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Constructed by: Mike Peluso
Edited by: Rich Norris
Today’s Theme: When in Rome
Themed answers each start with a number, but that number is written in Roman numerals:
- 22A Show for which Erika Slezak won six Daytime Emmys : I (ONE) LIFE TO LIVE
- 28A Films with depth? : III (THREE)-D MOVIES
- 34A Video poker basis : V (FIVE)-CARD DRAW
- 57A It’s not good to be behind it : VIII (EIGHT)-BALL
- 59A It’s usually attached to a house : II (TWO)-CAR GARAGE
- 74A Certain incumbent’s rally cry : IV (FOUR) MORE YEARS!
- 76A 1995 Hugh Grant film : IX (NINE) MONTHS
- 96A Symbol of untouchability : X (TEN) FOOT POLE
- 106A Set of schools that includes Vassar : VII (SEVEN) SISTERS
- 115A 2000s series set in a funeral home : VI (SIX) FEET UNDER
Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers
Want to discuss the puzzle? Then …
… leave a comment
Bill’s time: 15m 38s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
6 Wilson’s predecessor : TAFT
William Howard Taft may have been the 27th President of the United States, but his lifelong ambition was to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. President Taft was able to realize that dream in 1921, eight years after losing his bid for re-election as president. As Chief Justice, this former US President swore in two new presidents: Calvin Coolidge (in 1925) and Herbert Hoover (in 1929). William Howard Taft is also remembered as the most obese president. In the last year of his presidency, he weighed about 340 pounds (he was 5 feet 11 inches tall). Twelve months after leaving the White House, President Taft had dropped 80 pounds and substantially lowered his blood pressure.
President Woodrow Wilson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919. He was so honored in recognition of his efforts to promote peace around the world, and in particular for the leading role he played in setting up the League of Nations after WWI (despite his failure to gain support for the organization from the US Congress).
10 Eponymous 2000s TV sitcom : REBA
Reba McEntire is a country music singer and television actress. McEntire starred in her own sitcom called “Reba” that aired on the WB and the CW cable channels from 2001 to 2007.
14 Runs for 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”.
18 Chili __: dish with green sauce : VERDE
The full name of the dish that is often called simply “chili” is “chili con carne”, Spanish for “peppers with meat”. The dish was created by immigrants from the Spanish Canary Islands in the city of San Antonio, Texas (a city which the islanders founded). The San Antonio Chili Stand was a popular attraction at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and that stand introduced the dish to the rest of America and to the world.
19 Early Arizona natives : PIMAS
The Pima people are a group of Native Americans living in what is now central and southern Arizona. The name “Pima” is thought to be an anglicization of the phrase “pi mac”, which members of their tribe often said in their first meetings with Europeans.
20 Tourney format, briefly : ELIM
Elimination (elim.)
“Tourney” is another word for “tournament”. The term comes from the Old French word “tornei” meaning “contest of armed men”, from “tornoier” meaning “to joust, jilt”.
21 Siouan people : OTOE
The Otoe (also “Oto”) Native American tribe originated in the Great Lakes region as part of the Winnebago or Siouan tribes. The group that would become the Otoe broke away from the Winnebago and migrated southwestward, ending up in the Great Plains. In the plains the Otoe adopted a semi-nomadic lifestyle dependent on the horse, with the American bison becoming central to their diet.
22 Show for which Erika Slezak won six Daytime Emmys : I (ONE) LIFE TO LIVE
“One Life to Live” is a soap opera that aired on ABC for over 43 years, from 1968 until it was removed from the television lineup in 2012. There was an attempt to resurrect that show as a web series in 2013, but recording ceased after just a handful of episodes.
Actress Erika Slezak plays Victoria Lord on the daytime soap opera “One Life to Live”. Slezak has been playing the role since 1971, for 40 years!
24 Amt. rarely charged : MSRP
Manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP)
25 Lahore tongue : URDU
Urdu is one of the two official languages of Pakistan (the other being English), and is one of the 22 scheduled languages in India. Urdu partly developed from Persian and is written from right to left.
Lahore is a large city in Pakistan that is second in size only to Karachi. It is known as the Garden of the Mughals (or in English, Moguls) because of its association with the Mughal Empire. The Mughals ruled much of India from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries.
