LA Times Crossword 30 Dec 18, Sunday

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Constructed by: Gary Larson
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: Calling Forth

Themed answers are common phrases in which we CALL FOR TH-sounds to be substituted for S-sounds:

  • 23A. Off-season at a nudist camp? : CLOTHING TIME (from “closing time”)
  • 28A. Dollhouse Christmas decoration? : PEEWEE WREATH (from “Pee Wee Reese”)
  • 43A. Defrost in the microwave? : POWER THAW (from “power saw”)
  • 51A. Two, for most folks? : THUMB TOTAL (from “sum total”)
  • 68A. Aha moment sensation? : THINKING FEELING (from “sinking feeling”)
  • 89A. Geek chic? : MATH APPEAL (from “mass appeal”)
  • 98A. Underwear catalog? : THONG BOOK (from “song book”)
  • 111A. Cinderella’s coach? : MYTH CARRIAGE (from “miscarriage”)
  • 122A. Suffering from stress-related weight gain? : WORRIED THICK (from “worried sick”)

Bill’s time: 15m 02s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1. Close to closed : AJAR

Our word “ajar” is thought to come from Scottish dialect, in which “a char” means “slightly open”.

11. Its “M” stands for “Motoren” : BMW

The initialism “BMW” stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke, which translates into Bavarian Motor Works. BMW was making aircraft engines during WWI, but had to cease that activity according to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. The company then started making motorcycles, and moved into automobile production starting in 1928. BMW moved back into aircraft engine manufacturing during the build-up of the Luftwaffe prior to WWII.

14. Batty : DAFT

The expression “bats in the belfry” meaning “mad, crazy” conjures up images of bats flying around Gothic bell towers, but actually it’s a relatively recent addition to our vernacular. The term is American in origin, and dates back only to the early 1900s. The concept is that someone who is “crazy”, with wild ideas flying around his or her head, can be described as having bats (wild ideas) flying around the belfry (head). The terms “bats” and “batty” originated at the same time, and are clearly derivative.

18. Ashton’s spouse : MILA

Mila Kunis is a Ukrainian-born, American actress who plays Jackie Burkhart on “That ’70s Show”. Fans of the cartoon series “Family Guy” might recognize her voicing the Meg Griffin character. In ”Black Swan”, Kunis plays a rival ballet dancer to the character played by Natalie Portman. In her personal life, Kunis dated Macaulay Culkin for 8 years, but married Ashton Kutcher, her co-star from “That 70s Show”, in 2015.

19. 2002 “Friends” Emmy winner : ANISTON

Jennifer Aniston won a 2002 Emmy for playing Rachel on the great sitcom “Friends”. Jennifer’s parents are both actors, and her godfather was the actor Telly Savalas.

21. French monarch : ROI

“La reine” (the queen) is the wife of “le roi” (the king), in French.

25. Stock female roles : INGENUES

So often in literature, the movies and on stage, there is an innocent woman at the the center of the story. Such stock characters came to be known as ingénues, a term derived from the French adjective “ingénu” meaning innocent, virtuous, candid and “ingenuous”.

27. Caribbean getaway : ST THOMAS

Saint Thomas is one of US Virgin Islands (USVI) in the Caribbean Sea. The island is home to the city of Charlotte Amalie, which is the USVI’s capital and largest city. The US purchased Saint Thomas, along with Saint John and Saint Croix, in 1917. The intent of the purchase was to enhance US control of the Caribbean and the Panama Canal during WWI. One of the more famous people born on Saint Thomas is the actor Kelsey Grammer.

28. Dollhouse Christmas decoration? : PEEWEE WREATH (from “Pee Wee Reese”)

Pee Wee Reese was a shortstop who played his professional career with the Brooklyn and LA Dodgers. Reese is remembered not only for his skill on the field, but for his very visible support for teammate Jackie Robinson, who famously struggled to be accepted as the first African American player in the majors. As he was an outstanding marbles player as a child, Reese was given the nickname “pee wee” after the name for a small marble.

32. Early Indo-European : ARYAN

The term “Aryan” can be used to describe the Indo-European languages or the peoples who speak them. The underlying assumption in this grouping is that Indian languages (based on Sanskrit) and the major European languages all have the same root.

