LA Times Crossword 9 Sep 18, Sunday

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Constructed by: Ross Trudeau
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: TV Partners

Themed answers are overlapping names of TV shows, and are clued with overlapping storylines from those shows:

  • 112A. Installment of each of the “shows” in six puzzle answers? : CROSSOVER EPISODE
  • 23A. Show in which the Tanners move to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.? : FULL HOUSE OF CARDS (“Full House” & “House of Cards”)
  • 37A. Show in which Daenerys questions her suitors? : DATING GAME OF THRONES (“Dating Game” & “Game of Thrones”)
  • 53A. Show in which Gloria and Lois commiserate about lazy husbands? : MODERN FAMILY GUY (“Modern Family” & “Family Guy”)
  • 65A. Show in which a Time Lord becomes a live-in domestic worker? : DR WHO’S THE BOSS (“Dr. Who” & “Who’s the Boss?”)
  • 76A. Show in which zombies invade an 1870s South Dakota town? : WALKING DEADWOOD (“Walking Dead” & “Deadwood”)
  • 90A. Show in which Richie and the Fonz write a soap? : HAPPY DAYS OF OUR LIVES (“Happy Days” & “Days of Our Lives”)

Bill’s time: 24m 39s

Bill’s errors: 0

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1. Thin Mint cousins : SAMOAS

Depending on which bakery makes the particular variety of Girl Scout cookie, the name can vary. For example, Little Brownie Bakers makes the Samoa cookies, while ABC Bakers uses the same recipe and calls the cookies Caramel deLites. The assumption is that these cookies have the exotic name of “Samoa” because they contain the tropical ingredients of coconut and cocoa. The most popular variety of Girl Scout cookie sold are Thin Mints.

19. Luke’s mentor : OBI-WAN

Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the more beloved of the “Star Wars” characters. Kenobi was portrayed by two fabulous actors in the series of films. As a young man he is played by Scottish actor Ewan McGregor, and as an older man he is played by Alec Guinness.

When the character Luke Skywalker was created for “Star Wars”, he was named “Annikin Starkiller”. Conceptually, he was a 60-year-old war veteran for a while, and also a female at one point. Luke is played by actor Mark Hamill in the “Star Wars” films.

21. Casino city near 32-Down : RENO
(32D. Western resort : TAHOE)

The city of Reno’s economy took off when open gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931. Within a short time, a syndicate had built the Bank Club in Reno, which was the largest casino in the world at the time.

22. Part of A.D. : ANNO

The Latin word for year is “annus”. We often see it used in Latin phrases, but usually with a different spelling. For example in “anno Domini”, the “anno” is the ablative case of “annus” as the phrase means “in the year of the Lord”. Another example is “per annum”, in which “annum” is the accusative case as the literal translation of the phrase is “during the year”.

23. Show in which the Tanners move to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.? : FULL HOUSE OF CARDS (“Full House” & “House of Cards”)

“Full House” is a sitcom that originally aired from the late eighties through the mid-nineties. It’s all about two men helping a third man raise his three young daughters after his wife is killed by a drunk driver. Bob Saget plays the widowed father, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen play the youngest daughter. A sequel titled “Fuller House” started airing on Netflix in 2016.

The hit TV show “House of Cards” is a political drama that highlights ruthless manipulation within the corridors of power in Washington, D.C. The show is an adaptation of a BBC miniseries of the same name, which in turn is based on a novel by Michael Dobbs.

28. Usual method: Abbr. : SOP

Standard operating procedure (SOP)

29. Selena’s music style : TEJANO

“Tejano” is the Spanish word for “Texan”. Tejano music is strongly influenced by Cajun culture, because of the proximity of Texas to Louisiana. The other strong influence came with immigrants from the Poland and what is now the Czech Republic. These immigrants brought with them the waltz, polka … and the accordion.

Singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez, known professionally simply as “Selena”, was murdered in 1995 by the president of her own fan club at the height of her career. In a 1997 biopic about Selena’s life, Jennifer Lopez played the title role. Selena had often been referred to as the “Queen of Tejano” during her career.

30. Block : STYMIE

The word “stymie” comes from golf, and is a situation in which one’s approach to the hole is blocked by an opponent’s ball. We use the term more broadly for a distressing situation.