31 Hammed it up : EMOTED
The word “ham”, describing a performer who overacts, is a shortened form of “hamfatter” and dates back to the late 1800s. “Hamfatter” comes from a song in old minstrel shows called “The Ham-Fat Man”. It seems that a poorly performing actor was deemed to have the “acting” qualities of a minstrel made up in blackface.
33 Border range : URALS
The eastern side of the Ural Mountains in Russia and Kazakhstan is generally regarded as the natural divide between the continents of Europe and Asia.
38 Home security giant : ADT
ADT is a home and small-business security company based in Boca Raton, Florida. The company was founded back in 1874 by Edward Calahan. Calahan invented the stock ticker several years earlier, and ran the Gold and Stock Telegraph Company. Calahan was awoken one morning by the sound of a burglar in his house, and so he decided to develop a telegraph-based security alarm system. The success of the system led to the founding of American District Telegraph, later known as ADT.
39 Tom Joad, e.g. : OKIE
Tom Joad is the protagonist in John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath”. The role of Joad was played by Henry Fonda in the 1940 film adaptation directed by John Ford. Ford’s movie has a place in history, as it was one of the first 25 movies selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
“Okies” is a derogatory term used during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s for farming families who migrated from Oklahoma (hence the name), Arkansas, Kansas and Texas in search of agricultural jobs in California. The road used by many of these migrant families was Route 66, which is also called “Mother Road”.
41 Kolkata wrap : SARI
Kolkata (formerly “Calcutta”) is the capital of West Bengal, India. Kolkata grew up around a fort that the British built in the area in 1712. Prior to the arrival of the British, there were three villages at the site, one named Kalikata. Kalikata gave its name to the city that eventually developed. This was anglicized to “Calcutta” which became the official name for centuries, until it was changed back to Kolkata in 2001.
42 Heavy marble : STEELIE
A playing marble made from agate is called just that, an agate. Steelies on the other hand, are made from solid steel.
45 Inflation spec : PSI
Pounds per square inch (PSI) is a measure of pressure.
48 Capital north of Syracuse : OTTAWA
Ottawa is the second-largest city in the Province of Ontario (after Toronto) and is the capital city of Canada. The name “Ottawa” comes from an Algonquin word “adawe”, which means “to trade”.
54 Scand. country : NORW
Strictly speaking, Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe that covers the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The broader region that includes Finland and Iceland is referred to locally as the Nordic countries.
56 Gospel singer Winans : CECE
CeCe Winans (real given name “Priscilla”) is a Gospel music singer. She is part of a duo with her brother, BeBe Winans (real name Benjamin).
57 It’s not good to be behind it : VIII (EIGHT)-BALL
To be behind the eight-ball is to be in an extremely difficult situation. The expression “behind the eight-ball” originated in the 1920s in the US, and comes from one of the versions of pool. In the game Eight Ball, pocketing the eight-ball by mistake causes a loss.
63 Former Hanford overseer: Abbr. : AEC
The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was set up right after WWII in 1946, with the aim of promoting the peaceful use of atomic energy. Establishing the AEC was a significant move made by President Truman, as it passed control of atomic energy from the military to the civilian sector. The AEC continued to operate until 1974 when its functions were divided up into two new agencies: the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Energy Research and Development Administration (NRDA). The NRDA was merged with the Federal Energy Administration in 1977 to form the Department of Energy.
The Hanford Site is a former nuclear production facility located on the Columbia River in Washington State. The Hanford Site was established during WWII as part of the Manhattan Project. Plutonium manufactured in the plant was used in the first nuclear bomb, tested at the Trinity site in New Mexico, and in the bomb that detonated over Nagasaki.
64 Key, perhaps : ISLE
A key (also “cay”) is a low offshore island, as in the Florida “Keys”. Our term in English comes from the Spanish “cayo” meaning “shoal, reef”.
65 Management deg. : MBA
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
70 La Méditerranée, e.g. : MER
In French, “La Méditerranée” (the Mediterranean) is a “mer” (sea).
71 Hall of Fame pitcher Blyleven : BERT
Bert Blyleven is a former baseball pitcher known for his curveball. Blyleven now works as a color commentator for the Minnesota Twins.
73 One always reaching for the Skyy? : SOT
Our word “sot” comes from the Old English “sott”, meaning “fool”. The word “sot” started to be associated with alcohol and not just foolery in the late 1500s.
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.