48. Longtime Dolphins coach : SHULA

Don Shula is a former football player and coach. Shula appeared as head coach in a record six Super Bowls, including a run of three successive Super Bowls (1971-73, winning twice). Shula holds the record for most NFL career wins (347). He also led the Miami Dolphins during their 1972 perfect season, the only perfect season in the history of the NFL.

49. Reggae’s __ Kamoze : INI

“Ini Kamoze” is the stage name of Jamaican reggae singer Cecil Campbell. His best-known song (though not known by me!) is “Here Comes the Hotstepper” released in 1994.

50. Ham, to Noah : SON

According to the Book of Genesis, Noah lived to a ripe old age. Noah fathered his three sons Shem, Ham and Japheth when he was 500 years old, and the Great Flood took place when he was 600.

53. English critic Kenneth : TYNAN

Kenneth Tynan was a theater critic in England who was noted for his opposition to censorship. He was the first person on British television to us the “f word”. He also created the theatrical revue “Oh! Calcutta!” that dealt with many sex-related topics and featured lots of nudity.

60. Worker in a garden : BEE

A queen bee has a stinger, just like worker bees. When a worker bee stings, it leaves it stinger in its victim. The worker bee dies after losing its stinger as the loss rips out part of its insides. However, a queen bee can sting with impunity as her stinger’s anatomy is different.

61. Apple variety : ROME

A Rome apple is a cooking apple. Supposedly, the first Rome apple was planted by Alanson Gillett in 1817 on the banks of the Ohio River near the Rome Township. Originally called “Gillett’s Seedling”, it was eventually given the name “Rome Beauty”.

62. Capital south of Vienna : ZAGREB

Zagreb is the capital city of the Republic of Croatia. Zagreb has been around a long, long time, and dates back to the diocese of Zagreb that was founded at the end of 11th century.

64. Links prop : TEE

The oldest type of golf course is a links course. The name “links” comes from the Old English word “hlinc” meaning “rising ground”. “Hlinc” was used to describe areas with coastal sand dunes or open parkland. As a result, we use the term “links course” to mean a golf course that is located at or on the coast, often amid sand dunes. The British Open is always played on a links course.

65. Broom-__: comics witch : HILDA

“Broom-Hilda” is a comic strip created by Russell Myers that has been running since 1970. The idea for the title character came from Myers’s business manager, Elliot Caplin (brother of Al Capp, the creator of “Li’l Abner”). Broom-Hilda is a beer-drinking, cigar-smoking witch.

67. “As Time Goes By” pianist : SAM

The movie “Casablanca” was released in January of 1943, timed to coincide with the Casablanca Conference, the high-level meeting between Roosevelt and Churchill. The film wasn’t a box-office hit, but gained critical acclaim, winning three Oscars including Best Picture. The signature song “As Time Goes By” was written many years earlier for a 1931 Broadway musical called “Everybody’s Welcome”, and was a hit in 1931 for Rudy Vallee. But today we all remember the Casablanca version, sung by Dooley Wilson (who played “Sam” in the film). Poor Dooley didn’t get to record it as a single, due to a musician’s strike in 1943. The 1931 Rudy Vallee version was re-released that year and became an even bigger hit second time round.

76. Frozen summer coolers : ICEES

Slush Puppie and ICEE are brands of frozen, slushy drinks. Ostensibly competing brands, ICEE company now owns the Slush Puppie brand.

82. Biblical prophet : AMOS

Amos is one of the twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew Bible. The Old Testament’s Book of Amos is attributed to him.

85. Type of plane : ASTRAL

Some believe that a person’s spirit inhabits the astral plane after dying, and before entering the spirit world.

89. Geek chic? : MATH APPEAL (from “mass appeal”)

“Chic” is a French word meaning “stylish”.

Originally, a geek was a sideshow performer, perhaps one at a circus. We use the term today for someone regarded as foolish or clumsy, and also for someone who is technically driven and expert, but often socially inept.

