LA Times Crossword 20 Feb 22, Sunday

Advertisement

Constructed by: Fred Piscop
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: On the Job

Themed answers are common phrases reinterpreted as someone ON THE JOB:

  • 23A M.D. on “Wheel of Fortune”? : SPIN DOCTOR
  • 25A Fast-working “Downton Abbey” woman? : MINUTE MAID
  • 43A Painter in prison? : CON ARTIST
  • 63A CIA operative in the Arctic? : NORTHERN SPY
  • 88A One rating singles bar come-ons? : LINE JUDGE
  • 109A Gofer at a ballpark? : SPORTS PAGE
  • 111A Displayer of truck-stop equipment? : SCALE MODEL
  • 37D Bank worker with lots of stories? : TALE TELLER
  • 42D Farmland tour giver? : FIELD GUIDE

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

Bill’s time: 15m 16s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

14 Valuable find : TROVE

The term “treasure trove” comes from the Anglo-French “tresor trové “ meaning “found treasure”.

19 James who co-wrote and sang “I’d Rather Go Blind” : ETTA

“Etta James” was the stage name of celebrated blues and soul singer Jamesetta Hawkins. James’ most famous recording was her 1960 hit “At Last”, which made it into the pop charts. James performed “At Last” at the age of 71 in 2009 on the reality show “Dancing with the Stars”, which was to be her final television appearance. She passed away in 2012.

20 Monsieur __: classic Jacques Tati role : HULOT

Monsieur Hulot is a celebrated comedic character played by French actor Jacques Tati in several films in the fifties and sixties, including “Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot” (1953) and “Mon Oncle” (1959). Rowan Atkinson draws on the antics of Monsieur Hulot when he plays his “Mr. Bean”.

Jacques Tati was a very famous filmmaker and comic actor in his homeland of France. Even though he only directed six feature-length movies, Tati is often cited by insiders as one of the greatest movie directors of all time.

23 M.D. on “Wheel of Fortune”? : SPIN DOCTOR

Contestants have been spinning the “Wheel of Fortune” since the game show first aired in 1975.

“Spin doctor” is a slang term describing a professional in the field of public relations (PR).

25 Fast-working “Downton Abbey” woman? : MINUTE MAID

Fans of the wonderful TV drama “Downton Abbey” will be very familiar with the exterior appearance of Highclere Castle in Hampshire. Highclere is used as the location for exterior and many interior shots of the fictitious Grantham residence called Downton Abbey. The exterior of Highclere is very reminiscent of the Houses of Parliament building in London. That similarity exists because the house was largely rebuilt from 1839 to 1842 by architect Sir Charles Barry soon after he finished work on the refurbished Houses of Parliament.

In the mid-forties a process was developed to concentrate orange juice into a powder, the intent being to make it available to the armed forces. When WWII came to an end, the government’s need for the product went away, so Florida Foods Corporation was set up to market orange juice concentrate (rather than powder) to the public. This new concentrate was given the name “Minute Maid” implying that juice could be prepared quickly by simple dilution.

27 Indian menu word : TANDOORI

A tandoor is a cylindrical clay or metal oven used in cuisines from several Asian locales, including India.

28 “… a grin without a cat!” thinker : ALICE

The Cheshire Cat is a character in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. The Cheshire Cat has an expansive grin, and at one point magically disappears in front of Alice, leaving just the grin visible.

Well! I’ve often seen a cat without a grin,’ thought Alice; `but a grin without a cat! It’s the most curious thing I ever saw in my life!

30 How aspirin is taken : ORALLY

“Aspirin” used to be a brand name for the drug acetylsalicylic acid. Aspirin was introduced by the German drug company Bayer AG in the late 1800s. As part of the war reparations paid by Germany after WWI, Bayer AG lost the use of the trademark “Aspirin” (as well as the trademark Heroin!) and it became a generic term.