74 Certain incumbent’s rally cry : IV (FOUR) MORE YEARS!
Since the days of President George Washington, there was an informal tradition that a US President could hold office for two terms, but would not run for a third. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the only president to break with this tradition. President Roosevelt was elected to office four times, and died a few months after starting his fourth term. It was President Roosevelt’s decision to ignore the term limit tradition that led to the adoption of the Twenty-Second Amendment of the Constitution, which provides that “no person shall be elected to the office of President more than twice”.
76 1995 Hugh Grant film : IX (NINE) MONTHS
I’d describe “Nine Months” as a pretty average romantic comedy, despite a great cast led by Hugh Grant and Julianne Moore. Also appearing are Tom Arnold, Joan Cusack, Jeff Goldblum and Robin Williams. 1995’s “Nine Months” is a remake of 1994’s French film “Neuf mois” (“Nine Months” in English).
English actor Hugh Grant’s full name is Hugh John Mungo Grant. Grant’s breakthrough came with his leading role in 1994’s “Four Weddings and a Funeral”. That was a fabulous performance. Sadly, I think Grant has basically been playing the same character ever since …
79 Década components : ANOS
In Spanish, there are ten “años” (years) in “una década” (a decade).
80 Pride and envy : SINS
The cardinal sins of Christian ethics are also known as the seven deadly sins. The seven sins are:
- Wrath
- Greed
- Sloth
- Pride
- Lust
- Envy
- Gluttony
81 Barry Gibb, for one : BEE GEE
Barry Gibb was the oldest of the trio of brothers who made up the Bee Gees. Robin also did a lot of songwriting, both with and without his siblings. He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the second most successful songwriter in history, after Paul McCartney.
82 Wing it : AD LIB
“Ad libitum” is a Latin phrase meaning “at one’s pleasure”. In common usage, the phrase is usually shortened to “ad lib”. On the stage, the concept of an ad lib is very familiar.
87 Immigrant’s subj. : ESL
English as a Second Language (ESL) is sometimes referred to as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL).
88 Soup legume : PEA
Plants called legumes are notable in that they work symbiotically with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, microorganisms found in the root nodules that convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium ions. As nitrogen is an essential component of proteins, legumes are exceptionally rich sources of plant protein. Examples of legumes are peas, beans, lentils and peanuts.
90 Transmission need : GEAR OIL
In most internal combustion engines the pistons that move up and down are arranged in a line, and connected to a crankshaft that runs along the bottom of the engine. The up and down motion of the pistons turns the crankshaft, which turning motion is “transmitted” (via the “transmission”) to the wheels. The case surrounding the crankshaft is called the crankcase. The crankcase contains a lot of oil that is squirted onto the crankshaft to lubricate it. Excess oil falls to the bottom of the crankcase and into a reservoir called the oil pan.
95 Nevada Northern Railway Museum city : ELY
Ely is a city in eastern Nevada. The city was founded as a Pony Express stagecoach station, and then experienced a mining boom after copper was discovered locally in 1906. One of Ely’s former residents was First Lady Pat Nixon, who was born there in 1912.
99 Stand for a canvas : EASEL
The word “easel” comes from an old Dutch word meaning “donkey”, would you believe? The idea is that an easel carries its load (an oil painting, say) just as a donkey would be made to carry a load.
106 Set of schools that includes Vassar : VII (SEVEN) SISTERS
The Seven Sisters are a group of (traditionally women’s) colleges in the northeast of the country that were founded to parallel the all-male (as they were then) Ivy League colleges. The seven are:
- Mount Holyoke
- Vassar
- Wellesley
- Smith
- Radcliffe
- Bryn Mawr
- Barnard
108 Sun-Maid product : RAISIN
The Sun-Maid brand of raisins belongs to a cooperative of raisin growers in California. The cooperative was founded in 1912, and the famous Sun-Maid girl shown on each container of raisins was actually a seeder and packer called Lorraine Collett who worked for one of the members of the cooperative.
110 Portland summer hrs., perhaps : EDT
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
Portland is the largest city in Maine, and home to over a third of the state’s population. The name of Portland was chosen in 1786, a reference to the Isle of Portland, which is the southernmost point in the county of Dorset, England.
113 Theta follower : IOTA
Iota is the ninth letter in the Greek alphabet, and one that gave rise to our letters I and J. We use the word “iota” to portray something very small, as it is the smallest of all Greek letters.