32. “Star Trek” actor : TAKEI

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

34. Big name in foil : ALCOA

The Aluminum Corporation of America (ALCOA) is the largest producer of aluminum in the United States. The company was founded in 1888 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where its headquarters are to this day.

Before thin sheets of aluminum metal were available as aluminum foil, thin sheets of tin were used in various applications. Tin foil isn’t a great choice for wrapping food though, as it imparts a tinny taste. On the other side of the pond, aluminum foil has a different name. No, it’s not just the different spelling of aluminum (“aluminium”). We still call it “tin foil”. You see, we live in the past …

36. Justice Kagan appointer : OBAMA

Elena Kagan was the Solicitor General of the United States from 2009 until 2010, when she replaced Justice John Paul Stevens on the US Supreme Court. That made Justice Kagan the first female US Solicitor General and the fourth female US Supreme Court justice. Kagan also served as the first female dean of Harvard Law School from 2003 to 2009.

37. Show in which Daenerys questions her suitors? : DATING GAME OF THRONES (“Dating Game” & “Game of Thrones”)

Most episodes of TV’s “The Dating Game” featured a bachelorette questioning three bachelors, after which she would select one young man to go out with on a date. A lot of famous people appeared on the show, before they became celebrities. It can be fun to check video clips of their appearances on YouTube. A good list to start with includes Farrah Fawcett, Suzanne Somers, LIndsay Wagner, Tom Selleck, Lee Majors, the Carpenters, Andy Kaufman, Steve Martin, Burt Reynolds, John Ritter, Phil Hartman, Arnold Schwarzenegger. A more sinister appearance was made by serial killer Rodney Alcala while he was in the middle of his killing spree, but after he had been convicted of rape.

HBO’s “Game of Thrones” is a fantasy television drama that is adapted from a series of novels by George R. R. Martin called “A Song of Ice and Fire”. “Game of Thrones” is actually filmed in and around Belfast, Northern Ireland. I recently binge-watched the show’s first seven seasons, and enjoyed it. There’s no doubt that the production value of “Game of Thrones” is remarkable, but to be honest, I never became riveted by the storyline …

Daenerys Targaryen is a major character in the HBO show “Game of Thrones”, and the underlying series of novels by George R. Martin. On the small screen, she is played by English actress Emilia Clarke.

42. Doofus : DOLT

“Doofus” (also “dufus”) is student slang that has been around since the sixties. Apparently the word is a variant of the equally unattractive term “doo-doo”.

43. Knighted Irish rocker : BONO

Irish singer Bono is a Dubliner who was born Paul David Hewson. As a youth, Hewson was given the nickname “Bono Vox” by a friend, a Latin expression meaning “good voice”, and so the singer has been known as Bono since the late seventies. His band’s first name was “Feedback”, later changed to “The Hype”. The band members searched for yet another name and chose U2 from a list of six names suggested by a friend. They picked U2 because it was the name they disliked least …

46. Twin Cities campus, informally : U OF M

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (the U of M) comprises two campuses located a few miles apart, one in Minneapolis, and one in Saint Paul. One of U of M’s graduates is Bob Dylan, the 2016 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

50. “The A-Team” actor : MR T

“The A-Team” is an action television series that originally ran in the eighties. The A-Team was a group of ex-US special forces personnel who became mercenaries. Star of the show was Hollywood actor George Peppard (as “Hannibal” Smith), ably assisted by Mr. T (as “B.A.” Baracus) and Robert Vaughn (as Hunt Stockwell).

53. Show in which Gloria and Lois commiserate about lazy husbands? : MODERN FAMILY GUY (“Modern Family” & “Family Guy”)

“Modern Family” is a marvelous television show shown on ABC since 2009. The show’s format is that of a “mockumentary”, with the cast often addressing the camera directly. In that respect “Modern Family” resembles two other excellent shows: “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation”, both of which might also be described a “mockumentaries”.

“Family Guy” is a very successful animated television show. It was created by Seth MacFarlane, the same guy who came up with “American Dad!”. My kids love them both. Me, I can’t stand ‘em …

58. Half a comedy duo : MEARA

Anne Meara married fellow comedic actor Jerry Stiller in 1954. The couple’s children are actors Ben and Amy Stiller. Meara co-starred with Carroll O’Connor and Martin Balsam in the eighties sitcom “Archie Bunker’s Place”, a spin-off from “All in the Family”.

60. Riviera saison : ETE

In French, “été” (summer) is a common time to go “en vacances” (on vacation).

