LA Times Crossword 30 Oct 22, Sunday

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Constructed by: Christina Iverson
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: This or That, for Two

Themed answers are literal interpretations of common phrases, clued with TWO examples of that reinterpretation:

  • 23A “An Introduction to Calculus” or “The Art of Public Speaking”? : TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE
  • 37A Christian Louboutin shoes or a Fendi bag? : FASHION ILLUSTRATION
  • 58A Gibson Flying V or Fender Stratocaster? : GUITAR CASE
  • 64A Emmy statue or the Stanley Cup? : PRIZE SPECIMEN
  • 79A Richter or Mohs? : SCALE MODEL
  • 95A Wedding or merger? : UNION REPRESENTATIVE
  • 115A Marble top or butcher block? : COUNTER INSTANCE

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

Bill’s time: 11m 56s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 PowerShot camera-maker : CANON

The PowerShot is a line of compact cameras introduced by Canon in 1996. I used to own one, before my smartphone took over as my point-and-shoot option …

6 Arches National Park state : UTAH

The gorgeous Arches National Park is located in eastern Utah, just outside of Moab. The main focus of the park is the preservation of over 2,000 natural sandstone arches. The arches are relatively fragile, and 43 have collapsed since 1970, mainly due to erosion caused by wind and rain.

10 Middle of a Latin boast : VIDI

The oft-quoted statement “Veni, vidi, vici” (“I came, I saw, I conquered”) is believed by many to have been written by Julius Caesar. The words date back to 47 BCE and refer to the short war between Rome and Pharnaces II of Pontus.

19 Skybox setting : ARENA

Our term “arena” comes from the Latin “harena”, a place of combat. Originally “harena” was used to describe sand or a sandy place. Those Ancient Roman places of combat were covered with sand to soak up blood.

20 Herb with grayish leaves : SAGE

In Britain and Ireland, sage is listed as one of the four essential herbs. And those would be “parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme”.

21 Novelist Kingsley : AMIS

Kingsley Amis (what a great name!) was a very successful English writer, famous for producing entertaining, comedic novels. His most famous novel is probably his first, “Lucky Jim” published in 1954. That said, he won a Booker Prize for a later novel, “The Old Devils” published in 1986. He passed on some of his talent through his genes, it seems, as his son Martin Amis is a very successful novelist too.

22 “Get Out” writer/director Jordan : PEELE

Jordan Peele is a former cast member of the sketch comedy show “Mad TV”. Peele created his own sketch comedy show “Key & Peele” with fellow-Mad TV alum Keegan-Michael Key. Peele started hosting and producing the revival of “The Twilight Zone” in 2019.

“Get Out” is a 2017 horror film written and directed by Jordan Peele. I don’t do horror, but I do hear that this one is well made …

26 Trattoria fare : PASTA

A trattoria is an Italian restaurant. In Italian, a “trattore” is the keeper of said eating house.

29 Picnic container : COOLER

Our term “picnic” comes from the French word that now has the same meaning, namely “pique-nique”. The original “pique-nique” was a fashionable potluck affair, and not necessarily held outdoors.

31 Sphinx, in part : LION

In Greek mythology, the creature known as the Sphinx had the body of a lion, the wings of a bird and the face of a woman. The Sphinx threatened to strangle and devour any person who could not answer a famous riddle: “Which creature walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?” Oedipus was able to save himself by correctly answering “Man”. The idea is that a man crawls on all fours as a baby, and then walks on two feet as an adult, and walks with a cane in old age. “Sphinx” is actually a Greek word, meaning “the strangler” …

37 Christian Louboutin shoes or a Fendi bag? : FASHION ILLUSTRATION

Christian Louboutin is a fashion designer from Paris who is known for creating stiletto shoes with trademark, red-lacquered soles. His biggest individual client is American author Danielle Steel, who is said to own more that 6,000 pairs of Louboutin shoes!

Fendi is an Italian fashion house that was founded in 1925 by Adele Casagrande. Fendi started out as a fur and leather shop in Rome, and these days is famous for its line of handbags.

