LA Times Crossword 27 Jun 21, Sunday

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Constructed by: Ed Sessa
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: At the Anger Management Session …

Themed answers are phrases indicating ANGER. Each is clued with reference to a well-known fictional character (except for Santa, because he’s real …):

  • 27A … Rudolph was __ : SEEING RED
  • 29A … Elsie was __ : HAVING A COW
  • 42A … Humpty Dumpty was __ : DRIVEN UP A WALL
  • 64A … Herbie the “Love Bug” was __ : BLOWING A GASKET
  • 73A … Santa Claus was __ : HITTING THE ROOF
  • 98A … Puff the Magic Dragon was __ : BREATHING FIRE
  • 114A … Bugs Bunny was __ : HOPPING MAD
  • 117A … Mr. Bubble was __ : IN A LATHER

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

Bill’s time: 15m 44s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

6 Slugger’s stats : RBIS

Run batted in (RBI)

10 Lectric Shave competitor : AFTA

Afta is a brand of shaving products in the Mennen range, which is owned by Colgate-Palmolive.

14 CNN alternative : MSNBC

MSNBC was founded in 1996 as a partnership between Microsoft (“MS”) and GE’s “NBC” broadcasting operation. Microsoft only owns a minority share in MSNBC today, but is still an equal partner in the separate company that runs msnbc.com.

19 With 38-Across, Beethoven oeuvre with 35 works : PIANO …
(38A See 19-Across : … SONATAS)

The sum of an artist’s work in his or her lifetime is known as his or her “oeuvre”.

In addition to 5 cello sonatas and 10 violin sonatas, Ludwig van Beethoven composed 35 piano sonatas. The most famous of his sonatas that have acquired names are probably the “Pathétique”, “Moonlight”, “Waldstein” and “Appassionata”. I should add that, until relatively recently, the count of Beethoven’s sonatas was accepted as 32. Nowadays, the total is said to include 3 previously uncounted sonatas, composed when he was just 12 years old.

21 Seal site : BERG

An iceberg is a large piece of freshwater ice that is floating freely after having broken away from a glacier or ice shelf. Our use of “iceberg” comes from the Dutch word for the same phenomenon “ijsberg”, which translates literally as “ice mountain”.

22 Pong creator : ATARI

Do you remember the arcade video game that is like a game of tennis, with paddles moving up and down to hit what looks like a ball, over what looks like a net? Well, that is Pong. The arcade version of Pong was introduced in 1972, with Atari selling a home version through Sears for the Christmas market in 1975.

23 IGTV company, briefly : INSTA

In 2018, Instagram introduced a standalone video app known as IGTV (short for Instagram TV). Whereas Instagram has a limit of 60 seconds of video, IGTV allows up to 60 minutes.

24 On the safer side : ALEE

Alee is the direction away from the wind. If a sailor points into the wind, he or she is pointing aweather.

25 Hebrides hill : BRAE

The Hebrides are a group of islands just off the west coast of Scotland. They are divided into two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides.

27 … Rudolph was __ : SEEING RED

We get the names for Santa’s reindeer from the famous 1823 poem called “A Visit from St. Nicholas”, although we’ve modified a couple of the names over the years. The full list is:

  • Dasher
  • Dancer
  • Prancer
  • Vixen
  • Comet
  • Cupid
  • Donder (originally “Dunder”, and now often “Donner”)
  • Blitzen (originally “Blixem”)

Rudolph was added to the list by retailer Montgomery Ward, would you believe? The store commissioned Robert L. May to create a booklet that could be handed out to children around Christmas in 1939, and May introduced us to a new friend for Santa, namely Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

29 … Elsie was __ : HAVING A COW

Elsie the Cow is the mascot of the Borden Company. Elsie first appeared at the New York World’s Fair in 1939, introduced to symbolize the perfect dairy product. She is so famous and respected that she has been awarded the degrees of Doctor of Bovinity, Doctor of Human Kindness and Doctor of Ecownomics. Elsie was also given a husband named Elmer the Bull. Elmer eventually moved over to the chemical division of Borden where he gave his name to Elmer’s Glue.

