LA Times Crossword 24 Nov 19, Sunday

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Constructed by: Gail Grabowski
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: Accentuating the Negative

Themed answers are common phrases with the prefix UN- added:

  • 23A Like frayed laces on hockey skates? : UNFIT TO BE TIED
  • 39A Dig up buried Burma-Shave relics? : UNEARTH SIGNS
  • 57A Brief period of apathy? : UNMOVING DAY
  • 82A Committee leader who’s a bit on edge? : UNEASY CHAIR
  • 97A Orthodontist’s concerns : UNSOUND BITES
  • 119A Pets that help with luggage after a trip? : UNPACK ANIMALS
  • 16D Rattle football linemen? : UNNERVE CENTERS
  • 52D Do a “Wheel of Fortune” job? : UNCOVER LETTERS

Bill’s time: 15m 34s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 “Proud Mary” pop gp. : CCR

Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) was a rock band from San Francisco that played in a Southern rock style, with hits such as “Proud Mary”, “Bad Moon Rising”, “Down on the Corner” and “Who’ll Stop the Rain”.

“Proud Mary” is a song written by John Fogerty and recorded in 1968 by Creedence Clearwater Revival with Fogarty singing lead vocals. The song was famously covered by Ike and Tina Turner in 1970. The “Proud Mary” in the title is a riverboat, with a “big wheel” that keeps on turnin’.

19 Grammy winner Corinne Bailey __ : RAE

Corinne Bailey Rae is a British singer from Yorkshire in the north of England.

20 Lille lover’s word : AIME

“I love you” translates into “te amo” in Spanish, and into “je t’aime” in French.

Lille is a large city in the very north of France that sits right on the border with Belgium. The name “Lille” is a derivation of the term “l’isle” meaning “the island”. The former name “L’Isle” dates back to 1066, and is a reference to a castle that once stood on an island in the Deûle river that runs through the city. The city grew around the island and the castle.

21 Coward in drama : NOEL

Noël Coward was the most flamboyant of personalities. A playwright, composer and actor, Coward worked in a remarkable range of genres. He wrote the wonderfully airy play “Blithe Spirit”, as well as the Oscar-winning WWII naval drama “In Which We Serve”. A couple of his more famous songs, many of which he performed himself in cabaret, are “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” and “London Pride”.

30 Brontë governess : EYRE

“Jane Eyre” is the celebrated novel written by Charlotte Brontë, under the pen name Currer Bell. The love story is perhaps represented by the oft-quoted opening lines of the last chapter, “Reader, I married him”. There is a wonderful 4-hour television adaptation made by the BBC that I highly recommend to fans of the novel …

Charlotte Brontë was the eldest of the three Brontë sister authors. Charlotte’s most famous work is the novel “Jane Eyre”, which she published under the pen name Currer Bell. The pen name veiled her gender, but preserved the initials of her real name. After “Jane Eyre” was published, Brontë started to move in the same circles as other successful novelists of the day, including William Makepeace Thackeray and Elizabeth Gaskell. Just two years after Bronte died in her late thirties, it was Gaskell who published the first biography of Charlotte Brontë.

32 Area 51 creatures, it’s said : ETS

The famed Area 51 is a remote base in the USAF Nevada Test and Training Range. There’s no question that Area 51 is an unusual base in that frontline operational units are not deployed there. It seems that it is used for developing and testing new and classified weapons facilities for the US Military and other US agencies like the CIA. The government did not even acknowledge that Area 51 existed until 1995, and this official position fueled a theory that the base is home to UFOs that landed on Earth.

35 Málaga mlle. : SRTA

“Señorita” (Srta.) is Spanish, and “Mademoiselle” (Mlle.) is French, for “Miss”.

Málaga is the capital city of the autonomous community of Andalusia in Spain. Located on the Mediterranean coast, Málaga is considered the southernmost large city in Europe, and lies about 80 miles north of Africa. Included in the list of notable people born in Málaga are artist Pablo Picasso, and Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas.