114 El __ : PASO
Although there have been human settlements in the El Paso area for thousands of years, the first European settlement was founded in 1659 by the Spanish. That first community was on the south bank of the Rio Grande, and was called El Paso del Norte (the North Pass). Most of the urban development under Spanish rule took place on the south side of the river, with El Paso del Norte acting as the center of governance for the Spanish for the territory of New Mexico. The Rio Grande was chosen as the border between Mexico and the US in 1848, so most of the city of El Paso del Norte became part of the Mexican state of Chihuahua (and is now called Ciudad Juárez ). The area north of the river developed as a US military post, eventually becoming the modern city of El Paso, Texas.
115 2000s series set in a funeral home : VI (SIX) FEET UNDER
“Six Feet Under” is reportedly a great TV drama aired by HBO, and one that I fully intend to take a look at one day. The “six feet under” is a reference to the show’s storyline that features a family funeral business.
118 Alaskan island in the Eastern Hemisphere : ATTU
Attu is the westernmost island in the Aleutian chain and so is the westernmost part of Alaska (and is in the Eastern Hemisphere). Japanese forces took the island in October 1942, eventually landing as many as 2,900 soldiers there. In May 1943, the US Army retook the island in twenty days of fighting that is now called the Battle of Attu, the only land battle to take place on US soil during WWII. I am very proud of my father-in-law, who served in the Aleutians during WWII …
120 Barrel racing milieu : RODEO
Barrel racing is an event featured in rodeos. Competitors on horses race around barrels in a cloverleaf pattern, each trying to complete the course in the fastest time. The event tends to be confined to male and female youths, and to women riders.
121 Flag : TIRE
Our verb “to flag” meaning “to tire” was originally used in the sense of something flapping about lazily in the wind. From this it came to mean “to go limp, droop”, and then “to tire”.
122 In the order given: Abbr. : RESP
Respectively (resp.)
Down
2 Seller of dogs : DELI
A hot dog is a sausage served in a split roll. The term “hot dog” dates back to the 19th-century and is thought to reflect a commonly-held opinion that the sausages contained dog meat.
3 Like the Namib : ARID
The Namib Desert is in Namibia, as one might expect, and also stretches into part of Angola. It is thought to be the oldest desert in the world, having been arid for over 55 million years.
4 Adobe file format : PDF
Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format introduced by Adobe Systems in 1993. PDF documents can be shared between users and read using many different applications, making them more universally accessible than documents saved by one particular program.
5 Disc golf starting point : TEEPAD
Disc golf is also known as Frisbee golf, and sometimes even Frolf. Believe it or not, disc golf predates the introduction of the Frisbee. The first game was played at a school in Bladworth, Saskatchewan in 1926. The participating schoolkids threw tin lids into circles drawn on a course they created in the school grounds. They named the game “Tin Lid Golf”.
6 Attacks, knight-style : TILTS AT
“Jousting” and “tilting” are synonyms describing the medieval competition in which two horsemen yielding blunted lances attempt to unseat each other. Such an event has been referred to as “jousting” since the 1300s. At some point, the path of the two charging horsemen was separated by a cloth barrier known as a tilt (“tilt” meant “cloth covering”). The term “tilting” was applied to the sport in the 1500s, although by then the cloth barrier had been upgraded to a wooden fence.
8 Green Bay legend : FAVRE
Brett Favre is best known as a former quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. Favre retired in 2010 after playing with the Minnesota Vikings for a short time. Among the many NFL records held by Favre, he made the most consecutive starts.
9 Mao __-tung : TSE
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.
11 Pitcher of milk? : ELSIE
Elsie the Cow is the mascot of the Borden Company. Elsie first appeared at the New York World’s Fair in 1939, introduced to symbolize the perfect dairy product. She is so famous and respected that she has been awarded the degrees of Doctor of Bovinity, Doctor of Human Kindness and Doctor of Ecownomics. Elsie was also given a husband named Elmer the Bull. Elmer eventually moved over to the chemical division of Borden where he gave his name to Elmer’s Glue.
12 Pudelpointer, say : BIRD DOG
The pudelpointer is a German breed of dog that was originally a cross between the poodle (“pudel” in German) the English pointer.