31 MLB blasts : HRS

Home run (HR)

32 Fat substitute : OLESTRA

Olestra is a fat substitute. Naturally-occurring fats are made of a glycerol molecule holding together three fatty acids. Olestra is instead made of several fatty acid chains held together by a sucrose molecule. Olestra has a similar taste and consistency as natural fat, but has zero caloric impact as it is too large a molecule to pass through the intestinal wall and passes right out of the body. Personally, I would steer clear of it. Olestra is banned in Britain and Canada due to concerns about side effects, but I guess someone knows the right palms to grease (pun intended!) here in the US, and so it’s in our food.

34 Type of type that shows stress : ITALIC

Italic type leans to the right, and is often used to provide emphasis in text. The style is known as “italic” because the stylized calligraphic form of writing originated in Italy, probably in the Vatican.

36 Hung over? : EAVED

The eaves are the overhanging edges of a roof that project beyond the supporting wall. The term “eaves” evolved from the Old English “efes” meaning “edge”.

42 … Humpty Dumpty was __ : DRIVEN UP A WALL

Humpty Dumpty is a character in a nursery rhyme. He is usually depicted as an egg, although that isn’t specifically called out in the original rhyme:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

46 “Storm” seabird : PETREL

The petrel is a migratory seabird known for hovering just above the waves, with feet barely touching the water. This behavior gives rise to the name “petrel” after the Christian Saint Peter, as “Peter” was said to have walked on the water. Included in the petrel grouping are the various species of storm petrels.

48 “Fresh Air” airer : NPR

“Fresh Air” is a marvelous radio talk show broadcast on NPR, and hosted by Terry Gross. The first broadcast of the program was made in 1975, with Judy Blank hosting. Terry Gross took over a few months later, and Gross has been presenting and producing the show ever since. I had the privilege of hearing Terry Gross give a talk here in my hometown some years ago. What a fascinating woman she is, full of great stories about her experiences interviewing so many interesting personalities.

49 “His Dark Materials” protagonist : LYRA

“His Dark Materials” is a fantasy television series based on the epic trilogy of novels of the same name by Philip Pullman. Not for me …

53 Marx Brothers film setting : OPERA

“A Night at the Opera” is a 1935 Marx Brothers film that was the first movie in which Chico, Harpo and Groucho appeared without their brother Zeppo. “A Night at the Opera” is really great entertainment!

55 Beatles nonsense syllables : OB-LA-

“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” is one of many songs credited to Lennon/McCartney that was actually written by just one of the pair. Paul McCartney wrote this one, a song that John Lennon really did not like at all. Apparently, Lennon was quite obstructionist during the recording of the song and even walked out at one point.

59 Gp. using caps and crowns : ADA

The American Dental Association (ADA) is the largest and oldest national dental association in the world. Today the ADA is based in Chicago, but the association was founded in Niagara Falls, New York in 1859. The ADA started out as a group of 26 dentists, and it now has more than 152,000 members.

62 Bayou music style : ZYDECO

Zydeco is a style of folk music that evolved from Creole music in Louisiana. The name “Zydeco” is imitative of the French word for green beans, “les haricots”. The term arose from a popular dance tune called “Les Haricots Sont Pas Salés” (“The Green Beans Ain’t Salty”).

A bayou is a marshy inlet or outlet of a lake or river, usually with stagnant or slow-moving water. The exact origins of the term “bayou” is uncertain, but it is thought perhaps to come from the Choctaw (a Native American people from the southeast) word “bayuk”, meaning “small stream”.

64 … Herbie the “Love Bug” was __ : BLOWING A GASKET

“The Love Bug” is a 1969 film from Walt Disney, the star of which is a 1963 Volkswagen Bug named Herbie. Believe it or not, the movie is based on a book called “Car, Boy, Girl” written by Gordon Buford. “The Love Bug” spawned a series of sequels such as “Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo” (1977) and “Herbie: Fully Loaded” (2005).

69 Mano a mano : AT IT

“Mano a mano” is Spanish for “hand-to-hand”, and is used in English to mean “face-to-face”.