94. With 130-Across, weekly U.S. magazine with a cryptic crossword : THE …
(130A. See 94-Across : … NATION)

“The Nation” is the oldest continuously-published weekly magazine in the country, having first appeared in 1865. In all its years of operation, the magazine rarely makes a profit. The magazine has a large cadre of donors who voluntarily donate funds above and beyond their annual subscription.

101. Aslan’s land : 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.

In the C. S. Lewis series of books known as “The Chronicles of Narnia”, Aslan is the name of the lion character (as in the title “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”). “Aslan” is actually the Turkish word for lion. Anyone who has read the books will recognize the the remarkable similarity between the story of Aslan and the story of Christ, including a sacrifice and resurrection.

103. “Juno and the Paycock” playwright : O’CASEY

Seán O’Casey was an Irish playwright noted for his works exploring the plight of the working class in Dublin. O’Casey’s most famous works are “Juno and the Paycock” and “The Plough and the Stars”.

109. Tiny insect egg : NIT

A nit is the egg of a louse.

Lice (singular “louse”) are small wingless insects of which there are thousands of species, three of which are human disease agents. The three kinds of lice affecting humans are head lice, body lice and pubic lice. Most lice feed on dead skin found on the body of the host animal, although some feed on blood. Ick …

110. Cyst of no concern : WEN

“Wen” is the common name for any of a number of different growths that can occur on or under the skin. A wen can be a lipoma for example, a benign fatty growth that can form under the skin.

111. Cinderella’s coach? : MYTH CARRIAGE (from “miscarriage”)

The folktale usually known as “Cinderella” was first published by French author Charles Perrault in 1697, although it was later included by the Brothers Grimm in their famous 1812 collection. The storyline of the tale may date back as far as the days of Ancient Greece. A common alternative title to the story is “The Little Glass Slipper”.

126. Kia SUV : SORENTO

The Sorento is an SUV made by Kia since 2002. I’ve always assumed that the car is named for the Italian city, although the spelling is different (“Sorrento”).

127. Author Bombeck : ERMA

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

128. Victim of a fabled upset : HARE

“The Tortoise and the Hare” is perhaps the most famous fable attributed to Aesop. The cocky hare takes a nap during a race against the tortoise, and the tortoise sneaks past the finish line for the win while his speedier friend is sleeping.

131. Back-to-school time for many: Abbr. : SEPT

The month of September is the ninth month in our year, although the name “September” comes from the Latin word “septum” meaning “seventh”. September was the seventh month in the Roman calendar until the year 46 BC when Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar. The Julian system moved the start of the year from March 1st to January 1st, and shifted September to the ninth month. The Gregorian calendar that we use today was introduced in 1582.

Down

1. Gremlins and Pacers : AMCS

The Gremlin is a subcompact car that was made by AMC in the 1970s. The Gremlin was positioned to compete with the Chevy Vega and Ford Pinto from the US, and with imports like the VW Beetle and Toyota Corona. On the list of ex-Gremlin drivers are Presidents Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush.

The AMC Pacer is an iconic car from the seventies. The Pacer has big glass windows leading to it being nicknamed “the Flying Fish Bowl” by “Car and Driver” magazine.

2. Abandon at the altar : JILT

To jilt someone with whom you have a relationship is to drop them suddenly or callously. “Jilt” is an obsolete noun that used to mean “harlot, loose woman”.

5. Duds, old-style : RAIMENTS

Raiment is clothing, those items “arrayed” on one’s body.

“Duds” is an informal word meaning “clothing”. The term comes from the word “dudde” that was used around 1300 as the name for a cloak.

6. Kournikova of tennis : ANNA

Not only is Anna Kournikova a world class tennis player, but she is also a model. She apparently has a lot of fans because her name is one of the most commonly searched for terms on Google’s search engine …

7. Quarters : DIGS

“Digs” is short for “diggings” meaning “lodgings”. Where “diggings” came from, no one seems to know.

We use the term “quarters” for a place of abode, especially housing for military personnel. Back in the late 16th century, quarters were a portion (quarter) of a town reserved for a military force.

8. Novel ending? : -IST

Our word “novel”, used for a lengthy work of fiction, comes from the Latin “novella” meaning “new things”.