33 Till stack : ONES

The nation’s first president, George Washington, is on the US one-dollar bills produced today. When the original one-dollar bill was issued in 1863, it featured a portrait of Salmon P. Chase, President Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of the Treasury.

36 Aparicio in Cooperstown : LUIS

Luis Aparicio is a former baseball player who played shortstop in the majors from 1956 to 1973. Aparicio is from Venezuela.

Cooperstown is a village in New York that is famous as the home to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The village was named for Judge William Cooper, the founder of Cooperstown and the father of the noted writer James Fenimore Cooper.

37 Dress (up) : TOG

The verb “to tog up”, meaning “to dress up”, comes from the Latin “toga” describing the garment worn in ancient Rome. “Tog” can also be used as an informal word for a coat or a cloak. Back in Ireland, togs are what we call swimming shorts.

45 Crime novelist Paretsky : SARA

Sara Paretsky is an American author of detective fiction. Paretsky’s most famous character is a female private investigator called V.I. Warshawski. Warshawski was played by Kathleen Turner in a big screen adaptation of one of her stories in 1991.

48 “Nixon in China” role : MAO

“Nixon in China” is an opera by John Adams, with a libretto by Alice Goodman. The piece was inspired by President Nixon’s famous visit to China in 1972.

51 Speak like a rug? : LIE

One might speak a lie, and a rug lies on the floor.

52 Ideal for farming : ARABLE

Arable land is land suitable for farming. The term “arable” came into English from the Latin “arare” meaning “to plow”.

55 Quilting events : BEES

Back in 18th-century America, when neighbors would gather to work for the benefit of one of their group, such a meeting was called a bee. The name “bee” was an allusion to the social nature of the insect. In modern parlance, a further element of entertainment and pleasure has been introduced, for example in a quilting bee, or even a spelling bee.

56 Hurricane of 2011 : IRENE

Hurricane Irene caused extensive flooding in 2011 as it traveled through the Caribbean, up the East Coast of the United States and into the Atlantic seaboard of Canada. The hurricane was unusual in that it came so far up north. Fifty-five deaths were attributed to Irene.

57 The Who co-founder : DALTREY

The Who were an English rock band formed in 1964, bringing together famed musicians Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon. According to “Rolling Stone” magazine, the Who were the third arm of the holy trinity of British rock, alongside the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

62 Shoppe preceder : OLDE

The word “olde” wasn’t actually used much earlier than the 1920s. “Olde” was introduced to give a quaint antique feel to brand names, shop names etc. as in “Ye Olde Shoppe”.

63 CIA operative in the Arctic? : NORTHERN SPY

The spy apple (also “northern spy” or “king”) is a cultivar that originated in 1800 in East Bloomfield, New York. The USPS honored the spy apple by including it in a set of four stamps commemorating historic strains of apple (along with the Baldwin, golden delicious and Granny Smith).

67 Dry run : TEST

A dry run is a performance held privately before appearing in front of the public. Apparently, the term “dry run” comes from US firefighters. Back in the day, fire crews would make practice “runs” to the location of a supposed fire. As water was not pumped, the exercise was known as a “dry run”.

70 Happy cap tosser : GRAD

Tasseled mortarboards, or square academic caps, are associated with school graduations all over the world, although traditions do differ. For example in Ireland (where I come from), mortarboards are only worn by female graduates.

73 “And Still I Rise” poet : ANGELOU

“And Still I Rise” is a 1978 volume of poetry by Maya Angelou. The collection’s title poem is “Still I Rise”, which ends with:

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

77 Caramel-topped dessert : FLAN

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

78 Exodus obstacle : RED SEA

The Red Sea (sometimes “Arabian Gulf”) is a stretch of water lying between Africa and Asia. The Gulf of Suez (and the Suez Canal) lies to the north, and the Gulf of Aden to the south. According to the Book of Exodus in the Bible, God parted the Red Sea to allow Moses lead the Israelites from Egypt.