72 Singer Anthony : MARC

“Marc Anthony” is the stage name of Marco Antonio Muñiz, a Puerto Rican-American singer. Anthony’s first wife was Dayanara Torres, a former Miss Universe from Puerto Rico. His second wife was quite famous too: singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. He divorced from the latter in 2014.

82 Jimmy Eat World genre : EMO

Jimmy Eat World is an alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona.

83 Korean car company : KIA

Kia Motors is the second largest manufacturer of cars in South Korea, behind Hyundai (and Hyundai is a part owner in Kia now). Kia was founded in 1944 as a manufacturer of bicycle parts, and did indeed produce Korea’s first domestic bicycle. The company’s original name was Kyungsung Precision Industry, with the Kia name introduced in 1952.

84 Movie physician with a two-letter name : DR NO

“Dr. No” may have been the first film in the wildly successful James Bond franchise, but it was the sixth novel in the series of books penned by Ian Fleming. Fleming was inspired to write the story after reading the Fu Manchu tales by Sax Rohmer. If you’ve read the Rohmer books or seen the films, you’ll recognize the similarities between the characters Dr. Julius No and Fu Manchu. By the way, the author Ian Fleming tells us that Julius No attended medical school in Milwaukee.

86 Lou Grant portrayer : ASNER

The character Lou Grant originated on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”. Grant was Mary Richards’ boss at WJM-TV in Minneapolis, and was played by Ed Asner. As Lou Grant, Asner is the only actor ever to win a comedy and drama Emmy for playing the same character.

89 Oil filter brand : FRAM

FRAM is a producer of replacement parts for automobiles, especially oil, air and fuel filters. The company was founded in 1932 in Lake Forest, Illinois. Back in 1942, FRAM used the slogan “The Dipstick Tells the Story”.

92 Walgreens rival : CVS

The name of the drugstore chain CVS once stood for “Consumer Value Stores”, although these days the company uses the initialism to denote “Convenience, Value and Service”.

98 … Puff the Magic Dragon was __ : BREATHING FIRE

“Puff the Magic Dragon” is a song released in 1963 by Peter, Paul and Mary. It was written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow (the “Peter” of the singing trio). The lyrics tell the story of a dragon named Puff, and a little boy named Jackie Paper. There is an urban myth that the lyrics refer to the use of drugs. In fact, the words are based on a poem that Lipton wrote when he was 19-years-old in 1959, and which was inspired by an Ogden Nash poem called “Custard the Dragon”.

105 __ Moore: canned stew brand : DINTY

Dinty Moore is a meat products brand owned by Hormel.

107 Offerer of free drinks and chips : CASINO

The term “casino” originated in the 1700s, then describing a public room for music or dancing. “Casino” is a diminutive of “casa” meaning “house”.

111 No. cruncher : CPA

Certified public accountant (CPA)

114 … Bugs Bunny was __ : HOPPING MAD

Bugs Bunny first said “What’s up, Doc?” in the 1940 cartoon short “A Wild Hare”, while addressing the hunter Elmer Fudd.

117 … Mr. Bubble was __ : IN A LATHER

Mr. Bubble is a best-selling brand of bath products, most notably bubble bath foams.

119 Quiet lake transport : CANOE

The boat known as a canoe takes its name from the Carib word “kenu” meaning “dugout”. It was Christopher Columbus who brought “kenu” into Spanish as “canoa”, which evolved into our English “canoe”.

120 Highlands native : GAEL

A Gael is anyone of a race that speaks or spoke one of the Erse tongues. There are actually three Erse languages. Irish, Manx (spoken on the Isle of Man) and Scots Gaelic. In their own tongues, these would be “Gaeilge” (in Ireland), “Gaelg” (on the Isle of Man) and “Gaidhlig” (in Scotland).

The Scottish Highlands are that part of the country not classified as the Lowlands(!). The Highlands make up the north and west of Scotland.

121 Emoji, for one : ICON

An emoji is a character found on many cell phones that is much like an emoticon, but is more elaborate. “Emoji” is a Japanese word meaning “picture word”.

122 Birthplace of rapper Wyclef Jean : HAITI

The Republic of Haiti occupies the smaller, western portion of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. The rest of the island is taken up by the Dominican Republic. Haiti is one of only two nations in the Americas to have French as an official language, the other being Canada.