9. Mushroom stems : STIPES

A mushroom isn’t a complete living organism per se but rather is one part of a fungus, the fruiting body that is responsible for distributing reproductive spores. The mushroom generally has three main components: the stipe (or “stem”), the pileus (or “cap”) and the lamellae (or “gills”) under the cap which distribute the spores.

11. Pipe material : BRIER

The wood of the tree heath plant is known as briar root and is extremely heat-resistant. As a result, briar root is used to make smoking pipes.

13. Early American home : WIGWAM

The terms “wickiup” and “wigwam” are generally synonymous, with the former used mainly in the Southwest and West, and the latter used in the Northeast and Canada. Wickiups/wigwams are domed structures with a frame made from arched poles, and covered with a roofing material such as grass, bark, reeds, hide or cloth.

15. Contents of el mar : AGUA

In Spanish, “el mar” (the sea) is “azul” (blue) and is full of “agua” (water).

17. Radio host John : TESH

John Tesh is a pianist and composer, as well as a radio and television presenter. For many years Tesh presented the show “Entertainment Tonight”. For “ET” he once covered the filming of an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. As part of the piece, he volunteered to act as a Klingon warrior. If you see the “Star Trek: TNG” episode called “The Icarus Factor” in reruns, watch out for John Tesh engaging in ritual torture with Mr. Worf as his victim.

20. Society page word : NEE

“Née” is the French word for “born” when referring to a female. The male equivalent is “né”.

26. The “E” in E. & J. Gallo : ERNEST

E & J Gallo Winery was founded by Ernest and Julio Gallo in Modesto, California in 1933. Gallo is the largest exporter of wine from the State of California.

31. Nave seat : PEW

A pew is a bench in a church, one usually with a high back. The original pews were raised and sometimes enclosed seats in the church used by women and important men or families. “Pew” comes from the Old French “puie” meaning “balcony, elevation”.

In large Christian churches, the nave is the main approach to the altar, and is where most of the congregation are seated.

33. Phelps broke his gold-medal record : SPITZ

Mark Spitz is a retired competitive swimmer, and famously the winner of seven gold medals for the US at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. That was a record number of gold medals won for a single Olympic Games, which stood until the 2008 games when Michael Phelps won a total of 8 golds. Spitz was only 22 years of age right after the 1972 Games, at which point he retired from competition. Having said that, Spitz briefly came out of retirement in 1992 and tried for a place in the US team for the Barcelona Olympics at the age of 41. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make the grade.

Michael Phelps is a competitive swimmer from Towson, Maryland. Phelps won 28 medals in total in the five Olympic Games in which he has competed from 2004 to 2016. Those 28 medals make him the most decorated Olympian of all time, by far. Coming in second is former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who won won 18 medals between 1956 and 1964.

34. Skater Harding : TONYA

Tonya Harding won the US Figure Skating Championships in 1991. Harding’s reputation was greatly tarnished in the run up to the 1994 Olympics, when her former husband and her bodyguard contracted someone to attack Harding’s main competitor, Nancy Kerrigan. During a practice session for the US Championship, a hired thug assaulted Kerrigan with police baton, attempting to break her leg. Kerrigan was forced to withdraw, and Harding won the championship. Both Harding and Kerrigan were selected for the Olympic team, and despite attempts to get Harding removed, both skated at the Games in Lillehammer. Harding finished in eighth place, and Kerrigan won the silver medal. Harding admitted that she helped cover up the attack when she found out about it, and was stripped of her US Championship title.

36. Copenhagen native : DANE

Copenhagen is the largest city and the capital of Denmark. I haven’t had the privilege of visiting Copenhagen, but I hear it is a wonderful metropolis with a marvelous quality of life. The city is also very environmentally friendly, with over a third of its population commuting to work by bicycle.

37. Confirmation, e.g. : RITE

In some Christian traditions, Confirmation is a rite of initiation.

39. Norse god associated with storms : THOR

In Norse mythology, Thor was the son of Odin. Thor wielded a mighty hammer and was the god of thunder, lightning and storms. Our contemporary word “Thursday” comes from “Thor’s Day”.

41. Andean wool source : LLAMA

The wool from a llama is much softer than that from a sheep, and it is also free from lanolin.