The Book of Exodus is the second book in the Bible, and deals with Moses leading the Hebrews out of Egypt. The name “Exodus” comes from the Greek “exodos” meaning “departure”.

81 Chem class part : LAB

Our term “laboratory”, often shortened to “lab”, comes from the Medieval Latin word “laboratorium” meaning “place for labor, work”. This in turn comes from the Latin verb “laborare” meaning “to work”.

82 Partied hearty : ROISTERED

To roister is to revel noisily. The term “roister” derives from the Middle French word “ruistre” meaning “ruffian”.

85 Short-vowel mark : BREVE

A breve is a diacritic mark used to indicate a shorter, softer variant of a particular vowel sound. It looks like the bottom half of a circle, and is placed above the vowel. The term “breve” comes from the Latin “brevis” meaning “short, brief”. A long vowel sound is indicated by a macron, which is a horizontal line. For example, our word “căt” has a short a, and “cāme” has a long a.

87 “The West Wing” Emmy winner, 2006 : ALDA

Alan Alda has had a great television career, most notably as a lead actor in “M*A*S*H”. He was born Alphonso D’Abruzzo in the Bronx, New York City. Alda won his first Emmy in 1972, for playing surgeon Hawkeye Pierce on “M*A*S*H”. He also won an Emmy in 2006 for his portrayal of Presidential candidate Senator Arnold Vinick in “The West Wing”. When it comes to the big screen, my favorite of Alda’s movies is the 1978 romantic comedy “Same Time, Next Year” in which he starred opposite Ellen Burstyn.

92 Smelter metals : ORES

Metals are found in ore in the form of oxides. In order to get pure metal from the ore, the ore is heated and the metal oxides within are reduced (i.e. the oxygen is removed) in the chemical process known as smelting. The oxygen is extracted by adding a source of carbon or carbon monoxide which uses up the excess oxygen atoms to make carbon dioxide, a waste product of smelting (and, a greenhouse gas).

95 Gazetteer stats : AREAS

A gazetteer is a geographic dictionary. Back in the early 1600s, a gazetteer was a journalist. Around 1700, a geographical handbook for journalists was issued called “The Gazetteer’s, or Newsman’s, Interpreter”. This eventually became simply “The Gazetteer”, giving us our usage today.

96 Drink from a snifter : SIP

A brandy snifter is a glass with a short stem, a wide bowl and a narrow top. The bowl is cupped in the hand so that the brandy, whiskey or other spirit is warmed, to facilitate evaporation. The wide bowl gives a large surface area, further encouraging evaporation, and the narrow top traps the aroma in the glass. So, one can easily “sniff” the spirit’s aroma in the “snifter”.

98 Wall map marker : TACK

What we know as a thumb tack here in North America is called a drawing pin in British English. Thumbtacks made from brass might be referred to as “brass tacks”, giving us the expression “getting down to brass tacks” meaning “getting down to the finer details”.

99 Princeton mascot : TIGER

When Princeton are playing in a game, one might hear a cheer known as the locomotive, i.e. “Rah rah rah! Tiger, tiger, tiger! Sis, sis, sis, boom, boom, boom, ah!” This cheer is sometimes referred to as “Sis Boom Ah!” Supposedly, the cheer dates back to 1861 when the Seventh New York Regiment came through Princeton on a train. The soldiers were shouting out their “rocket” cheer, ““ssss-boom-ahhh!”

106 Derby drink : JULEP

A mint julep is a bourbon-based cocktail that is associated with the American South, and with the Kentucky Derby in particular. If you’d like to make yourself a mint julep, one recipe is:

  • 3 oz of Bourbon
  • 4-6 sprigs of mint
  • granulated sugar to taste

107 Hill hundred : SENATORS

The US Senate comprises 100 senators, with each of the fifty states being represented by two popularly elected senators. US senators were appointed by their state legislators from 1798 through 1913, until the Seventeenth Amendment called for popular elections.

