LA Times Crossword Answers 11 Feb 2018, Sunday

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Constructed by: Ed Sessa
Edited by: Rich Norris

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Today’s Theme: Substitute Measures

Themed answers are common phrases, but with a like-sounding unit of MEASURE SUBSTITUTED in part of the answer:

  • 23A. Measly treat for Polly? : GRAM CRACKER (from “Graham Cracker”)
  • 32A. Work required to raise kids? : FAMILY JOULES (from “family jewels”)
  • 41A. Advantage in kickboxing? : FEET OF STRENGTH (from “feat of strength”)
  • 62A. The buying power of cash? : WATTS IN YOUR WALLET (from “what’s in your wallet”)
  • 86A. Cub soda? : LITER OF THE PACK (from “leader of the pack”)
  • 94A. Polished pearls? : GLAZED CARATS (from “glazed carrots”)
  • 110A. Bad snippets of Miss Muffet’s memory? : SPIDER BYTES (from “spider bites”)

Bill’s time: 21m 31s

Bill’s errors: 0

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1. Hindu “sir” : BABU

“Babu” is a Hindu word used in South Asia as a sign of respect to men. It can be used to mean “boss” or “father”.

5. Beaucoup : A LOT OF

“Beaucoup” is a French word that we’ve imported into English, meaning “a lot”. The etymology of the French term can be somewhat explained by rewriting it as “beau coup” meaning “handsome stroke”, which could I suppose mean “a lot”.

19. Abba not known for singing : EBAN

Abba Eban was an Israeli diplomat and politician, born Aubrey Solomon Meir Eban in Cape Town, South Africa. While working at the United Nations after WWII, Eban changed his given name to “Abba”, the Hebrew word for “father”. He made this change as reportedly as he could see himself as the father of the nation of Israel.

20. From the top, to Tiberius : DE NOVO

“De novo” is Latin for “anew”, and is a term that we use in English with the same meaning.

Tiberius was the second Emperor of Rome, succeeding Augustus. Tiberius spent much of his later life away from Rome, not really wanting the responsibilities of Emperor but refusing to give up his power. Instead, he exiled himself from Rome leaving administrative control of the Empire to unscrupulous aides. Tiberius himself led a quiet life on the island of Capri. His death at the age of 77 was apparently hastened by a pillow placed over his face, an act ordered by his successor Caligula.

21. “Yes __”: 2008 campaign slogan : WE CAN

The 2008 campaign that resulted in the election of President Barack Obama used the slogan “Change we can believe in”, along with the associated chant “Yes We Can”. The words “Yes We Can” were perhaps borrowed from the United Farm Workers, which organization uses the motto “Sí, se puede”. “Sí, se puede” translates as “Yes, it is possible” and is a phrase very much associated with labor leader Cesar Chavez.

22. Boomer’s kid : XER

The term “Generation X” originated in the UK where it was the name of a book by Jane Deverson. Her book detailed the results of a study of British youths in 1964, contrasting their lifestyle to those of previous generations. It was Canadian author Douglas Coupland who was responsible for popularizing the term, with his more successful publication “Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture”. By the latest accepted definition, Gen-Xers were born between 1961 and 1981.

A baby boomer is someone who was born in the post-WWII baby boom. The rate of births had been falling fairly steadily in the US at least since 1900, but this trend was sharply reversed in 1946 after WWII. The higher birth rate continued until 1964, when it returned to pre-war levels. Since then the birth rate has continued to decline, although at a slower pace. The period between 1946 and 1964 is often defined as the “baby boom”.

23. Measly treat for Polly? : GRAM CRACKER (from “Graham Cracker”)

Graham crackers were conceived in 1829 as a part of the Graham Diet, a regimen touted by Presbyterian minister Sylvester Graham. Graham’s diet was intended to suppress unhealthy carnal urges in young people. Like Dr. John Harvey Kellogg of corn flakes fame, Graham believed that a diet of bland foods helped curb sexual appetites.

25. Marinade used in Spanish cooking : ADOBO

In Spanish and Mexican cuisine, a dish prepared “adobo” has been marinated in a mixture containing paprika, oregano, salt, garlic and vinegar. “Adobo” is Spanish for “marinade, seasoning”.

