LA Times Crossword 14 Aug 22, Sunday

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Constructed by: MaryEllen Uthlaut
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: Begging the Question

Themed answers are common idiomatic QUESTIONS, ones that are BEGGING to be asked based on the corresponding clues. Clever …

  • 23A York, Jersey, Mexico, etc.? : SO, WHAT ELSE IS NEW?
  • 46A R? : IS THAT RIGHT?
  • 70A None, few, many, most, __? : WILL THAT BE ALL?
  • 96A Ralph Emerson? : WHERE’S WALDO?
  • 122A “Mice guys finish last”? : WOULDN’T IT BE NICE?
  • 16D Sesa Street? : DID YOU MISS ME?
  • 64D Guess __? : WHO GOES THERE?

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 19m 51s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

21 Adele chart-topper that won three Grammys : HELLO

“Hello” is a 2015 song by English singer Adele that won her three Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance.

22 __ skeleton : AXIAL

In a human, the axial skeleton consists of those bones which are close to or along the central axis of the body. It includes the bones of the skull, the spine and the rib cage.

23 York, Jersey, Mexico, etc.? : SO, WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

What we know today as New York State has its origins in the province of New Netherland that was established in North America’s Dutch Republic in 1614. During the Second Anglo-Dutch War, the British laid claim to New Amsterdam. King Charles II awarded it to his brother James, Duke of York, who renamed the disputed territory the Province of New York. Following the Third Anglo-Dutch war, the Dutch finally surrendered New Netherland as part of 1674’s Treaty of Westminster that ended the conflict. After the Duke of York ascended to the British throne, as James II, land within the province was reassigned, reducing the Province of New York roughly to present-day New York State and Vermont. The State of New York was established in 1776, at the start of the Revolutionary War. The Vermont Republic gained its independence from New York the following year, in 1777.

The State of New Jersey is named for the Channel Island of Jersey located off the coast of France in the English Channel. Jersey remained loyal to the British Crown during the English Civil War in the mid-17th century, and indeed, Charles II was proclaimed king on the island after his father Charles I was beheaded in London. Charles II created the Province of New Jersey, and awarded it to men loyal to the crown. The province declared itself the State of New Jersey in 1776.

The region now covered by the US state of New Mexico (NMex) was known as “Nuevo México” at least since 1563. Spanish explorers gave the area this name due to an erroneous belief that it was home to a branch of the Mexica, an indigenous people living in the Valley of Mexico. So, the region has had the “New Mexico” name for centuries before the nation of Mexico adopted its name in 1821.

27 Minnesota twins? : ENS

There are two letters N (ens) in the word “Minnesota”.

29 Small chess piece : PAWN

In the game of chess, the pawns are the weakest pieces on the board. A pawn that can make it to the opposite side of the board can be promoted to a piece of choice, usually a queen. Using promotion of pawns, it is possible for a player to have two or more queens on the board at one time. However, standard chess sets come with only one queen per side, so a captured rook is often used as the second queen by placing it on the board upside down.

30 “Breaking Bad” star Cranston : BRYAN

Actor Bryan Cranston is best known today for playing Walter White in the crime drama “Breaking Bad”. Prior to joining that incredibly successful show, Cranston played Hal in the sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle”. He also had a recurring role on “Seinfeld” from 1994 to 1997, as Jerry’s dentist Dr. Tim Whatley.

33 Legless reptile : SNAKE

In the animal kingdom, the group of reptiles known as snakes (and snake-like lizards) are called “ophidians”. “Ophi” is the Greek word for “serpent”.

35 Muse of poetry : ERATO

In Greek mythology, Erato was the Muse of lyric poetry. She is often depicted with a wreath of myrtle and roses, and playing a lyre.