115 Marquesses’ inferiors : EARLS

A marquess (also “marquis”, from French) is a nobleman of high rank in the UK. The title ranks below a duke, and above an earl. The term “marquess” comes from Medieval Latin “marca” meaning “frontier”. Originally, a marquess ruled border territories.

116 100-year-old chip brand : WISE

The Wise Potato Chip Company was founded in 1921 by Earl Wise, Sr. He adopted the owl as a company mascot, as the owl is reputed to be very “wise”.

118 Digs for pigs : PENS

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

Down

2 For face value : AT PAR

Stocks and other financial vehicles may be sold “at par”, meaning at the original price, neither discounted nor at a premium.

3 “Fear Street” series author : STINE

“Fear Street” is a series of horror novels by R. L. Stine that are aimed at a teenage audience. The series title is a reference to the Fear family who live in the fictional town of Shadyside. The books were adapted into a trilogy of “Fear Street” films released by Netflix in 2021.

4 Kids’ play places, across the pond : SANDPITS

In North America, kids play in a sandbox. In other English-speaking countries, kids play in a sandpit.

6 Ill-gotten loot : LUCRE

Our word “lucre” meaning “money, profits” comes from the Latin “lucrum” that means the same thing.

7 Some choir members : ALTI

In choral music, an alto (plural “alti”) is the second-highest voice in a four-part chorus made up of soprano, contr(alto), tenor and bass. The word “alto” describes the vocal range, that of the deepest female singing-voice, whereas the term “contralto” describes more than just the alto range, but also its quality and timbre. An adult male’s voice (not a boy’s) with the same range as an alto is called a “countertenor”.

12 Mystical character : RUNE

A rune is a character in an alphabet that is believed to have mysterious powers. In Norse mythology, the runic alphabet was said to have a divine origin.

13 Liberty’s LiMu, for one : EMU

Liberty Mutual is an insurance company based in Boston. The business was founded in 1912 as the Massachusetts Employees Insurance Association (MEIA). Liberty Mutual has a famous advertising icon named LiMu Emu.

14 Beatles’ “__ a Place” : THERE’S

“There’s a Place” is a 1963 song written primarily by John Lennon and recorded by the Beatles. Apparently, Paul McCartney came up with the title of the song, drawing it from the title of the “West Side Story” song “There’s a Place for Us”.

15 Oblong tomatoes : ROMAS

The Roma tomato isn’t considered an heirloom variety but it is very popular with home gardeners, especially those gardeners that don’t have a lot of space. It is a bush type (as opposed to vine type) and needs very little room to provide a lot of tomatoes.

16 Birthstone after sapphire : OPAL

Here is the “official” list of birthstones, by month, that we tend to use today:

  • January: Garnet
  • February: Amethyst
  • March: Bloodstone or Aquamarine
  • April: Diamond
  • May: Emerald
  • June: Pearl or Moonstone
  • July: Ruby
  • August: Sardonyx or Peridot
  • September: Sapphire or Lapis Lazuli
  • October: Opal or Pink Tourmaline
  • November: Topaz or Citrine
  • December: Turquoise or Zircon (also now, Tanzanite)

18 Hot tub feature : EDDY

“Jacuzzi” is one of those brand names that has become so much associated with the product that it is often assumed to be a generic term. The Jacuzzi company was founded in 1915 by the seven(!) Jacuzzi brothers in Berkeley California. The brothers, who were Italian immigrants, pronounced their name “ja-coot-si”, as one might suspect when one realizes the name is of Italian origin. The company started off by making aircraft propellers and then small aircraft, but suspended aircraft production in 1925, when one of the brothers was killed in one of their planes. The family then started making hydraulic pumps, and in 1948 developed a submersible bathtub pump so that a son of one of the brothers could enjoy hydrotherapy for his rheumatoid arthritis. The “hydrotherapy product” took off in the fifties with some astute marketing towards “worn-out housewives” and the use of celebrity spokesman Jack Benny.