42 Hunter near the Pleiades : ORION

According to Greek mythology, Orion was a giant hunter who was placed in the night sky by Zeus, the king of the gods. Orion is very recognizable as a constellation, especially with the three bright stars known as “Orion’s Belt”. The brightest star in the sky, Sirius, is said to be Orion’s hunting dog, and this star sits at Orion’s “foot”.

The Seven Sisters of Greek mythology are also known as the Pleiades. The Seven Sisters were the daughters of the titan Atlas, who had been forced to carry the heavens on his shoulders. In an act of kindness, Zeus transformed the sisters first into doves, and then into stars so that they could provide comfort for their father. There is indeed a cluster of seven stars in the night sky named for the myth and known as the Pleiades.

45 Yo lead-in : FRO-

Frozen yogurt (“froyo” or “fro-yo”)

48 Chemistry lab substances : SOLUTES

A “solute” is a substance dissolved in a fluid, thereby creating a “solution”.

51 “C’est la __!” : VIE

“C’est la vie” is French for “that’s life”.

52 Crossword diagram : GRID

Arthur Wynne is generally credited with the invention of what we now know as a crossword puzzle. Wynne was born in Liverpool, England and emigrated to the US when he was 19-years-old. He worked as a journalist and was living in Cedar Grove, New Jersey in 1913 when he introduced a “Word-Cross Puzzle” in his page of puzzles written for the “New York World”. The first book of crossword puzzles was published by Shuster & Shuster, in 1924. The collection of puzzles was a huge hit, and crosswords were elevated to the level of “a craze” in 1924 and 1925.

55 Fifth Avenue retailer : SAKS

Fifth Avenue in New York City is sometimes referred to as the “most expensive street in the world”. The section that runs through Midtown Manhattan is home to upscale stores, such as Saks Fifth Avenue.

58 Gibson Flying V or Fender Stratocaster? : GUITAR CASE

Gibson is a manufacturer of guitars and other musical instruments. It was founded by Orville Gibson in 1902, although Gibson started making instruments in 1894.

The Stratocaster (often “Strat”) is an electric guitar that has been made by Fender since 1954. The company that made Fender electric guitars was founded in Fullerton, California in 1946 by Leo Fender.

60 Gaelic tongue : ERSE

There are actually three Erse languages: Irish, Manx (spoken on the Isle of Man) and Scots Gaelic. In their own tongues, these would be “Gaeilge” (in Ireland), “Gaelg” (on the Isle of Man) and “Gaidhlig” (in Scotland).

63 Dam that created Lake Nasser : ASWAN

Lake Nasser is a large artificial lake created as a result of the construction of the Aswan High Dam (initiated by President Nasser). Lake Nasser lies in southern Egypt and northern Sudan. Strictly speaking, the section of the lake in Sudan is called Lake Nubia.

64 Emmy statue or the Stanley Cup? : PRIZE SPECIMEN

The Emmy Awards are the television equivalent of the Oscars from the world of film, the Grammy Awards in music and the Tony Awards for the stage. Emmy Awards are presented throughout the year, depending on the sector of television being honored. The most famous of these ceremonies are the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Daytime Emmy Awards. The distinctive name “Emmy” is a softened version of the word “immy”, the nickname given to the video camera tubes found in old television cameras. The Emmy statuette was designed by television engineer Louis McManus in 1948, and depicts a woman holding up an atom. McManus used his wife as a model for the woman.

The Stanley Cup is named for Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor General of Canada from 1888 to 1893. Lord Stanley’s sons became avid fans of ice hockey while in Canada, and so he donated the trophy in 1909, originally as a challenge cup for the country’s best amateur club.

69 TV grouch : OSCAR

Oscar the Grouch is the Muppet who lives in a garbage can. Oscar’s persona comes from various sources. He is named after Oscar Brand who was one of the board members of the Children’s Television Workshop, the backers for “Sesame Street” as the Muppets were being developed in the sixties. Oscar’s personality was inspired by an angry waiter that once served Jim Henson (father of the Muppets). The voice was modeled on a grumpy New York cab driver encountered one day by Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who brings Oscar to life.

