LA Times Crossword 23 Apr 23, Sunday

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Constructed by: Garrett Chalfin
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: In the End

Themed answers sound like common phrases, but with an IN-sound added at THE END:

  • 23A Exclamation at a Chinese New Year parade? : WHAT A DRAGON (from “what a drag”)
  • 25A Homemade cat costume? : DIY KITTEN (from “DIY kit”)
  • 42A Havana cigar that hits all the right notes? : PERFECT CUBAN (from “perfect cube”)
  • 65A Evian, e.g.? : WATER TITAN (from “watertight”)
  • 67A To whom a young sea monster goes for advice? : WISE KRAKEN (from “wisecrack”)
  • 87A Unusually low tax bill? : LITTLE BURDEN (from “little bird”)
  • 105A So tired of eating pork for breakfast? : OVER BACON (from “overbake”)
  • 107A Observation at a zoo’s big cat exhibit? : THAT IS A LION (from “that is a lie”)

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

Bill’s time: 14m 55s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 2006 NBA Finals MVP Dwyane : WADE

Dwyane Wade is a basketball player who started his NBA career with the Miami Heat in 2003. “D-Wade” was chosen as the “Sports Illustrated” Sportsman of the Year in 2006.

5 Wiccans, Druids, etc. : PAGANS

A pagan is someone who holds religious beliefs that are different from the main religions of the world, and especially someone who believes in polytheism. In classical Latin, “paganus” means “villager, rustic”.

Wicca is a relatively new phenomenon. It is a Neopagan religion that developed in the twentieth century. Typically, followers of Wicca worship one goddess and one god, namely the Moon Goddess and the Horned God. A follower of Wicca is called a Wiccan or a Witch.

Druids were priests of Celtic Europe during the Iron Age. Historians rely on accounts of the beliefs and practices of druids recorded by the likes of ancient Romans and Greeks, as it is believed that druids themselves were prevented from recording their knowledge by their belief system.

21 Old music halls : ODEA

In ancient Greece, an odeon (also “odeum”) was like a small theater, with “odeon” literally meaning “building for musical competition”. Odea were used in both Greece and Rome for entertainments such as musical shows and poetry readings.

23 Exclamation at a Chinese New Year parade? : WHAT A DRAGON (from “what a drag”)

The lion dance is a traditional dance in Chinese cultures in which performers move around in an elaborate lion costume. Apparently we Westerners often mistake the lion for a dragon. The Chinese dragon dance does exist, and is similar, but the dancers perform outside of the costume and hold up the dragon on poles.

27 Sammie : SUB

“Sammie” is an informal term meaning “sandwich”.

28 Ilhan of Congress : OMAR

Ilhan Omar has been representing Minnesota’s 5th congressional district in the US House since 2019. At that time, she became one of the first two Muslim women, as well as the first Somali American, to serve in the US Congress.

31 Crime drama character : COP

“To cop” was northern-English dialect for “to seize, catch”, and is still a slang term meaning “to get hold of, steal”. This verb evolved in the noun “copper”, describing a policeman, someone who catches criminals. “Copper” is often shortened to “cop”.

33 Buffalo NHL player : SABRE

The Buffalo Sabres joined the National Hockey League in the 1970-71 season. The team took the name “Sabres” as the result of a fan contest.

35 Pixar fish : DORY

Pixar’s 2016 animated feature “Finding Dory” is a sequel to the megahit film “Finding Nemo”. “Finding Dory” seems to have built on the success of its predecessor and had the highest-grossing opening weekend ever in North America for an animated movie.

39 Steamed bun : BAO

A baozi (also “bou, bao”) is a steamed, filled bun in Chinese cuisine.

42 Havana cigar that hits all the right notes? : PERFECT CUBAN (from “perfect cube”)

The production of all cigars and cigarettes in Cuba is managed by a state tobacco company called Cubatabaco. The marketing and distribution of all Cuban tobacco products is handled by Habanos, which is a subsidiary of Cubatabaco. Habanos works with just one company in each country where it markets products. As a result, customers seeking out genuine Cuban cigars know that there is a limited and defined list of suppliers around the world.