13 Time toggle : AM/PM
The 12-hour clock has been around a long time, and was even used in sundial format in ancient Egypt. Our use of AM and PM dates back to Roman times, with AM standing for Ante Meridiem (before noon) and PM standing for Post Meridiem (after noon). However, the Romans originally used the AM concept a little differently, by counting backwards from noon. So, 2AM to the Romans would be two hours before noon, or 10AM as we would call it today.
14 Site of Pei’s pyramid : LOUVRE
The Musée du Louvre has the distinction of being the most visited art museum in the whole world. The collection is housed in the magnificent Louvre Palace that was the seat of power in France until 1682, when Louis XIV moved to Versailles.
When I. M. Pei became the first foreign architect to work on the Louvre in Paris, he not only designed the famous glass and steel pyramid, but also worked on renovations throughout the museum. His design was very controversial, causing a lot of ill feelings among the public. Eventually, when the work was complete, public opinion became more favorable. Personally, I think it is magnificent, both inside and out.
15 Glass-roofed lobbies : ATRIA
In modern architecture, an atrium (plural “atria” or “atriums”) is a large open space usually in the center of a building and extending upwards to the roof. The original atrium was an open court in the center of an Ancient Roman house. One could access most of the enclosed rooms of the house from the atrium.
17 Grinch creator : SEUSS
The Grinch is the title character in Dr. Seuss’s 1957 children’s book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” He is a grouchy creature who lives as a hermit in a cave outside the town of Whoville. The Grinch’s only companion is his dog Max. Based on Seuss’s hero, we now use the term “grinch” for someone who is opposed to Christmas festivities or who is coarse and greedy in general.
28 One of the halogens : IODINE
The halogens are a group of elements in the periodic table consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and astatine. The term “halogen” was the name that was originally proposed for chlorine when it was first discovered.
30 __ Scurry, 1999 Women’s World Cup championship U.S. team goalkeeper : BRIANA
Briana Scurry is a former professional goalkeeper who played with the US national team when they won the World Cup in 1999. Scurry appeared for the US 173 times, making her the second-most capped female goalkeeper in the world (after Gemma Fay of Scotland).
34 Brandy letters : VSO
Brandy is a spirit distilled from wine. The term “brandy” ultimately comes from the Dutch “gebrande wijn” meaning “burnt wine”. The length of this aging of the spirit defines the various grades of brandy:
- VS: Very Special … at least 2 years storage
- VSOP: Very Special (or Superior) Old Pale … at least 4 years storage
- XO: Extra Old … at least 6 years
- VSO: Very Superior Old … 12-17 years
35 Siamese, e.g. : CAT
The exact origins of the Siamese cat aren’t very clear, but it is believed to be from Southeast Asia. The Siamese takes its name from the sacred temple cats of Thailand (once called Siam).
37 Online program : WEBCAST
A webcast is a modern-day version of a telecast, and is a program or presentation that is “broadcast” over the “Web”.
40 2001 Peace Prize sharer Annan : KOFI
Kofi Annan was a diplomat from Ghana who served as General Secretary of the UN for ten years until the beginning of 2007. Annan was born into an aristocratic family, and had a twin sister named Efua Atta. Efua and Kofi shared the middle name “Atta”, which means “twin” in the Akan language of Ghana. Annan attended the MIT Sloan School of Management from 1971-72, and graduated with a Master of Science degree. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001, winning jointly with the United Nations organization itself.
43 Poem of loss : ELEGY
Perhaps the most famous elegy in the English language is that written by Thomas Gray, which he completed in 1750. His “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” is the source of many oft-quoted phrases, including:
- Celestial fire
- Far from the Madding Crowd
- Kindred spirit
45 Hospital supply : PLASMA
Plasma (sometimes “plasm”) is the clear, yellow-colored liquid component of blood and lymph in which cells are suspended.
49 “Star Trek” franchise Klingon : WORF
In the television series “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, Mr. Worf is one of the main characters. He is a Klingon officer on the Enterprise, and is played by Michael Dorn. Worf is a unique character in the “Star Trek” franchise in that he also appeared regularly in another “Star Trek” show: “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”.
50 2012 Best Picture : ARGO
“Argo” is a 2012 movie that is based on the true story of the rescue of six diplomats hiding out during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. The film was directed by and stars Ben Affleck and is produced by Grant Heslov and George Clooney, the same pair who produced the excellent “Good Night, and Good Luck”. I highly recommend “Argo”, although I found the scenes of religious fervor to be very frightening …
53 DH’s stat : RBI
Runs batted in (RBIs)
Baseball’s American League (AL) allows a designated hitter (DH) in each team’s lineup, whereas the National League (NL) does not.