39 Dig up buried Burma-Shave relics? : UNEARTH SIGNS

Burma-Shave was a shaving cream brand with ingredients that came from “the Malay Peninsula and Burma”, according to marketing materials. Famously, Burma-Shave billboards could be seen along roads and highways all over the US from the twenties through the sixties. The billboards usually came in series, with the advertising message unveiling in stages. Here’s an example from the 1930s: Does your husband / Misbehave / Grunt and grumble / Rant and rave / Shoot the brute some / Burma-Shave.

44 Roomba, briefly : VAC

The Roomba vacuum cleaner is a cool-looking device that navigates its way around a room by itself, picking up dirt as it goes. Like I said, it’s cool-looking but I am not sure how effective it is …

45 Contrail makeup : VAPOR

We talk so often about global warming these days but there is another fascinating phenomenon that is related, and known as “global dimming”. Global dimming is the reduction in the amount of heat that radiates daily from the planet due to the insulating effect of pollution and vapor trails (contrails) from aircraft that are present in the atmosphere. The effect has been touted as a theory for decades but dramatic empirical data became available in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Planes were grounded and the skies over America were clear for three days. There was a stark change in the temperature range measured across the US for these three days, demonstrating the impact that air travel has on our climate.

47 Defense org.? : ABA

American Bar Association (ABA)

48 Wet suit material : NEOPRENE

Neoprene is the trade name given by DuPont to polychloroprene, a synthetic rubber made by polymerizing chloroprene. Neoprene is perhaps most-readily associated with the manufacture of wetsuits. The version used in wetsuits is foamed neoprene, a material containing gas cells that provide heat insulation.

50 Elm Street surname : KRUEGER

Freddy Krueger is the creepy serial killer in the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” movies. Krueger has a burned and disfigured face, wears a brown fedora and a leather glove with metal razors that he uses to kill his victims during their nightmares. He is played by the actor Robert Englund in all of the films.

57 Brief period of apathy? : UNMOVING DAY

Apathy is a lack of emotion. The term “apathy” comes quite directly from the Greek “”a-” meaning “without” and “pathos” meaning “emotion.

61 Iowa Straw Poll city, once : AMES

The city of Ames, Iowa is famous for holding the now-defunct Ames Straw Poll (also “Iowa Straw Poll) in advance of presidential elections. The poll in question was used to gauge the level of support for two or more Republican candidates, although non-Republicans were allowed to cast a vote. To vote one had to be an Iowa resident and had buy a ticket to the fundraising dinner at which the vote is taken. The event got a lot of coverage, so it boosted the local economy as journalists hit the town. It was a very successful fundraiser for the Republican Party in Iowa as well, but the usefulness of the straw poll in predicting the eventual winner of the nomination was less clear. There were six straw polls from its inception in 1979, and just 2 out of the 6 times the poll winner went on to capture the party’s nomination. The Republican Party decided to pull the plug on the event in 2015.

62 Do as Vassar did in 1969 : GO COED

Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York is now a coeducational school, after over a century of operating as a women’s college since its founding in 1861. The school was officially declared co-ed in 1969, although it had accepted a handful of male students on the GI Bill after WWII.

64 NOYB part : NONE

None of your business (NOYB)

66 Feminine side : YIN

The yin and yang can be illustrated using many different metaphors. In one, as the sun shines on a mountain, the side in the shade is the yin and the side in the light is the yang. The yin is also regarded as the feminine side, and the yang the masculine. The yin can also be associated with the moon, while the yang is associated with the sun.

75 Vital opening? : VEE

The opening letter in the word “vital” is a letter V (vee).

77 Verizon subsidiary : AOL

Telecom giant Verizon acquired AOL in 2015, and Yahoo! in 2017. Just after the latter purchase, Verizon launched Oath, a subsidiary company that served as the umbrella under which AOl and Yahoo! continued to operate. Oath was renamed to Verizon Media Group after a corporate reorganization at the end of 2018.

81 German gent : HERR

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

89 “The Ten Commandments” role : RAMESES

“The Ten Commandments” is an epic movie directed by Cecil B. DeMille, and released in 1956. The cast is as epic as the film, with Charlton Heston playing the lead role of Moses. Also appearing are Yul Brynner as Rameses, Edward G. Robinson as Dathan, Vincent Price as Baka and Anne Baxter as Nefretiri.