42 “__ a virtue, if you have it not”: Hamlet : ASSUME

In William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet”, King Hamlet dies. His brother Claudius hastily marries the king’s widow Queen Gertrude, and succeeds to the throne. The former king’s son, Prince Hamlet of Denmark, is not happy and admonishes his mother for taking his uncle as her husband:

O throw away the worser part of it,
And live the purer with the other half.
Good night, but go not to mine Uncle’s bed,
Assume a virtue, if you have it not. Refrain to night
And that shall lend a kind of easiness
To the next abstinence. Once more goodnight,
And when you are desirous to be blessed,
I’ll blessing beg of you.

45 Vermicelli, e.g. : PASTA

Vermicelli is a pasta that is similar to spaghetti, except that it is thicker. “Vermicelli” translates from Italian as “little worms”.

50 Dallas NBAer : MAV

The Mavericks (also “Mavs”) are an NBA franchise in Dallas, Texas. The team was founded in 1980, and the Mavericks name was chosen by fan votes. The choice of “Mavericks” was prompted by the fact that the actor James Garner was a part-owner of the team, and Garner of course played the title role in the “Maverick” television series.

51 Midrange voice : ALTO

In choral music, an alto (plural “alti”) is the second-highest voice in a four-part chorus made up of soprano, contr(alto), tenor and bass. The word “alto” describes the vocal range, that of the deepest female singing-voice, whereas the term “contralto” describes more than just the alto range, but also its quality and timbre. An adult male’s voice (not a boy’s) with the same range as an alto is called a “countertenor”.

52 Greek letter that seems like it should be last : ZETA

Zeta is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet, and is a precursor of our Roman letter Z. The word “zeta” is also the ancestor of the letter name “zed”, which became “zee”, the term that we use here in the US.

Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet and is the one that looks like a horseshoe when in uppercase. The lowercase omega looks like a Latin W. The word “omega” literally means “great O” (O-mega). Compare this with the Greek letter Omicron, meaning “little O” (O-micron).

54 Beethoven honoree : ELISE

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

56 Neckwear pins : TIE TACKS

I used to wear a tie pin (or “tie tack, tie tac”) in place of a tie clip many moons ago, but it just left little holes in my expensive silk ties!

62 NCAA pt. : ASSN

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

65 Sierra __, Africa : LEONE

The Republic of Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa that lies on the Atlantic Coast. The capital city of Freetown was originally set up as a colony to house the “Black Poor” of London, England. These people were mainly freed British slaves of Caribbean descent who were living a miserable life in the run-down parts of London. Perhaps to help the impoverished souls, perhaps to rid the streets of “a problem”, three ships were chartered in 1787 to transport a group of blacks, with some whites, to a piece of land purchased in Sierra Leone. Those who made the voyage were granted British citizenship and protection. The descendants of these immigrants, and others who made the journey over the next 60 years, make up the ethnic group that’s today called the Sierra Leone Creole.

74 Juilliard subj. : MUS

The Juilliard School, now located in the Lincoln Center in New York City, was founded in 1905 as the Institute of Musical Art. The school was named in honor of Augustus D. Juilliard, a successful textile merchant who left a substantial amount of money for the purpose of advancing music in the US. The immense popularity of the school is perhaps illustrated by its acceptance rate. In 2007 the school had 2,138 applications, and only 162 students were admitted. That’s an acceptance rate of well under 10%.

75 Type of court concerned with wills : PROBATE

“Probate” is the process of establishing the validity of a will. The term derives from the Latin “probare” meaning “to prove”.

78 Western show : OATER

The term “oater” that is used for a Western movie comes from the number of horses seen, as horses love oats!

81 Soccer period : HALF

Soccer (also known as “association football”) is the most popular sport in the world. The term “association football” was introduced in 1863 in England, with the name chosen to distinguish the sport from rugby football. The term “soccer” started to appear about 20 years later in Oxford, as an abbreviation for “association”.

88 1973 Toni Morrison novel : SULA

“Sula” is a 1973 novel by Toni Morrison. The title character is a young woman who returns to her hometown in Ohio. Sula’s return disrupts the community as she defies social norms.

90 Aptly named cooler brand : YETI

YETI is a manufacturer of coolers and related products that is based in Austin, Texas. There was a kerfuffle between YETI and the National Rifle Association in 2018, when YETI removed the NRA from its membership discount program. That kerfuffle got quite public when some NRA members published videos of themselves destroying their own YETI products in protest.