79 Richter or Mohs? : SCALE MODEL

The Richter scale was developed in 1935 by Charles Richter at the California Institute of Technology. The Richter Scale has largely been abandoned, replaced by the moment magnitude scale (MMS). Even though the US Geological Survey has been reporting earthquakes using the MMS since 2002, the media is prone to mix things up and use phrases such as “Richter magnitude”.

The Mohs scale of mineral hardness was developed in 1812 by Friedrich Mohs. Basically Mohs took minerals and scratched them with other minerals. In this way he was able to determine which minerals were hardest (most scratch resistant) and which softest. On the scale, diamond is the hardest (and rated 10), while talc is the softest (and rated 1).

82 Indie pop duo __ and Sara : TEGAN

Tegan and Sara is an indie pop duo comprising Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirstan Quin, identical twin sisters from Canada.

86 Haitian friend : AMIE

A male friend in France is “un ami”, and a female friend is “une amie”.

The Republic of Haiti occupies the smaller, western portion of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. The rest of the island is taken up by the Dominican Republic. Haiti is one of only two nations in the Americas to have French as an official language, the other being Canada.

87 “Sold out” sign : SRO

Standing room only (SRO)

90 Scepter top : ORB

An orb and cross (“globus cruciger”) has been used as a Christian symbol of authority since Medieval times. The cross sits atop the globe, indicating Christ’s authority over the world. When the orb is held in the hand of a king or queen, this indicates the authority invested in the earthly ruler.

A scepter (“sceptre” in Britain and Ireland) is a ceremonial staff, one often held by a monarch.

91 109-Across maker’s need : LYE
[109A Dove bar : SOAP]

Soap is basically made by adding a strong alkali (like lye) to a fat (like olive oil or palm oil). The fats break down in the basic solution in a process called saponification. The crude soap is extracted from the mixture, washed, purified and finished in molds.

92 Philly Ivy : UPENN

The University of Pennsylvania (also “Penn” and “UPenn”) was founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia. Penn was the first school in the country to offer both graduate and undergraduate courses. Penn’s sports teams are known as the Quakers, and sometimes the Red & Blue.

104 Fitness portmanteau : 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”.

105 Fleecy boots : UGGS

Uggs are sheepskin boots that were first produced in Australia and New Zealand. The original Uggs have sheepskin fleece on the inside for comfort and insulation, with a tanned leather surface on the outside for durability. “Ugg” is a generic term Down Under, although it’s a brand name here in the US.

108 French infinitive : ETRE

The verb “to be” is “ser” in Spanish and “être” in French.

109 Dove bar : SOAP

Dove is a brand of personal care products made by Unilever. The brand originated in the UK, back in 1955.

118 Amalfi Coast country : ITALY

Amalfi, Italy is a coastal town on the Gulf of Salerno located about 30 miles southeast of Naples. The town gives its name to the popular tourist destination known as the Amalfi Coast.

120 Old Dodge : 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 Ghana’s capital : ACCRA

Accra sits on Ghana’s coast and is a major seaport as well as the country’s capital city. The name “Accra” comes from a local word “Nkran” meaning “ants”, a name chosen because of the large number of anthills found in the area when the city was founded.

122 Accounted for a bag, say : TARED

Tare is the weight of a container that is deducted from the gross weight to determine the net weight, the weight of the container’s contents.

125 Trapshooting : SKEET

There are three types of competitive shotgun target shooting sports:

  • Skeet shooting
  • Trap shooting
  • Sporting clays

Down

1 __ the Elder: Roman historian : CATO

Cato the Elder was a Roman statesman, known historically as “the elder” in order to distinguish him from his great-grandson, Cato the Younger. Cato the Elder’s ultimate position within Roman society was that of Censor, making him responsible for maintaining the census, and for supervising public morality.

3 Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, __” : NEXT

“Thank U, Next” is a 2018 song co-written and recorded by Ariana Grande. The title is a phrase that Grande apparently uses with reference to the breakup of a relationship. I guess it means “Thank you for the past relationship, let’s move onto the next one”. After the song’s release, the phrase “Thank U, next” became popular on the Internet, used in the same way it is used in the song.