“Riviera” is an Italian word meaning “coastline”. The term is often applied to a coastline that is sunny and popular with tourists. The term “the Riviera” is usually reserved for the French Riviera (the Mediterranean coastline in southeastern France), and the Italian Riviera (the Mediterranean coastline centered on Genoa).

61. One-eighties : UIES

Hang a “uey” or “uie”, make a u-turn, make a 180.

62. People couple : ITEM

An unmarried couple known to be involved with each other might appear in the gossip columns. This appearance as “an item” in the papers, led to the use of “item” to refer to such a couple, but only since the very early seventies.

There used to be a “People” page in each issue of “Time” magazine. This page was spun-off in 1974 as a publication of its own, which we now call “People” magazine. “People” is noted for its annual special editions with features such as “Best & Worst Dressed” and “Sexiest Man Alive”. The “Sexiest Man Alive” edition now appears at the end of November each year. The first choice for “Sexiest Man” was Mel Gibson, in 1985.

65. Show in which a Time Lord becomes a live-in domestic worker? : DR WHO’S THE BOSS (“Dr. Who” & “Who’s the Boss?”)

“Dr Who” is an iconic sci-fi television series that is made in the UK by the BBC. First broadcast in 1963, the show is still running today, making it the longest running sci-fi television show in the world. Dr. Who is a time traveler,from the planet Gallifrey, who “regenerates” from time to time (pun!) so that a new actor fits seamlessly into the storyline. He travels in his famous TARDIS spacecraft. Outwardly, the TARDIS looks like a police call box from the 1950s, but inside it is an enormous, multi-roomed time machine. TARDIS is an acronym standing for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.

“Who’s the Boss?” is a sitcom that ran from 1984 to 1992. The title refers to the fact that the character known as Angela was the boss, and the character called Tony (played by Tony Danza) was the stay at home homemaker. Back in the eighties that arrangement of male and female roles was a big deal (said the stay-at-home crossword blogger …).

69. ’60s war zone : NAM

By some definitions, the official involvement of Americans in the Vietnam War started in 1955. At that time, President Eisenhower deployed a Military Assistance Advisory Group to assist in the training of the South Vietnamese Army. American involvement in the conflict officially ended in 1973 with the signing of an agreement that came out of the Paris Peace Accords.

70. Panini cheese : ASIAGO

Asiago is a crumbly cheese that is named for the region in northeastern Italy from where it originates.

In Italy, a sandwich made from sliced bread is called a “tramezzino”, while sandwiches made from non-sliced breads are called “panini” (singular “panino”). We’ve imported the term “panini” into English to describe a pressed and toasted sandwich.

72. Inlets : RIAS

A drowned valley might be called a ria or a fjord, with both formed as sea level rises. A ria is a drowned valley created by river erosion, and a fjord is a drowned valley created by glaciation.

73. Lamb pen name : ELIA

The “Essays of Elia” began appearing in “London Magazine” in 1820, and were immediate hits with the public. The author was Charles Lamb, and “Elia” was actually a clerk with whom Lamb worked. The most famous of the essays in the collection are probably “Dream-Children” and “Old China”.

74. Civil War letters : CSA

The Confederate States of America (CSA) set up government in 1861 just before Abraham Lincoln took office. Jefferson Davis was selected as President of the CSA at its formation, and retained the post for the life of the government.

76. Show in which zombies invade an 1870s South Dakota town? : WALKING DEADWOOD (“Walking Dead” & “Deadwood”)

“The Walking Dead” is a horror television show made by AMC that is based on a comic book series of the same name. There are lots of flesh-eating zombies featured, so I won’t be caught “dead” watching it …

“Deadwood” is a very enjoyable western series that aired on HBO from 2004 to 2006. The show is set in Deadwood, South Dakota in the 1870s. At that time, Deadwood was transitioning from an illegal settlement on Native American land thriving on the discovery of gold, into a fully-fledged frontier town. Some famous and colorful characters appear in the storyline, including Seth Bullock, Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Recommended viewing …

80. Program named for its broadcast day, for short : SNL

“Saturday Night Live” (SNL)

83. Beloved 1981 bride : DIANA

Charles, Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. The wedding was a huge television event, with about 750 million people tuning in worldwide. Despite the event being billed as a fairytale wedding, the couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996.