42. “The Crucible” setting : SALEM

The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings held in 1692 and 1693 in colonial Massachusetts, most famously in Salem. As a result of mass hysteria, twenty people were convicted of practicing witchcraft and were executed. The events were deemed to be a terrible injustice almost immediately. As early as 1696, there was a legal ruling by the Massachusetts General Court that referred to the outcome of the trials as a tragedy. In 2001, the massachusetts legislature officially exonerated all of those convicted.

“The Crucible” is a 1952 play by Arthur Miller that tells the story of the Salem witch trials. Miller wrote it as an allegory for the House Committee on Un-American Activities hearings that were being chaired by Senator Joe McCarthy around that time. Miller was called before the Committee himself, and was convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to “name names”.

44. Letters after I? : -HOP

The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) was founded back in 1958. IHOP was originally intended to be called IHOE, the International House of Eggs, but that name didn’t do too well in marketing tests!

46. Jazz pianist Blake : EUBIE

James Hubert “Eubie” Blake was a composer and pianist from Baltimore, Maryland. Blake was a noted composer and performer of ragtime music. The 1978 musical revue “Eubie!” features his music. Apparently Blake claimed to have started smoking cigarettes at the age of 10 years, and died 85 years later in 1983. Blake’s celebrity status and long life as a smoker was often cited by politicians who opposed anti-tobacco legislation.

55. Soft drink brand since 1924 : NEHI

Nehi Corporation was the nickname for the Chero-Cola/Union Bottle Works that introduced the Nehi drink in 1924. Years later the company developed a new brand, Royal Crown Cola (also known as RC Cola). By 1955, RC Cola was the company’s flagship product, so the “Nehi Corporation” became the “Royal Crown Company”. In 1954, RC Cola became the first company to sell soft drinks in cans.

57. Elevator innovator : OTIS

Otis is a manufacturer of elevators, escalators and moving walkways. By some accounts, Otis is the world’s most popular transportation company, with the equivalent of the whole world’s population travelling on Otis devices every few days.

59. Colorful blocks : LEGOS

Lego is manufactured by Lego Group, a privately held company headquartered in Billund, Denmark. The company was founded by a carpenter called Ole Kirk Christiansen in 1934 and the now-famous plastic interlocking blocks were introduced in 1949. The blocks were originally sold under the name “Automatic Binding Bricks” but I think “Lego” is easier to remember! The name “Lego” comes from the Danish term “leg godt” meaning “play well”.

63. Flexor muscle, informally : BICEP

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”.

A flexor muscle is one that works to bend a limb. An extensor muscle is one that straightens it.

65. German title : HERR

In German, a “Herr” (Mr.) is married to a “Frau” (Mrs.), and they live together in a “Haus” (house).

66. Before long, quaintly : ANON

“Anon” originally meant “at once”, but the term’s meaning evolved into “soon” apparently just because the word was misused over time.

69. Some tides : NEAPS

Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon on the oceans. At neap tide, the smaller gravitational effect of the sun cancels out some of the moon’s effect. At spring tide, the sun and the moon’s gravitational forces act in concert causing more extreme movement of the oceans.

70. __ One: vodka brand : KETEL

Ketel One is a brand of vodka from the Netherlands. The vodka is distilled from wheat in copper pot stills, and “ketel” is Dutch for “pot still, kettle”.

72. VW hatchback : GTI

The Volkswagen Rabbit is a small, front-wheel drive car that is sold as the Volkswagen Golf outside of North America. There is a very popular GTI version of the Golf that was introduced in 1976. The initialism “GTI” stands for Grand Tourer Injection.

73. Friend of Pythias : DAMON

Damon and Pythias were two loyal friends in Greek mythology. Pythias was sentenced to death, and released to settle his affairs after Damon agreed to take his place and assume the death sentence should his friend not return. After a lot of misadventures, the devoted friendship exhibited between the two convinced the magistrates to commute the sentence.

74. Appliance maker since 1934 : AMANA

The Amana Corporation takes its name from the location of its original headquarters, in Middle Amana, Iowa. Today, the Amana name is very much associated with household appliances. The company was founded in 1934 to manufacture commercial walk-in coolers.