26. __-Magnon : CRO

Remains of early man, dating back to 35,000 years ago, were found in Abri de Cro-Magnon in southwest France, giving the name to those early humans. Cro-Magnon remains are the oldest human relics that have been discovered in Europe.

27. Lizard-like amphibian : SALAMANDER

Salamanders are lizard-like amphibians found in all across the northern hemisphere. They are the only vertebrate animals that can regenerate lost limbs.

28. Latin trio word : AMAS

“Amo, amas, amat” translates from Latin as “I love, you love, he/she/it loves”.

29. Breakers in semis : CBERS

A CBer is someone who operates a citizens’ band (CB) radio. In 1945, the FCC set aside certain radio frequencies for the personal use of citizens. The use of the Citizens’ Band increased throughout the seventies as advances in electronics brought down the size of transceivers and their cost. There aren’t many CB radios sold these days though, as they have largely been replaced by cell phones.

32. Work required to raise kids? : FAMILY JOULES (from “family jewels”)

James Joule was an English physicist who spent much of his life working in the family brewing business. Joule used his work in the brewery to study the relationship between heat and mechanical work. In honor of his achievements, his name is used for the unit of energy in the International System of Units (i.e. the joule).

38. Sextet in the Senate : TERM

A member of the US House of Representatives serves for a two-year term, whereas a member of the US Senate serves for a six-year term.

47. Fragrant compound : ESTER

Esters are very common chemicals. The smaller, low-molecular weight esters are usually pleasant smelling and are often found in perfumes. At the other end of the scale, the higher-molecular weight nitroglycerin is a nitrate ester and is very explosive, and polyester is a huge molecule and is a type of plastic. Fats and oils found in nature are fatty acid esters of glycerol known as glycerides.

49. Be an incredible speaker? : LIE

Incredible clue! 🙂

50. President Taft’s birthplace : OHIO

William Howard Taft may have been the 27th President of the United States, but his lifelong ambition was to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. President Taft was able to realize that dream in 1921, eight years after losing his bid for re-election as president. As Chief Justice, this former US President swore in two new presidents: Calvin Coolidge (in 1925) and Herbert Hoover (in 1929). William Howard Taft is also remembered as the most obese president. In the last year of his presidency, he weighed about 340 pounds (he was 5 feet 11 inches tall). Twelve months after leaving the White House, President Taft had dropped 80 pounds and substantially lowered his blood pressure.

53. Snake oil hawker, say : CON MAN

There is actually a real snake oil, a Chinese medicine made from fat extracted from snakes. You can buy snake oil at traditional Chinese pharmacies and it is supposed to be very efficacious in the treatment of joint pain. Snake oil was introduced into the US by Chinese laborers working on the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. Medicine salesmen started to ridicule the snake oil as it competed with their own remedies, and in time the term “snake oil” became associated with any cure-all potion.

60. 2012 presidential candidate : ROMNEY

Mitt Romney was born Willard Mitt Romney in 1947 in Detroit, Michigan. Romney’s parents named him after J. Willard Marriott (the hotel magnate) who was the father’s best friend, and after Milton “Mitt” Romney who was the father’s cousin and quarterback for the Chicago Bears.

62. The buying power of cash? : WATTS IN YOUR WALLET (from “what’s in your wallet”)

James Watt was a Scottish inventor. He figured prominently in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, largely due to the improvements he made to the fledgling steam engine. The SI unit of power is called the watt, and was named in his honor.

69. Face or race : MEET

One can “meet, face” someone, and a “meet” can be a “race”.

70. Mad king of the stage : LEAR

Shakespeare was inspired to write his famous drama “King Lear” by the legend of “Leir of Britain”, the story of a mythological Celtic king.

72. Certain winner : SHOO-IN

A “shoo-in” is a surefire winner, especially in politics. Back in the 1920s, a shoo-in was a horse that was prearranged to win a race, a race that was fixed.

74. Some ‘Vette roofs : T-TOPS

A T-top is a car roof that has removable panels on either side of a rigid bar that runs down the center of the vehicle above the driver.