84. Thor’s father : ODIN

In Norse mythology, Odin was the chief of the gods. Odin’s wife Frigg was the queen of Asgard whose name gave us our English term “Friday” (via Anglo-Saxon). Odin’s son was Thor, and his name gave us the term “Thursday”. Odin himself gave us our word “Wednesday”, from “Wodin”, the English form of his name.

86. Cambodia neighbor : LAOS

The official name for the country of Laos is the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. In the Lao language, the country’s name is “Meuang Lao”. The French ruled Laos as part of French Indochina, having united three separate Lao kingdoms. As there was a plural of “Lao” entities united into one, the French added the “S” and so today we tend to use “Laos” instead of “Lao”.

The Kingdom of Cambodia is located in the Indochina Peninsula of Southeast Asia, and is bordered by Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and the Gulf of Thailand. “Cambodia” is the English version of the country’s name, which in Khmer is “Kampuchea”.

90. Show in which Richie and the Fonz write a soap? : HAPPY DAYS OF OUR LIVES (“Happy Days” & “Days of Our Lives”)

The fabulous sitcom “Happy Days” originally ran for 11 seasons, from 1974 to 1984. That makes it the second longest-running sitcom in the history of ABC (behind “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet”). “Happy Days’ spawned several spin-off shows, two of which became very successful. Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams played two characters who later featured in “Laverne and Shirley”, and Robin Williams first played Mork from Ork on a “Happy Days” episode, which led to “Mork & Mindy”.

NBC’s “Days of Our Lives” is the second-longest running soap opera on US television, second only to “General Hospital”. “Days …” has been aired since November 1965.

100. Anklebone : TALUS

The collection of seven bones in the foot just below the ankle are known collectively as the tarsus. One of those bones is the talus (plural “tali”), more commonly called the ankle bone. The talus is the lower part of the ankle joint and articulates with the lower ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower leg.

104. Chop shop wheels : HOT CAR

After a car is stolen it might be delivered to a “chop shop”, a workshop that can break up the vehicle so that it can be sold for parts.

116. Like blokes : MALE

“Bloke” is British slang for “fellow”. The etymology of “bloke” seems to have been lost in the mists of time.

118. Curds in blocks : TOFU

“Tofu” is a name for bean curd, and is a Japanese word meaning just that … bean that has curdled. Tofu is produced by coagulating soy milk, using either salt or something acidic. Once the protein has coagulated, the curds are pressed into the familiar blocks. Personally I love tofu, but my wife, she absolutely hates it …

Down

1. One may be L-shaped : SOFA

“Sofa” is a Turkish word meaning “bench”.

3. Race distance : MILE

The 4-minute barrier for the mile run was first broken in 1954 by Roger Bannister, when he finished in just over 3m 59s. The record for males now stands at 3m 43s. If you plan on running a 4-minute mile, you should probably be warned that this means you have to run the whole race at an average speed of over 15 mph (do the math!).

4. Hogwarts mail carrier : OWL

In the “Harry Potter” universe, messages are sent by owl post, which uses owls as mail carriers.

6. JWoww’s title pal in a “Jersey Shore” spin-off : SNOOKI

Nicole Polizzi is quite the celebrity, known by her nickname of Snooki on the MTV reality television show “Jersey Shore”. Polizzi gets her nickname from the character Snooki in the film “Save the Last Dance”, a nickname she was given in middle school because she was the first in her group of friends to kiss a boy.

7. Hosp. hookups : IVS

One might see an intravenous drips (IV) in an intensive care unit (ICU).

8. Burns, e.g. : POET

Robert Burns is a cultural icon in Scotland and for Scots around the world. As a poet, Burns was a pioneer in the Romantic movement in the second half of the 18th century. One of his most famous works is the poem “Auld Lang Syne”, which has been set to the tune of a traditional Scottish folk song and is used to celebrate the New Year in the English-speaking world.

9. Great Plains tribe : OTOE

The Great Plains lie between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains in North America. This vast grassland is known as “the Prairies” in Canada.

10. Kanye West label : DEF JAM

Def Jam is a US record label, one focused on hip hop music.

Kanye West is a rap singer who was born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago. He also spent some time in Nanjing, China as a child, where his mother was teaching as part of an exchange program. West is married to reality star Kim Kardashian.

