Category: Amie Walker

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Constructed by: Amie Walker
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: Film Adaptations

Themed answer are all FILM titles, but with the first and last words FLIPPED, “ADAPTED” to suit the corresponding clue:

• 109A Reverse course dramatically, or an alternate title for this puzzle : FLIP THE SCRIPT

22A Film about double agents at the card table? : SPIES OF BRIDGE (from “Bridge of Spies”)

• 38A Film about college kids trying to clean up the dorm before parents weekend? : ROOM PANIC (from “Panic Room”)
• 48A Film about an out-of-this-world job? : SPACE OFFICE (from “Office Space”)
• 61A Film about the morning meals of a 1980s pop star? : TIFFANY’S AT BREAKFAST (from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”)
• 82A Film about the installation of red carpets? : LINE THE WALK (from “Walk the Line”)
• 88A Film about a bird on a Firebird? : HOOD ROBIN (from “Robin Hood”)

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

Bill’s time: 15m 05s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

8 Challah unit : LOAF

Challah is a special braided bread that is eaten by Ashkenazi Jews on the Sabbath. The bread is served to commemorate the manna that fell from the heavens as the Israelites wandered around the desert after the Exodus from Egypt.

12 Two-dimensional : PLANAR

The dimension of an object is defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify each point in the object. Therefore, a line is one-dimensional, as you only need an x-coordinate to specify a particular point on the line. A surface is two-dimensional, as you need both an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate to locate a point on the surface. The inside of a solid object is then three-dimensional, needing an x-, y- and z-coordinate to specify a point, say within a cube.

18 Dialect that may be part of code-switching, for short : AAVE

African-American Vernacular English (AAVE)

The linguistic term “code-switching” refers to the practice of a speaker switching between languages while in the same conversation.

19 “Notorious” SCOTUS justice : RBG

The 2015 book “Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg” was co-written by Shana Knizhnik and Iris Carmon. Knizhnik had previously authored a “Notorious R.B.G” blog. The moniker “Notorious RBG” is reminiscent of the name of rap star the Notorious B.I.G.

20 Model Macpherson : ELLE

Elle Macpherson is an Australian supermodel. She appeared five times on the cover of the “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue”, which is more than any other model.

21 Polish dumplings : PIEROGI

Pierogi are stuffed dumplings made using unleavened dough, and are a traditional dish from Poland. The term “pierogi” is the Polish name for any filled dumplings.

22 Film about double agents at the card table? : SPIES OF BRIDGE (from “Bridge of Spies”)

“Bridge of Spies” is a 2015 historical thriller directed by Steven Spielberg and starring his friend Tom Hanks. The story is all about the arrest and trial of U-2 pilot Gary Powers, who was shot down over the Soviet Union while on a spying mission for the CIA. Hanks plays lawyer James B. Donovan, the lawyer who negotiates Powers’ release. Powers was actually exchanged for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel, with the exchange taking place at the bridge connecting Potsdam with Berlin, the “Bridge of Spies”.

34 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.

37 Granada greeting : HOLA

Granada is a city and province in Andalusia in the south of Spain. Granada should not be confused with Grenada (note the different spelling), an island nation in the Caribbean that was invaded by the US in 1983.

38 Film about college kids trying to clean up the dorm before parents weekend? : ROOM PANIC (from “Panic Room”)

“Panic Room” is an excellent 2002 thriller film starring Jodie Foster and Forest Whitaker. Foster plays a mother who locks herself into a panic room in her apartment when a gang of thieves led by Forest Whitaker breaks in. Foster’s role was originally played by Nicole Kidman, but Kidman had to drop out of the project after two weeks of filming due to a flare-up of an old injury. Five weeks into filming after recasting, Foster found out that she was pregnant. After some wardrobe changes, Foster continued filming, with a stunt double taking over in scenes requiring excessive exertion.

42 Jaunty neckwear : ASCOT

An ascot is a wide tie that narrows at the neck, which these days is only really worn at weddings or part of a dress uniform. The tie takes its name from the Royal Ascot horse race at which punters still turn up in formal wear at Ascot Racecourse in England.