The Chevrolet Corvette was introduced to the world in 1953, and was named after the small maneuverable warship called a corvette. The “vette” has legs. It is the only American sports car that has been around for over 50 years.

77. Musical ending : CODA

In music, a coda is primarily a passage that brings a movement to a conclusion. “Coda” is Italian for “tail”.

81. Divided sea : ARAL

The Aral Sea is a great example of how man can have a devastating effect on his environment. In the early sixties the Aral Sea covered 68,000 square miles of Central Asia. Soviet irrigation projects drained the lake to such an extent that today the total area is less than 7,000 square miles, with 90% of the lake now completely dry. Sad …

84. Longtime name in catalogs : SEARS

Richard Sears was a station agent on the railroad. In the late 1800s, he bought up a shipment of unwanted watches that was left at his depot and sold the watches to other agents up and down the line. He was so successful that he ordered more watches and then came up with the idea of using a catalog to promote more sales. The catalog idea caught on, and his success allowed Sears to open retail locations in 1925. By the mid 1900s, Sears was the biggest retailer in the whole country.

85. “The Exorcist” actor Max von __ : SYDOW

Max von Sydow is a Swedish actor who is noted for his appearances in movies filmed in several European languages. He has appeared in movie with dialogs in English, Norwegian, Danish and Spanish.

90. Former mid-sized Chevy : LUMINA

“Lumina” is a model name that Chevrolet has used on varying vehicles since the early 1990s. The Lumina sedan replaced the Celebrity, the Lumina coupé was renamed to Monte Carlo, and Lumina minivan was a replacement for the Celebrity station wagon.

91. “A creel of __, all ripples”: Sylvia Plath : EELS

“A creel of eels, all ripples” is a line from Sylvia Plath’s poem title “You’re”.

Sylvia Plath was a poet from Boston, Massachusetts who lived much of her life in the UK where she married fellow poet Ted Hughes. The couple had a tumultuous relationship, and Plath had a long battle with depression. She lost that battle in 1963, when she committed suicide at the age of 30 years.

94. Polished pearls? : GLAZED CARATS (from “glazed carrots”)

The carat is a unit of mass equal to 200 mg. It is used in sizing gemstones.

99. Barbecue brand : WEBER

In 1952, George Stephen was working for the Weber Brothers Metal works in Chicago. One of the company’s products was a line of half-spheres that were welded together to make buoys used in Lake Michigan. Stephens took two of these metal hemispheres and converted them into the original kettle grill. The Weber company set up a barbecue division that Stephens ran, and Stephen became so successful that he bought out the Weber Brothers factory and converted all production to the manufacture of grills.

101. Cleanup hitter’s stats : RBIS

Run batted in (RBI)

102. Milk choice : ONE PERCENT

The fatty component of milk is known as butterfat (sometimes “milkfat”). To be labeled whole milk, the butterfat content must be at least 3.25%. Low-fat milk is defined as milk containing 0.5-2% fat, with levels of 1% and 2% commonly found on grocery store shelves. Skim milk must contain less than 0.5% fat, and typically contains 0.1%.

110. Bad snippets of Miss Muffet’s memory? : SPIDER BYTES (from “spider bites”)

In the world of computing, a bit is the basic unit of information. It has a value of 0 or 1. A “byte” is a small collection of “bits” (usually 8), the number of bits needed to uniquely identify a character of text. The prefix mega- stands for 10 to the power of 6, so a megabyte (meg) is 1,000,000 bytes. And the prefix giga- means 10 to the power of 9, so a gigabyte (gig) is 1,000,000,000 bytes. Well, those are the SI definitions of megabyte and kilobyte. The purists still use 2 to the power of 20 for a megabyte (i.e. 1,048,576), and 2 to the power of 30 for a gigabyte.

“Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet eating her curds and whey”, in the popular nursery rhyme. A tuffet is a low seat or a footstool, another word for a pouffe or a hassock. When milk curdles it separates into two parts, the solid curds and the liquid whey. Then “along came a spider and sat down beside her”.

