LA Times Crossword Answers 8 Apr 2018, Sunday

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Constructed by: Jeffrey Wechsler
Edited by: Rich Norris

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Today’s Theme: Low Flow

Themed answers are common phrases in which a letter F has been added to the start of one word:

  • 22A. Interfaith service attendees? : COMBINATION FLOCK (from “combination lock”)
  • 28A. Arsonist’s alibi? : FLAME EXCUSE (from “lame excuse”)
  • 56A. Cause of business failure? : CORPORATE FLAW (from “corporate law”)
  • 62A. Distinguished screwballs? : GREAT FLAKES (from “Great Lakes”)
  • 72A. Uproar over a controversial win? : VICTORY FLAP (from “victory lap”)
  • 80A. Niche market for airport bookstores? : FLIGHT READING (from “light reading”)
  • 106A. Dumpster hoverers? : PACK OF FLIES (from “pack of lies”)
  • 117A. Hygiene product for very big teeth? : SUBSTANTIAL FLOSS (from “substantial loss”)

Bill’s time: 19m 08s

Bill’s errors: 0

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1. Humanities degs. : BAS

The academic studies of human culture are collectively called the humanities. Subjects included in the humanities are languages, literature, philosophy, religion and music.

21. Eponymous reader : UTNE

The “Utne Reader” is known for aggregation and republishing of articles on politics, culture and the environment from other sources in the media. The “Utne Reader” was founded in 1984 by Eric Utne, with management taken over by Eric’s wife Nina Rothschild Utne in 1990.

26. Part of it is on L.I. : NYC

New York State’s Long Island is the largest island in the 48 contiguous states. The western end of Long Island is home to Brooklyn and Queens, two of the five boroughs that comprise New York City. As a result, most of New York City’s residents live on Long Island. The population of the whole island is over 7 million, making it the most populous island in the 50 states.

34. Ornamental shrub : YEW

The family of trees known as yews propagate by producing a seed surrounded by soft, sweet and brightly colored aril. Birds eat the fruit and then disperse the seed in their droppings. The birds leave the seed undamaged, and so are unharmed by the potent poisons taxine and taxol that are found within the seed. The seeds are highly toxic to humans.

35. Gurus’ retreats : ASHRAMS

“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”.

37. Ill-gotten gains : GRIFT

Grift is money made dishonestly, especially as the result of a swindle. The term is perhaps an alteration of the the word “graft”, which can have a similar meaning.

42. Sheep group : FOLD

A fold is an enclosure for sheep, or an alternative name for a flock of sheep.

44. Pre-adulthood stages : PUPAE

A pupa is a stage in the life of some insects. All four stages are embryo, larva, pupa and imago. Pupae can look like little dolls, hence the name. “Pupa” is the Latin for “doll”.

46. Venerable retailer : SEARS

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

50. Reliable sort : TROUPER

Apparently the phrase “like a real trooper” has diverged in usage over time. Someone who is brave and stalwart might be described as a real “trooper”, like a soldier in a troop. Someone who is reliable and a supportive colleague might be described as a real “trouper”, like an actor in a troupe.

52. Glitzy rock genre : GLAM

I remember the days of glam rock so well, as it was a hugely popular genre of music in the British Isles during the early seventies. Artistes wore the wildest of clothes, big hair, shiny outfits and really high platform boots. Names associated with glam rock are T. Rex, David Bowie, Roxy Music and the infamous Gary Glitter.

54. Goliath, to David : FOE

In the story of David and Goliath, the Israelites and the Philistines faced each other in battle at the Valley of Elah. Goliath was the warrior champion of the Philistines and each day he challenged the Israelites to send out their champion to decide the battle in a one-on-one fight. No one was courageous enough to accept the challenge until young David agreed to face the mighty Goliath. David felled the giant soldier with a stone from his sling.

59. State requiring “Stat!” : URGENCY

The exact etymology of “stat”, a term meaning “immediately” in the medical profession, seems to have been lost in the mists of time. It probably comes from the Latin “statim” meaning “to a standstill, immediately”. A blog reader has helpfully suggested that the term may also come from the world of laboratory analysis, where the acronym STAT stands for “short turn-around time”.

61. Enterprise bridge figure : SULU

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 …

62. Distinguished screwballs? : GREAT FLAKES (from “Great Lakes”)

Of the five Great Lakes, Lake Michigan is the only one that is located totally within the US. The others are shared by the US and Canada.