24 One of a coupe’s pair : DOOR

The type of car known as a “coupe” or “coupé” is a closed automobile with two doors. The name comes from the French word “couper” meaning “to cut”. In most parts of the English-speaking world the pronunciation adheres to the original French, but here in most of North America we go with “coop”. The original coupé was a horse-drawn carriage that was cut (coupé) to eliminate the rear-facing passenger seats. That left just a driver and two front-facing passengers. If the driver was left without a roof and out in the open, then the carriage was known as a “coupé de-ville”.

26 Time on a marquee : TONITE

A marquee is a large sign that is placed over the entrance to a theater. The marquee usually displays the names of the film or play currently showing, as well as the principal actors performing.

29 Clark’s teenage crush : LANA

Smallville, Kansas is the town on Earth in which Superman grew up (as Clark Kent). One of Clark’s best friends in Smallville, and the romantic interest of his youth, was Lana Lang.

36 White sale purchases : LINENS

The first white sale took place in January of 1878 in a Philadelphia department store. The event was called a white sale because only bed linens (which were all white) were discounted. Over time, white sales have evolved to include almost any household items.

37 Bank worker with lots of stories? : TALE TELLER

To tell can mean to count, as in “telling one’s blessings” and “there are 16, all told”. This usage of the word “tell” gives us the term “bank teller”.

38 City across the Mediterranean from Cartagena : ORAN

Oran lies on the Algerian coast, and is famous for being the port where the French Navy was largely destroyed by the British during WWII in order to avoid the French vessels falling into the hands of Nazi Germany after France surrendered. This decisive and unexpected unilateral action by the British sent a very strong message around the world that Britain was willing to fight alone against the axis powers if necessary.

Cartagena is a city on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. It is home to the Spanish Navy’s largest base in the Mediterranean Sea. Cartagena’s port was founded back in the second century BC by the Carthaginians.

39 Marvin of Motown : GAYE

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.

40 Guy hiding in a red-and-white striped shirt : WALDO

The series of children’s illustrated books called “Where’s Waldo?” were originally titled “Where’s Wally?” in Britain, where the books originated. The book contains page after page of illustrations with crowds of people surrounding famous landmarks from around the world. The challenge is to find Waldo/Wally, who is hidden in the crowd.

41 Sans-serif font : ARIAL

Serifs are details on the ends of characters in some typefaces. Typefaces without serifs are known as sans-serif, using the French word “sans” meaning “without” and “serif” from the Dutch “schreef” meaning “line”. Some people say that serif fonts are easier to read on paper, whereas sans-serif fonts work better on a computer screen. I’m not so sure though …

45 Elf : SPRITE

A sprite is an elfin or fairy-like creature of European myth. The term “sprite” comes from the Latin “spiritus” meaning “spirit”.

48 Eponymous surgical family name : MAYO

The Mayo Clinic started out as a private practice run by Dr. William Mayo, an immigrant from the North of England who arrived in the US in 1846. Mayo’s first practice was with his two sons, which evolved into a clinic set up with six other doctors.

54 Hawke of “Sinister” : ETHAN

Ethan Hawke is a Hollywood actor who made his breakthrough in a supporting role in “Dead Poet’s Society”, playing opposite Robin Williams. Hawke used to be married to Uma Thurman, with whom he has two children.

“Sinister” is a 2012 horror film starring Ethan Hawke. It sounds “horrific”, so I won’t be watching this one …

58 One of Barbie’s best friends : TERESA

The famous Barbie doll was created by businesswoman Ruth Handler and first appeared on store shelves in 1959. Barbie was based on a German fashion doll called Bild Lilli that was introduced in 1955. Lilli had been a German cartoon character before taking on a three-dimensional form. Prior to the introduction of Bild Lilli and Barbie, children’s dolls were primarily representations of infants.