111. Topper for Rumpole of the Bailey : WIG

Horace Rumpole is a marvelous character created by English author and barrister John Mortimer. Rumpole is a grumpy old barrister who plies much of this trade in England’s Central Criminal Court, which is usually referred to as the Old Bailey. Mortimer featured Rumpole in numerous short stories and novels, but perhaps most famously wrote a TV series called “Rumple of the Bailey”. Rumpole was portrayed (wonderfully) by Australian actor Leo McKern.

112. Thicket of trees : COPSE

A copse is a small stand of trees. The term “copse” originally applied to a small thicket that was specifically grown for cutting.

114. Traveler from 76-Down : MORK
(76D. Home to 114-Across : ORK)

The sitcom “Mork & Mindy” was broadcast from 1978 to 1982. We were first introduced to Mork (played by Robin Williams) in a special episode of “Happy Days”. The particular episode in question has a bizarre storyline culminating in Fonzie and Mork having a thumb-to-finger duel. Eventually Richie wakes up in bed, and alien Mork was just part of a dream! Oh, and “Nanu Nanu” means both “hello” and “goodbye” back on the planet Ork. “I am Mork from Ork, Nanu Nanu”. Great stuff …

Down

2. Start of a magical chant : ABRA-

The incantation “abracadabra” has a long history. It was used as far back as the 2nd century AD in Ancient Rome when the word was prescribed by a physician to be worn on an amulet to help his emperor recover from disease. “Abracadabra” is Aramaic, and roughly translates as “I will create as I speak”.

3. Canaanite idol : BA’AL

According to Canaanite mythology, Ba’al was the most powerful of all gods. He was worshiped as the sun, storm and fertility god.

8. Blackjack table gratuity : TOKE

The card game known as “twenty-one” was first referred to in a book by Cervantes, the author famous for writing “Don Quixote”. He called the game “ventiuna” (Spanish for “twenty-one”). Cervantes wrote his story just after the year 1600, so the game has been around at least since then. Twenty-one came to the US but it wasn’t all that popular so bonus payments were introduced to create more interest. One of the more attractive bonuses was a ten-to-one payout to a player who was dealt an ace of spades and a black jack. This bonus led to the game adopting the moniker “Blackjack”.

11. Hindu title : SWAMI

A swami is a religious teacher in the Hindu tradition. The word “swami” can also mean “husband” in the Bengali and Malay languages.

13. Coral reef, e.g. : ECOSYSTEM

Polyps are tiny sea creatures that are found attached to underwater structures or to other polyps. Polyps have a mouth at one end of a cylindrical “body” that is surrounded by tentacles. Some polyps cluster into groups called stony corals, with stony corals being the building blocks of coral reefs. The structure of the reef comprises calcium carbonate exoskeletons secreted by the coral polyps.

14. Hailed wine? : CAB

You can hail a cab, drink a cab!

The Cabernet Sauvignon grape has been around since the 17th century, and is the result of a chance crossing in southwestern France of the Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc grapes.

15. Cool, colorful treat : SNO-CONE

A sno-cone (also “snow cone”) is just a paper cone filled with crushed ice and topped with flavored water. Italian ice is similar, but different. Whereas the flavoring is added on top of the ice to make a sno-cone, Italian ice is made with water that is flavored before it is frozen.

17. Land at Orly? : TERRE

Orly is on the outskirts of Paris, to the south of the city. It is home to the Paris-Orly Airport, the second busiest international airport for the city after the more recently built Charles de Gaulle Airport. That said, Orly is home to more domestic flights than Charles de Gaulle.

18. Dracula repellent : CROSS

“Dracula” is a novel written by the Irish author Bram Stoker and first published in 1897. Dracula wasn’t the first vampire of literature, but he certainly was the one who spawned the popularity of vampires in theater, film and television, and indeed more novels. Personally, I can’t stand vampire fiction …

28. Shells on Omaha Beach : AMMO

The Normandy landings on D-Day in 1944 took place along a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. The worst fighting by far took place on Omaha Beach, a sector assigned to the US Army that was transported by elements of the US Navy and the Royal Navy.