Our words “jaunty” and “genteel” are related in that they both derive from the French “gentil” meaning “nice, pleasing”. In modern usage, someone described as jaunty has a buoyant air. Someone described as genteel is refined in manner.

45 Agenda unit : ITEM

“Agenda” is a Latin word that translates as “things to be done”, coming from the verb “agere” meaning “to do”.

46 Short, secret passages? : NDAS

Non-disclosure agreement (NDA)

47 “Minions: The Rise of __” : GRU

“Minions: The Rise of Gru” is a 2022 sequel to the 2015 film “Minions”, and a film in the “Despicable Me” franchise. Steve Carell reprises his role, providing the voice for the title character Felonius Gru.

48 Film about an out-of-this-world job? : SPACE OFFICE (from “Office Space”)

“Office Space” is a 1999 black comedy written and directed by Mike Judge. The office in the title is a Texas-based software company located near a chain restaurant. The main character is a computer programmer working in the office, played by Ron Livingstone, who falls for a waitress working in the restaurant, played by Jennifer Aniston. But, the programmer has a girlfriend, albeit an overcritical one, played by Ali Wentworth. This movie didn’t do so well in theaters but shows up on TV and streaming services all the time, and has a cult following.

53 Khao kha mu meat : PORK

Khao kha mu is a Chinese-influenced dish from Thai cuisine. The main ingredient is a stewed pig’s trotter, with the meat sliced for serving.

54 Mouse sound : CLICK

The computer mouse was invented at the Stanford Research Institute in 1963, by one Douglas Engelbart. Sadly for him, his patent ran out before mice became standard equipment on computers, so he never made any money from his amazing invention.

55 Coddle : BABY

The verb “to coddle”, meaning “to treat tenderly”, was actually coined in 1815 by Jane Austen in her novel “Emma”. At least, that is the first written record we have of the verb’s usage. John Knightley (younger brother of George Knightley) addresses his wife Isabella (elder sister of Emma Woodhouse) with the following words:

“My dear Isabella,” exclaimed he, hastily, “pray do not concern yourself about my looks. Be satisfied with doctoring and coddling yourself and the children, and let me look as I chuse.”

56 Shift or sheath : DRESS

A shift is a dress that is cut above-the-knee and has no clearly-defined waist. This style of dress originated in the 1920s when it was worn by the “flappers”, young women who defied social norms at the time. The shift was comfortable to wear and allowed easy movement, particularly on the dance floor.

A sheath dress is designed to fit close to the body, with a length that falls just above or below the knee. A shorter version of the sheath dress is known as a cocktail dress.

57 Source of UV rays : SUN

At either end of the visible light spectrum are the invisible forms of radiation known as infrared (IR) light and ultraviolet (UV) light. IR light lies just beyond the red end of the visible spectrum, and UV light lies just below the violet end.

58 Tony-winning actress Hagen : UTA

Uta Hagen was a German-born American actress. Hagen married Jose Ferrer in 1938, but they were divorced ten years later after it was revealed that she was having a long-running affair with Paul Robeson. Her association with Robeson, a prominent civil rights activist, earned her a spot on the Hollywood Blacklist during the McCarthy Era. This forced her away from film, but towards a successful stage career in New York City.

59 Great Lake that touches four states : ERIE

Lake Erie borders four US states (Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan) and one Canadian province (Ontario).

60 Clairvoyant : SEER

We’ve been using the term “clairvoyant” to describe a psychic since the nineteenth century. Prior to that, a clairvoyant was a clear-sighted person. The term comes from French, with “clair” meaning “clear” and “voyant” meaning “seeing”.

61 Film about the morning meals of a 1980s pop star? : TIFFANY’S AT BREAKFAST (from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”)

“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” is a 1958 novella written by Truman Capote. Truman’s colorful protagonist in the story is Holiday “Holly” Golightly, who was played so very, very ably by Audrey Hepburn in the marvelous 1961 movie adaptation. It must be said that the film is a rather loose interpretation of Capote’s novella.