91 Nick at __ : NITE

“Nick at Nite” is the name given to the late-night programming aired on the Nickelodeon channel space. Nick at Nite started broadcasting in 1985 and was conceived as television’s first “oldies” television network.

95 Smithwick’s beer : ALE

My guess is that the most famous Irish red ale that actually comes from Ireland is Smithwick’s, which is produced in Kilkenny. Many visitors to Ireland flock to the world-famous Guinness Storehouse. The equivalent Smithwick’s Experience in Kilkenny is a much more intimate affair, and one that I highly recommend …

96 Ralph Emerson? : WHERE’S WALDO?

The series of children’s illustrated books called “Where’s Waldo?” were originally titled “Where’s Wally?” in Britain, where the books originated. The book contains page after page of illustrations with crowds of people surrounding famous landmarks from around the world. The challenge is to find Waldo/Wally, who is hidden in the crowd.

Ralph Waldo Emerson was an essayist and poet who was active in the mid-1800s. Most of the essays that Emerson wrote were composed originally as lectures and then revised for print. He is often referred to as “The Sage of Concord”, as Emerson spent much of his life in Concord, Massachusetts.

100 Like corned beef : CURED

Corned beef is beef that has been cured with salt. “Corn” is an alternative term describing a grain of salt, giving the dish its name. Corned beef is also known as “salt beef”, and “bully beef” if stored in cans (from the French “bouilli” meaning “boiled”).

103 Art studio stand : 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.

104 Impulse-conducting cells : NEURONS

A nerve cell is more correctly called a neuron. The long nerve fiber that conducts signals away from the neuron is known as the axon. The axon is surrounded by a myelin sheath, which acts as an electrical insulator and which increases the rate the impulses pass along the axon.

108 Soul singer Baker : ANITA

Anita Baker is an R&B and soul singer who was raised in Detroit, Michigan. Baker’s most successful song is the Grammy-winning “Sweet Love” that was released in 1986.

112 Informal name for Google Talk : GCHAT

“Gchat” was a name commonly used for the Google Talk instant messaging (IM) service. Google Talk offered both text and voice communication as well as a plugin that allowed video chat. All of this functionality was replaced with the Google Hangouts service, and more recently with Google Duo.

114 Old Dodge subcompact : OMNI

The Dodge Omni is basically the same car as the Plymouth Horizon, and was produced by Chrysler from 1978-90. The Omni is a front-wheel drive hatchback, the first in a long line of front-wheel drive cars that were very successful for Chrysler. The Omni was actually developed in France, by Chrysler’s Simca division. When production was stopped in the US in 1990, the tooling was sold to an Indian company that continued production for the Asian market for several years.

121 Naproxen brand : ALEVE

“Aleve” is a brand name used for the anti-inflammatory drug Naproxen sodium.

122 “Mice guys finish last”? : WOULDN’T IT BE NICE?

Baseball player and manager Leo Durocher was noted for being outspoken, and was given the nickname “Leo the Lip”. In 1946, while he was manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Durocher expressed the opinion that teams like his successful Dodgers would always do better than teams replete with personable individuals (naming Mel Ott in particular). He used his most memorable phrase to encapsulate the sentiment … “nice guys finish last”.

127 Seesaw sitter of classic tongue twisters : ESAU

I saw Esau, he saw me.
I saw Esau, sitting on a see-saw,
I saw Esau, he saw me.
I saw Esau, he saw me, and she saw I saw Esau.
How many S’s in that?

130 Like the sound of bagpipes : REEDY

Bagpipes have been played for centuries all across Europe, in parts of Asia and North Africa, and in the Persian Gulf. However, the most famous versions of the instrument today are the Scottish Great Highland bagpipe and the Irish uilleann pipes, my personal favorite (I’m biased). The bag in the Scottish version is inflated by blowing into it, whereas the Irish version uses a bellows under the arm.