35. Trojan War god : ARES

The ancient city of Troy was located on the west coast of modern-day Turkey. The Trojan War of Greek mythology was precipitated by the elopement of Helen, the wife of the king of Sparta, with Paris of Troy. The war itself largely consisted of a nine-year siege of Troy by the Greeks. We know most about the final year of that siege, as it is described extensively in Homer’s “Iliad”. The city eventually fell when the Greeks hid soldiers inside the Trojan Horse, which the Trojans brought inside the city’s walls. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts …

36. Mrs. on a spice rack : DASH

Mrs. Dash is a brand name of seasoning mixes. Just before the product first went to market in 1981, brand owner B&G Foods also considered the name “Mrs. Pinch”.

37. Germany’s von Bismarck : OTTO

Germany first became a country of her own in 1871 when the Princes of the various independent German states met at Versailles outside Paris to proclaim Wilhelm of Prussia as the Emperor of the German Empire. The man behind this historic development was Wilhelm’s Ministerpräsident, Otto von Bismarck. Von Bismarck was a powerful figure in Prussia and indeed on the world stage, earning him the nickname of the “Iron Chancellor”.

41. How many are chosen? : FEW

“For many are called, but few are chosen” is a concluding line in a parable quoted in the Gospel of Matthew in the Christian New Testament.

43. Muscle-bone connection : SINEW

“Sinew” is another name for “tendon”. Tendons are bands of collagen that connect muscle to bone. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae, which are also connective tissue made out of collagen, but ligaments join bone to bone, and fasciae connect muscle to muscle. We also use the term “sinew” to mean muscular power.

44. Belgian treaty city : GHENT

Ghent is a city in the Flemish region of Belgium. The War of 1812 (between Britain and the US) was formally concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent In 1814. The American negotiating team in Ghent included Henry Clay and John Quincy Adams.

45. 4-point F, for one : TILE

The game of Scrabble has been produced in many international versions, and each of these editions has its own tile distribution to suit the local language. For example, in English we have two tiles worth ten points: one “Q” and one “Z”. If you play the game in French then there are five tiles worth ten points: one “K”, one “W”, one “X”, one “Y” and one “Z”.

46. Word with Ghost or Grail : HOLY

In the Christian tradition, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost are three persons in one divine being, the Holy Trinity.

The Holy Grail is theme found throughout Arthurian legend. The grail itself is some vessel, with the term “grail” coming from the Old French “graal” meaning “cup or bowl made of earth, wood or metal”. Over time, the legend of the Holy Grail became mingled with stories of the Holy Chalice of the Christian tradition, the cup used to serve wine at the Last Supper. Over time, the term “grail” came to be used for any desired or sought-after object.

48. First lady before Mamie : BESS

Harry and Bess Truman met when they were very young children, at Sunday school. They were friends right through high school and became engaged in 1918 just before Harry went off to France during WWI, marrying the next year. Bess Truman never really took to the Washington scene when she became First Lady and stayed out of the limelight as much as she could. Perhaps that contributed to her longevity. Mrs. Truman lived to the age of 97, making her the longest living First Lady in US history.

Mamie Eisenhower has to have been one of the most charming of all the First Ladies of the United States. Ms. Eisenhower suffered from an inner ear complaint called Ménière’s disease which caused her to lose her balance quite often. Because she was unsteady on her feet there were unfounded rumors floating around Washington that Ms. Eisenhower had a drinking problem. People can be very unkind …

52. Tally-keeping cut : NOTCH

Back in the mid-1600s, a tally was a stick marked with notches that tracked how much one owed or had paid. The term came from the Latin “talea” meaning “stick, rod”. The act of “scoring” the stick with notches gave rise to our word “score” for the number in a tally.

53. Wine label word : CRU

“Cru” is a term used in the French wine industry that means “growth place”. So, “cru” is the name of the location where the grapes are grown, as opposed to the name of a specific vineyard. The terms “premier cru” and “grand cru” are also used, but the usage depends on the specific wine region. Generally it is a classification awarded to specific vineyards denoting their potential for producing great wines. “Grand cru” is reserved for the very best vineyards, with “premier cru” the level just below.