55 Former 49ers coach Bill : WALSH
Bill Walsh was a professional football coach who served most famously with the San Francisco 49ers, from 1979 to 1988. Prior to his time with the 49ers, Walsh was head coach at Stanford (1977-1978). He returned to Stanford as head coach (1992-1994) after retiring from the NFL.
57 Nix : VETO
The verb “veto” comes directly from Latin and means “I forbid”. The term was used by tribunes of ancient Rome to indicate that they opposed measures passed by the Senate.
60 Alpine goats : IBEXES
“Ibex” is a common name for various species of mountain goat. “Ibex” is a Latin name that was used for wild goats found in the Alps and Apennines in Europe.
61 Monterey neighbor : CARMEL
Carmel-by-the-Sea is a city located on the Monterey Peninsula in California. Carmel is and has been home to many celebrities, including Clint Eastwood, who served two years as mayor in the 1980s.
62 Old-time cinemas : RKOS
The RKO Pictures studio was formed when RCA (RADIO Corporation of America) bought the KEITH-Albee-ORPHEUM theaters (and Joe Kennedy’s Film Booking Offices of America). The RKO initialism then comes from the words “Radio”, “Keith” and “Orpheum”.
67 French 101 verb : AVOIR
Avoir is French for “to have”.
69 “Auld Lang __” : SYNE
The song “Auld Lang Syne” is a staple at New Year’s Eve (well, actually in the opening minutes of New Year’s Day). The words were written by Scottish poet Robbie Burns. The literal translation of “Auld Lang Syne” is “old long since”, but is better translated as “old times”. The sentiment of the song is “for old time’s sake”.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
72 Dress (up) fancily : TOG
The verb “to tog up”, meaning “to dress up”, comes from the Latin “toga” describing the garment worn in ancient Rome. “Tog” can be also be used as an informal word for a coat or a cloak. Back in Ireland, togs are what we call swimming shorts.
74 Mosaic pieces : INLAYS
In the Middle Ages, mosaics were often dedicated to the Muses. The term “mosaic” translates as “of the Muses”.
75 Prevents, by law : ESTOPS
The term “estop” means to block or stop by using some legal device. “Estop” comes from Old French, in which “estopper” means “to stop up” or “to impede”.
77 Sherpa, commonly : NEPALI
In the Tibetan language, “Sherpa” means “eastern people” (sher = east, pa = people). Sherpas are an ethnic group from Nepal, but the name is also used for the local guides who assist mountaineers in the Himalayas, and particularly on Mount Everest.
78 Suffix with ump- : TEEN
The word “umpty” was introduced as slang for a Morse code dash. In the early 1900’s, the same term came to mean “of an indefinite number”, and was associated with the numerals divisible by ten, i.e. twenty, thirty, forty, etc. The extended adjective “umpteen” began to appear during WWI as army slang.
79 Astaire and a singer : ADELES
Fred Astaire’s real name was Frederick Austerlitz. Fred was from Omaha, Nebraska and before he made it big in the movies, he was one half of a celebrated music hall act with his sister Adele. The pair were particularly successful in the UK, and Adele ended up marrying into nobility in England, taking the name Lady Charles Cavendish.
“Adele” is the stage name of English singer Adele Adkins. Adele’s debut album is “19”, named after the age she was during the album’s production. Her second album was even more successful than the first. Called “21”, the second album was released three years after the first, when Adele was three years older. Her third studio album “25”, released in 2015, broke the first-week sales records in both the UK and the US.
84 Fight stopper, for short : TKO
Technical knockout (TKO)
85 Online response to humor : LOL
Laugh out loud (LOL)
98 Academic job security : TENURE
A job in a university that is described as “tenure-track” is one that can lead to a tenured position. A tenured position is a “job for life”. A person with tenure can only be dismissed for cause.
100 Its name is derived from Provençal words for “garlic” and “oil” : AIOLI
To the purist, especially in Provence in the South of France, aioli is prepared just by grinding garlic with olive oil. However, other ingredients are often added to the mix, particularly egg yolks.