132 Scallion kin : LEEK

The leek is a vegetable closely related to the onion and the garlic. It is also a national emblem of Wales (along with the daffodil), although I don’t think we know for sure how this came to be. One story is that the Welsh were ordered to wear leeks in their helmets to identify themselves in a battle against the Saxons. Apparently, the battle took place in a field of leeks.

Scallions are edible plants with a mild onion flavor. They are also called green onions or spring onions.

Down

9 City with two MLB teams : CHI

The Chicago Cubs are one of only two charter members of the baseball’s National League who are still playing, the other being the Atlanta Braves. The Cubs won the World Series in 2016 for the first time since 1908, which is a long time ago. In fact, the Cubs had the longest championship drought of any professional sports team in North America.

The Chicago Cubs are one of only two charter members of the baseball’s National League who are still playing, the other being the Atlanta Braves. The Cubs won the World Series in 2016 for the first time since 1908, which is a long time ago. In fact, the Cubs had the longest championship drought of any professional sports team in North America.

11 Forearm bone : ULNA

The bones in the forearm are the radius and ulna. “Ulna” is the Latin word for “elbow”, and “radius” is Latin for “ray”. The humerus (plural “humeri”) is the long bone in the upper arm.

12 Whole bunch : SLEW

Our usage of “slew” to mean “large number” has nothing to do with the verb “to slew” meaning “to turn, skid”. The noun “slew” came into English in the early 1800s from the Irish word “sluagh” meaning “host, crowd, multitude”.

13 “Chinatown” screenwriter Robert : TOWNE

Screenwriter Robert Towne has supplied screenplays to an impressive list of movies, including Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown”, for which he won an Academy Award. He also wrote the screenplays for “Shampoo” and the first two “Mission: Impossible” films.

1974’s “Chinatown” is a Roman Polanski film starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. Nicholson also stars in a 1990 sequel to “Chinatown” called “The Two Jakes”. The sequel never made it as big as the original.

14 Scold harshly : LAMBASTE

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 “beat” or “thrash”, as in “lambaste”. So “on the lam” might derive from the phrase “to beat it, scram”.

16 Sesa Street? : DID YOU MISS ME?

Back in 1966, the Carnegie Institute allocated money to study the use of television to help young children prepare for school. The institute gave a multimillion dollar grant to set up the Children’s Television Workshop with the task of creating an educational TV program for young people. The program began to come together, especially after Jim Henson (of Muppet fame) got involved. The name “Sesame Street” was chosen simply because it was the “least disliked” of all names proposed just before the program went on the air.

17 Greek earth goddess : GAIA

The Greek goddess personifying the earth was Gaea (also “Gaia”, and meaning “land” or “earth” in Greek). The Roman equivalent goddess was Terra Mater, “Mother Earth”.

24 Ice Capades setting : ARENA

The Ice Capades was a traveling show that featured ice skating performances in a theatrical setting. Stars of the shows were usually retired Olympic competitors. The Ice Capades was founded in Hershey, Pennsylvania in 1940, but went out of business in 1995.

34 Hawaii’s Mauna __ : KEA

Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, the peak of which is the highest point in the whole state. Mauna Kea is in effect the tip of a gigantic volcano rising up from the seabed.

38 Food regimen : DIET

Quite often, the terms “regime” and “regimen” seem to be used interchangeably. In contemporary usage, “regime” is applied more generally, and “regimen” more specifically. A “regimen” is a systematic approach that one might apply to something, to exercise or diet for example. The term “regime” can also be used in such contexts, but can have additional definitions, such as “government in power”. A form of government cannot be described as a “regimen”.

48 “Be silent,” in music : TACET

“Tacet” is a musical direction meaning “be silent”. It is typically written on a score to instruct a particular voice or instrument to remain silent for a whole movement. “Tacet” is Latin for “it is silent”.

49 Mild Dutch cheese : GOUDA

Gouda is a cheese that originated in the Dutch city of the same name, although today Gouda is produced all over the world and very little of it comes from the Netherlands. Gouda is often smoke-cured, which gives it a yellowish-brown outer skin and that characteristic smoky taste.

