, as it imparts a tinny taste. On the other side of the pond, aluminum foil has a different name. No, it’s not just the different spelling of aluminum (“aluminium”). We still call it “tin foil”. You see, we live in the past …

76. Symbol of peace : VEE

One has to be careful making that V-sign depending where you are in the world. Where I came from, the V for victory (or peace) sign has to be made with the palm facing outwards. If the sign is made with the palm facing inwards, it can be interpreted as a very obscene gesture.

78. “__ Believer”: ’60s hit : I’M A

“I’m a Believer” was a big hit for the Monkees in 1966. The Monkees recording of “I’m a Believer” is a cover version. The song was written and originally recorded by Neil Diamond.

80. Issa __, creator of HBO’s “Insecure” : RAE

Issa Rae is Stanford University graduate who created a YouTube web series called “Awkward Black Girl”. Rae also plays the title role in the series, a young lady named “J”. “Awkward Black Girl” was adapted into an HBO comedy-drama called “Insecure”, in which Issa Rae stars.

86. Homes for F-16s : AIRBASES

The F-16 is a supersonic fighter aircraft that has been in service since 1978. Officially known as the Fighting Falcon, pilots and crew routinely refer to the F-16 as the Viper. As of 2015, there have been more F-16s in military service around the world than any other fixed-wing fighter aircraft.

88. 1957 war movie title river : KWAI

The river referred to in the movie (and novel) “The Bridge on the River Kwai” is actually called the Khwae Yai River, and is in western Thailand. The original novel by Pierre Boulle was published in French in 1952, and the wonderful movie released in 1957. Both tell the story of construction of part of the Burma Railway and a bridge over the river, using prisoners of war as laborers. The film stars William Holden, Alec Guinness and Jack Hawkins.

90. Danson and Knight : TEDS

The actor Ted Danson is noted for in particular for three successful roles that he has played on television. He played Sam Malone on the sitcom “Cheers”, the title role on the sitcom “Becker”, and eventually led the cast on the drama series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”. Danson has been married to the lovely actress Mary Steenburgen since 1995.

Ted Knight was the actor best known for playing the slow-witted news anchor Ted Baxter on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”. Knight’s most famous role on the big screen was Judge Elihu Smails in the 1980 comedy “Caddyshack”.

101. Victoria’s Secret spec : D-CUP

Victoria’s Secret was founded in 1977 in San Francisco, California. The founder wanted to create an environment where men were comfortable buying lingerie for their wives or girlfriends, an alternative to a department store.

102. Hit song from “Flashdance” : MANIAC

“Maniac” is a hit song written for the 1983 movie “Flashdance”. It was performed and co-written by Michael Sembello. Paramount Pictures executives asked Sembello for songs to potentially include in the film. Sembello’s wife included “Maniac” on the tape by accident.

103. Wagnerian soprano : ISOLDE

“Tristan und Isolde” is an epic opera by Richard Wagner (Wagner … not one of my favorites!). Many see the work as the first serious move away from the traditional harmony and tonality of the classical and romantic eras.

107. Big belt : SWIG

A belt is a swift swig of hard liquor.

109. A jerk may serve one : COLA

In the halcyon days of yore, a “soda jerk” was usually a young person whose main job was to serve ice cream sodas in a drugstore. The server would “jerk” the handle on the soda fountain to dispense the soda water, giving the job its distinctive name.

111. Indonesian resort island : BALI

Bali is both an island and a province in Indonesia. It is a popular tourist spot, although the number of visitors dropped for a few years as a result of terrorist bombings in 2002 and 2005 that killed mainly tourists. Bali became more popular starting in 2008 due to a significant and favorable change in the exchange rate between the US dollar and the Indonesian rupiah.

114. Slow start? : ESS

The starting letter in the word “slow” is a letter S (ess).

116. One-third of nove : TRE

In Italian, one third of “nove” (nine) is “tre” (three).