94 URL ending : EDU

The .edu domain was one of the six original generic top-level domains specified. The complete original list is:

  • .com (commercial enterprise)
  • .net (entity involved in network infrastructure e.g. an ISP)
  • .mil (US military)
  • .org (not-for-profit organization)
  • .gov (US federal government entity)
  • .edu (college-level educational institution)

95 Marner of fiction : SILAS

“Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe” is a novel written by George Eliot and first published in 1861. There’s an excellent BBC TV version of the tale (shown on PBS) starring Ben Kingsley in the title role, with Patsy Kensit playing Eppie, the young orphaned child that Marner takes under his wing.

96 Jeans go-with : TEE

Denim fabric originated in Nimes in France. The French phrase “de Nimes” (meaning “from Nimes”) gives us the word “denim”. Also, the French phrase “bleu de Genes” (meaning “blue of Genoa”) gives us our word “jeans”.

97 Orthodontist’s concerns : UNSOUND BITES

Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry dealing with the straightening of teeth. The name comes from the Greek “orthos” meaning “straight” and “dontia” meaning “teeth”.

100 Contest on horseback : TILT

Tilting is the most recognized form of jousting. Jousting can involve the use of a number of different weapons, but when lances are used, the competition is called tilting.

107 Title after vows, perhaps : MRS

Mr. is an abbreviation for “mister”, and Mrs. is an abbreviation for “mistress”.

109 Ten Benjamins : THOU

Benjamin Franklin’s portrait is featured on one side of the hundred-dollar bill (also called a “C-spot, C-note, benjamin”), and Philadelphia’s Independence Hall on the other side. There is a famous error in the image of Independence Hall. If you look closely at the clock face at the top of the building you can see that the “four” is written in Roman numerals as “IV”. However, on the actual clock on Independence Hall, the “four” is denoted by “IIII”, which has been the convention for clock faces for centuries.

115 Rinky-dink : CHEESY

“Cheesy” can mean “of poor quality”. The term’s usage dates back to the late 1800s when it evolved from the Urdu “chiz” meaning “thing”. “Chiz” was used to describe a big thing, something important, and our word “cheesy” is an ironic derivative from that sense.

“Rinky-dink” can mean “cheap, poor quality”, and is an old carnival term dating back to the early 1900s. It may be imitative of the sound of banjo music.

116 Morgan of “The Bucket List” : FREEMAN

Actor Morgan Freeman hails from Memphis, Tennessee. As well as his outstanding performances in front of the camera, Freeman is noted for his distinctive, deep voice. That voice gets him a lot of work narrating television shows and commercials.

“The Bucket List” is a 2007 film starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two men who have terminal illnesses. The pair go on a road trip with a “wish list” of things they want to do before “kicking the bucket”, hence the name of the movie.

123 Sistine Chapel mural setting : EDEN

The Sistine Chapel is located in the Pope’s residence in Rome. The chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who was responsible for restoring the old Capella Magna in the 15th century. It was about a century later (1508-1512) that Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel under the patronage of Pope Julius II.

128 Part of GPS: Abbr. : SYS

A global positioning system (GPS) is known as a satellite navigation system (Sat Nav) in Britain and Ireland.

Down

4 Guitar amp units : WATTS

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.

6 Moody music genre : EMO

The emo musical genre originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from “emotional hardcore”. “Emo” is also the name given to the associated subculture. Not my cup of tea …

7 “Blue-Backed Spelling Book” author : WEBSTER

Not only is Noah Webster’s name inextricably linked with his series of dictionaries, but he is also renowned as an advocate for English spelling reform. He argued that “traditional” English is hard to learn, and that it should be simplified and standardized (instead of “standardised”). He published spelling books that were used in schools, and from edition to edition he changed the spelling of words in order to simplify the language. Examples are the use of “s” over “c” in words like “defense” (in Ireland we have defence and defense depending on usage), “-re” became “-er” as in center instead of centre (reversing the influence of French), and he dropped one of the Ls in words like traveler (I learned “traveller”). Mind you, he also spelled “tongue” as “tung”, but he didn’t get very far with that one.