54. City NW of Marseille : ARLES

Quite a few years ago now, I had the privilege of living just a short car-ride from the beautiful city of Arles in the South of France. Although Arles has a long and colorful history, the Romans had a prevailing influence over the city’s design. Arles has a spectacular Roman amphitheater, arch, circus as well as old walls that surround the center of the city. In more modern times, it was a place Vincent van Gogh often visited, and was where he painted many of his most famous works, including “Cafe Terrace at Night” and “Bedroom in Arles”.

55. Pelican St. acronym : NOLA

The city of New Orleans, Louisiana has the nickname “The Big Easy”. This name might come from the early 1900s when musicians found it relatively “easy” to find work there. The city is also known by the acronym NOLA, standing for New Orleans (NO), LA.

The official nickname of Louisiana is the Pelican State, but it is also known as the Bayou State, the Child of Mississippi, the Creole State, the Sportsman’s Paradise and the Sugar State.

58. Mayberry tippler : OTIS

Otis Campbell is the town drunk on the sitcom “The Andy Griffith Show”, and was played by actor Hal Smith. The Campbell character was dropped in the late sixties as sponsors became concerned about being associated with heavy drinking.

61. Marvin Gaye classic subtitled “The Ecology” : MERCY MERCY ME

“Mercy Mercy Me” is a 1971 Marvin Gaye song that bemoans the fate of the environment due to the ravages of man.

Marvin Gaye was a singer-songwriter from Washington, D.C. who came to be known as “Prince of Soul” and “Prince of Motown”. Some of Gaye’s biggest hits are “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (1968), “What’s Going On?” (1971), “Let’s Get It On” (1973) and “Sexual Healing” (1982). Famously, Gaye was shot dead by his father while Marvin was sitting on his mother’s bed just talking to her. Marvin had given the gun to his father as a Christmas gift.

62. Gluten source : WHEAT

Gluten is a protein mixture found in foods processed mainly from wheat. The sticky properties of gluten are used in making bread, giving dough its elasticity and making the final product chewy. “Gluten” is the Latin word for “glue”.

63. Texas Hold ’em declaration : I’M OUT

The official birthplace of the incredibly popular poker game of Texas hold ’em is Robstown, Texas where the game dates back to the early 1900s. The game was introduced into Las Vegas in 1967 by a group of Texan enthusiasts including Doyle Brunson, a champion often seen playing on TV today. Doyle Brunson published a poker strategy guide in 1978, and this really helped increase the popularity of the game. But it was the inclusion of Texas hold ‘em in the television lineup that really gave the game its explosive surge in popularity, with the size of the prize money just skyrocketing.

64. Mustang sally? : NEIGH

The term “sally” can be used for a witty or imaginative saying.

A mustang is a free-roaming horse, and a descendent from a once-domesticated animal. The English term comes from the Spanish “mesteño“ meaning “stray livestock animal”.

65. Tokyo dough : YEN

The Korean Won, the Chinese Yuan, and the Japanese Yen (all of which are Asian currencies) take their names from the Chinese written character that represents “round shape”.

66. Hurdle for Hannibal : ALPS

Hannibal was a military commander from Ancient Carthage. Hannibal lived during a time of great conflict between Carthage and the Roman Republic, as the Romans worked to extend their influence over the Mediterranean region. Famously, Hannibal took on Rome on their own territory by marching his army, including his war elephants, over the Alps into Italy. His forces occupied much of Italy for 15 years.

68. Actress Hatcher : TERI

Teri Hatcher’s most famous role is the Susan Mayer character on the TV comedy-drama “Desperate Housewives”. I’ve never seen more than a few minutes of “Housewives” but I do know Teri Hatcher as a Bond girl, as she appeared in “Tomorrow Never Dies”. More recently, she portrayed Lois Lane on the show “Lois & Clark”.

73. Ad-libbed : OFF-SCRIPT

“Ad libitum” is a Latin phrase meaning “at one’s pleasure”. In common usage, the phrase is usually shortened to “ad lib”. On the stage, the concept of an ad lib is very familiar.