60 Hi-__ graphics : RES

High-resolution (hi-res)

61 Seasonal song word : SYNE

The song “Auld Lang Syne” is a staple at New Year’s Eve (well, actually in the opening minutes of New Year’s Day). The words were written by Scottish poet Robbie Burns. The literal translation of “Auld Lang Syne” is “old long since”, but is better translated as “old times”. The sentiment of the song is “for old time’s sake”.

68 Dry Italian wine : SOAVE

Soave is a dry white wine produced in the area around the city of Verona in northeast Italy. “Soave” is a small town located near Verona.

71 Cockpit gauge fig. : ALT

An altimeter is an instrument used to measure altitude (alt.), height above sea level. The word “altitude” arose in the late 14th century, and was originally an astronomical term that defined the elevation above the horizon of a star or planet. The term comes from the Latin “altus” meaning “high, grown tall”.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the original “cockpit” was a “pit” used for fighting “cocks”. The term was then applied nautically, as the name for the compartment below decks used as living quarters by midshipmen. The cockpit of a boat today, usually on a smaller vessel, is a sunken area towards the stern in which sits the helmsman and others (who can fit!). The usage extended to aircraft in the 1910s and to cars in the 1930s.

75 Metaphorical sticking place : CRAW

“Craw” is another name for “crop”, a portion of the alimentary tract of some animals, including birds. The crop is used for the storage of food prior to digestion. It allows the animal to eat large amounts and then digest that food with efficiency over an extended period. The expression “to stick in one’s craw” is used when one cannot accept something, cannot “swallow” it.

77 Pat down : FRISK

Back in the 1500s, the verb “to frisk” meant “to dance, frolic”, a sense that carries through to our contemporary adjective “frisky”. “Frisk” somehow took on the meaning “pat down in a search” in the late 1700s.

79 English composer of the symphonic study “Falstaff” : ELGAR

Sir Edward Elgar was the quintessential English composer. He is inextricably associated with his “Pomp and Circumstance Marches” (including “Land of Hope and Glory”) and the “Enigma Variations”.

“Falstaff” is an orchestral work by English composer Sir Edward Elgar that premiered in 1913. It is described as a symphonic study, portraying the Shakespearean character Sir John Falstaff, the “fat knight” in the plays “Henry IV, Part 1” and “Henry IV, Part 2”. Apparently, Elgar regarded it as his finest orchestral piece.

86 Skiers’ aids : ROPE TOWS

A rope tow is a very basic form of ski lift. It consists of a loop of rope between two pulleys, one at the top of the hill and one at the bottom. One pulley is motorized, so that the rope moves. Skiers can mount the hill by grabbing hold of the rope.

91 Like Jennifer Aniston’s eyes : DEEP-SET

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.

96 Least wacky : SANEST

Something or someone described as wacky or wacko is crazy, eccentric. The term “wacky” probably comes from “whack”, the idea being that a wacky person might have been whacked on the head a little too often.

97 Mosque leader : IMAM

An imam is a Muslim leader, and often the person in charge of a mosque and/or perhaps a Muslim community.

100 Amoebae, e.g. : CELLS

An ameba (also “amoeba”) is a single-celled microorganism. The name comes from the Greek “amoibe”, meaning change. The name is quite apt, as the cell changes shape readily as the ameba moves, eats and reproduces.

101 “The Kiss” sculptor : RODIN

“The Kiss” is a beautiful sculpture created in 1889 by Auguste Rodin. I’ve had the privilege of standing beside a large, life-size marble version of the work on a few occasions in the Rodin Museum, my favorite of all museums in Paris. The Musée Rodin is very special in that the building and garden that hold all of the works were Rodin’s actual home and studio. Well worth a visit if you make it to Paris …

102 Recess rebuttal : ARE SO!

To recess is to go back, to retreat. The use of the noun “recess” to mean “period of stopping from usual work” dates back to the early 1600s. This usage might stem from the action of parliamentarians “recessing” into, returning to private chambers.