Lexicographer Noah Webster published “The First Part of the Grammatical Institute of the English Language” in 1783. It was a speller, a book containing exercises for teaching spelling. The title changed a couple of times to something less wordy, but most people referred to it as the “Blue-Backed Speller” as it had a blue cover.

9 Small decision-maker : COIN

The two sides of a coin are known as the “obverse” and the “reverse”. The obverse is commonly referred to as “heads”, as it often depicts someone’s head. The reverse is commonly called “tails”, as it is the opposite of “heads”.

10 2018 Masters champ Patrick : REED

Golfer Patrick Reed is particularly noted for his success representing the United States in the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup. As such, he has been nicknamed “Captain America”.

11 Trees with berries : ELDERS

The stems, leaves and roots of elder trees and bushes are poisonous. Elderberries are safe to eat, although the seeds in the fruit need to be cooked in order to destroy chemicals that can produce a buildup of cyanide in the body.

12 Vardon Trophy org. : PGA

The Vardon Trophy is awarded annually to the player who has the lowest scoring average on the PGA Tour. The trophy is named for professional golfer Harry Vardon, winner of six Open Championships (from 1896 to 1914), a record that stands to this day.

15 King and a Norman : LEARS

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

Norman Lear wrote and produced some great television shows, including “All in the Family”, “Sanford and Son” and “The Jeffersons”. He also did some film work, including writing and producing the great 1967 movie “Divorce American Style”.

17 TV’s Jim Rockford, for one : TEC

The TV drama “The Rockford Files” stars James Garner as a private investigator in Los Angeles. The show was co-created by Roy Huggins, who had also created Garner’s other hit show “Maverick”. Huggins basically designed “The Rockford Files” as a modern-day “Maverick”, complete with the same actor playing the title roles.

18 Cockney adverb : ‘ERE

A Cockney is someone who, according to tradition, is born within the sound of Bow Bells in the center of London. The Cockney accent is usually considered “working class”. Cockney speakers often use a wonderful form of speech called rhyming slang. So, Cockney’s drink a lot of “Rosie Lea” (tea), and climb the “apples and pears” (stairs) using their “plates of meat” (feet). Cockneys also tend to “drop their aitches”, so “home” becomes “‘ome” and “horse” becomes “‘orse”.

24 Under Cupid’s spell : IN LOVE

Cupid was the god of love in Roman mythology. Cupid’s name comes from the Latin verb “cupere” meaning “to desire”. Cupid’s Latin name was Amor, and his Greek counterpart was Eros.

25 “Frozen” snow queen : 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. Spoiler alert: Prince Hans of the Southern Isles seems to be a good guy for most of the film, but turns out to be a baddie in the end. And, a snowman named Olaf provides some comic relief.

36 Suffers a sudden decline : TANKS

Apparently, the first use of the verb “to tank” to mean “to lose or fail” can be pinpointed quite precisely. Tennis great Billie Jean King used the verb in that sense in an interview with “Life” magazine in 1967, with reference to male players. A more specific use of “tanking” in recent years is “deliberately losing” a contest.

37 Links rarities : ACES

One well-documented hole in one (ace) was during a round of the British Open in 1973. American golfer Gene Sarazen achieved the feat that day, at the age of 71. A less well-documented series of holes in one was reported by the North Korean press in a story about the Korean leader Kim Jong-il. The report was that Kim Jong-il scored 11 holes in one in his one and only round of golf.

46 Flu symptom : AGUE

An ague is a fever, one usually associated with malaria.

52 Do a “Wheel of Fortune” job? : UNCOVER LETTERS

Vanna White is the lady who turns the letters on the “Wheel of Fortune” game show. White is big into knitting and crochet, and has her own line of yarns called “Vanna’s Choice”.

53 “Anne of Green Gables” setting : AVONLEA

“Anne of Green Gables” is a 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery that she set in the fictional Prince Edward Island community of Avonlea. Montgomery wrote several sequels to “Anne”, with them all being set on Prince Edward Island (PEI), from where the author hailed.

54 Imposing building : EDIFICE

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”.

59 Quran deity : ALLAH

The Koran is also known as the “Qur’an” and “Quran” in English. “Qur’an” a transliteration of the Arabic name for the holy text of the Muslim faith. The literal translation of “Koran” is “the recitation”.