11. Italian director Zeffirelli : FRANCO

Franco Zeffirelli is best known in the US a film director. But, he is also a major director of opera, especially in his homeland of Italy. Zeffirelli’s most famous movies in English are “The Taming of the Shrew” (starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton) and 1968’s “Romeo and Juliet”.

15. Gen Xer’s parent, perhaps : BABY BOOMER

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”.

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 one definition, Gen-Xers were born between 1961 and 1981.

25. NASCAR’s Yarborough : CALE

Cale Yarborough is a former NASCAR driver and owner. Yarborough was the first NASCAR driver to appear on the cover of “Sports Illustrated”.

32. Western resort : TAHOE

Lake Tahoe (often referred to simply as “Tahoe”) is up in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and is located right on the border between California and Nevada. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in the country, and the largest lake in general, behind the five Great Lakes. It’s also the second deepest lake, with only the beautiful Crater Lake in Oregon being deeper. Given its location, there are tall casinos that sit right on the shore on the Nevada side of the state line where gambling is legal.

37. Unwelcome flower : DANDELION

The name “dandelion” comes from the French “dent de lion” meaning “lion’s tooth”. The name is a reference to the coarse, tooth-like edges of a dandelion’s leaves.

39. Yours, in Tours : A TOI

Tours is the largest city in the Centre region of France. It is said that the people of Tours speak the “purest” form of French in the whole country, and when spoken by a local it is also said to be free of any accent.

44. Swatch Group products : OMEGAS

Omega is a manufacturer of high-end watches based in Switzerland. An Omega watch was the first portable timepiece to make it to the moon.

51. Slickers : RAINCOATS

A slicker is a waterproof jacket or coat that is typically worn to protect the body from rain. Back in the mid-19th century, a slicker was a tool used for smoothing (slicking) leather. The term was adopted in the 1880s for a raincoat made from such leather. By 1900, a slicker was also a clever and crafty (slick) person.

52. Traitorous acts : TREASONS

Treason is a serious crime committed against the nation (or the sovereign). One who commits “treason” is called a “traitor”. In the past, the term treason also applied to lesser crimes so there was a differentiation between high treason against the king, and “petit treason” against a more common citizen.

54. Robert De __ : NIRO

Robert De Niro is noted for his longtime and highly successful collaboration with the director Martin Scorsese, in such films as “Taxi Driver” (1976), “Raging Bull” (1980), “Goodfellas” (1990) and “Casino” (1995). De Niro is also noted for his commitment as a method actor. Famously, he gained a full 60 pounds in order to play Jake Lamotta in “Raging Bull”.

56. Guru’s lodging : ASHRAM

“Ashram” is a term used in the Hindu tradition to describe a place of spiritual retreat, one that is typically located in a remote location conducive to spiritual instruction and meditation.

“Guru” is a Hindi word meaning “teacher” or “priest”.

59. Fleet : ARMADA

The most famous armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England in order to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I in 1588. It failed in its mission, partly due to bad weather encountered en route. Ironically, the English mounted a similar naval attack against Spain the following year, and it failed as well.

66. Surprisingly, what the “O” in OPEC doesn’t stand for : OIL

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

67. Literary pen name : SAKI

Hector Hugh Munro was a British writer who actually was born in Burma. He was most famous for his short stories, which he published using the pen name “Saki”.

77. __ contendere: court plea : NOLO

“Nolo contendere” (sometimes shortened to “nolo”) is a legal term that translates from Latin as “I do not wish to contend”. It’s the plea of no contest, and is an alternative to guilty and not guilty, meaning that one doesn’t admit guilt but nor does one dispute the charge.

78. 1965 Pulitzer author Shirley Ann __ : GRAU

Shirley Ann Grau is a writer from New Orleans whose stories are largely set in the Deep South. Grau won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1965 for her novel “The Keepers of the House”.

90. Seraglios : HAREMS

“Seraglio” was the name given to the living quarters use by wives and concubines in some Ottoman households. A seraglio might also be referred to as a harem.

92. Way out of jail : PAROLE

The term “parole” is a French word that we use in English, with the French “parole” meaning “word, speech”. Of particular interest is the French phrase “parole d’honneur” which translates as “word of honor”. In the early 1600s we started using “parole” to mean a promise by a prisoner of war not to escape, as in the prisoner giving his “word of honor” not to run off. Over time, parole has come to mean conditional release of a prisoner before he or she has served the full term of a sentence.