78. One-eyed Norse deity : ODIN

In Norse mythology, Odin was the chief of the gods. He is usually depicted as having one eye, reflecting the story of how he gave one of his eyes in exchange for wisdom.

82. ’90s daytime talk show : LEEZA

Leeza Gibbons has her own radio show called “Hollywood Confidential”, and used to have her own talk show on NBC television that aired from 1994 to 2000. Gibbons is the founder of a nonprofit group called Leeza’s Place which supports people giving care to patients with memory disorders. Since 2007 she has been a board member of California’s stem cell research agency, appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

89. Ones affected by bad weather, briefly : ETAS

Estimated time of arrival (ETA)

90. First word in France’s motto : LIBERTE

The national motto of France is “Liberté, égalité, fraternité”, meaning “Liberty, equality, fraternity”.

95. “Taxi” dispatcher : LOUIE

Danny DeVito’s big break as an actor came with the role of Louie De Palma on the sitcom “Taxi”. After parlaying his success on television into some major comic roles on the big screen, DeVito turned to producing. He co-founded the production company Jersey Films which made hit movies such as “Pulp Fiction” and “Garden State”. DeVito has been married to actress Rhea Perlman for over 30 years, recently reconciling with her after an announcement that they planned to divorce.

96. La Paz paisano : AMIGO

The administrative capital of Bolivia, La Paz, is officially named Nuestra Senora de La Paz (Our Lady of Peace). La Paz is the seat of the Bolivian government, even though the constitutional capital of the country is Sucre.

“Paisano” translates literally from Spanish as “fellow countryman”, but is also used to mean “pal”.

104. Berkshire school : ETON

Berkshire is a county in England that is referred to as one of the “home counties”. The home counties are those that surround the city of London, outside of London itself. “Home county” is not an official designation but has been in popular use since the 1800s.

109. Jack, jill or joey : ROO

A male kangaroo is known as a buck, jack or boomer. A female is called a jill flier or doe. A young kangaroo is a joey, and a group of kangaroos is a mob or troop.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Hindu “sir” : BABU
5. Beaucoup : A LOT OF
11. Engineer’s details : SPECS
16. Shortening letters : ETC
19. Abba not known for singing : EBAN
20. From the top, to Tiberius : DE NOVO
21. “Yes __”: 2008 campaign slogan : WE CAN
22. Boomer’s kid : XER
23. Measly treat for Polly? : GRAM CRACKER (from “Graham Cracker”)
25. Marinade used in Spanish cooking : ADOBO
26. __-Magnon : CRO
27. Lizard-like amphibian : SALAMANDER
28. Latin trio word : AMAS
29. Breakers in semis : CBERS
31. Ceremonies : RITES
32. Work required to raise kids? : FAMILY JOULES (from “family jewels”)
35. Decked out : ADORNED
38. Sextet in the Senate : TERM
39. Levelheaded : SANE
40. Math useful for cooks : RATIOS
41. Advantage in kickboxing? : FEET OF STRENGTH (from “feat of strength”)
47. Fragrant compound : ESTER
48. Ancient jewelry staples : BEADS
49. Be an incredible speaker? : LIE
50. President Taft’s birthplace : OHIO
51. Not dressed for swimming, generally : SHOD
52. Small 27-Acrosses : NEWTS
53. Snake oil hawker, say : CON MAN
56. Wing : ELL
57. They’re heard in herds : MOOS
59. Straight : TRUE
60. 2012 presidential candidate : ROMNEY
62. The buying power of cash? : WATTS IN YOUR WALLET (from “what’s in your wallet”)
67. Like much folk music : ETHNIC
69. Face or race : MEET
70. Mad king of the stage : LEAR
71. One in a golfer’s bag : TEE
72. Certain winner : SHOO-IN
74. Some ‘Vette roofs : T-TOPS
77. Musical ending : CODA
81. Divided sea : ARAL
83. Crowded-room atmosphere : FUG
84. Longtime name in catalogs : SEARS
85. “The Exorcist” actor Max von __ : SYDOW
86. Cub soda? : LITER OF THE PACK (from “leader of the pack”)
90. Former mid-sized Chevy : LUMINA
91. “A creel of __, all ripples”: Sylvia Plath : EELS
92. Fruit pastry : TART
93. Reddened, perhaps : RIPENED
94. Polished pearls? : GLAZED CARATS (from “glazed carrots”)
99. Barbecue brand : WEBER
100. Popular type : ROMAN
101. Cleanup hitter’s stats : RBIS
102. Milk choice : ONE PERCENT
107. Non’s opposite : OUI
108. Popular type : ARIAL
110. Bad snippets of Miss Muffet’s memory? : SPIDER BYTES (from “spider bites”)
111. Topper for Rumpole of the Bailey : WIG
112. Thicket of trees : COPSE
113. Persevered in : KEPT AT
114. Traveler from 76-Down : MORK
115. Sign before Virgo : LEO
116. Lugged : TOTED
117. Treatment for some causes of backache : INSOLE
118. Puts to bed : ENDS