68 Cello kin : VIOL

The viola da gamba (also called simply “viol”) is a bass instrument in what is known as the viol family, with a tonal range that about matches that of the modern-day cello. It is the second largest of all the viols, so it is played resting on the floor between the legs. In fact, “viola da gamba” is Italian translating into “viol for the leg”.

71 Pop singer Rita : ORA

Rita Ora is a British singer who was born Rita Sahatçiu in Pristina, Yugoslavia to Albanian parents. The family name “Sahatçiu” comes from a Turkish word meaning “watchmaker”. Rita’s parents changed their name to make it easier to pronounce. So, the family name morphed from “watchmaker” to “time”, which is “ora” in Albanian.

75 Sebastian of “The Little Mermaid,” for one : CRAB

In the 1989 Disney animated film “The Little Mermaid”, the title character is friends with Sebastian, a red Jamaican crab whose full name is Horatio Thelonious Ignacious Crustaceous Sebastian. It is Sebastian who performs the hit song “Under the Sea”.

79 Actress Mireille : ENOS

Mireille Enos is an actress from Kansas City. She is perhaps best known for her TV work, playing Sarah Linden on “The Killing” and for playing twins Kathy and JoDean Marquart on “Big Love”. Enos is married to actor Alan Ruck, who I mainly remember playing Cameron Frye in the great movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”.

80 Scotland’s __ of Skye : ISLE

The Isle of Skye is off the northwest coast of Scotland in the Inner Hebrides. It is the second largest island in the country, and has been linked to the mainland by a road bridge since 1995. I’ve never been there, but I hear the views are spectacular.

81 Shiva and Brahma : GODS

The Hindu Trinity comprises Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva (also “Siva”) the destroyer or transformer.

82 Film about the installation of red carpets? : LINE THE WALK (from “Walk the Line”)

I must admit that I am not a big country music fan, but who doesn’t love Johnny Cash? The man had such a unique voice, and indeed unique songs. I think that his biopic, “Walk the Line”, is very cool, as is the title song itself. Recorded back in 1956, “Walk the Line” is relatively creative for “popular” music. The basic rhythm of the song emulates the sound of a freight train, the “boom-chicka-boom” sound. Cash’s guitar has a unique tone to it as it plays this rhythm, achieved by threading a piece of paper between the guitar strings giving the rhythm a bit of a “buzz”. Above the rhythm line, each of the five verses is sung in different keys. You can actually hear Cash hum a note signifying the key change at the start of each verse. With all these modulations, the final verse is sung a full octave lower than the first. A remarkable tune …

85 Comedian Mabley : MOMS

Moms Mabley was an stand-up comedian and actress who was known for her bawdy humor, sharp wit, and her ability to poke fun at race, gender, and age. She began her career in the 1920s and went on to perform in films, on television, and in nightclubs all over the world. In one sense, Whoopi Goldberg owes her start in showbiz to Mabley, as she first gained national attention with her one-woman show “Moms”, in which she portrayed Moms Mabley.

86 Farsi-speaking land : IRAN

“Farsi” is one of the local names used for the Persian language.

88 Film about a bird on a Firebird? : HOOD ROBIN (from “Robin Hood”)

The Pontiac Firebird was made by General Motors (GM) from 1967 to 2002. GM introduced the Firebird to compete with the Ford Mustang.

“Robin Hood” is a 2010 film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe in the title role, ably supported by Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian.

91 Beer ingredient : MALT

Malt is germinated cereal grains that have been dried. The cereal is germinated by soaking it in water, and then germination is halted by drying the grains with hot air.

92 Variety show hosts, briefly : MCS

The term “emcee” comes from “MC”, an initialism used for a Master or Mistress of Ceremonies.

93 Joy of MSNBC : REID

Joy Reid is a liberal TV host and political commentator best known for her regular appearances on MSNBC. In 2020, Reid took over the channel’s evening slot following the retirement of Chris Matthews.