The original screwball was a delivery in the sport of cricket. That term was imported into baseball in the 1920s, and applied to an erratic baseball pitch. By the 1930s, a screwball was an eccentric and erratic person.

70. “The Goldbergs” airer : ABC

“The Goldbergs” is a very entertaining sitcom that started airing in 2013. The show was created by Adam F. Goldberg and is based on Goldberg’s own childhood and family. My favorite part of the show comes at the end of each episode, when a clip from Goldberg’s real home movies is shown, which clip relates back to that episode’s storyline.

71. “House” actor Epps : OMAR

Omar Epps is the actor who played Eric Forman on the excellent television series “House”. Prior to playing Dr. Forman, Epps had a recurring role playing Dr. Dennis Gant on “ER”. And, in another link to the world of medicine, Epps was born in Savannah, Georgia to single mom, Dr. Bonnie Epps.

I think that “House” is one of the better shows made by Fox television. It is fun for me to see English actor Hugh Laurie in the title role as coming from the other side of the Atlantic I have been watching him in various comedic roles for decades. Famously he played Bertie Wooster opposite Stephen Fry in P.G. Wodehouse’s “Jeeves & Wooster”, as well as one of the bumbling “bad guys” in “101 Dalmatians” (the version starring Glenn Close).

76. Eponymous salad creator : COBB

Ty Cobb’s first cousin, Robert H. Cobb, owned the Brown Derby chain of restaurants. One of his regular customers was the famous Sid Grauman, who ran Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Late one night, Grauman asked for a snack, and Cobb came up with a chopped salad simply made from ingredients he happened to have in the refrigerator. Grauman liked it so much that continued to request it, and the Cobb salad was born.

87. Emulate a condor : SOAR

The condor is actually a vulture, and is the largest flying land bird in the Western Hemisphere. There are two species, the Andean Condor found in the Andes in South America, and the California Condor found in the west of the US and Mexico.

90. “Star Wars” saga fixture : LEIA

The full name of the character played by Carrie Fisher in the “Star Wars” series of films is Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, and later Leia Organa Solo. Leia is the twin sister of Luke Skywalker, and the daughter of Anakin Skywalker (aka “Darth Vader”) and Padmé Amidala. Leia is raised by her adoptive parents Bail and Breha Organa. She eventually marries Han Solo.

91. Equanimity : BALANCE

Equanimity is the quality of being composed and calm. The term comes from the Latin”aequus” (even) and “”animus” (mind). “Equanimity” is one of my favorite words of all time …

92. First word of “Send in the Clowns” : ISN’T

“Send in the Clowns” is a lovely, lovely song by Stephen Sondheim from his 1973 musical “A Little Night Music”. The song doesn’t actually have anything to do with clowns, and the title could be translated to “Aren’t We Fools?”

Isn’t it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air,
Where are the clowns?

93. WWI battle river : SOMME

WWI’s Battle of the Somme took place between July and November 1916, and was fought in the upper reaches of the River Somme in France. The first day of the Somme offensive marked the worst day in the history of the British Army, suffering 57,470 casualties. The Somme was also the first battle in which tanks were used.

95. Stop on the briny : AVAST

“Avast” is a nautical term used to tell someone to stop or desist from what they are doing. The word comes from the Dutch “hou vast” meaning “hold fast”.

The briny is the sea, from “brine” meaning “salty water”. The term “briny” was originally used for “tears”.

97. S.F. commuting system : BART

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is a commuter rail system serving the San Francisco Bay Area (and indeed, my home town).

98. 16th-century Sorrento-born poet : TASSO

Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet who lived in the 1500s. He is best known for his poem “Jerusalem Delivered”. Such is his fame and standing in the arts, that Tasso himself is the subject of works by other artists. Goethe wrote a play called “Torquato Tasso” in 1790 that explored Tasso’s life. Donizetti composed an opera, also called “Torquato Tasso”, in 1833 that incorporated some of the poet’s writing in the libretto.

Sorrento is a small town on the Italian coast that sits on a peninsula overlooking the Bay of Naples. It is an extremely popular tourist destination. The island of Capri lies off the western tip of the Sorrento Peninsula.

100. Cape user : MATADOR

“Matador” is a Spanish word used in English for a bullfighter, although the term isn’t used in the same way in Spanish. The equivalent in Spanish is “torero”. “Matador” translates aptly enough as “killer”.