Wyclef Jean is an American rap artist who was born in Haiti and emigrated to the US with his family when he was 9 years old. In 2010, Wyclef made a serious attempt to run in the Haitian presidential election. His candidacy was rejected as he had not lived in the country for five years prior to the date of that election.

124 Strauss’ “__ Alpensinfonie” : EINE

“An Alpine Symphony” (“Eine Alpensinfonie” in German) is a 1915 tone poem by German composer Richard Strauss. The piece depicts daybreak to nightfall climb of an Alpine mountain. “An Alpine Symphony” comprises just one movement, but it takes about 50 minutes to perform, and calls for an orchestra of 125 musicians.

125 Mineral removed from some baby powder : TALC

Talc is a mineral, hydrated magnesium silicate. Talcum powder is composed of loose talc, although these days “baby powder” is also made from cornstarch.

126 Kate’s TV mate : ALLIE

The sitcom “Kate & Allie” ran from 1984 to 1989, starring Susan Saint James as Kate, and Jane Curtin as Allie. Jane Curtin won two Emmy awards for her work on the series, while Susan Saint James … did not.

128 Supreme leader? : ROSS

The Supremes were the most successful vocal group in US history based on number-one hits. The group started out in 1959 as a four-member lineup called the Primettes. The name was changed to the Supremes in 1961. One member dropped out in 1962, leaving the Supremes as a trio. Lead singer Diana Ross began to garner much of the attention, which eventually led to a further name change, to Diana Ross & the Supremes.

129 Big name in skin care : OLAY

Oil of Olay was developed in South Africa in 1949. When Oil of Olay was introduced internationally, it was given slightly different brand names designed to appeal in the different geographies. In Ireland we know it as Oil of Ulay, for example, and in France it is Oil of Olaz.

130 Upper body muscles, for short : DELTS

The deltoid “muscle” is actually a group of muscles, the ones that cover the shoulder and create the roundness under the skin. The deltoids (delts) are triangular in shape resembling the Greek letter delta, hence the name.

Down

2 Frozen rope, in baseball : LINER

In baseball, a “frozen rope” is a line drive that is hard hit, or a strong throw from the outfield. I guess a frozen rope is as straight as an arrow, or a well-hit baseball …

5 Virginia’s so-called “Lost Colony” : ROANOKE

Roanoke Island is in modern-day North Carolina. It was settled in the late 1500s by an expedition financed by Sir Walter Raleigh. The final group of colonists that landed in Roanoke were left there for three years without resupply from England (due to the Anglo-Spanish War). When a supply ship finally landed, the settlement was found abandoned with no sign of the colonists. All 100 people had disappeared without any indication of a struggle, and so Roanoke became known as the “Lost Colony”.

10 Group honored at a Stockholm exhibit : ABBA

ABBA The Museum is an exhibition in Stockholm that opened in 2013. One of the exhibits featured in the “museum” is a self-playing piano that is linked to a piano in Benny Andersson’s own home. So, the museum’s piano reproduces whatever Benny is playing, in real time. That’s kind of cool …

11 With great enthusiasm : FERVIDLY

Our word “fervid”, meaning “heated in spirit, burning”, derives ultimately from the Latin “fervere”, meaning “to boil”.

13 Gemini rockets : AGENAS

The Agena Target Vehicle (ATV) was used in NASA’s Gemini program to practice rendezvous and docking maneuvers in preparation for the Apollo missions that would take man to the moon.

14 Blues singer played by Viola Davis : MA RAINEY

Ma Rainey was a blues singer, in fact the earliest-known professional blues singer in North America. Born Gertrude Pridgett in 1886, she adopted the stage name Ma Rainey after marrying Will Rainey in 1904.

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is a 2020 biopic based on the 1982 play of the same name by August Wilson. Both play and film tell the story of blues singer Ma Rainey. The movie features Viola Davis as Rainey and Chadwick Boseman as trumpeter Levee Green. Boseman died soon after the film wrapped, making “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” his last appearance on the big screen.