63 Met works : OPERAS

The Metropolitan Opera (often simply “the Met”) of New York City is the largest classical music organization in the country, presenting about 220 performances each and every year. Founded in 1880, the Met is renowned for using technology to expand its audiences. Performances have been broadcast live on radio since 1931, and on television since 1977. And since 2006 you can go see a live performance from New York in high definition on the big screen, at a movie theater near you …

69 Frat letter : TAU

Tau is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet, and the letter which gave rise to our Roman “T”. Both the letters tau (T) and chi (X) have long been symbolically associated with the cross.

70 Pre-BBQ treatment : DRY RUB

It is believed that our word “barbecue” (BBQ) comes from the Taíno people of the Caribbean in whose language “barbacoa” means “sacred fire pit”.

74 Initial orders? : BLTS

The BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) is the second-most popular sandwich in the US, after the plain old ham sandwich.

76 “Un Ballo in Maschera” aria : ERI TU

“Un ballo in maschera” (“A Masked Ball”) is an 1859 opera by Giuseppe Verdi. It tells the story of the assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden during a masked ball, which is an event that actually took place in 1792. “Un ballo in maschera” includes every crossword constructors favorite aria “Eri tu”.

80 Funny Bombeck : ERMA

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

81 Paris abductee : HELEN

According to Greek mythology, Helen (later “Helen of Troy”) was the daughter of Zeus and Leda. When Helen reached the age of marriage, she had many suitors as she was considered the most beautiful woman in the world. Menelaus was chosen as her husband, and he took her back to his home of Sparta. Paris, a Trojan prince, seduced Helen, as she eloped with him and travelled to Troy. This event sparked the Trojan War that waged between the city of Troy and Greece. Because of this war, Helen was said to have “the face that launched a thousand ships”. And because of this phrase, it has been suggested, probably by author Isaac Asimov, that the amount of beauty needed to launch a single ship is one “millihelen”.

83 Arabian Peninsula port : ADEN

Aden is a seaport in Yemen that is located on the Gulf of Aden by the eastern approach to the Red Sea. Aden has a long history of British rule, from 1838 until a very messy withdrawal in 1967. A native of Aden is known as an Adeni. Some believe that Cain and Abel are buried in the city.

84 Energetic risk-taking type, so it’s said : ARIES

Aries the Ram is the first astrological sign in the Zodiac, and is named after the constellation. Your birth sign is Aries if you were born between March 21 and April 20, but if you are an Aries you would know that! “Aries” is the Latin word for “ram”.

86 Spreadsheet filler : DATA

Our word “data” (singular “datum”) comes from the Latin “datum” meaning “given”. The idea is that data are “things given”.

92 2010 World Cup host: Abbr. : RSA

Republic of South Africa (RSA)

95 Sgt. played by John Wayne in “Sands of Iwo Jima” : STRYKER

“Sands of Iwo Jima” is a WWII film released in 1950. The movie follows US Marines from boot camp through to the Battle of Iwo Jima, and stars John Agar and John Wayne. Interestingly, the film dialog contains the first recorded use of the phrase “lock and load”, meaning “get ready to fight” or “get ready to drink!”

99 Apple since 1998 : IMAC

The iMac is a desktop computer platform that Apple introduced in 1998. One of the main features of the iMac is an “all-in-one” design, with the computer console and monitor integrated. The iMac also came in a range of colors, that Apple marketed as “flavors”, such as strawberry, blueberry and lime.

102 Stahl of “60 Minutes” : LESLEY

Television journalist Lesley Stahl first appeared on “60 Minutes” in 1991, after serving as moderator on “Face the Nation” for almost 8 years starting in 1983. Stahl is married to author and journalist Aaron Latham. One of Latham’s claims to fame is that he wrote the article that inspired the movie “Urban Cowboy”.

103 Hush-hush meetings : TRYSTS

In its most general sense, a tryst is a meeting at an agreed time and place. More usually we consider a tryst to be a pre-arranged meeting between lovers. The term comes from the Old French “triste”, a waiting place designated when hunting. Further, a tryst taking place at lunchtime is sometimes referred to as a nooner.