Bulls, like all cattle, are color blind, so the cape that’s used in bullfighting aren’t colored red to attract the unfortunate beast. Rather, it’s the movement of the cape that causes the bull to charge. The red is chosen just because it is a dramatic color.

102. SALT subject : ABM

An anti-ballistic missile (ABM) is a rocket designed to intercept and destroy a ballistic missile (as one might expect from the name). A ballistic missile, as opposed to a cruise missile, is guided during the initial launch phase but later in flight just relies on thrust and gravity (hence “ballistic”) to arrive at its target. As an aside, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range greater than 3,500 miles.

There were two rounds of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) between the US and the Soviet Union, and two resulting treaties (SALT I & SALT II). The opening round of SALT I talks were held in Helsinki as far back as 1970, with the resulting treaty signed by President Richard Nixon and General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev in 1972. Brezhnev also signed the SALT II treaty, with President Jimmy Carter in 1979.

106. Dumpster hoverers? : PACK OF FLIES (from “pack of lies”)

“Dumpster” is one of those words that we use generically even though it is actually a brand name. The original “Dumpster” was patented by the Dempster Brothers of Knoxville, Tennessee. “Dumpster” is derived from “dump” and “Dempster”.

111. Like Stephen King’s Pennywise : CREEPY

“It” is a 1986 horror novel penned by Stephen King. The title character is a demon who preys on children, primarily appearing in the form of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. The novel was adapted into a 1990 miniseries of the same name. I don’t do Stephen King …

114. Medium power? : ESP

Extrasensory perception (ESP)

116. Golden quality? : SILENCE

The exact etymology of the phrase “silence is golden” seems unclear, although it is part of the older and more expansive idiom “speech is silver; silence is golden”.

117. Hygiene product for very big teeth? : SUBSTANTIAL FLOSS (from “substantial loss”)

Dental floss has been around a long time, with the term “dental floss” being introduced in the early 1800s. Anyone fond of the writings of James Joyce (that wouldn’t be me!) might recall a character using dental floss in his famous novel “Ulysses” that was published between 1918 and 1920.

127. Manhattan region : EAST SIDE

While there are many neighborhoods in New York City’s borough of Manhattan, there are some broader terms that are used to navigate one’s way around the island:

  • Uptown: above 59th Street
  • Midtown: between 59th Street and 14th Street (but sometimes 23rd Street or 34th Street)
  • Downtown: below 14th Street
  • Upper Manhattan: above 96th Street
  • Lower Manhattan: below Chambers Street
  • East Side: east of Fifth Avenue
  • West Side: west of Fifth Avenue

128. Sardine catcher : NET

Sardines are oily fish related to herrings. Sardines are also known as pilchards, although in the UK “sardine” is a noun reserved for a young pilchard. Very confusing …

Down

1. Stimulating nut : BETEL

The betel nut is something that is chewed, especially in parts of Asia. “Betel nut” is a bit of misnomer, as the nut in question is actually an Areca nut from the Areca palm. For chewing, the Areca nut is wrapped in betel leaves and the whole thing is called a “betel nut”.

2. Women’s fashion chain : ANN TAYLOR

There was no actual person called “Ann Taylor” associated with the Ann Taylor line of clothes. The name was chosen by the marketing professionals because “Ann” was considered to be “very New England” back in 1954 when the stores first opened, and “Taylor” suggested that clothes were carefully “tailored”.

4. Bombers’ home? : BRONX

The New York Yankees baseball team has the nickname “the Bronx Bombers”. The nickname reflects where the team plays (the Bronx) and the team’s reputation for hitting (bombers). The New York Yankees were the first team to retire a uniform number, doing so on July 4, 1939. That day they retired the number 4 in honor of Lou Gehrig.

5. Radius location : ARM

The radius and ulna are bones in the forearm. If you hold the palm of your hand up in front of you, the radius is the bone on the “thumb-side” of the arm, and the ulna is the bone on the “pinkie-side”.

6. Young socialite : DEB

“Deb” is short for “debutante”, which translates from French as “beginner”, when referring to a female.

7. Pixar output, briefly : CGI

Computer-generated imagery (CGI)

Pixar Animation Studios started out as part of Lucasfilm in 1979, George Lucas’s production company. Lucas sold what was to become Pixar to Apple CEO Steve Jobs in 1986. Pixar produced its first feature film in 1995, the fabulous “Toy Story”, and followed up with a string of hits. The company was then sold to Walt Disney in 2006, when valued at $7.4 billion. That transaction resulted in Steve Jobs becoming the biggest shareholder in Walt Disney.