15 How dotted notes should be played : STACCATO

Staccato (stac.) is a musical direction signifying that notes should be played in a disconnected form. The opposite of staccato would be legato, indicating long and continuous notes played very smoothly.

16 Brussels-based gp. : NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an international military alliance that was established in 1949. NATO headquarters was initially set up in London, moved to Paris in 1952, and then to Brussels 1967.

18 El __ : CID

Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar was known as El Cid Campeador, which translates as “The Champion” or perhaps “The Lord, Master of Military Arts”. El Cid was a soldier who fought under the rule of King Alfonso VI of Spain (among others). However, he was sent into exile by the King in 1080, after acting beyond his authorization in battle. El Cid then offered his services to his former foes, the Moorish kings, After a number of years building a reputation with the Moors, he was recalled from exile by Alfonso. By this time El Cid was very much his own man. Nominally under the orders of Alfonso, he led a combined army of Spanish and Moorish troops and took the city of Valencia on the Mediterranean coast in 1094, making it his headquarters and home. He died in Valencia, quite peacefully, in 1099.

28 Close in theaters : GLENN

Glenn Close is a wonderful actress who has played many varied roles, but is well known for her portrayals of less than wholesome characters. She played the crazy Alex Forrest in “Fatal Attraction”, and Cruella de Vil in “101 Dalmatians”. More recently, Close had a regular role on a TV show called “Damages”. Glenn Close is an avid fan of the New York Mets and regularly sings the national anthem before games. As of 2021, Close is tied with Peter O’Toole for the record for the most Oscar acting nominations without a win (that would be eight).

29 “__ Nagila”: Israeli folk song : HAVA

“Hava Nagila” is a Hebrew folk song, with the title translating into “Let Us Rejoice”. The melody is from a Ukrainian folk song. The words to “Hava Nagila” were composed in 1918 to celebrate the British victory in Palestine during WWI.

40 Nest on a crest : AERIE

An aerie (sometimes “eyrie”) is an eagle’s nest. The term “aerie” can also more generally describe any bird’s nest that is located on a cliff or a mountaintop.

42 TV physician with a two-letter name : DR OZ

Mehmet Oz is a cardiothoracic surgeon, and a TV personality known simply as “Dr. Oz”. Oz appeared as a health expert for several seasons on “The Oprah Winfrey Show”. Now he has his own “The Dr. Oz Show” on radio and television that is backed by Winfrey’s Harpo Productions.

44 Fingered : IDED

Identity document (ID)

51 Garden guy : ADAM

According to the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve lived in a garden “in” Eden, with Eden being geographically located by reference to four rivers, including the Tigris and the Euphrates. Some scholars hypothesize that Eden was located in Mesopotamia, which encompasses much of modern-day Iraq.

57 Word with stone or star : LODE-

Magnetite is a form of iron oxide ore, a valuable source of iron. It is the most magnetic of all known minerals, hence the name. Pieces of magnetite called lodestone were used in ancient times to study the property of magnetism.

“Lodestar” is a term rarely used now, and describes a bright star that’s used for navigation purposes. The most famous would be Polaris, the Pole Star, which is very close to true north. The name lodestar comes from the days of early compasses when a naturally magnetic stone was used to detect magnetic north. These stones were called lodestones.

60 Bacteriologist’s material : AGAR

Agar (also “agar-agar”) is a jelly extracted from seaweed that has many uses. Agar is found in Japanese desserts, and can also be used as a food thickener or even as a laxative. In the world of science, it is the most common medium used for growing bacteria in Petri dishes.

65 Hunchback of fiction : IGOR

In the world of movies, Igor has been the assistant to Dracula, Frankenstein and Young Frankenstein among others. Igor is almost invariably portrayed as a hunchback.

66 Bright sign : NEON

The basic design of neon lighting was first demonstrated at the Paris Motor Show in 1910. Such lighting is made up of glass tubes containing a vacuum into which has been introduced a small amount of neon gas. When a voltage is applied between two electrodes inside the tube, the neon gas “glows” and gives off the familiar light.