97 Intel org. : NSA

National Security Agency (NSA)

100 Thousand __, California : OAKS

Thousand Oaks is a city in Greater Los Angeles. Unsurprisingly, it is named for the many oak trees in the area. In fact, it is estimated that there are 50,000 to 60,000 oak trees within the city limits. The actual choice of name was made in the 1920s by virtue of a naming contest. The young man who came up with “Thousand Oaks” was just 14 years old.

102 Actress Blythe : DANNER

Actress Blythe Danner has had a career spanning decades, but is perhaps best known to younger audiences for playing opposite Robert De Niro in the “Meet the Parents” films. Danner is the mother of fellow-actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

111 Dreamlike : SURREAL

The cultural movement known as Surrealism emerged in the 1920s, and grew out of the Dada activities that were a response to WWI. The term “surrealist” was coined by Guillaume Apollinaire, when he used it in the preface of his play “Les Mamelles de Tirésias”.

112 “M*A*S*H” star : ALDA

Alan Alda is the only person to win acting, directing, and writing Emmys for the same comedy program. He won five Emmys for his work on “M*A*S*H”, three for acting, one for writing and one for directing.

115 Dutch beer : AMSTEL

Amstel is a Dutch beer and brewery that was founded in 1870 in Amsterdam. The brewery takes its name from the Amstel river that runs through the city.

116 Ballet supporters? : TOES

The term “ballet” came into English via French from the Latin “ballare” meaning “to dance”.

117 Madrid’s Puerta del __ : SOL

The Puerta del Sol is a public square in Madrid that originated as one of the gates in the city wall in the 15th century. The square’s name translates as “Gate of the Sun”, reflecting the origins as one of the gates in the city wall in the 15th century. The gate was oriented to the east, and so was illuminated by the rising sun. The clock in the square appears on TV screens across Spain to ring in the New Year, just as we watch the ball falling in Times Square.

118 Russian ruler until 1917 : TSAR

The House of Romanov was the second and last imperial dynasty to rule over Russia, after the Rurik dynasty. The reign of the Romanovs ended when Emperor Nicholas II abdicated following the February Revolution of 1917. Famously, Nicholas II and his immediate family were murdered soon after he stepped down, and other members of the Romanov Dynasty were sent into exile by the Bolsheviks.

Down

1 Malia Obama’s sister : SASHA

Sasha is the younger of the two Obama children, having been born in 2001. She was the youngest child to reside in the White House since John F. Kennedy, Jr. moved in with his parents as a small infant. Sasha’s Secret Service codename is “Rosebud”, and her older sister Malia has the codename “Radiance”.

5 Three-quark particle : PROTON

A proton is a subatomic particle, with at least one found in the nucleus of every atom. Protons are not “fundamental particles” though, as each is made up of three quarks: two up quarks and one down quark.

6 Britcom based on a “French and Saunders” sketch : ABFAB

“Absolutely Fabulous” (sometimes shortened to “AbFab”) is a cult-classic sitcom produced by the BBC. The two stars of the show are Jennifer Saunders (Edina Monsoon) and Joanna Lumley (Patsy Stone). “Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie” hit the screens in 2016. I haven’t seen it yet, but my wife did and really enjoyed it. She said that there’s a veritable cavalcade of British stars that make an appearance …

“French and Saunders” is a British sketch comedy show starring the comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. French and Saunders have also had successful solo careers. Dawn French is known for her title role in the sitcom “The Vicar of Dibley”, while Jennifer Saunders co-stars in the cult comedy show “Absolutely Fabulous”.

7 Pride initials : LGBT

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)

8 Pacific ring? : LEI

Leis are traditional Hawaiian garlands that are made from various types of flowers, leaves, and other materials. They were originally worn by ancient Hawaiians as a symbol of their social status and to signify important events such as weddings and funerals.

10 Early computer language : ALGOL

ALGOL is a family of computer programming languages that was developed in 1958 by a committee of European and American computer scientists. ALGOL proved to be very influential in the evolution of computer languages, and is considered a forerunner to many languages used today, including Pascal, C and PL/I. Innovations introduced in ALGOL included code blocks and nested functions. The name “ALGOL” is short for “Algorithmic Language”

12 Semi-autobiographical Billy Joel song : PIANO MAN

“Piano Man” is a great 1973 song released by Billy Joel, his first ever single. The song reflects Joel’s own experiences working as a piano-lounge singer in a Los Angeles bar called the Executive Room. The lyrics mention a “waitress practicing politics”. That waitress was Elizabeth Weber who worked at the Executive Room. Weber became Joel’s first wife.