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Primary aspirant’s challenge : SMEAR
6. Tough test metaphor : A BEAR
11. Skunk River city : AMES
15. “Let’s move it!” : C’MON!
19. Historic Jordanian city : PETRA
20. Tree native to southern Brazil : BALSA
21. Bar purchase : SOAP
22. 1985 U.S. Open champ Mandlikova : HANA
23. “Fire!,” say? : ALARM BELLOW (from “alarm bell”)
25. Pittsburgh Steelers’ founder : ART ROONEY
27. “Peer Gynt” widow : ASE
28. Web portal since 1994 : LYCOS
30. Egg-shaped wind instruments : OCARINAS
31. Time to party : NEW YEAR’S
35. Stopover spot : INN
36. “Two and a Half Men” co-star : CRYER
37. Subject to discussion : AT ISSUE
38. “Happy Days” actor : BAIO
39. Unflappable : COOL
40. Sprat no-no : FAT
43. Fact or fiction starter : NON-
44. “That bloke is hurt!” : FELLOW DOWN! (from “fell down”)
47. Racer Yarborough : CALE
48. Weaken by eroding : UNDERMINE
52. Prefix with natal : NEO-
53. Muse of comedy : THALIA
55. Scent : ODOR
56. Age __ : GAP
58. Crime lab holdings : DNA SAMPLES
61. Searches with a divining rod : DOWSES
63. Stately steed : ARAB
65. Chant, often : MONOTONE
66. Planning considerations : IFS
67. Disappointing digs for pigs? : DRY WALLOW (from “drywall”)
70. Serving liquor, as a town : WET
71. Dropped an egg? : OVULATED
75. Back : REAR
76. Puts into words : VOICES
79. Mountaineer’s rope fasteners : CARABINERS
82. __-pitch : SLO
83. Red Muppet : ELMO
84. Jenna of “Dharma & Greg” : ELFMAN
85. Big tower, briefly: Abbr. : AAA
87. Demanded maximum effort : ASKED A LOT
91. Takes to court : SUES
92. Sign attracting wickerwork craftspeople? : FREE WILLOW (from “free will”)
96. Corrida chant : OLE!
97. Sonnet ending? : -EER
98. Baby marsupial : JOEY
99. Cold, in Cartagena : FRIA
100. Held in high regard : ADMIRED
104. Capital on I-84 : BOISE
105. Arabic “son of” : IBN
106. Some Guggenheim works : PICASSOS
107. Designated, perhaps incorrectly : SO CALLED
110. Workout regimen : TAE BO
112. Crazy Eights cousin : UNO
113. “Hold on now, pal” : WHOA THERE
115. High-tech all-night study aid? : SMART PILLOW (from “smart pill”)
120. Jersey, for one : ISLE
121. Bustles : ADOS
122. Sushi bar supplier : EELER
123. Hold in high regard : ADORE
124. Impel : GOAD
125. Child measures?: Abbr. : TSPS
126. Snarky : SNIDE
127. Red-carpet figure : CELEB

Down

1. Swimming pool adjunct : SPA
2. Blanc behind Bugs : MEL
3. LAX posting : ETA
4. Orderly arrangements : ARRAYS
5. Big name in Egyptian kings : RAMSES
6. Fiver : ABE
7. Quartet for walking? : BALLS
8. TV hillbilly __ May Clampett : ELLY
9. Withdrawn : ASOCIAL
10. Ring on a burger : RAW ONION
11. __ rule : AS A
12. Where Fez is : MOROCCO
13. Make a humble retraction : EAT CROW
14. Bronzing method : SPRAY-ON TAN
15. Tabernacle singers : CHOIR
16. “The Insider” director Michael : MANN
17. Fit for service : ONE-A
18. Floor opposition : NAYS
24. Swain : BEAU
26. Turgenev’s birthplace : OREL
29. Bamboozled : SNOWED
31. Sitcom sign-off word : NANU
32. Berkshire school : ETON
33. Consumer who admires store displays? : WINDOW SURFER (from “windsurfer”
34. APR reducer : REFI
38. Hard to make out : BLEARY
40. Pale yellow, light brown, etc.? : FALLOW COLORS (from “fall colors”)
41. Property recipient, in law : ALIENEE
42. Afternoon services : TEA SETS
45. Start of a duel : EN GARDE!
46. Marlins manager Mattingly : DON
47. Adm.’s subordinate : CAPT
49. Masthead VIPs : EDS
50. Caviar : ROE
51. Wedding consequence, perhaps : MRS
54. Med. care group : HMO
57. Foot in a pound : PAW
59. Spanish sherry : AMOROSO
60. Farm female : SOW
61. Bishop’s jurisdiction : DIOCESE
62. Useful : OF VALUE
64. __ exam : BAR
67. Room for a home theater : DEN
68. CBS CEO Moonves : LES
69. “I’m not listening to you” : LA LA LA!
72. Hightails it : LAMS
73. Professional org. since 1878 : ABA
74. Presumed defense against mind-reading : TINFOIL HAT
76. Symbol of peace : VEE
77. Ancient : OLD
78. “__ Believer”: ’60s hit : I’M A
80. Issa __, creator of HBO’s “Insecure” : RAE
81. Deemed appropriate : SAW FIT
86. Homes for F-16s : AIRBASES
88. 1957 war movie title river : KWAI
89. Pat on a pancake, perhaps : OLEO
90. Danson and Knight : TEDS
93. Works on bare spots : RESEEDS
94. Bit of ocular relief : EYE DROP
95. Tackles, e.g. : LINEMEN
98. Shocker : JOLT
101. Victoria’s Secret spec : D-CUP
102. Hit song from “Flashdance” : MANIAC
103. Wagnerian soprano : ISOLDE
104. Acted sheepishly? : BAAED
106. Went (over) thoroughly : PORED
107. Big belt : SWIG
108. Very : OH SO
109. A jerk may serve one : COLA
111. Indonesian resort island : BALI
114. Slow start? : ESS
116. One-third of nove : TRE
117. Online guffaw : LOL
118. Wash. neighbor : ORE
119. Complex trap : WEB

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