48 BTS genre : K-POP

BTS is a boy band from South Korea with seven members. The initialism “BTS” stands for the phrase “Bangtan Sonyeondan”, which translates literally as “Bulletproof Boy Scouts”. BTS is the best-selling musical act in the history of South Korea.

50 Old den device : VCR

The first video cassette recorder (VCR) was introduced in the 1950s, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that home VCRs became successful.

53 “__ Miz” : LES

The 1980 musical “Les Misérables” is an adaptation of the 1862 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. The show opened in London in 1985, and is the longest running musical in the history of London’s West End. My wife and I saw “Les Miz” in the Queen’s Theatre in London many years ago, but were only able to get tickets in the very back row. The theater seating is very steep, so the back row of the balcony is extremely high over the stage. One of the big events in the storyline is the building of a street barricade over which the rebels fight. At the height we were seated we could see the stagehands behind the barricade, sitting drinking Coke, even smoking cigarettes. On cue, the stagehands would get up and catch a dropped rifle, or an actor who had been shot. It was pretty comical. I didn’t really enjoy the show that much, to be honest. Some great songs, but the musical version of the storyline just didn’t seem to hang together for me.

58 __-chic : BOHO

Boho-chic is a style of fashion that grew out of the bohemian and hippie looks.

63 Mario Kart participant : RACER

“Mario Kart” is a go-kart racing video game series from Nintendo.

64 Euripides tragedy : MEDEA

“Medea” is a tragedy penned by Ancient Greek playwright Euripides. Dealing with the myth of Jason and Medea, it was not received well at its debut in 431 BC. It premiered at that year’s Dionysia festival in Athens, competing against plays by Euphorion and Sophocles. Euphorion’s play won the competition and Euripides’ “Medea” came in last.

65 Evian, e.g.? : WATER TITAN (from “watertight”)

Évian-les-Bains (or simply “Évian”) is in the very east of France, on the shores of Lake Geneva directly across the lake from Lausanne, Switzerland. As one might imagine, Évian is the home of Évian mineral water, the most successful business in town. Personally, I can’t stand the distinctive taste of Évian water …

67 To whom a young sea monster goes for advice? : WISE KRAKEN (from “wisecrack”)

Kraken are huge sea monsters of legend that were reputed to live off the coasts of Iceland and Norway. It’s possible that the kraken legend was inspired by real-life giant squid.

70 Morgan of Arthurian legend : LE FAY

Morgan le Fay is a character in Arthurian legend. She is a powerful sorceress, and indeed the term “fay” means “magician, sorceress”. In one of the legends, Morgan is said to be the half-sister of King Arthur on his mother’s side.

73 Barber’s tool : COMB

Our term “barber” comes to us via Anglo-French from the Latin “barba” meaning “beard”. Barbers originally offered a wide range of services, including surgery. Henry VIII restricted barbers to just haircutting … and dentistry!

76 Early Beatles bassist Sutcliffe : STU

Stu Sutcliffe was one of the original four members of The Silver Beatles (as The Beatles were known in their early days), along with John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Sutcliffe apparently came up with the name “Beatles” along with John Lennon, as a homage to their hero Buddy Holly who was backed by the “Crickets”. By all reports, Sutcliffe wasn’t a very talented musician and was more interested in painting. He went with the group to Hamburg, more than once, but he eventually left the Beatles and went back to art school, actually studying for a while at the Hamburg College of Art. In 1962 in Hamburg, Sutcliffe collapsed with blinding headaches. He died in the ambulance on the way to hospital, his death attributed to cerebral paralysis.

78 CBS sportscaster Phil : SIMMS

Phil Simms was an NFL quarterback who played his whole career with the New York Giants. After retiring from the game, Simms launched a second career as a sportscaster.

79 Camper’s snack : GORP

“Gorp” is a name sometimes used for trail mix, particularly by hikers. It’s not really known for sure how this name came about, but some say it stands for “good old raisins and peanuts” or perhaps “gobs of raw protein”.

91 Biceps, slangily : GUNS

The biceps muscle is made up of two bundles of muscle, both of which terminate at the same point near the elbow. The heads of the bundles terminate at different points on the scapula or shoulder blade. “Biceps” is Latin for “two-headed”.