6 Grand Slam component : US OPEN

To win the Grand Slam of tennis, a player must win the four major tournaments in the same season:

  • The Australian Open (in mid-January, played on hard courts)
  • The French Open (in May/June, played on clay)
  • Wimbledon (in June/July, played on grass)
  • The US Open (in August/September, played on hard courts)

9 Bewitch : HEX

“Hexen” is a German word meaning “to practice witchcraft”. The use of the word “hex” in English started with the Pennsylvania Dutch in the early 1800s.

10 “Scoot!” : VAMOOSE!

To vamoose is to to leave, coming from the Spanish “vamos” meaning “let’s go”.

12 Comedian Phyllis : DILLER

Phyllis Diller was one of the first female standup comedians to achieve commercial success. Famously, she was a champion of cosmetic surgery and underwent 15 different procedures. This led to the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery presenting her with an award for bringing cosmetic surgery “out of the closet”.

14 Google Play download : APP

Google Play is Google’s distribution service for digital media content. The service was launched in 2008 as Android Market. Android Market was combined with Google Music, Google Movies and Google eBookstore in 2012 to form Google Play.

17 Pop star John : ELTON

Elton John’s real name is Reginald Dwight. Sir Elton was knighted in 1998, not for his music per se, but for his charitable work. He founded his own Elton John AIDS Foundation back in 1992.

24 __ buco : OSSO

“Osso” is the Italian word for bone, as in the name of the dish “osso buco” (bone with a hole), which features braised veal shanks.

36 Tupperware top : LID

Back in the 1930s, Earl Tupper was working at the DuPont Chemical Company, and from DuPont obtained inflexible pieces of polyethylene slag. Tupper purified the slag and shaped it into unbreakable containers. He added airtight lids with a “burping seal” that provided tight seals similar to that provided by the lids on paint cans. He called his new product Tupperware.

37 “Chicago” choreographer : FOSSE

Bob Fosse won more Tony Awards for choreography than anyone else, a grand total of eight (and another Tony for direction). Fosse also won an Oscar for Best Director for the 1972 movie “Cabaret”, even beating out the formidable Francis Ford Coppola who was nominated that same year for “The Godfather”.

The wonderful 1975 musical “Chicago” is based on a 1926 play of the same name written by a news reporter called Maurine Dallas Watkins. Watkins had been assigned to cover the murder trials of Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner for the “Chicago Tribune”, and used the story that unfolded as the basis for her play. Annan became the character Roxie Hart, and Gaertner became Velma Kelly. I’ve only ever seen the movie version of “Chicago” and never a live performance …

39 Fabric store section : SILKS

The textile known as silk is made from a natural protein fiber produced from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm. Ethical vegans tend to avoid silk as many, many silkworms die in order to produce a relatively small amount of fabric. Raw silk is obtained by boiling the silkworms alive inside the cocoons that yield the fibers.

40 “Shazam!” actor Zachary : LEVI

“Shazam!” is a 2019 superhero movie starring Zachary Levi as the title character.

46 First name in civil rights history : ROSA

Rosa Parks was one of a few brave women in days gone by who refused to give up their seats on a bus to white women. It was the stand taken by Rosa Parks on December 1, 1955 that sparked the Montgomery, Alabama Bus Boycott. President Clinton presented Ms. Parks with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996. When she died in 2005, Rosa Parks became the first ever woman to have her body lie in honor in the US Capitol Rotunda.

47 Clive of “Gosford Park” : OWEN

English actor Clive Owen first grabbed the public’s attention in his native land in the early nineties, when he played the lead in a popular TV show called “Chancer” about a likable conman. More recently, Owen has been playing Dr. John W. Thackery on the Cinemax medical drama series “The Knick”.

“Gosford Park” is a very entertaining 2001 comedy mystery movie written by Julian Fellowes, the “fellow” who created “Downton Abbey”. It’s all about a murder that takes place in a rather grand Englosh country house in the 1930s. The listing of actors is incredibly impressive, and includes Alan Bates, Stephen Fry, Derek Jacobi, Kelly Macdonald, Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, Maggie Smith, Kirstin Scott Thomas and Michael Gambon. It was directed by Robert Altman, and ended up being his second-most successful film at the box office, after “M*A*S*H”.