79. Wyoming’s __ Range : TETON

Grand Teton National Park (NP) is located just south of Yellowstone NP, and a must-see if you are visiting the latter. The park is named after the tallest peak in the magnificent Teton Range known as Grand Teton. The origins of the name “Teton” is not very clear, although my one story is that it was named by French trappers, as the word “tetons” in French is a slang term meaning “breasts”.

80. Former #1 LPGA golfer Lorena : OCHOA

Lorena Ochoa is a retired professional golfer from Mexico who was ranked as the number one female golfer in the world from 2007 to 2010.

85. One of the Baldwins : ALEC

The four acting Baldwin brothers are:

  • Alec Baldwin (b. 1958)
  • Daniel Baldwin (b. 1960)
  • William “Billy” Baldwin (b. 1963)
  • Stephen Baldwin (b. 1966)

87. John in London : LOO

It has been suggested that the British term “loo” comes from “Waterloo” (water closet … water-loo), but no one seems to know for sure. Another suggestion is that the term comes from the card game of “lanterloo”, in which the pot was called the loo!

The use of “john” as a slang term for a toilet is peculiar to North America. “John” probably comes from the older slang term of “jack” or “jakes” that had been around since the 16th century. In Ireland, in less polite moments, we still refer to a toilet as “the jacks”.

91. Garlicky sauce : AIOLI

To the purist, especially in Provence in the South of France, aioli is prepared just by grinding garlic with olive oil. However, other ingredients are often added to the mix, particularly egg yolks.

97. Former name of Myanmar’s most populous city : RANGOON

Yangon is a former capital city of Burma, which is a nation now known as Myanmar. Yangon is sometimes referred to as “Rangoon” in English.

98. Asian celebration : TET

The full name for the New Year holiday in Vietnam is “Tet Nguyen Dan” meaning “Feast of the First Morning”, with the reference being to the arrival of the season of spring. Tet usually falls on the same day as Chinese New Year.

100. They may empty in a brawl : BENCHES

Perhaps in baseball.

102. Actress Plummer : AMANDA

Actress Amanda Plummer was born in New York City, and is the daughter of Canadian actor Christopher Plummer.

104. NATO alphabet letter after Romeo : SIERRA

The NATO phonetic alphabet is also called the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) phonetic alphabet. It goes Alfa, Bravo, Charlie … X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.

107. Rainbowlike : ARCED

Sunlight shining through airborne water droplets can produce rainbows. The water droplets act as little prisms, dispersing the white light into its constituent colors. Sometimes we see double rainbows. If we look carefully, we can see that the order of the colors in the first and second arcs is reversed.

108. Cara of “Fame” : IRENE

“Fame” is a 1980 musical film that follows students at New York’s High School of Performing Arts. Irene Cara sings the hugely successful theme song “Fame”, and stars as one of the students. Cara had in fact attended the High School of Performing Arts in real life. The movie “Fame” was so successful that it led to a spinoff TV series, stage shows and a 2009 remake.

111. Bangers partner : MASH

Sausages are often referred to as “bangers” on the other side of the pond.

112. Gym site : YMCA

The YMCA (the “Y”) is a worldwide movement that has its roots in London, England. There, in 1844, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was founded with the intent of promoting Christian principles through the development of “a healthy spirit, mind and body”. The founder, George Williams, saw the need to create YMCA facilities for young men who were flocking to the cities as the Industrial Revolution flourished. He saw that these men were frequenting taverns and brothels, and wanted to offer a more wholesome alternative.

113. Skier’s aid : T-BAR

A T-bar is a ski lift on which the skiers are pulled up the hill in pairs, with each pair standing (not sitting!) either side of a T-shaped metal bar. The bar is placed behind the thighs, pulling along the skiers as they remain standing on their skis (hopefully!). There’s also a J-bar, which is a similar device but with each J-shaped bar used by one skier at a time.

116. Done, in Verdun : FINI

Verdun-sur-Meuse is a city in northeastern France. The WWI Battle of Verdun took place just north of the city, and lasted for almost the whole of the year 1916. The battle was fought between the French and Germans, with loss of life being about equal between the two factions, the total death toll being about 700,000 men. The Battle of Verdun was primarily an artillery engagement, and some of those overlapping artillery craters are still visible today.