103 Piedmont wine region : ASTI

Asti is in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. It is perhaps most famous for its Asti Spumante sparkling white wine. Moscato d’Asti is produced from the same grape (Moscato Bianco). Moscato is a much sweeter wine with a lower alcohol content, and is usually served as a dessert wine.

106 Green hue : JADE

“Jade” is actually the name given to two different mineral rocks, both of which are used to make gemstones. The first is nephrite, a mineral with a varying degree of iron content, the more iron the greener the color. The second is jadeite, a sodium and aluminum-rich pyroxene. As well as being used for gemstones, both jade minerals can be carved into decorative pieces.

107 Bollywood attire : SARI

The item of clothing called a “sari” (also “saree”) is a strip of cloth, as one might imagine, unusual perhaps in that it is unstitched along the whole of its length. The strip of cloth can range from four to nine meters long (that’s a lot of material!). The sari is usually wrapped around the waist, then draped over the shoulder leaving the midriff bare. I must say, it can be a beautiful item of clothing.

“Bollywood” is the informal name given to the huge film industry based in Mumbai in India. The term “Bollywood” is a melding of “Bombay” (the former name of Mumbai), and “Hollywood”.

108 Whole lot : SLEW

Our usage of “slew” to mean “large number” has nothing to do with the verb “to slew” meaning “to turn, skid”. The noun “slew” came into English in the early 1800s from the Irish word “sluagh” meaning “host, crowd, multitude”.

112 Rook’s call : CAW

The rook is a bird with black feathers, although it can be distinguished from similar black species by the presence of a white, featherless patch surrounding the beak.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 With 21-Across, marching band instrument : BASS …
5 Feline weapons : CLAWS
10 Vineyard measure : ACRE
14 Valuable find : TROVE
19 James who co-wrote and sang “I’d Rather Go Blind” : ETTA
20 Monsieur __: classic Jacques Tati role : HULOT
21 See 1-Across : … DRUM
22 Had one’s fingers crossed : HOPED
23 M.D. on “Wheel of Fortune”? : SPIN DOCTOR
25 Fast-working “Downton Abbey” woman? : MINUTE MAID
27 Indian menu word : TANDOORI
28 “… a grin without a cat!” thinker : ALICE
30 How aspirin is taken : ORALLY
31 Restful state : REPOSE
32 Promising moment, as of wit : SPARK
33 Till stack : ONES
34 Madness : IRE
35 Coward’s lack, figuratively : SPINE
36 Aparicio in Cooperstown : LUIS
37 Dress (up) : TOG
40 Float like smoke rings : WAFT
43 Painter in prison? : CON ARTIST
45 Crime novelist Paretsky : SARA
46 Crop up : ARISE
48 “Nixon in China” role : MAO
49 Mutual influence : INTERPLAY
51 Speak like a rug? : LIE
52 Ideal for farming : ARABLE
55 Quilting events : BEES
56 Hurricane of 2011 : IRENE
57 The Who co-founder : DALTREY
59 Prepare for a race : TRAIN
61 Hot rod? : SPIT
62 Shoppe preceder : OLDE
63 CIA operative in the Arctic? : NORTHERN SPY
67 Dry run : TEST
70 Happy cap tosser : GRAD
72 Delete : ERASE
73 “And Still I Rise” poet : ANGELOU
75 Unacceptable, as punishment : CRUEL
77 Caramel-topped dessert : FLAN
78 Exodus obstacle : RED SEA
81 Chem class part : LAB
82 Partied hearty : ROISTERED
84 Site for used cars : LOT
85 Short-vowel mark : BREVE
87 “The West Wing” Emmy winner, 2006 : ALDA
88 One rating singles bar come-ons? : LINE JUDGE
92 Smelter metals : ORES
93 __ hours : WEE
94 “Don’t play” music notation : REST
95 Gazetteer stats : AREAS
96 Drink from a snifter : SIP
98 Wall map marker : TACK
99 Princeton mascot : TIGER
100 Cell feature : CAMERA
103 Trip up : ASCENT
106 Derby drink : JULEP
107 Hill hundred : SENATORS
109 Gofer at a ballpark? : SPORTS PAGE
111 Displayer of truck-stop equipment? : SCALE MODEL
113 Flirt with, say : TEASE
114 Sign of spoilage : ODOR
115 Marquesses’ inferiors : EARLS
116 100-year-old chip brand : WISE
117 Ran standing still : IDLED
118 Digs for pigs : PENS
119 Surprise ending : TWIST
120 Put one over on : SNOW