49 Fancy jug : EWER

A pitcher is a container for liquid that has a handle, mouth and spout. The term “jug” is used for the same container in other English-speaking countries. “Ewer” is an older term describing a pitcher/jug. Today, a ewer is a highly decorative pitcher, often with a base and flared spout.

50 Jaipur attire : SARI

Jaipur is the capital city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Apparently Jaipur is a very beautiful and well-planned metropolis, and is known as the “Pink City”.

52 Avocado dip, for short :

Guacamole is one of my favorite dishes. It is prepared by mashing avocados and perhaps adding the likes of tomato, onion and lime juice. The guacamole recipe dates back as early as the 16th century, to the time of the Aztecs. “Guacamole” translates as “avocado sauce”.

54 IT dept. array : PCS

The original IBM Personal Computer is model number 5150, which was introduced to the world on August 12, 1981. The term “personal computer” was already in use, but the success of the IBM 5150 led to the term “PC” being used for all computer products compatible with the IBM platform.

57 Member of an Iraqi religious minority : YAZIDI

The Yazidis are a minority group found mainly in Iran who are indigenous to Kurdistan. Their ethnic religion is Yazidism, which is a montheistic tradition that emerged in the 12th century.

62 Scoreboard abbr. for a rainout : PPD

Postponed (PPD)

65 Fencing blade : EPEE

The sword known as an épée has a three-sided blade. It is similar to a foil and saber, although the foil and saber have rectangular cross-sections.

66 Actor Mineo : SAL

Actor Sal Mineo’s most famous role was John “Plato” Crawford, the kid who was in awe of the James Dean character in “Rebel Without a Cause”. Sadly, Mineo was murdered in 1976 when he was just 37 years old. He was attacked in the alley behind his Los Angeles apartment and stabbed through the heart. When an arrest was made it was discovered that the murderer had no idea that his victim was a celebrity, and that his plan was just to rob anyone who came along.

69 Norwegian banking hub : OSLO

Oslo, the capital of Norway, is an ancient city that was founded around 1048. The medieval city was destroyed by fire in 1624 and was rebuilt by the Danish-Norwegian king Christian IV and renamed to Christiana. In 1877 there was an official change of the spelling of the city’s name to “Kristiana”, and then more recently in 1925 the name was restored to the original Oslo. Things have almost gone full circle and now the center of Oslo, the area that would have been contained by the original medieval walls, has apparently been renamed to Christiana.

70 C-section souvenir : SCAR

The story that Julius Caesar was born via Caesarean section (C-section) seems to be unfounded. Although such procedures were indeed carried out in ancient Rome, there are no reports of the mother surviving (and Julius Caesar’s mother did raise her child). The term “caesarean” comes not from (Julius) Caesar, but rather directly from the Latin “caedere” meaning “to cut”.

72 Bass beer : ALE

The red triangle on the label of a bottle of Bass Ale was registered in 1875 and is UK Registered Trade Mark (TM) No: 00001, the first trademark issued in the world.

75 Field day equipment : POTATO SACK

That would be for a sack race.

76 Tehran resident : IRANI

Tehran is the capital of Iran and is the largest city in the Middle East, with a population of about 8.5 million. Iran has been around a really long time and Tehran is actually the country’s 31st national capital.

78 “Eighth Grade” actress Fisher : ELSIE

Elsie Fisher is an actress whose best-known roles are possibly her voice acting. For example, she voiced Agnes in “Despicable Me” (2010) and “Despicable Me 2” (2013), and Parker Needle in “The Addams Family” (2019).