9. Brand including Regenerist products : 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.

12. Sleep disorder : APNEA

Sleep apnea (“apnoea” in British English) can be caused by an obstruction in the airways, possibly due to obesity or enlarged tonsils.

14. Acer rival : DELL

Computer manufacturer Dell is named after the company’s founder Michael Dell. Michael Dell started his company in his dorm room at college, shipping personal computers that were customized to the specific needs of his customers. He dropped out of school in order to focus on his growing business, a decision that I doubt he regrets. Michael Dell is now one of the richest people in the world.

16. Acer employee : TECH

Acer is a Taiwanese company that I visited a couple of times when I was in the electronics business. I was very impressed back then with the company’s dedication to quality, although I have heard that things haven’t gone so well in recent years …

17. TV planet : ORK

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

18. Banzai Pipeline feature : SURF

The Banzai Pipeline is an area where the waves start to break off Ehukai Beach on Oahu’s North Shore. The spot was given its name in 1961 by a movie producer filming surfers. At that time there was an underground pipeline being constructed nearby, so the producer named the surf reef break “Pipeline”. The “Banzai” was added to the name in honor of Banzai Beach, where the waves comes ashore.

19. Frozen drink brand : ICEE

Slush Puppie and ICEE are brands of frozen, slushy drinks. Ostensibly competing brands, ICEE company now owns the Slush Puppie brand.

23. Omega, to a physicist : OHM

The unit of electrical resistance is the ohm (with the symbol omega) named after German physicist Georg Simon Ohm. Ohm was the guy who established experimentally that the amount of current flowing through a circuit is directly proportional to the voltage applied, (V=IR) a relationship that every school kid knows as Ohm’s Law.

25. London’s __ Gardens : KEW

Kew Gardens is a beautiful location in southwest London that was formerly known as the Royal Botanic Gardens. Kew Gardens has the world’s largest collection of living plants.

29. Ruth wore one : CAP

Jack Dunn was the owner/manager of the Baltimore Orioles back in 1913, when he signed on George Herman Ruth as a pitcher. The other players called Ruth “Jack’s newest babe”, and the name “Babe” stuck.

30. What kilowatt hours measure : USAGE

The kilowatt hour (kWh) is a unit of energy, made up of the product of power (kilowatts – kW) and time (hour – h). We see “kWh” all the time, on our electricity bills.

33. Its Space Command has HQ in Colorado : USAF

Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs is the headquarters of Air Force Space Command.

36. Capital of Eritrea : ASMARA

Asmara is the capital and largest city in Eritrea. The same city is known locally as “Asmera”.

Eritrea is a country located in the Horn of Africa, surrounded by Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti and the Red Sea. Some scientists believe that the area now known as Eritrea was the departure point for the anatomically modern humans who first left Africa to populate the rest of the world.

39. First Family name : IVANKA

Ivanka Trump is the daughter of President Donald Trump and his first wife, Ivana Trump. Ivanka’s birth name is Ivana Marie Trump. “Ivanka” is a diminutive of “Ivana”, and has been the First Daughter’s nickname for most of her life. Ivanka converted to the Hebrew faith after marrying Jared Kushner in 2009. Ivanka’s Hebrew name is “Yael”.

41. Low cards : TREYS

A trey is a three in a deck of cards. The name “trey” can also be used for a domino with three pips, and even a three-point play in basketball.

42. Consumer protection org. : FTC

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was established in 1914 with the mission of protecting consumers. The FTC runs the National Do Not Call Registry which can limit the amount of telemarketing calls that consumers receive. To register your number, simply go to the website www.donotcall.gov.

43. Conquistador’s treasure : ORO

“Conquistador” is the Spanish for “conqueror”.

44. Pacific Rim nation : PERU

The phrase “Pacific Rim” describes the countries that surround the Pacific Ocean. The related phrase “Pacific Basin” includes the islands in the Pacific Ocean, in addition to the Pacific Rim nations.

45. Eurasian border river : URAL

The Ural River rises in the Ural Mountains in Russia and flows for half its length through Russian territory until it crosses the border into Kazakhstan, finally emptying into the Caspian Sea. It is the third-longest river in Europe, after the Volga and Danube.