52 Apex : ZENITH

The nadir is the direction pointing immediately below a particular location (through to the other side of the Earth for example). The opposite direction, that pointing immediately above, is called the zenith. We use the terms “nadir” and “zenith” figuratively to mean the low and high points in a person’s fortunes.

55 A.E. Housman’s “A Shropshire __” : LAD

“A Shropshire Lad” is a collection of poems published in 1896, written by the English poet A. E. Housman. Housman couldn’t find a publisher for his work, so he had to use his own money to get the collection in print. The poems all hark back to the simple life of a young man in rural England. The collection gained in popularity as young men went overseas to fight in the Second Boer War, and then again during WWI. The nostalgic themes struck a chord with the young soldiers.

57 Sioux City state : IOWA

Sioux City, Iowa has a history that is inextricably linked with the Missouri River. The city grew from a camp established by the Lewis and Clark expedition that traveled up the river in 1804. Today, Sioux City is the navigational head of the Missouri, the furthest point upstream that is accessible by general cargo ships.

58 Former German Chancellor Helmut : KOHL

Helmut Kohl was Chancellor of West Germany when the Berlin Wall came down leading to German reunification. Kohl was Chancellor of West Germany from 1982 to 1990, and Chancellor of Germany from 1990 to 1998. That made Kohl the longest serving Chancellor since Otto von Bismarck.

61 House speaker Nancy : PELOSI

Nancy Pelosi first became Speaker of the House in 2007, and was the 60th person to hold that position. Ms. Pelosi represents a district not far from here, which covers most of San Francisco. She was the first Californian, the first Italian-American and the first woman to be Speaker of the House. As Speaker of the House is second-in-line to the presidency, after the Vice President, Nancy Pelosi was for many years the highest-ranking female politician in US history. That was until Kamala Harris became Vice President in 2021.

66 Italian peak also known as Mongibello : ETNA

Mount Etna on the island of Sicily is the largest of three active volcanoes in Italy, and indeed the largest of all active volcanoes in Europe. Etna is about 2 1/2 times the height of its equally famous sister, Mt. Vesuvius. Mt. Etna is home to a 110-km long narrow-gauge railway, and two ski resorts. It is sometimes referred to as “Mongibello” in Italian, and as “Mungibeddu” (sometimes “Muncibeddu”) in Sicilian. The English name “Etna” comes from the Greek “aitho” meaning “I eat”.

69 Some musical works by Kaija Saariaho : OPERAS

Kaija Saariaho is a Finnish poet who lives in Paris. “BBC Music Magazine” conducted a poll in 2019 that resulted in Saariaho being listed as greatest living composer.

72 Emerald, for one : BERYL

The mineral beryl is a source of a number of different semi-precious stones, depending on the nature of the impurities present. Pure beryl is colorless; blue beryl is called aquamarine, and green beryl is emerald. Traces of iron cause the blue color, and traces of chromium give the green hue.

76 CAPTCHA prey : BOT

A CAPTCHA is a challenge-and-response test that is used to determine if a user is a human or some automated program. The acronym “CAPTCHA” stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart”.

79 Academic status : 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.

83 Pet collar target : FLEA

Fleas are flightless insects, but they sure can jump. Their very specialized hind legs allow them to jump up to 50 times the length of their bodies.

85 British school attended by many prime ministers : 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 prime ministers David Cameron and Boris Johnson. The list of Old Etonians also includes Princes William and Harry, the Duke of Wellington and George Orwell. Author Ian Fleming was also an Eton alumnus, as was Fleming’s iconic character James Bond, although 007 was expelled by the school.

87 Most saccharine : SWEETEST

The adjective “saccharine”, meaning “relating to sugar”, comes from the Greek word for sugar “sakkharon”. We’ve been using “saccharine” metaphorically since the 1840s to mean “overly sweet”. The name of the sugar substitute has similar roots, with the trade name “Saccharin” coined in 1879 by Russian-born chemist Constantin Fahlberg.