“Eighth Grade” is a 2018 comedy drama movie starring Elsie Fisher as a middle-schooler struggling with anxiety. Comedian Bo Burnham wrote and directed the film, and the storyline reflects his own anxiety as a performer, and his frequent panic attacks. I haven’t seen this one, but I hear really good things …

87 Verizon Wireless rival : SPRINT

The company that we know today as Sprint has a history that is linked with the Southern Pacific railroad company. Southern Pacific developed a microwave communication system for its internal use across its network using rights-of-way associated with the company’s extensive railway lines. In the early seventies, the company laid huge lengths of fiber optic cable in those rights-of-way, alongside the tracks, primarily for internal use. The railroad sold excess fiber capacity to private companies, allowing those companies to operate long distance telephone service outside of AT&T, which at that time had a long-distance monopoly. Southern Pacific took advantage of changing FCC regulations and started offering voice service directly to consumers. That service was offered under the name SPRINT, an acronym that stood for Southern Pacific Railroad Internal Networking Telephony. Very interesting …

97 Tattle on : RAT OUT

Something described as tattletale is revealing, it gives away a secret. The term is a combination of “tattle” and “tale”, and is probably patterned on the similar word “telltale”. “To tattle” means “to tell secrets”, and the noun “tattletale” applies to someone who tells secrets and informs.

99 Literary realm by the River Shribble : NARNIA

Apparently, it’s not certain how C. S. Lewis came to choose Narnia as the name of the fantasy world featured in his series of children’s books, including “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”. There was an ancient city in Umbria that the Romans called Narnia, but there is no evidence of a link.

102 Anxious feeling : AGITA

“Agita” is another name for “acid indigestion”, and more generally for “agitation, anxiety”.

108 Writer Bombeck : ERMA

Erma Bombeck wrote for newspapers for about 35 years. She produced more than 4,000 witty and humorous columns under the title “At Wit’s End”, with all describing her home life in suburbia.

112 __ moss : PEAT

Peat moss is actually sphagnum moss that has partially decayed and dried. The term “peat” moss is used as sphagnum moss is often found in peat bogs. Sphagnum moss has the ability to store large quantities of water, so the dried form is used by gardeners to condition soil, i.e. to increase the soil’s capacity to retain moisture.

114 “Sammy the Seal” writer Hoff : SYD

Syd Hoff wrote the children’s books “Danny and the Dinosaur” and “Sammy the Seal”. Hoff also drew two syndicated comic strips, “Tuffy” (1939-1949) and “Laugh It Off” (1958-1978).

116 SLR camera by 1-Across : EOS
[1A PowerShot camera-maker : CANON]

I’ve been using Canon EOS cameras for decades now, and have nothing but good things to say about both the cameras and the lenses. The EOS name stands for Electro-Optical System, and was chosen because it evokes the name of Eos, the Titan goddess of dawn from Greek mythology.

117 Many grad students, for short : TAS

Teaching assistant (TA)

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 PowerShot camera-maker : CANON
6 Arches National Park state : UTAH
10 Middle of a Latin boast : VIDI
14 Threw in : ADDED
19 Skybox setting : ARENA
20 Herb with grayish leaves : SAGE
21 Novelist Kingsley : AMIS
22 “Get Out” writer/director Jordan : PEELE
23 “An Introduction to Calculus” or “The Art of Public Speaking”? : TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE
26 Trattoria fare : PASTA
27 Vow : OATH
28 Went quickly : SPED
29 Picnic container : COOLER
31 Sphinx, in part : LION
32 Relieves : EASES
34 Make a point : SCORE
35 Straightens up : ALIGNS
37 Christian Louboutin shoes or a Fendi bag? : FASHION ILLUSTRATION
42 Hunter near the Pleiades : ORION
43 Poke fun at : TEASE
44 King or queen, but not prince : BED
45 Yo lead-in : FRO-
48 Chemistry lab substances : SOLUTES
51 “C’est la __!” : VIE
52 Crossword diagram : GRID
54 Snow remover : PLOW
55 Fifth Avenue retailer : SAKS
56 Entrance : WAY IN
58 Gibson Flying V or Fender Stratocaster? : GUITAR CASE
60 Gaelic tongue : ERSE
61 Big Band __ : ERA
62 Little round vegetables : PEAS
63 Dam that created Lake Nasser : ASWAN
64 Emmy statue or the Stanley Cup? : PRIZE SPECIMEN
69 TV grouch : OSCAR
73 Apple tablet : IPAD
74 Scot’s refusal : NAE
75 Speak (up) : PIPE
79 Richter or Mohs? : SCALE MODEL
82 Indie pop duo __ and Sara : TEGAN
84 Spoken : ORAL
85 Behind schedule : LATE
86 Haitian friend : AMIE
87 “Sold out” sign : SRO
88 “Heavens!” : MY STARS!
90 Scepter top : ORB
91 109-Across maker’s need : LYE
92 Philly Ivy : UPENN
94 “Please let me?” : CAN’T I?
95 Wedding or merger? : UNION REPRESENTATIVE
101 Life’s work : CAREER
103 Opposition group : ANTIS
104 Fitness portmanteau : TAE BO
105 Fleecy boots : UGGS
106 Suppresses, as bad news : SITS ON
108 French infinitive : ETRE
109 Dove bar : SOAP
113 Is inclined : TILTS
115 Marble top or butcher block? : COUNTER INSTANCE
118 Amalfi Coast country : ITALY
119 Capital of 118-Across : EURO
120 Old Dodge : OMNI
121 Ghana’s capital : ACCRA
122 Accounted for a bag, say : TARED
123 Meal in a bowl : STEW
124 Ongoing drama : SAGA
125 Trapshooting : SKEET