92 Melber of MSNBC : ARI

Ari Melber is a television journalist and the chief legal correspondent for MSNBC. He started hosting his own daily show called “The Beat with Ari Melber” in 2017.

96 “Sula” novelist Morrison : TONI

“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.

97 Viswanathan who was the first chess grandmaster from India : ANAND

Viswanathan Anand is an Indian chess grandmaster who became the first grandmaster from India in 1988, when he was only 18 years old. He has also won the World Chess Championship several times, first in 2000.

100 Clemson athletes : TIGERS

Clemson University was founded in 1889. The school takes its name from the town in which it is located: Clemson, South Carolina. The athletic teams of Clemson University have been called the Tigers since 1896 when football coach Walter Riggs arrived from Auburn University. Riggs was an admirer of the Princeton Tigers, so he gave his new school the tiger mascot.

102 Disdainful sounds : TSKS

To show disdain towards something is to look on it with scorn. The verb “disdain” comes from the Old French “des-” (do the opposite of) and “deignier” (to treat as worthy).

105 So tired of eating pork for breakfast? : OVER BACON (from “overbake”)

“Bacon” is an Old French word that we imported into English. The term ultimately comes from the Proto-Germanic “bakkon” meaning “back meat”.

107 Observation at a zoo’s big cat exhibit? : THAT IS A LION (from “that is a lie”)

Cats are noted for their independence, and lions are exceptional in that they live in family groups called prides. Each pride is led by a male, that is responsible for protecting the group. The bulk of the group comprises females and cubs, with the females responsible for hunting and bringing in food for the pride.

111 Drudge : PEON

A peon is a lowly worker who has no real control over his/her working conditions. The word “peon” comes into English from Spanish, in which language it has the same meaning.

112 Swag : LOOT

“Loot” is the name given to anything taken by dishonesty or force, particularly during war. The term came into English from the Hindi “lut” meaning “goods taken from an enemy”.

Swag is loot, stolen property, and a term that started out as criminal slang in England in the 1830s. “Swag” is also the name given to the promotional freebies available at some events. That said, there’s an urban myth that the promotional version of “swag” is an acronym standing for “stuff we all get”.

115 Avec’s opposite : SANS

In French, if it’s “pas sans” (not without), it’s “avec” (with).

116 Giant fair : EXPO

The first World’s Fair was held in 1851, known back then as the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations. The fair was the idea of Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria. It was held in a magnificent glass and cast-iron structure called the Crystal Palace that was purpose-built for the occasion. The Great Exhibition spawned a tradition of what became known as World’s Fairs, expositions that feature national pavilions created by participating countries. The term “Expo” was coined for Expo 67, a 1967 World’s Fair held in Montreal. Since then, we’ve been using “expo” to describe any large exposition or trade show.

Down

1 URL letters : WWW

In essence, the World Wide Web (WWW) is a vast collection of documents that is accessible using the Internet, with each document containing hyperlinks which point to other documents in the collection. So the “Web” is different from the Internet, although the terms are often used interchangeably. The Web is a collection of documents, and the Internet is a global network of computers on which the documents reside. The Web was effectively the invention of British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee. The key to Berner-Lee’s invention was bringing together two technologies that already existed: hypertext and the Internet. I, for one, am very grateful …

3 Scattered population : DIASPORA

“Diaspora” is a Greek word meaning “a scattering of seeds”. I guess I’m one of the Irish seeds …

4 “Julius Caesar” accusation : ET TU

Julius Caesar was assassinated on the 15th (the ides) of March, 44 BC. He was attacked by a group of sixty people in the Roman Senate, and was stabbed 23 times. The first to strike a blow was Servilius Casca, who attacked Caesar from behind and stabbed him in the neck. In Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”, Casca utters the words “Speak, hands, for me!” just before making the fatal blow. The following line, uttered by Caesar, is more famous though: “Et tu, Brute?”

5 Prof’s deg., often : PHD

“Ph.D.” is an abbreviation for “philosophiae doctor”, Latin for “teacher of philosophy”. Often, candidates for a PhD already hold a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, so a PhD might be considered a “third degree”.

6 Stunt pilot : AEROBAT

Spectacular flying feats, usually involving rolls and dives, are described as aerobatics. “Aerobatics” is a portmanteau of “aerial” and “acrobatics”.