93. Bumpkins : YAHOOS

Yahoos are brutish creatures introduced by Irish author Jonathan Swift in “Gulliver’s Travels”. Their savage, slovenly ways gave rise of the use of “yahoo” in English to describe a lout or neanderthal.

“Bumpkin” is really a not-so-nice term for someone from a rural area. The term has an even less nice derivation. It comes from from the Middle Dutch “bommekijn” meaning “little barrel”. “Bumpkin” was used as a derogatory term for Dutch people, who were regarded as short and plump.

96. __ Fitzgerald : F SCOTT

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote five novels (one unfinished), the most famous of which is “The Great Gatsby”. A little bit of trivia about Fitzgerald is that he was the first cousin once removed of Mary Surratt, the boarding house owner who was convicted of participating in the plot to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln and who was hanged for her crime.

97. Where “the birds began to sing” : IN A PIE

“Sing a Song of Sixpence” is an English nursery rhyme that dates back to the 1700s. In the rhyme there are a couple of lines that have always intrigued me:

Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie

This seems to be a reference to the practice in the 16th century of “baking” live birds into a pie for special occasions. When the crust was cut open the birds would fly away, much to the amusement of the diners.

103. Nobel Prize subj. : ECON

The Peace Prize is the most famous of the five prizes bequeathed by Alfred Nobel. The others are for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature. There is also a Nobel Prize in Economics that is awarded along with the original five, but it is funded separately and is awarded “in memory of Alfred Nobel”. Four of the prizes are awarded by Swedish organizations (Alfred Nobel was a Swede) and so the award ceremonies take place in Stockholm. The Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and that award is presented in Oslo.

106. Better mtge. deal : REFI

Our word “mortgage” comes from the Old French “mort gaige” which translated as “dead pledge”. Such an arrangement was so called because the “pledge” to repay “dies” when the debt is cleared.

109. Dire March time : IDES

In Act I of William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” a soothsayer warns the doomed emperor to “beware the ides of March”. Caesar ignores the prophecy and is subsequently killed on the steps of the Capitol by a group of conspirators on that fateful day.

110. London jazz duo? : ZEDS

The letter named “zed” has been around since about 1400, and derives from the Greek letter zeta. The spelling and pronunciation “zee”, used in America today, first popped up in the 1670s. The spelling and pronunciation “zed” is still used in Britain and Ireland.

There are two letters Z (zee) in the word “jazz”.

113. Pi follower : RHO

Rho is the Greek letter that looks just like our Roman letter “p”, although it is equivalent to the Roman letter R.

114. Shag or throw : RUG

Shag carpet is one with a deep pile, one with a “shaggy” appearance.

115. Big __ : SUR

Big Sur is a lovely part of the California Coast located south of Monterey and Carmel. The name “Big Sur” comes from the original Spanish description of the area as “el sur grande” meaning “the big south”.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Thin Mint cousins : SAMOAS
7. Music-playing Apple : IPOD
11. Campus residence, maybe : FRAT
15. “I touched your nose!” sound : BOOP!
19. Luke’s mentor : OBI-WAN
20. Choice : VOTE
21. Casino city near 32-Down : RENO
22. Part of A.D. : ANNO
23. Show in which the Tanners move to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.? : FULL HOUSE OF CARDS (“Full House” & “House of Cards”)
26. “All __ are off” : BETS
27. Had : ATE
28. Usual method: Abbr. : SOP
29. Selena’s music style : TEJANO
30. Block : STYMIE
32. “Star Trek” actor : TAKEI
34. Big name in foil : ALCOA
36. Justice Kagan appointer : OBAMA
37. Show in which Daenerys questions her suitors? : DATING GAME OF THRONES (“Dating Game” & “Game of Thrones”)
41. “Phooey!” : PAH!
42. Doofus : DOLT
43. Knighted Irish rocker : BONO
44. “… but maybe I’m wrong” : … OR NOT
46. Twin Cities campus, informally : U OF M
49. Old horse : NAG
50. “The A-Team” actor : MR T
53. Show in which Gloria and Lois commiserate about lazy husbands? : MODERN FAMILY GUY (“Modern Family” & “Family Guy”)
58. Half a comedy duo : MEARA
60. Riviera saison : ETE
61. One-eighties : UIES
62. People couple : ITEM
63. Better ventilated : AIRIER
64. Insole material : GEL
65. Show in which a Time Lord becomes a live-in domestic worker? : DR WHO’S THE BOSS (“Dr. Who” & “Who’s the Boss?”)
69. ’60s war zone : NAM
70. Panini cheese : ASIAGO
72. Inlets : RIAS
73. Lamb pen name : ELIA
74. Civil War letters : CSA
75. Lifted : STOLE
76. Show in which zombies invade an 1870s South Dakota town? : WALKING DEADWOOD (“Walking Dead” & “Deadwood”)
80. Program named for its broadcast day, for short : SNL
81. Lower, as lights : DIM
82. “Are you __ not?” : IN OR
83. Beloved 1981 bride : DIANA
84. Thor’s father : ODIN
86. Cambodia neighbor : LAOS
89. Sgts.’ superiors : LTS
90. Show in which Richie and the Fonz write a soap? : HAPPY DAYS OF OUR LIVES (“Happy Days” & “Days of Our Lives”)
99. Silent and amazed : AGAPE
100. Anklebone : TALUS
101. Scourges : BANES
102. Went up again : REROSE
104. Chop shop wheels : HOT CAR
107. Strain : TAX
108. Show ending? : -BIZ
111. They may be inflated : EGOS
112. Installment of each of the “shows” in six puzzle answers? : CROSSOVER EPISODE
116. Like blokes : MALE
117. “I know! Call on me!” : OH OH!
118. Curds in blocks : TOFU
119. Hardened (to) : INURED
120. Raced : SPED
121. Too curious : NOSY
122. Little branch : TWIG
123. Way out : EGRESS