14 “7 Rings” singer Grande : ARIANA

“7 Rings” is a 2019 megahit for Ariana Grande. Upon release, it went straight to number-one of the Billboard Hot 100. The song starts out using the melody of “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music”.

15 Lead-in to a potentially hurtful comment : NOTHING PERSONAL …

Yeah, right …

16 __ fresca : AGUA

AGUA

21 Louvre Pyramid architect : PEI

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.

28 Hive inhabitant : DRONE BEE

Drone bees (and ants) are fertile males of the species, whose sole role in life seems to be to mate with a queen. Given that drone bees make no honey, we sometimes use the term “drone” figuratively, to describe a lazy worker, or someone who lives on the labors of others.

33 Smart __ : ALECK

Apparently, the original “smart Alec” (sometimes “Aleck”) was one Alec Hoag, a pimp, thief and confidence trickster who plied his trade in New York City in the 1840s.

35 Westminster reps. : MPS

The City of Westminster in England’s London Region is home to the bulk of Britain’s government buildings, including the the Houses of Parliament and 10 Downing Street. The city’s name comes from the fact that the prominent “minster” (Westminster Abbey) is located “west” of the City of London. There used to be Estminster as well, located near the Tower of London, east of the City.

37 Classic LP player : HI-FI

Hi-fi systems were introduced in the late 1940s. They are pieces of audio equipment designed to give a much higher quality reproduction of sound than cheaper systems available up to that point. “Hi-fi” stands for “high fidelity”.

39 Jazz singer Anita : O’DAY

“Anita O’Day” was the stage name of jazz singer Anita Colton. She chose the name as “O’Day” is Pig Latin for “dough”, a slang term for “money”. O’Day had problems with heroin and alcohol addiction leading to erratic behavior, earning her the nickname “The Jezebel of Jazz”.

42 Egyptian cobras : ASPS

The Egyptian cobra (Naja haje) is also known as the asp. That said, the term “asp” can apply to several species of snake, including the Egyptian cobra. Legend has it that Cleopatra committed suicide by enticing an asp to bite her. If that’s true, then that asp was probably an Egyptian cobra.

44 Some barkers : CARNIVAL WORKERS

A barker is someone who works to attract attention for an entertainment event, trying to get patrons to buy a ticket. Barkers are often seen at circuses and funfairs. Apparently the term “barker” isn’t appreciated by those in the trade, and they prefer to be called “talkers”.

50 Custard dessert : FLAN

Flan (also “crème caramel”) is a delicious dessert comprising a molded custard topped with a clear caramel sauce. The related crème brûlée is a dessert made from molded custard with a hard, burnt caramel layer on top.

51 Hibernation station : LAIR

When animals hibernate, they are minimally active, have low body temperatures, relatively slow breathing and a low metabolic rate overall. HIbernation can last days and even months, and is most closely associated with the winter season. The term “hibernation” comes from the Latin “hibernare” meaning “to pass the winter, occupy winter quarters”.

52 Neck of the woods : AREA

In the phrase “this neck of the woods”, the term “neck” is used in the sense “strip of land”.

55 Texter’s “Hold that thought” : BRB

Be right back (brb)

58 59-Down carriers : UFOS
59 58-Down passengers : ETS

One might speculate that an unidentified flying object (UFO) is flown by an extraterrestrial (ET).

60 Little bit : SKOSH

“Skosh” is a slang term meaning “a little bit”, and was originally military slang that came out of the Korean War. “Skosh” derives from the Japanese word “sukoshi” which translates as “few, little, some”.

65 Urgent PD call : APB

An All Points Bulletin (APB) is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.