117. Jared of “Suicide Squad” : LETO

Jared Leto is an actor and musician. In the world of music, Leto is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band 30 Seconds to Mars. In the film world, one of his most critically acclaimed role was that of a heroin addict in “Requiem for a Dream”. He also appeared in “American Psycho”, “Panic Room” and “Lord of War”. Leto won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for portraying a transgender woman in 2013’s “Dallas Buyers Club”.

“Suicide Squad” is superhero film released in 2016, although the title characters are a team of DC Comics “antiheroes”. I haven’t seen the film (I don’t really do superhero movies) but the plot reminds my of 1967’s “The Dirty Dozen”. A government agency puts together a team of supervillains to carry out a dangerous mission in exchange for reduced prison sentences.

118. Where Cork is : EIRE

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland. Cork has been a major port for many years, and was the last port of call for many, many Irish emigrants to America. When these Irish people reached the US it was common for them to give their point of origin as “Cork”, whereas they may have come from almost anywhere in Ireland. It’s because of this that many descendants of Irish immigrants who had been told they were from a Cork family often find out they were under a misapprehension as their ancestors just sailed from Cork.

119. Dudley Do-Right’s org. : RCMP

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (the Mounties, RCMP) is an unusual police force in that it provides all policing for the whole country. The RCMP works on the national level, and right down to the municipal level. The force’s distinctive uniform of red serge tunic, blue pants with a yellow stripe, stetson hat etc. is known internally as “Review Order”. The red uniform dates back to the days of the North-West Mounted Police, which was one of the existing forces that were merged in 1920 to form the RCMP.

Dudley Do-Right appeared on the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, a cartoon that appeared on television in a couple of different versions from 1959-1964. Dudley was a bungling Mountie who struggled with his nemesis, the evil Snidely Whiplash, while pursuing the romantic intentions of Nell Fenwick (who always seemed to prefer Dudley’s horse!).

120. 32-card game : SKAT

When I was a teenager in Ireland, I had a friend with a German father. The father taught us the game of Skat, and what a great game it is. Skat originated in Germany in the 1800s and is to this day the most popular card game in the country. I haven’t played it in decades, but would love to play it again …

123. No longer working: Abbr. : RET

Retired (ret.)

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Close to closed : AJAR
5. Salad veggie : RADISH
11. Its “M” stands for “Motoren” : BMW
14. Batty : DAFT
18. Ashton’s spouse : MILA
19. 2002 “Friends” Emmy winner : ANISTON
21. French monarch : ROI
22. Barbarian : OGRE
23. Off-season at a nudist camp? : CLOTHING TIME (from “closing time”)
25. Stock female roles : INGENUES
27. Caribbean getaway : ST THOMAS
28. Dollhouse Christmas decoration? : PEEWEE WREATH (from “Pee Wee Reese”)
30. Reveal, poetically : OPE
31. Sale limitation word : PER
32. Early Indo-European : ARYAN
33. Hot : STOLEN
36. Abandon : DESERT
38. Silver and gold : METALS
43. Defrost in the microwave? : POWER THAW (from “power saw”)
45. Cubes for cooking : DICES
48. Longtime Dolphins coach : SHULA
49. Reggae’s __ Kamoze : INI
50. Ham, to Noah : SON
51. Two, for most folks? : THUMB TOTAL (from “sum total”)
53. English critic Kenneth : TYNAN
56. Folks : PEOPLE
60. Worker in a garden : BEE
61. Apple variety : ROME
62. Capital south of Vienna : ZAGREB
64. Links prop : TEE
65. Broom-__: comics witch : HILDA
67. “As Time Goes By” pianist : SAM
68. Aha moment sensation? : THINKING FEELING (from “sinking feeling”)
73. Pops : DAD
76. Frozen summer coolers : ICEES
77. Propel, in a way : OAR
78. Words to live by : MOTTOS
82. Biblical prophet : AMOS
84. Grab a bite : EAT
85. Type of plane : ASTRAL
88. One at a family reunion : NIECE
89. Geek chic? : MATH APPEAL (from “mass appeal”)
92. Minor player : COG
94. With 130-Across, weekly U.S. magazine with a cryptic crossword : THE …
95. Beat out : ONE-UP
96. More cunning : SLIER
98. Underwear catalog? : THONG BOOK (from “song book”)
101. Aslan’s land : NARNIA
103. “Juno and the Paycock” playwright : O’CASEY
105. Combat zones : ARENAS
106. Most letters, nowadays : EMAIL
109. Tiny insect egg : NIT
110. Cyst of no concern : WEN
111. Cinderella’s coach? : MYTH CARRIAGE (from “miscarriage”)
116. Con artists : FLEECERS
121. Atmosphere : AMBIENCE
122. Suffering from stress-related weight gain? : WORRIED THICK (from “worried sick”)
124. __ tissue : SCAR
125. Scout group : DEN
126. Kia SUV : SORENTO
127. Author Bombeck : ERMA
128. Victim of a fabled upset : HARE
129. Drink suffix : -ADE
130. See 94-Across : … NATION
131. Back-to-school time for many: Abbr. : SEPT