Down

1. One may be L-shaped : SOFA
2. Be flush with : ABUT
3. Race distance : MILE
4. Hogwarts mail carrier : OWL
5. Expresses awe over : AAHS AT
6. JWoww’s title pal in a “Jersey Shore” spin-off : SNOOKI
7. Hosp. hookups : IVS
8. Burns, e.g. : POET
9. Great Plains tribe : OTOE
10. Kanye West label : DEF JAM
11. Italian director Zeffirelli : FRANCO
12. Put new shingles on : REROOF
13. “Your point being?” : AND?
14. Trash : TOSS
15. Gen Xer’s parent, perhaps : BABY BOOMER
16. Solo : ONE-MAN
17. As scheduled : ON TIME
18. Impersonate : POSE AS
24. Overturn : UPEND
25. NASCAR’s Yarborough : CALE
31. Ripped : TORN
32. Western resort : TAHOE
33. “Can __ now?” : I GO
35. Good way to keep an enemy : AT BAY
37. Unwelcome flower : DANDELION
38. Feeling down : GLUM
39. Yours, in Tours : A TOI
40. Swine : HOG
41. Sits in, say : PROTESTS
44. Swatch Group products : OMEGAS
45. Plod : TRUDGE
47. Enters daintily : FLITS IN
48. Folk story : MYTH
49. Prepared for a filling : NUMBED
51. Slickers : RAINCOATS
52. Traitorous acts : TREASONS
54. Robert De __ : NIRO
55. Not many : FEW
56. Guru’s lodging : ASHRAM
57. “Golly!” : GEE
58. Have sum trouble : MISADD
59. Fleet : ARMADA
63. China setting : ASIA
66. Surprisingly, what the “O” in OPEC doesn’t stand for : OIL
67. Literary pen name : SAKI
68. Soccer cheer : OLE!
71. Naysayers? : ALL OPPOSED
76. Succeed in : WIN AT
77. __ contendere: court plea : NOLO
78. 1965 Pulitzer author Shirley Ann __ : GRAU
79. Charms : WILES
81. Accomplished : DID
85. Easter supplies : DYES
87. Earth, for one : ORB
88. Gray shade : SLATE
90. Seraglios : HAREMS
91. Possible barrier to romance : AGE GAP
92. Way out of jail : PAROLE
93. Bumpkins : YAHOOS
94. Like melting snow puddles : SLOSHY
95. Contract exceptions : OUTS
96. __ Fitzgerald : F SCOTT
97. Where “the birds began to sing” : IN A PIE
98. Annoying : VEXING
103. Nobel Prize subj. : ECON
105. Swear : AVOW
106. Better mtge. deal : REFI
108. Real snoozefest : BORE
109. Dire March time : IDES
110. London jazz duo? : ZEDS
113. Pi follower : RHO
114. Shag or throw : RUG
115. Big __ : SUR

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