92 Raymond Burr crime series : IRONSIDE

“Ironside” is a classic police television drama that first ran from 1967 to 1975. Star of the show is Raymond Burr playing the partially paralyzed former Chief of Detectives Robert T. Ironside. Ironside was forced to retire from the SFPD when he was shot by a sniper, but ended up as special consultant to the police department.

Canadian actor Raymond Burr is perhaps best remembered for his TV work, playing the title characters in the hit shows “Perry Mason” and “Ironside”. On the big screen, his portrayal of “the bad guy” in the 1954 Hitchcock thriller “Rear Window”, I think is very memorable …

97 “__ Pinafore” : HMS

“H.M.S. Pinafore” is one of my favorite Gilbert & Sullivan comic operas (and a production we staged at high school, many moons ago). “Pinafore” was one of the first big hits for Gilbert & Sullivan (in their native Britain, and in America), and they followed it up with “The Pirates of Penzance” and “The Mikado”.

98 Former Chinese Premier __ Jiabao : WEN

Wen Jiabao served as Premier of China from 2003 until 2013. The role of Premier of China is like that of prime minister in some other countries. The President of China serves as head of state.

105 Tiny headphone : EARBUD

Earbuds are small headphones that plug directly into the user’s ear canals.

109 Sacred emblem : TOTEM

“Totem” is a word used to describe any entity that watches over a group of people. As such, totems are usually the subjects of worship. Totem poles are really misnamed, as they are not intended to represent figures to be worshiped, but rather are heraldic in nature, and often celebrating the legends or notable events in the history of a tribe.

115 Burrowing insectivore : MOLE

One of the more commonly known facts about my native Ireland is that there are no snakes in the country (outside of politics, that is). A less known fact is that there are no moles either. There are plenty of snakes and moles in Britain, just a few miles away. Over a pint we tend to give the credit to Saint Patrick, but the last ice age is more likely the responsible party …

120 __ Squad: Best Buy tech support : GEEK

Best Buy is a retailer specializing in the supply of consumer electronics. Best Buy services include the famous “Geek Squad”, a band of technical experts that will help solve your computer and other consumer electronic problems.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Sticky situation : BIND
5 Feeling no pain : NUMB
9 Hard exterior : CRUST
14 Rock projection : LEDGE
19 Field of study : AREA
20 On a cruise : ASEA
21 Adele chart-topper that won three Grammys : HELLO
22 __ skeleton : AXIAL
23 York, Jersey, Mexico, etc.? : SO, WHAT ELSE IS NEW?
26 TV, radio, newspapers, etc. : MEDIA
27 Minnesota twins? : ENS
28 Like modern farmhouse decor : RUSTIC
29 Small chess piece : PAWN
30 “Breaking Bad” star Cranston : BRYAN
31 More slippery : ICIER
33 Legless reptile : SNAKE
35 Muse of poetry : ERATO
37 Swiped, in a way : SCANNED
39 Doctrinal breakaways : SECTS
42 “__ a virtue, if you have it not”: Hamlet : ASSUME
45 Vermicelli, e.g. : PASTA
46 R? : IS THAT RIGHT?
50 Dallas NBAer : MAV
51 Midrange voice : ALTO
52 Greek letter that seems like it should be last : ZETA
53 Unaccompanied : SOLO
54 Beethoven honoree : ELISE
56 Neckwear pins : TIE TACKS
60 Fasten, as buttons : DO UP
62 NCAA pt. : ASSN
63 Get dizzy with delight : SWOON
65 Sierra __, Africa : LEONE
67 Firmly decided : DEAD SET
69 “Amazing!” : OOH!
70 None, few, many, most, __? : WILL THAT BE ALL?
74 Juilliard subj. : MUS
75 Type of court concerned with wills : PROBATE
77 Like a cold-weather jacket : LINED
78 Western show : OATER
80 Logician’s “hence” : ERGO
81 Soccer period : HALF
84 Generosity : LARGESSE
86 Barrels of laughs : RIOTS
88 1973 Toni Morrison novel : SULA
90 Aptly named cooler brand : YETI
91 Nick at __ : NITE
95 Smithwick’s beer : ALE
96 Ralph Emerson? : WHERE’S WALDO?
100 Like corned beef : CURED
101 Orderly method : SYSTEM
103 Art studio stand : EASEL
104 Impulse-conducting cells : NEURONS
106 Lock of hair : TRESS
108 Soul singer Baker : ANITA
111 “__ you clever!” : AREN’T
112 Informal name for Google Talk : GCHAT
114 Old Dodge subcompact : OMNI
117 Hopeless cases : GONERS
119 Hang loosely : SAG
121 Naproxen brand : ALEVE
122 “Mice guys finish last”? : WOULDN’T IT BE NICE?
125 Stuff to sell : WARES
126 Respected figure : ELDER
127 Seesaw sitter of classic tongue twisters : ESAU
128 Not engaged : IDLE
129 Lowered oneself? : KNELT
130 Like the sound of bagpipes : REEDY
131 Mix together : MELD
132 Scallion kin : LEEK