Down

1 __ the Elder: Roman historian : CATO
2 Geometry calculation : AREA
3 Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, __” : NEXT
4 Free : ON THE HOUSE
5 Snatch : NAB
6 Grand Slam component : US OPEN
7 Doesn’t put up a fight : TAKES IT
8 Like whiskey and wine : AGED
9 Bewitch : HEX
10 “Scoot!” : VAMOOSE!
11 Bring in : IMPORT
12 Comedian Phyllis : DILLER
13 “Makes sense” : I SEE
14 Google Play download : APP
15 “What’s the __?”: slangy “What gives?” : DEALIO
16 Cause of a product recall, perhaps : DESIGN FLAW
17 Pop star John : ELTON
18 Campus officials : DEANS
24 __ buco : OSSO
25 Point the finger at : ACCUSE
30 Like reasonably strong bonds : RATED A
33 “If it __ broke … ” : AIN’T
34 Defeated, as a dragon : SLAIN
36 Tupperware top : LID
37 “Chicago” choreographer : FOSSE
38 Cheering loudly : AROAR
39 Fabric store section : SILKS
40 “Shazam!” actor Zachary : LEVI
41 Somewhat : A BIT
46 First name in civil rights history : ROSA
47 Clive of “Gosford Park” : OWEN
49 Fancy jug : EWER
50 Jaipur attire : SARI
52 Avocado dip, for short : GUAC
53 Going up : RISING
54 IT dept. array : PCS
57 Member of an Iraqi religious minority : YAZIDI
58 “__ whiz!” : GEE
59 Fled : RAN
62 Scoreboard abbr. for a rainout : PPD
64 Ante- : PRE-
65 Fencing blade : EPEE
66 Actor Mineo : SAL
67 Shortened title : MA’AM
68 Really small : EENY
69 Norwegian banking hub : OSLO
70 C-section souvenir : SCAR
71 Stealthy thief : CAT BURGLAR
72 Bass beer : ALE
75 Field day equipment : POTATO SACK
76 Tehran resident : IRANI
77 Final installment, perhaps : PART V
78 “Eighth Grade” actress Fisher : ELSIE
80 Local leaders : MAYORS
81 Bad sign : OMEN
82 Orchard units : TREES
83 Ages : EONS
87 Verizon Wireless rival : SPRINT
89 Wound cover : SCAB
91 Tell a story : LIE
92 Thus far : UP TO NOW
93 Mesh : NETTING
96 Snuggle (in) : NESTLE
97 Tattle on : RAT OUT
98 Guarantee : ENSURE
99 Literary realm by the River Shribble : NARNIA
100 Light shirts : TEES
101 Measure up : CUT IT
102 Anxious feeling : AGITA
107 Helps reduce swelling : ICES
108 Writer Bombeck : ERMA
110 Formerly : ONCE
111 Good-sized yard : ACRE
112 __ moss : PEAT
114 “Sammy the Seal” writer Hoff : SYD
116 SLR camera by 1-Across : EOS
117 Many grad students, for short : TAS