105 “The Rapture of Canaan” novelist Reynolds : SHERI

Sheri Reynolds is an author of fiction set in the American South. Her most successful work to date is the novel “The Rapture of Canaan”, which was helped along its way by being selected for Oprah’s Book Club in 1997.

110 Sharif of “Che!” : OMAR

Omar Sharif was a great Hollywood actor from Egypt, someone who played major roles in memorable movies such as “Doctor Zhivago” and “Lawrence of Arabia”. But to me, he was my bridge hero (the card game). In his heyday, Sharif was one of the best bridge players in the world.

“Che!” is a 1969 biopic about the life of Che Guevara. It stars Omar Sharif in the title role, and Jack Palance as Fidel Castro. I haven’t seen the film, and apparently it wasn’t well received. Well, an Egyptian (Sharif) playing an Argentine Marxist, and a Ukrainian American (Palance) playing a Cuban revolutionary? That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen …

113 Lhasa __ : APSO

The Lhasa apso breed of dog originated in Tibet and is named after “Lhasa” (the capital city) and “apso” (a Tibetan word meaning “bearded”). The Lhasa apso has been around since 800 BC and is one of the oldest breeds in the world, one very closely related to the ancestral wolf.

114 Bee-eater’s prey : WASP

While the wasp is considered to be a nuisance by many, the insect is very important to the agricultural industry. Wasps prey on many pest insects, while having very little impact on crops.

Bee-eaters are small colorful birds that feed on flying insects, especially bees and wasps. The bee-eater catches its prey in its bill and then hits and rubs the bee or wasp on a hard surface until the stinger is dislodged, then it partakes of its meal.

115 Tech news site : C|NET

c|net is an excellent technology website. c|net started out in 1994 as a television network specializing in technology news. The host of “American Idol”, Ryan Seacrest, started off his career as host of a c|net show.

117 Brazil map word : RIO

Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil (after São Paulo). “Rio de Janeiro” translates as “January River”. The name reflects the discovery of the bay on which Rio sits, on New Year’s Day in 1502.

118 Name change indicator : NEE

“Née” is the French word for “born” when referring to a female. The male equivalent is “né”. The term “née” is mainly used in English when referring to a married woman’s birth name, assuming that she has adopted her husbands name, e.g. Michelle Obama née Robinson, and Melania Trump née Knavs.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 “Proud Mary” pop gp. : CCR
4 “Glad that’s over!” : WHEW!
8 Vineyard measure : ACRE
12 Contaminate : POLLUTE
19 Grammy winner Corinne Bailey __ : RAE
20 Lille lover’s word : AIME
21 Coward in drama : NOEL
22 More eco-conscious : GREENER
23 Like frayed laces on hockey skates? : UNFIT TO BE TIED
26 Forward motion : ADVANCE
27 Stretches on the job : STINTS
28 Waferlike : SLENDER
30 Brontë governess : EYRE
31 Road trip expenses : TOLLS
32 Area 51 creatures, it’s said : ETS
33 Tail end : REAR
35 Málaga mlle. : SRTA
38 Flight school hurdle : SOLO
39 Dig up buried Burma-Shave relics? : UNEARTH SIGNS
44 Roomba, briefly : VAC
45 Contrail makeup : VAPOR
47 Defense org.? : ABA
48 Wet suit material : NEOPRENE
50 Elm Street surname : KRUEGER
53 Advice to a sinner : ATONE
55 Junkyard fillers : WRECKS
56 Seemingly forever : EON
57 Brief period of apathy? : UNMOVING DAY
61 Iowa Straw Poll city, once : AMES
62 Do as Vassar did in 1969 : GO COED
64 NOYB part : NONE
65 Text addition? : -ILE
66 Feminine side : YIN
67 “Say no more” : STOP
68 Deceptive operation : STING
70 It has all five black keys in its scale : D-FLAT
72 Grab with a toothpick : STAB
75 Vital opening? : VEE
77 Verizon subsidiary : AOL
78 Song often sung in Italian : ARIA
79 Flip, in a way : RESELL
81 German gent : HERR
82 Committee leader who’s a bit on edge? : UNEASY CHAIR
85 Biodegrade : ROT
86 Frustrate : DERAIL
88 Really go for : ADORE
89 “The Ten Commandments” role : RAMESES
91 Team culled from other teams : ALL-STARS
94 URL ending : EDU
95 Marner of fiction : SILAS
96 Jeans go-with : TEE
97 Orthodontist’s concerns : UNSOUND BITES
100 Contest on horseback : TILT
104 Queen’s offspring : ANTS
106 Some square dancers : GALS
107 Title after vows, perhaps : MRS
108 Passover feast : SEDER
109 Ten Benjamins : THOU
111 Erode : EAT AWAY
115 Rinky-dink : CHEESY
116 Morgan of “The Bucket List” : FREEMAN
119 Pets that help with luggage after a trip? : UNPACK ANIMALS
121 Challenge for a flight attendant : AIR RAGE
122 Work (out) : SUSS
123 Sistine Chapel mural setting : EDEN
124 Release, with “out” : LET …
125 “Ain’t gonna happen!” : NO SIREE!
126 Straddling : ATOP
127 Learning method : ROTE
128 Part of GPS: Abbr. : SYS