Down

1. Assumes the point of, as a question : BEGS
2. Start of a magical chant : ABRA
3. Canaanite idol : BA’AL
4. Certain singles bar frequenter, in theory : UNMARRIED MAN
5. Spot charges : AD RATES
6. Showed bias : LEANED
7. How many boxed sets are recorded : ON CDS
8. Blackjack table gratuity : TOKE
9. Puts too much in the fishtank : OVERFEEDS
10. On behalf of : FOR
11. Hindu title : SWAMI
12. Organ part : PEDAL
13. Coral reef, e.g. : ECOSYSTEM
14. Hailed wine? : CAB
15. Cool, colorful treat : SNO-CONE
16. Reign supreme : EXCEL
17. Land at Orly? : TERRE
18. Dracula repellent : CROSS
24. Key with three flats : C MINOR
28. Shells on Omaha Beach : AMMO
30. Good, in Guadalupe : BUENO
33. Painting and dancing : ARTS
34. Preserves holder : JAR
35. Trojan War god : ARES
36. Mrs. on a spice rack : DASH
37. Germany’s von Bismarck : OTTO
38. Suckling’s milk source : TEAT
41. How many are chosen? : FEW
42. Ground grain : FLOUR
43. Muscle-bone connection : SINEW
44. Belgian treaty city : GHENT
45. 4-point F, for one : TILE
46. Word with Ghost or Grail : HOLY
48. First lady before Mamie : BESS
52. Tally-keeping cut : NOTCH
53. Wine label word : CRU
54. City NW of Marseille : ARLES
55. Pelican St. acronym : NOLA
58. Mayberry tippler : OTIS
59. Little one : TOT
61. Marvin Gaye classic subtitled “The Ecology” : MERCY MERCY ME
62. Gluten source : WHEAT
63. Texas Hold ’em declaration : I’M OUT
64. Mustang sally? : NEIGH
65. Tokyo dough : YEN
66. Hurdle for Hannibal : ALPS
67. “More than I can list” abbr. : ET AL
68. Actress Hatcher : TERI
73. Ad-libbed : OFF-SCRIPT
74. Unwraps excitedly : TEARS OPEN
75. Political asset : TACT
76. Home to 114-Across : ORK
78. One-eyed Norse deity : ODIN
79. Ready to eat : DONE
80. Lots (of), as cash : A WAD
82. ’90s daytime talk show : LEEZA
84. Brief quarrel : SPAT
85. Unrivaled : SUPERB
87. Bring to life, in a way : REENACT
88. From the past : OLD
89. Ones affected by bad weather, briefly : ETAS
90. First word in France’s motto : LIBERTE
93. Opposite of pass : REPEAL
94. One might elicit a nervous “Nice dog” : GROWL
95. “Taxi” dispatcher : LOUIE
96. La Paz paisano : AMIGO
97. Belittle : ABASE
98. Nettled : RILED
99. Single-minded about : WED TO
103. Little snorts : NIPS
104. Berkshire school : ETON
105. Socially awkward one : NERD
106. Sounds of disapproval : TSKS
109. Jack, jill or joey : ROO
110. One of a pair on a rack : SKI

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