7 Campy 1970s music genre : GLAM ROCK

I remember the days of glam rock so well, as it was a hugely popular genre of music in Britain and Ireland during the early seventies. Artistes wore the wildest of clothes, big hair, shiny outfits and really high platform boots. Names associated with glam rock are T. Rex, David Bowie, Roxy Music and the infamous Gary Glitter.

8 Sushi roll exterior : ALGAE

Nori is an edible seaweed that we used to know as “laver” when we were living in Wales. Nori is usually dried into thin sheets. Here in the US, we are most familiar with nori as the seaweed used as a wrap for sushi.

9 Former Queen of Jordan : NOOR

Queen Noor is the widow of King Hussein of Jordan. She was born Lisa Halaby in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Najeeb Halaby. Her father was appointed by President Kennedy as the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, and later became the CEO of Pan Am. Lisa Halaby met King Hussein in 1977, while working on the design of Jordan’s Queen Alia Airport. The airport was named after King Hussein’s third wife who had been killed that year in a helicopter crash. Halaby and the King were married the next year, in 1978.

10 Tax form digits : SSN

So often, we are asked for “the last four digits” of our Social Security Numbers (SSNs).

12 Enlighten : EDIFY

To edify is to provide instruction in order to improve spiritually, morally or intellectually. The intent is to “build up” someone’s faith or morality, and so “edify” comes from the Latin “aedificare” meaning “to build, construct”. This Latin root also gives us our word “edifice”, meaning “massive building”.

13 “Summertime Sadness” singer Lana Del __ : REY

“Summertime Sadness” is a 2012 song co-written and recorded by Lan Del Ray. The song’s accompanying music video is shot like a home movie. It portrays Del Ray and actress Jaime King as a couple, a couple who both commit suicide separately by jumping from a height. Summertime sadness indeed …

26 “Amor & Pasión” popera vocal group : IL DIVO

2015’s “Amor & Pasión” is the eighth studio album by the classical crossover group Il Divo. It features a mix of traditional Latin American songs and new compositions. The album’s lead single “Si Voy a Perderte” is a Spanish-language cover of Gloria Estefan’s 1993 hit single “Don’t Wanna Lose You”.

29 Hartford’s st. : CONN

Hartford is the capital of the state of Connecticut. The city is home to the headquarters of many insurance companies. As such Hartford is nicknamed the “Insurance Capital of the World”.

31 Beer pong receptacles : CUPS

The game of beer pong is also known as “Beirut”. It apparently originated as a drinking game in the fraternities of Dartmouth College in the fifties, when it was played with paddles and a ping pong net on a table. The origin of the “Beirut” name is less clear, but it probably was coined while the Lebanese Civil War was raging in the late seventies and eighties.

32 Gp. founded in Baghdad in 1960 : OPEC

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded in 1960 at a conference held in Baghdad, Iraq that was attended by Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Nine more countries joined the alliance soon after, and OPEC set up headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and then Vienna, Austria in 1965. The basic aim of OPEC was to wrest control of oil prices from the oil companies and put it in the hands of the sovereign states that own the natural resource.

34 “The Bachelor” network : ABC

“The Bachelor” is an American dating and relationship reality show that debuted in 2002. Its success resulted in several spin-offs including “The Bachelorette”, “Bachelor Pad”, “Bachelor in Paradise”, as well as spawning many international editions of the original “The Bachelor” format.

35 Luvs product : DIAPER

Luvs are disposable diapers made by Procter & Gamble. They first hit the shelves in 1976.

38 Org. for Cardinals and Saints : NFL

The Arizona Cardinals were founded in 1898 as the Chicago Cardinals. That makes the Cardinals the oldest, continuously-run, professional football team in the whole country.

The New Orleans Saints football team takes its name from the jazz song “When the Saints Go Marching In”, a tune that is very much associated with the city. The team was founded in 1967, on November 1st, which is All Saints’ Day in the Roman Catholic tradition.

40 Concert wind : OBOE

The oboe is perhaps my favorite of the reed instruments. The name “oboe” comes from the French “hautbois” which means “high wood”.