67 Graceful equine : ARAB

The Arab (also “Arabian”) breed of horse takes its name from its original home, the Arabian Peninsula. Like any animal that humans have over-bred, the horse falls prey to genetic diseases, some of which are fatal and some of which require the horse to be euthanized.

68 Places to pick up puppies? : SCRUFFS

The scruff is the nape of the neck.

70 End-of-week cry : TGIF!

“Thank God It’s Friday” (TGIF) is a relatively new expression that apparently originated in Akron, Ohio. It was a catchphrase used first by disk jockey Jerry Healy of WAKR in the early seventies. That said, one blog reader wrote to me to say that he had been using the phrase in the fifties.

75 Printer supply : TONER

The key features of a laser printer (or copier) are that it uses plain paper and produces quality text at high speed. Laser printers work by projecting a laser image of the printed page onto a rotating drum that is coated with photoconductors (material that becomes conductive when exposed to light). The areas of the drum exposed to the laser carry a different charge than the unexposed areas. Dry ink (toner) sticks to the exposed areas due to electrostatic charge. The toner is then transferred to paper by contact and is fused into the paper by the application of heat. So, that explains why paper coming out of a laser printer is warm, and sometimes powdery.

76 Pine __: dugout supply : TAR

Pine tar is applied to the handles of baseball bats as it is a sticky substance and improves the batter’s grip. In a 1983 game, the Yankees manager Billy Martin protested a home run hit by George Brett of the Royals because the pine tar on his bat extended beyond the regulation 18 inches. The home run was later allowed as it was determined that the 18-inch rule was in place for economic reasons, and had nothing to do with competitive advantage. If pine tar gets on a baseball it renders it unusable for play, and baseballs cost money!

77 Avenue __, Paris’ widest street : FOCH

Avenue Foch is a prestigious thoroughfare in Paris that runs from the Arc de Triomphe to the edge of the Bois de Boulogne. It is the city’s widest street, and is home to several grand places. When it opened in 1854, it was known as the Avenue de l’Impératrice (Avenue of the Empress, after the wife of Napoleon III, Empress Eugenie). It then became Avenue du Général-Uhrich, and later Avenue du Bois de Boulogne. It was finally dedicated to Marshal Ferdinand Foch in 1929, just a few months after the WWI Supreme Allied Commander died.

79 “The Time Machine” people : ELOI

In the 1895 novella by H. G. Wells called “The Time Machine”, there are two races that the hero encounters in his travels into the future. The Eloi are the “beautiful people” who live on the planet’s surface. The Morlocks are a domineering race living underground who use the Eloi as food.

80 Musical score mark : SLUR

In the world of music, a slur is a curved line that connects neighboring notes that are to be played smoothly, without separation.

81 Item in a Brit’s boot : TYRE

The British spelling of “tyre”, for what we call a “tire” here in North America, was indeed the original spelling. The English started to use “tire” spelling in the 17th century, and then shifted back to the current “tyre” in the 19th century.

In North America we use the word “trunk” for the storage space in the back of a vehicle as that space is reminiscent of the large travelling chest called a “trunk”. Such trunks used to be lashed onto the back of automobiles before storage was integrated. On the other side of the Atlantic, a trunk is known as a “boot”. The original boot was a built-in storage compartment on a horse-drawn carriage on which a coachman would sit.

87 “Divine Comedy,” e.g. : EPIC POEM

Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy” is an epic poem dating back to the 14th century. The first part of that epic is “Inferno”, which is the Italian word for “Hell”. In the poem, Dante is led on a journey by the poet Virgil, starting at the gates of Hell on which are written the famous words “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here”.

91 Hosp. procedure : MRI

An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine uses powerful magnetic fields to generate images that can be used by medical professionals to diagnose injury and disease.

93 Joie de vivre : VIBRANCY

“Joie de vivre” means “joy of living” in French. We use the phrase to mean the happy, carefree enjoyment of life, like when we finish our crossword puzzles …

94 Creeping creature : SNAIL

“Escargot” is the French word for “snail”. In order to eat snails, apparently they have to be “purged” before killing them. That means starving them or feeding them on something “wholesome” for several days before cooking them up. Ugh …

97 First name in ’50s TV comedy : DESI

Desi Arnaz has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One was placed to mark his contribution to motion pictures, and the other for his work in television.