Down

1 Awards adjective : BEST
2 For face value : AT PAR
3 “Fear Street” series author : STINE
4 Kids’ play places, across the pond : SANDPITS
5 Settle on : CHOOSE
6 Ill-gotten loot : LUCRE
7 Some choir members : ALTI
8 Try to win over : WOO
9 Secure for the trip : STRAP IN
10 Fan : ADMIRER
11 Pain in the neck : CRICK
12 Mystical character : RUNE
13 Liberty’s LiMu, for one : EMU
14 Beatles’ “__ a Place” : THERE’S
15 Oblong tomatoes : ROMAS
16 Birthstone after sapphire : OPAL
17 Bridal shop buy : VEIL
18 Hot tub feature : EDDY
24 One of a coupe’s pair : DOOR
26 Time on a marquee : TONITE
29 Clark’s teenage crush : LANA
32 Fishing line holder : SPOOL
33 Gives the heave-ho : OUSTS
35 Nature’s bandage : SCAB
36 White sale purchases : LINENS
37 Bank worker with lots of stories? : TALE TELLER
38 City across the Mediterranean from Cartagena : ORAN
39 Marvin of Motown : GAYE
40 Guy hiding in a red-and-white striped shirt : WALDO
41 Sans-serif font : ARIAL
42 Farmland tour giver? : FIELD GUIDE
44 Advertising gimmick : TIE-IN
45 Elf : SPRITE
47 Melodic sense : EAR
48 Eponymous surgical family name : MAYO
50 Tear : RIP
53 Tear : REND
54 Hawke of “Sinister” : ETHAN
55 Less carpeted : BARER
58 One of Barbie’s best friends : TERESA
60 Hi-__ graphics : RES
61 Seasonal song word : SYNE
64 Back off : RELENT
65 Give this for that : TRADE
66 Historian’s subject : PAST
68 Dry Italian wine : SOAVE
69 Straws, e.g. : TUBES
71 Cockpit gauge fig. : ALT
74 Be a chatterbox : GAB
75 Metaphorical sticking place : CRAW
76 Auditioner’s goal : ROLE
77 Pat down : FRISK
79 English composer of the symphonic study “Falstaff” : ELGAR
80 “That __ it!” : DOES
83 Awards a seat to : ELECTS
86 Skiers’ aids : ROPE TOWS
89 Corrections staffers : JAILERS
90 Push for : URGE
91 Like Jennifer Aniston’s eyes : DEEP-SET
94 Typed in ALL CAPS, maybe : RANTED
96 Least wacky : SANEST
97 Mosque leader : IMAM
98 Not given to speeches : TERSE
99 Yank at : TUG ON
100 Amoebae, e.g. : CELLS
101 “The Kiss” sculptor : RODIN
102 Recess rebuttal : ARE SO!
103 Piedmont wine region : ASTI
104 Hustled : SPED
105 Longtime Kentucky resource : COAL
106 Green hue : JADE
107 Bollywood attire : SARI
108 Whole lot : SLEW
110 Uncorking sound : POP!
112 Rook’s call : CAW