49 Pictures of characters : ASCII ART

ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) lists codes for 32 “control” characters, as well as the 95 printable characters. These binary codes are the way that our computers can understand what we mean when we type, say a letter or a number. Unicode is a more contemporary standard, and is like “Ascii on steroids”, encompassing more characters.

50 Cape Cod alcohol : VODKA

The Cape Codder is a cocktail made with vodka and cranberry juice. The drink’s name refers to the Massachusetts peninsula of Cape Cod, where cranberries were first cultivated back in the early 1800s.

52 Equine hue : ROAN

In horses, there are two types of roan: red roan, which has a mixture of red and white hairs, and blue roan, which has a mixture of black and white hairs.

55 Jojo Moyes novel about a woman starting a new life : STILL ME

Jojo Moyes is a journalist from England, and an award-winning romance novelist. Her most successful books are the “Me Before You” series, comprising:

  1. “Me Before You” (2012)
  2. “After You” (2015)
  3. “Still Me” (2018)
  4. “Lou in Lockdown” (2020)

58 Lima __ : BEAN

The lima bean is also known as the butter bean or madagascar bean. It was introduced to Europe from the area around Lima, Peru, hence the name.

60 Inventory list : ITEMS

An inventory is a list of current assets, such as goods on hand. The term “inventory” comes from the Latin verb “invenire”meaning “to find, discover”. An inventory is a list of “what is found”.

64 Longtime Takei role : MR SULU

Mr. Hikaru Sulu was played by George Takei in the original “Star Trek” series. Takei has played lots of roles over the years, and is still very active in television. Did you know that he appeared in the 1963 film, “Pt-109”? He played the helmsman steering the Japanese destroyer that ran down John F. Kennedy’s motor torpedo boat. From destroyer helmsman to starship helmsman …

65 Texas city featured in most “Fixer Upper” episodes : WACO

“Fixer Upper” is a reality TV show about home design and renovation that originally aired on HGTV from 2013 to 2018. The show was filmed in Waco, Texas. Apparently, its popularity gave the local economy of Waco quite a boost.

66 “One Mic” rapper : NAS

“One Mic” is a 2002 song recorded by rap singer Nas. Nas is a big fan of singer Phil Collins, and sampled the Collins song “In the Air Tonight” for “One Mic”.

68 Actress Dennings : KAT

Kat Dennings is the stage name of actress Katherine Litwack, who is noted today for her co-starring role on CBS’s sitcom “2 Broke Girls”. Dennings is an avid blogger, and you can check out her video blog on YouTube.

71 Hindu or Buddhist spiritual leader : YOGINI

A yogi is a master practitioner of yoga. A master practitioner who is female might be referred to as a yogini.

80 Sea food : PLANKTON

Plankton are organisms that float in water and are incapable of swimming against a current. Plankton can be classified into four broad groups:

  • Phytoplankton: algae that live on the surface and use light for photosynthesis.
  • Zooplankton: small animals that mainly feed on other plankton.
  • Bacterioplankton: the bacterial component of plankton.
  • Mycoplankton: the fungal component of plankton.

82 Joule fraction : ERG

An erg is a unit of mechanical work or energy. It is a small unit, with one joule comprising 10 million ergs. It has been suggested that an erg is about the amount of energy required for a mosquito to take off. The term comes from “ergon”, the Greek word for work.

87 Organ with alveoli : LUNG

The alveoli are the air sacs in the lungs, and as such are the basic units of respiration. They are hollow cavities around which the alveolar membranes perform the gas-exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen. That gas exchange surface is about 800 sq. ft. (!) in the average human.

90 Bird in Mo Willems books : PIGEON

Mo Willems is a prolific children’s author and animator. As an animator, Willems earned several Emmys for his work on “Sesame Street”, and created the TV series “Sheep in the Big City” for Cartoon Network. His first book, “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!”, was a New York Times bestseller.

95 Skin care brand in blue containers : NIVEA

Nivea is a brand name of skin-care products from Germany. The Latin word “nivea” means “snow-white”.

96 Girl Scout’s outfit? : TROOP

The Girl Guides of America organization was founded in 1912 in Savannah, Georgia. That first meeting formed a troop consisting of eighteen girls. There are now almost 4 million girl scouts. Just one year after its formation, the group changed its name to the Girl Scouts of the United States and moved its headquarters to Washington, D.C.