101 Stringed Asian instrument : SITAR
The sitar has been around since the Middle Ages. It is a stringed instrument that is played by plucking, and is used most often in Hindustani classical music. In the West we have been exposed to the instrument largely through the performances of Ravi Shankar and some music by George Harrison of the Beatles, a onetime student of Shankar.
104 Nonsense : TRIPE
“Tripe” is an informal term meaning “rubbish, of little value”. Tripe is actually the rubbery stomach lining of an animal such as a cow. Tripe is a traditional dish in British cuisine that is prepared by poaching it with onions in milk.
116 Eggy beverage : NOG
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.
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 Learn to fit in : ADAPT
6 Wilson’s predecessor : TAFT
10 Eponymous 2000s TV sitcom : REBA
14 Runs for it : LAMS
18 Chili __: dish with green sauce : VERDE
19 Early Arizona natives : PIMAS
20 Tourney format, briefly : ELIM
21 Siouan people : OTOE
22 Show for which Erika Slezak won six Daytime Emmys : I (ONE) LIFE TO LIVE
24 Amt. rarely charged : MSRP
25 Lahore tongue : URDU
26 Carried out : DID
27 Theater sight : POSTER
28 Films with depth? : III (THREE)-D MOVIES
30 Hayride seats : BALES
31 Hammed it up : EMOTED
33 Border range : URALS
34 Video poker basis : V (FIVE)-CARD DRAW
38 Home security giant : ADT
39 Tom Joad, e.g. : OKIE
41 Kolkata wrap : SARI
42 Heavy marble : STEELIE
44 Slime : GOO
45 Inflation spec : PSI
48 Capital north of Syracuse : OTTAWA
51 Window treatment : BLIND
52 Rolled up : FURLED
54 Scand. country : NORW
56 Gospel singer Winans : CECE
57 It’s not good to be behind it : VIII (EIGHT)-BALL
59 It’s usually attached to a house : II (TWO)-CAR GARAGE
63 Former Hanford overseer: Abbr. : AEC
64 Key, perhaps : ISLE
65 Management deg. : MBA
66 Charmingly rural : FOLKSY
67 Takes in, say : ALTERS
70 La Méditerranée, e.g. : MER
71 Hall of Fame pitcher Blyleven : BERT
73 One always reaching for the Skyy? : SOT
74 Certain incumbent’s rally cry : IV (FOUR) MORE YEARS!
76 1995 Hugh Grant film : IX (NINE) MONTHS
79 Década components : ANOS
80 Pride and envy : SINS
81 Barry Gibb, for one : BEE GEE
82 Wing it : AD LIB
83 Aggravate : NETTLE
87 Immigrant’s subj. : ESL
88 Soup legume : PEA
90 Transmission need : GEAR OIL
93 “I’m on it, I’m on it!!” : OK, OK!
94 Ratted : SANG
95 Nevada Northern Railway Museum city : ELY
96 Symbol of untouchability : X (TEN) FOOT POLE
99 Stand for a canvas : EASEL
102 Swallow : INGEST
105 Exhaust __ : FUMES
106 Set of schools that includes Vassar : VII (SEVEN) SISTERS
108 Sun-Maid product : RAISIN
110 Portland summer hrs., perhaps : EDT
113 Theta follower : IOTA
114 El __ : PASO
115 2000s series set in a funeral home : VI (SIX) FEET UNDER
117 Shut (up) : CLAM
118 Alaskan island in the Eastern Hemisphere : ATTU
119 “Sorry, not for me” : I PASS
120 Barrel racing milieu : RODEO
121 Flag : TIRE
122 In the order given: Abbr. : RESP
123 Sassy : PERT
124 Whence the Israelites fled : EGYPT
Down
1 Lifelong, as a fan : AVID
2 Seller of dogs : DELI
3 Like the Namib : ARID
4 Adobe file format : PDF
5 Disc golf starting point : TEEPAD
6 Attacks, knight-style : TILTS AT
7 Friend of François : AMIE
8 Green Bay legend : FAVRE
9 Mao __-tung : TSE
10 Sent in : REMITTED
11 Pitcher of milk? : ELSIE
12 Pudelpointer, say : BIRD DOG
13 Time toggle : AM/PM
14 Site of Pei’s pyramid : LOUVRE
15 Glass-roofed lobbies : ATRIA
16 Runway walker : MODEL
17 Grinch creator : SEUSS
19 Toughies : POSERS
23 All __: including everything : TOLD
28 One of the halogens : IODINE
29 “Yes, yes, Dominique” : OUI, OUI
30 __ Scurry, 1999 Women’s World Cup championship U.S. team goalkeeper : BRIANA