Down

1. Gremlins and Pacers : AMCS
2. Abandon at the altar : JILT
3. Heaps : A LOT
4. Filthy quarters : RATHOLE
5. Duds, old-style : RAIMENTS
6. Kournikova of tennis : ANNA
7. Quarters : DIGS
8. Novel ending? : -IST
9. Mushroom stems : STIPES
10. Went deep at the park : HOMERED
11. Pipe material : BRIER
12. Bank contents : MONEY
13. Early American home : WIGWAM
14. Ready to serve : DONE
15. Contents of el mar : AGUA
16. Be a bundle of nerves : FRET
17. Radio host John : TESH
20. Society page word : NEE
24. Optimist : HOPER
26. The “E” in E. & J. Gallo : ERNEST
29. Strapped-on accessory : WATCH
31. Nave seat : PEW
33. Phelps broke his gold-medal record : SPITZ
34. Skater Harding : TONYA
35. Because of, with “to” : OWING
36. Copenhagen native : DANE
37. Confirmation, e.g. : RITE
39. Norse god associated with storms : THOR
40. Jam ingredients : AUTOS
41. Andean wool source : LLAMA
42. “The Crucible” setting : SALEM
44. Letters after I? : -HOP
46. Jazz pianist Blake : EUBIE
47. Common sense : SMELL
52. Obscure : BEDIM
54. __ show : ART
55. Soft drink brand since 1924 : NEHI
57. Elevator innovator : OTIS
58. Cartridge holder : PEN
59. Colorful blocks : LEGOS
63. Flexor muscle, informally : BICEP
65. German title : HERR
66. Before long, quaintly : ANON
69. Some tides : NEAPS
70. __ One: vodka brand : KETEL
71. Lucrative, contractually : FAT
72. VW hatchback : GTI
73. Friend of Pythias : DAMON
74. Appliance maker since 1934 : AMANA
75. Grandparent, often : DOTER
79. Wyoming’s __ Range : TETON
80. Former #1 LPGA golfer Lorena : OCHOA
81. Goes after : SEEKS
83. Evade : SHUN
85. One of the Baldwins : ALEC
86. Hurting : ACHY
87. John in London : LOO
90. Separately : APIECE
91. Garlicky sauce : AIOLI
93. Chewed persistently : GNAWED ON
97. Former name of Myanmar’s most populous city : RANGOON
98. Asian celebration : TET
99. Welcome : GREET
100. They may empty in a brawl : BENCHES
102. Actress Plummer : AMANDA
104. NATO alphabet letter after Romeo : SIERRA
107. Rainbowlike : ARCED
108. Cara of “Fame” : IRENE
111. Bangers partner : MASH
112. Gym site : YMCA
113. Skier’s aid : T-BAR
114. Put in a position : HIRE
115. Sympathetic sounds : AWS
116. Done, in Verdun : FINI
117. Jared of “Suicide Squad” : LETO
118. Where Cork is : EIRE
119. Dudley Do-Right’s org. : RCMP
120. 32-card game : SKAT
123. No longer working: Abbr. : RET

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