97 Lotus position, e.g. : ASANA

“Asana” is a Sanskrit word that translates literally as “sitting down”. The asanas are the poses that a practitioner of yoga assumes. The most famous is the lotus position, the cross-legged pose called “padmasana”.

98 Genetic letters : DNA

DNA was first isolated in 1869 by Swiss physician and biologist Friedrich Miescher. The molecular structure of DNA was identified in 1953, by the American and British team of James Watson and Francis Crick.

102 Hammer-wielding superhero in Marvel films : THOR

Thor Odinson is a superhero who was introduced to us by Marvel Comics in 1962. The character is based on the Norse god Thor, and comes complete with a magical hammer. Like so many comic book heroes it seems, Thor has made it to the big screen. Actor Chris Hemsworth played the role in the 2011 film “Thor” directed by the great Kenneth Branagh. Branagh must have needed the cash. Thor’s father Odin is played by Anthony Hopkins. He must have needed the cash too …

104 Older “Frozen” sister : ELSA

“Frozen” is a 2013 animated feature from Walt Disney Studios that is based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Snow Queen”. The film is all about the exploits of Princess Anna, the younger sister of Elsa, Snow Queen of Arendelle. Elsa was originally intended to be a villain, a malicious and power-hungry character. By the final version of the film, Elsa had transformed from a one-dimensional villain into a fully fleshed-out protagonist.

106 Actress Courteney : COX

Courteney Cox played Monica Geller on the incredibly successful sitcom “Friends”. Before “Friends” she played the girlfriend of Michael J. Fox’s character on “Family Ties” for a couple of years in the late eighties. Her role in “Friends” was her biggest success, no question, when she and her fellow female co-stars became the highest paid TV actresses ever, earning a million dollars per episode.

109 Flamenco shout : OLE!

Flamenco is a style of Spanish music and dance. The origin of the word “flamenco” isn’t clearly understood, but the explanation that seems most credible to me is that it comes from Flanders in Northern Europe. Given that “flamenco” is the Spanish word for “Flemish” and Flanders is home to the Flemish people it makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 2006 NBA Finals MVP Dwyane : WADE
5 Wiccans, Druids, etc. : PAGANS
11 Start of an idea : GERM
15 Soaks (up) : SOPS
19 “I wasn’t finished!” : WAIT!
20 Greetings : HELLOS
21 Old music halls : ODEA
22 Atmosphere : AURA
23 Exclamation at a Chinese New Year parade? : WHAT A DRAGON (from “what a drag”)
25 Homemade cat costume? : DIY KITTEN (from “DIY kit”)
27 Sammie : SUB
28 Ilhan of Congress : OMAR
29 Lunch spot, for short : CAF
30 Spoke without a sound? : ELIDED
31 Crime drama character : COP
33 Buffalo NHL player : SABRE
35 Pixar fish : DORY
36 Chocolate chips and walnuts for banana bread, perhaps : ADD-INS
37 Very soon after : UPON
39 Steamed bun : BAO
40 Sound from a pen : OINK!
41 Untamed : WILD
42 Havana cigar that hits all the right notes? : PERFECT CUBAN (from “perfect cube”)
45 Motivation : DRIVE
47 Bathroom or kitchen device : SCALE
48 BTS genre : K-POP
49 Schoolyard retort : ARE SO!
50 Old den device : VCR
53 “__ Miz” : LES
56 [I have to explain this again?] : [DEEP SIGH]
58 __-chic : BOHO
59 Like a rave review : FIVE-STAR
63 Mario Kart participant : RACER
64 Euripides tragedy : MEDEA
65 Evian, e.g.? : WATER TITAN (from “watertight”)
67 To whom a young sea monster goes for advice? : WISE KRAKEN (from “wisecrack”)
69 Affirms : AVERS
70 Morgan of Arthurian legend : LE FAY
72 “You’ll see–this’ll be easy!” : IT’S A SNAP!
73 Barber’s tool : COMB
74 Fizzless drink : FLAT SODA
76 Early Beatles bassist Sutcliffe : STU
77 Hosp. theaters : ORS
78 CBS sportscaster Phil : SIMMS
79 Camper’s snack : GORP
81 Charter : LEASE
86 Songs : TUNES
87 Unusually low tax bill? : LITTLE BURDEN (from “little bird”)
90 Family nickname : PAPA
91 Biceps, slangily : GUNS
92 Melber of MSNBC : ARI
93 Urge on : GOAD
94 Whine tearfully : SNIVEL
96 “Sula” novelist Morrison : TONI
97 Viswanathan who was the first chess grandmaster from India : ANAND
99 Texting nicety : PLS
100 Clemson athletes : TIGERS
101 Fix, in a way : RIG
102 Disdainful sounds : TSKS
103 Trawling need : NET
105 So tired of eating pork for breakfast? : OVER BACON (from “overbake”)
107 Observation at a zoo’s big cat exhibit? : THAT IS A LION (from “that is a lie”)
111 Drudge : PEON
112 Swag : LOOT
113 Had a victory : WON ONE
114 Unaided : SOLO
115 Avec’s opposite : SANS
116 Giant fair : EXPO
117 Sunset shade : ORANGE
118 Freshly : ANEW