32 Evil intent : MALICE
34 Brandy letters : VSO
35 Siamese, e.g. : CAT
36 Museum works : ART
37 Online program : WEBCAST
40 2001 Peace Prize sharer Annan : KOFI
43 Poem of loss : ELEGY
45 Hospital supply : PLASMA
46 Word with best or book : -SELLER
47 Cars in jams, say : IDLERS
49 “Star Trek” franchise Klingon : WORF
50 2012 Best Picture : ARGO
53 DH’s stat : RBI
55 Former 49ers coach Bill : WALSH
57 Nix : VETO
58 Bakery workers : ICERS
59 Reach for the Skyy : IMBIBE
60 Alpine goats : IBEXES
61 Monterey neighbor : CARMEL
62 Old-time cinemas : RKOS
63 Collection plate alternative : ALMS BOX
67 French 101 verb : AVOIR
68 Jockey strap : REIN
69 “Auld Lang __” : SYNE
72 Dress (up) fancily : TOG
74 Mosaic pieces : INLAYS
75 Prevents, by law : ESTOPS
77 Sherpa, commonly : NEPALI
78 Suffix with ump- : TEEN
79 Astaire and a singer : ADELES
82 Survey category : AGE GROUP
84 Fight stopper, for short : TKO
85 Online response to humor : LOL
86 Barely manage, with “out” : EKE …
89 Disturb : AGITATE
91 Most up in the air : IFFIEST
92 Botches, with “up” : LOUSES
94 Option at the bagel shop : SESAME
97 Forget to mention : OMIT
98 Academic job security : TENURE
99 Throw out : EVICT
100 Its name is derived from Provençal words for “garlic” and “oil” : AIOLI
101 Stringed Asian instrument : SITAR
103 Homes in the woods : NESTS
104 Nonsense : TRIPE
107 Engage in verbal jousting : SPAR
109 In the distance : AFAR
110 Marine hazard : EDDY
111 Word with sleep or freeze : DEEP …
112 Pace with a wide range of speeds : TROT
115 Guest in a team owner’s skybox, often : VIP
116 Eggy beverage : NOG
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16 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 2 Feb 20, Sunday”
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16:32, 5 errors. Natick City.
59:50 no errors….a good puzzle but who really knew 30D ?
Soccer fans!
…and UMASS grads.
Men (and women too) from around the world who remember her great goal keeping as a proud African-American player to give the USA the world cup.
I certainly did, having watched her excellent play.
Probably one of the easier clues!
35 mins 49 sec, and while the solve time is embarrassing compared to Bill’s usual lightning pace, it marks my first PERFECT WEEK in quite some time. 7 days with not a single space misfilled. And with one square providing 2 errors last Sunday, it’s two weeks with ONE LETTER/TWO FILLS wrong. I’m chuffed.
Fun puzzle. Thought I had it with no errors, but I had AMFM instead
of AMPM for 13 down. Oh well, I’ve done worse. I didn’t know 30-down
either but had it right because of the cross-clues.
Random trivia: This is a palindromic date. The next one will come in 900 years.
02-02-2020
Or not…
900 years or 900 degrees. The latter will supersede the former…
Actually, the NEXT palindromic dates are in mid-February, 2021, and early-December, 2021! (Depending on whether you prefer MM-DD-YYYY or DD-MM-YYYY.)
December 02, 2021 (12-02-2021)
12 February 2021 (12-02-2021)
According to the Internet, the PREVIOUS palindromic date was 900 years AGO!
02 11 1120
I’m not certain the foregoing is correct …
The thing that happens only every 900 years is that February 2, 2020 is palindromic in all three systems of writing the date (American MMDDYYYY, European DDMMYYYY, and Asian YYYYMMDD). That makes all the hype about it a little easier to understand, I guess.
Ah. Thank you, Charley! I wondered what was going on with that 900-year statement, which sounded wrong, but I’m too preoccupied with other things to spend much time on it.
Pretty easy Sunday for me; raced through it in 32:44 with no errors. This was right in my wheelhouse, with hardly any waiting for crosses.