67 Doll with fluffy hair : TROLL

“Troll” is a term that comes from Norse mythology. They are less-than-helpful creatures that tend to live on isolated mountains, in caves and under bridges.

74 Canadian fuel giant : ESSO

The Esso brand has its roots in the old Standard Oil company as it uses the initial letters of “Standard” and “Oil” (ESS-O). The Esso brand was replaced by Exxon in the US, but ESSO is still used in many other countries.

75 Rooster topper : COMB

The term “rooster” dates back to the late 1700s, and is used to describe an adult male chicken, primarily here in the US. “Rooster” originated as an alternative to “cock”, as puritans objected to the association with the slang usage of the latter term.

76 Whisky-maker Walker : HIRAM

Hiram Walker founded his distillery in Windsor, Ontario in 1858. Walker’s most successful brand was Canadian Club Whisky.

82 Fancy way to the airport : LIMO RIDE

The word “limousine” derives from the name of the French city of Limoges. The area around Limoges is called the Limousin, and it gave its name to a cloak hood worn by local shepherds. In early motor cars, a driver would sit outside in the weather while the passengers would sit in the covered compartment. The driver would often wear a limousin-style protective hood, giving rise to that type of transportation being called a “limousine”. Well, that’s how the story goes …

85 CT scan kin : MRI

An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine uses powerful magnetic fields to generate images that can be used by medical professionals to diagnose injury and disease.

89 Mojave, for one : DESERT

The Mojave Desert in the southwest is named after the Native-American Mojave tribe. Famous locations within the boundaries of the desert are Death Valley, Las Vegas, Nevada and the ghost town of Calico, California.

90 Like some yogurt : NON-FAT

Yogurt (also “yoghurt”) is produced by fermenting milk using bacteria known as yogurt cultures. The bacteria act on the sugars in the milk, producing lactic acid. The lactic acid acts on the proteins in the milk to give the characteristic texture and acidity of yogurt.

92 Liturgical text : MISSAL

Missals came into being in medieval times and were used primarily by priests and ministers. A missal is a book containing all the texts necessary for the celebration of Mass through the liturgical year. Nowadays missals are used by the congregation and not just by the celebrants. The term “missal” comes from the Latin for “Mass book”.

96 Martial arts-based fitness system : 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”.

97 German dissents : NEINS

In German, one might answer “ja” (yes) or “nein” (no).

98 Way around Philly : SEPTA

Public transportation in and around Philadelphia is managed by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).

100 Thessaly peak : OSSA

Mount Ossa in Greece is located between Mount Pelion in the south, and the famed Mount Olympus in the north. Mount Ossa is also known as Kissavos.

The region of Greece known as Thessaly used to be called Aeolia, and appears in Homer’s “Odyssey” under the latter name.

101 Homecoming guest : ALUM

An alumnus (plural “alumni”) is a graduate or former student of a school or college. The female form is “alumna” (plural “alumnae”). The term comes into English from Latin, in which an alumnus is a foster-son or pupil. “Alum” is an informal term used for either an alumna or alumnus.

103 Comm. system in the film “CODA” : ASL

American Sign Language (ASL)

“CODA” is a 2021 movie, a remake of the 2014 French-Belgian film “La Famille Bélier”. The English-language version stars Emilia Jones as the only hearing member of a deaf family struggling with a fishing business in Gloucester, Massachusetts. “CODA” was the first film distributed by a streaming service (Apple TV+) to win a Best Picture Oscar. The title “CODA” is an acronym standing for “child of deaf adults”.

105 __ Law: electrical principle : OHM’S

The unit of electrical resistance is the ohm (with the symbol omega) named after German physicist Georg Simon Ohm. Ohm was the guy who established experimentally that the amount of current flowing through a circuit is directly proportional to the voltage applied, (V=IR) a relationship that every school kid knows as Ohm’s Law.

106 German sausage, for short : BRAT

A bratwurst (sometimes simply “brat” in the US) is a German sausage. The name comes from “brät-” meaning “finely chopped meat”, and “Wurst” meaning “sausage”.

108 Valiant leader? : VEE

The leading letter of the word “valiant” is a letter V (vee).