Down

1 URL letters : WWW
2 “That hits the spot” : AAH
3 Scattered population : DIASPORA
4 “Julius Caesar” accusation : ET TU
5 Prof’s deg., often : PHD
6 Stunt pilot : AEROBAT
7 Campy 1970s music genre : GLAM ROCK
8 Sushi roll exterior : ALGAE
9 Former Queen of Jordan : NOOR
10 Tax form digits : SSN
11 Stop posting on social media, say : GO DARK
12 Enlighten : EDIFY
13 “Summertime Sadness” singer Lana Del __ : REY
14 Words said after lighting birthday candles : MAKE A WISH
15 Went unused : SAT IDLE
16 Eclipsed : OUTDID
17 Groom feathers : PREEN
18 Smooths, as wood : SANDS
24 Crunch time target? : ABS
26 “Amor & Pasión” popera vocal group : IL DIVO
29 Hartford’s st. : CONN
31 Beer pong receptacles : CUPS
32 Gp. founded in Baghdad in 1960 : OPEC
34 “The Bachelor” network : ABC
35 Luvs product : DIAPER
38 Org. for Cardinals and Saints : NFL
40 Concert wind : OBOE
43 Fishers with pots : EELERS
44 Kite aids : UPDRAFTS
45 Least rainy : DRIEST
46 Go back : REGRESS
49 Pictures of characters : ASCII ART
50 Cape Cod alcohol : VODKA
51 Sound from a nest : CHEEP!
52 Equine hue : ROAN
54 NYC hrs. : EST
55 Jojo Moyes novel about a woman starting a new life : STILL ME
57 Furry foot : PAW
58 Lima __ : BEAN
59 Party gift : FAVOR
60 Inventory list : ITEMS
61 Move or groove : VERB
62 Top squads : A-TEAMS
64 Longtime Takei role : MR SULU
65 Texas city featured in most “Fixer Upper” episodes : WACO
66 “One Mic” rapper : NAS
68 Actress Dennings : KAT
71 Hindu or Buddhist spiritual leader : YOGINI
74 “No refunds” transaction : FINAL SALE
75 Polka __ : DOTS
78 Top-notch : SUPERB
80 Sea food : PLANKTON
82 Joule fraction : ERG
83 Animal shelter goal : ADOPTION
84 Letter closer : SEAL
85 Wraps up : ENDS
86 Bars : TAVERNS
87 Organ with alveoli : LUNG
88 Blackboard chore : ERASING
89 Receptacle : BIN
90 Bird in Mo Willems books : PIGEON
91 Start discussing : GO INTO
94 Timetable listings : STOPS
95 Skin care brand in blue containers : NIVEA
96 Girl Scout’s outfit? : TROOP
97 Lotus position, e.g. : ASANA
98 Genetic letters : DNA
102 Hammer-wielding superhero in Marvel films : THOR
104 Older “Frozen” sister : ELSA
106 Actress Courteney : COX
107 Couple : TWO
108 Understand : SEE
109 Flamenco shout : OLE!
110 This second : NOW