Down

1 Some prefer them thin : CRUSTS
2 Braggart’s comeback : CAN TOO!
3 Pharmacy order : REFILL
4 Guitar amp units : WATTS
5 Singles, say : HITS
6 Moody music genre : EMO
7 “Blue-Backed Spelling Book” author : WEBSTER
8 Join the game, in a way : ANTE
9 Small decision-maker : COIN
10 2018 Masters champ Patrick : REED
11 Trees with berries : ELDERS
12 Vardon Trophy org. : PGA
13 Limited offer come-on : ORDER NOW!
14 Assess : LEVY
15 King and a Norman : LEARS
16 Rattle football linemen? : UNNERVE CENTERS
17 TV’s Jim Rockford, for one : TEC
18 Cockney adverb : ‘ERE
24 Under Cupid’s spell : IN LOVE
25 “Frozen” snow queen : ELSA
29 Pull back, with “in” : REIN …
32 Huge, to a poet : ENORM
34 Eligibility factor : AGE
36 Suffers a sudden decline : TANKS
37 Links rarities : ACES
39 Overturns : UPENDS
40 What stars may represent : RATING
41 Doggie bag treat : T-BONE
42 Chill (with) : HANG
43 __ paint : SPRAY
46 Flu symptom : AGUE
49 Negligent : REMISS
50 They’re often tapped : KEGS
51 Underlying cause : ROOT
52 Do a “Wheel of Fortune” job? : UNCOVER LETTERS
53 “Anne of Green Gables” setting : AVONLEA
54 Imposing building : EDIFICE
58 Often-minced veggie : ONION
59 Quran deity : ALLAH
60 Word of support : YEA
63 Met works : OPERAS
69 Frat letter : TAU
70 Pre-BBQ treatment : DRY RUB
71 Difficult times : TRIALS
73 Alternative medicine plant : ALOE
74 Initial orders? : BLTS
76 “Un Ballo in Maschera” aria : ERI TU
78 Equally eccentric : AS ODD
80 Funny Bombeck : ERMA
81 Paris abductee : HELEN
83 Arabian Peninsula port : ADEN
84 Energetic risk-taking type, so it’s said : ARIES
86 Spreadsheet filler : DATA
87 Sign __ : LANGUAGE
90 Regard : ESTEEM
92 2010 World Cup host: Abbr. : RSA
93 One and only : SOLE
95 Sgt. played by John Wayne in “Sands of Iwo Jima” : STRYKER
98 Patriotic chant : USA! USA!
99 Apple since 1998 : IMAC
101 Lofty standards : IDEALS
102 Stahl of “60 Minutes” : LESLEY
103 Hush-hush meetings : TRYSTS
105 “The Rapture of Canaan” novelist Reynolds : SHERI
108 Excel : SHINE
110 Sharif of “Che!” : OMAR
112 Flanged fastener : T-NUT
113 Lhasa __ : APSO
114 Bee-eater’s prey : WASP
115 Tech news site : C|NET
116 __ base : FAN
117 Brazil map word : RIO
118 Name change indicator : NEE
120 Flap : ADO