99 Geraint’s wife : ENID

Enid is a Welsh name, from “einit” an old Welsh word meaning “purity”. Enid was the wife of Geraint, one of King Arthur’s knights. Enid is described as “the personification of spotless purity”.

102 Holy Grail seeker : GALAHAD

Sir Galahad is one of the Knights of the Round Table of Arthurian legend. Galahad is the illegitimate son of Sir Lancelot, so appears a little later in the tales. He is very gallant and noble, and some see him as the embodiment of Jesus in the Arthurian tradition. Indeed, legend has it that his soul was brought to heaven by Joseph of Arimathea, the man who donated his own tomb for the burial of Jesus according to the Gospels.

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

108 Marsh of detective fiction : NGAIO

Dame Ngaio Marsh was a crime writer from New Zealand. Marsh is known as one of the four original “Queens of Crime”, namely: Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, and Marsh. All her novels feature her hero, a British CID detective named Roderick Alleyn.

110 First name in B-29 history : ENOLA …

The Enola Gay was the B-29 that dropped the first atomic bomb, the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in August 1945. Enola Gay was the name of the mother of pilot Col. Paul W. Tibbets, Jr.

111 Jack Frost’s advice to his angry clients? : CHILL

Jack Frost is the personification of winter weather, and is usually portrayed as a mischievous sprite.

112 Little, in Lille : PETIT

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.

113 Sign of the Ram : 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”.

114 Heavenly ring : HALO

The Greek word “halos” is the name given to the ring of light around the sun or moon, which gives us our word “halo” that is used for a radiant light depicted above the head of a saintly person.

116 Stout and porter : ALES

The term “stout” was first used for a type of beer in the 1600s when it was used to describe a “strong, stout” brew, and not necessarily a dark beer as it is today.

Porter is a dark beer that originated in London in the 1700s. It is named for the street and river porters with whom it was very popular. Porter is a well-hopped beer made using brown malt, which gives it the dark color.

119 City transport : CAB

A hansom cab is a very specific design of horse and buggy that was patented by Joseph Hansom in 1834 in England. The “cab” in the name is short for “cabriolet”, an earlier design of carriage on which the hansom was based. It’s from “hansom cab” that we get our modern term “cab”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Where many a promise is made : ALTAR
6 Slugger’s stats : RBIS
10 Lectric Shave competitor : AFTA
14 CNN alternative : MSNBC
19 With 38-Across, Beethoven oeuvre with 35 works : PIANO …
20 Apiece : EACH
21 Seal site : BERG
22 Pong creator : ATARI
23 IGTV company, briefly : INSTA
24 On the safer side : ALEE
25 Hebrides hill : BRAE
26 Assigned a grade : RATED
27 … Rudolph was __ : SEEING RED
29 … Elsie was __ : HAVING A COW
31 MLB blasts : HRS
32 Fat substitute : OLESTRA
34 Type of type that shows stress : ITALIC
35 Gave a thumbs-up : OKED
36 Hung over? : EAVED
38 See 19-Across : … SONATAS
42 … Humpty Dumpty was __ : DRIVEN UP A WALL
46 “Storm” seabird : PETREL
47 Went by train : RODE
48 “Fresh Air” airer : NPR
49 “His Dark Materials” protagonist : LYRA
52 “__ welcome” : YOU’RE
53 Marx Brothers film setting : OPERA
55 Beatles nonsense syllables : OB-LA-
59 Gp. using caps and crowns : ADA
61 Touch of frost : NIP
62 Bayou music style : ZYDECO
64 … Herbie the “Love Bug” was __ : BLOWING A GASKET
69 Mano a mano : AT IT
71 “Words have consequences,” e.g. : ADAGE
72 Singer Anthony : MARC
73 … Santa Claus was __ : HITTING THE ROOF
78 Hardest to find : RAREST
82 Jimmy Eat World genre : EMO
83 Korean car company : KIA
84 Movie physician with a two-letter name : DR NO
85 Playground problem : BULLY
86 Lou Grant portrayer : ASNER
89 Oil filter brand : FRAM
92 Walgreens rival : CVS
95 It has an apt number of letters in its name : FOUR
96 Barely made a sound : PEEPED
98 … Puff the Magic Dragon was __ : BREATHING FIRE
103 Clothes lines : STRIPES
105 __ Moore: canned stew brand : DINTY
106 Lambs’ cries : BAAS
107 Offerer of free drinks and chips : CASINO
109 Put in danger : IMPERIL
111 No. cruncher : CPA
114 … Bugs Bunny was __ : HOPPING MAD
117 … Mr. Bubble was __ : IN A LATHER
119 Quiet lake transport : CANOE
120 Highlands native : GAEL
121 Emoji, for one : ICON
122 Birthplace of rapper Wyclef Jean : HAITI
123 Modify : ALTER
124 Strauss’ “__ Alpensinfonie” : EINE
125 Mineral removed from some baby powder : TALC
126 Kate’s TV mate : ALLIE
127 Economic upsurges : BOOMS
128 Supreme leader? : ROSS
129 Big name in skin care : OLAY
130 Upper body muscles, for short : DELTS