Down

1 Private home? : BASE
2 Humorously twisted : IRONICAL
3 Anchor venue : NEWSCAST
4 “Lah-di-__!” : DAH
5 The great outdoors : NATURE
6 Puts to work : USES
7 Softens : MELTS
8 Washbowl : BASIN
9 City with two MLB teams : CHI
10 Has high regard for : RESPECTS
11 Forearm bone : ULNA
12 Whole bunch : SLEW
13 “Chinatown” screenwriter Robert : TOWNE
14 Scold harshly : LAMBASTE
15 Applies, as pressure : EXERTS
16 Sesa Street? : DID YOU MISS ME?
17 Greek earth goddess : GAIA
18 Lively spirit : ELAN
24 Ice Capades setting : ARENA
25 Cybercurrency : ECASH
32 All things considered : IN TOTO
34 Hawaii’s Mauna __ : KEA
36 Cheer-full message : RAH!
37 Health resort : SPA
38 Food regimen : DIET
40 Stepped heavily : TROD
41 Missile housing : SILO
43 37-Down staffer : MASSEUR
44 Goings-on : EVENTS
47 Play for time : STALL
48 “Be silent,” in music : TACET
49 Mild Dutch cheese : GOUDA
52 Apex : ZENITH
55 A.E. Housman’s “A Shropshire __” : LAD
57 Sioux City state : IOWA
58 Former German Chancellor Helmut : KOHL
59 Algae-eating aquarium critter : SNAIL
61 House speaker Nancy : PELOSI
63 In a regretful manner : SORRILY
64 Guess __? : WHO GOES THERE?
66 Italian peak also known as Mongibello : ETNA
68 “Such a pity!” : ALAS!
69 Some musical works by Kaija Saariaho : OPERAS
71 Rental document : LEASE
72 Emerald, for one : BERYL
73 Nosed (out) : EDGED
76 CAPTCHA prey : BOT
79 Academic status : TENURE
82 Entice : LURE
83 Pet collar target : FLEA
85 British school attended by many prime ministers : ETON
87 Most saccharine : SWEETEST
89 Attacked : ASSAILED
92 Raymond Burr crime series : IRONSIDE
93 Sci-fi monster’s appendage : TENTACLE
94 Mag managers : EDS
97 “__ Pinafore” : HMS
98 Former Chinese Premier __ Jiabao : WEN
99 Adjust, as car wheels : ALIGN
100 Hex : CURSE
102 Visit faraway places : TRAVEL
105 Tiny headphone : EARBUD
107 Seed scatterer : SOWER
109 Sacred emblem : TOTEM
110 Fennellike herb : ANISE
112 Goggle : GAWK
113 Extended family : CLAN
115 Burrowing insectivore : MOLE
116 Needing extra sunscreen? : NUDE
118 Etc. kin : ET AL
120 __ Squad: Best Buy tech support : GEEK
123 Like unbuttered toast : DRY
124 Zero, in soccer : NIL