Down

1 Mighty silly : APISH
2 Frozen rope, in baseball : LINER
3 Zaps : TASES
4 Fighting : ANTI
5 Virginia’s so-called “Lost Colony” : ROANOKE
6 Rose on hind legs : REARED UP
7 Hayfield sights : BALES
8 Summer cooler : ICED TEA
9 Sow or doe : SHE
10 Group honored at a Stockholm exhibit : ABBA
11 With great enthusiasm : FERVIDLY
12 Feature : TRAIT
13 Gemini rockets : AGENAS
14 Blues singer played by Viola Davis : MA RAINEY
15 How dotted notes should be played : STACCATO
16 Brussels-based gp. : NATO
17 Cold one : BREW
18 El __ : CID
28 Close in theaters : GLENN
29 “__ Nagila”: Israeli folk song : HAVA
30 Unappetizing stuff : GLOP
33 Cold and damp : RAW
35 Shovel it in : OVEREAT
37 Addition, maybe : ELL
39 Animal part that trumpets : TRUNK
40 Nest on a crest : AERIE
41 Got some shut-eye : SLEPT
42 TV physician with a two-letter name : DR OZ
43 Viscous : ROPY
44 Fingered : IDED
45 “No __!” : PROB
50 Shoe polish applicator : RAG
51 Garden guy : ADAM
54 Part of a musical : ACT I
56 Boring : BLAH
57 Word with stone or star : LODE-
58 Crown or plaque : AWARD
60 Bacteriologist’s material : AGAR
63 Trough call? : OINK!
65 Hunchback of fiction : IGOR
66 Bright sign : NEON
67 Graceful equine : ARAB
68 Places to pick up puppies? : SCRUFFS
70 End-of-week cry : TGIF!
73 Quite a lot : HEAPS
74 “No more for me, thanks” : I’M SET
75 Printer supply : TONER
76 Pine __: dugout supply : TAR
77 Avenue __, Paris’ widest street : FOCH
79 “The Time Machine” people : ELOI
80 Musical score mark : SLUR
81 Item in a Brit’s boot : TYRE
87 “Divine Comedy,” e.g. : EPIC POEM
88 Changes the wall covering : REPAPERS
90 Spare tires in trunks? : ABDOMENS
91 Hosp. procedure : MRI
93 Joie de vivre : VIBRANCY
94 Creeping creature : SNAIL
97 First name in ’50s TV comedy : DESI
99 Geraint’s wife : ENID
100 Bank convenience : ATM
101 Not surprising : TYPICAL
102 Holy Grail seeker : GALAHAD
104 One putting words to music : SINGER
108 Marsh of detective fiction : NGAIO
110 First name in B-29 history : ENOLA …
111 Jack Frost’s advice to his angry clients? : CHILL
112 Little, in Lille : PETIT
113 Sign of the Ram : ARIES
114 Heavenly ring : HALO
115 Aware of : ONTO
116 Stout and porter : ALES
118 Account : TALE
119 City transport : CAB
121 “Who am __ judge?” : I TO