48. Lowly worker : SERF

A serf was a member of the lowest feudal class, someone attached to land owned by a lord. “Serf” comes from the Latin “servus”, meaning “slave”.

51. Tom of “Newhart” : POSTON

Tom Poston was an actor from Columbus, Ohio. Poston had a successful television and film career starting in the 1950s, although I most remember him as the bumbling handyman on “Newhart”. Poston was married to Suzanne Pleshette, the actress who played the wife of Newhart’s character in “The Bob Newhart Show”.

“Newhart” is a very entertaining sitcom starring Bob Newhart and Mary Frann as innkeepers in rural Vermont. The show is remembered by many for its last episode, which aired in 1990. In that final episode, Bob Newhart wakes up in bed and suggests that the whole of the show’s eight-year run was just a dream. He is lying beside actress Suzanne Pleshette who played his wife in the earlier sitcom “The Bob Newhart Show”. Very, very clever …

53. Math subj. : ALG

Algebra (alg.) is a branch of mathematics in which arithmetical operations are performed on variables rather than specific numbers (x,y etc). The term “algebra” comes from the Arabic “al jebr” meaning “reunion of broken parts”.

58. Information source, with “the” : WEB

In essence, the World Wide Web is a vast collection of documents that is accessible using the Internet, with each document containing hyperlinks which point to other documents in the collection. So the “Web” is different from the Internet, although the terms are often used interchangeably. The Web is the collection of documents, and the Internet is global network of computers on which the documents reside. The Web was effectively the invention of British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee. The key to Berner-Lee’s invention was bringing together two technologies that already existed: hypertext and the Internet. I, for one, am very grateful …

64. Champagne cocktail : MIMOSA

Where I come from, the cocktail known in North America as a mimosa is called a buck’s fizz, with the latter named for Buck’s Club in London where it was introduced in 1921. The mimosa came along a few years later, apparently first being served in the Paris Ritz. If you want to make a mimosa, it’s a 50-50 mix of champagne and orange juice, and it is very tasty …

65. Hurricanes form over them : OCEANS

Hurricanes are given names primarily to help the public keep track of dangerous systems. The names are decided ahead of the hurricane season, with the first system given a name beginning with A, the second, B etc. The names are alternated between male and female names throughout the season. Also, if the first storm of the season is male, then the following year a female name is chosen. For hurricanes in the North Atlantic, names are assigned for every letter, except Q, U, X, Y and Z. The most frequently used name is Arlene, which was used for ten different storms from 1959 to 2011.

66. Embarks : STARTS

In getting on and off a seagoing vessel, one embarks and debarks. The terms come from the name of the small ship known as a barque.

A barque (also “bark”) is a sailboat with three or more masts, all square-rigged except the aftermast which has triangular sails

68. Furry TV ET : ALF

“ALF” is a sitcom that aired in the late eighties. The title character is a hand-puppet, and supposedly an alien named Gordon Shumway from the planet Melmac. The alien crash-landed into the house of amateur radio enthusiast Willie Tanner. Tanner renamed the intruder “ALF”, standing for “alien life form”.

73. GPS data : RTES

A global positioning system (GPS) might point out a route (rte.).

82. Wreaked state : HAVOC

Havoc is a great damage or destruction. The term comes from the Anglo-French phrase “crier havok”, which was an order given in the late 1500s to soldiers, instructing them to seize plunder.

85. ATM giant : NCR

NCR is an American company that has been in business since 1884, and was originally called the National Cash Register Company. The company has done well in a market where new technologies seem to be constantly disrupting the status quo.

89. Full-figured model born Melissa Miller : EMME

Emme is the highest-paid plus-size model in the world. Emme was born Melissa Miller in New York City, and was raised in Saudi Arabia.

94. Archipelago with an eponymous wine : MADEIRA

Madeira is a Portuguese-owned archipelago that lies to the southwest of mainland Portugal. Madeira is famous for its fortified wine, which is known as Madeira wine.

96. Storied vessel : ARK

The term “ark”, when used with reference to Noah, is a translation of the Hebrew word “tebah”. The word “tebah” is also used in the Bible for the basket in which Moses was placed by his mother when she floated him down the Nile. It seems that the word “tebah” doesn’t mean “boat” and nor does it mean “basket”. Rather, a more appropriate translation is “life-preserver” or “life-saver”. So, Noah’s ark was Noah’s life-preserver during the flood.

99. Big weight : ONE TON

Here in the US, a ton is equivalent to 2,000 pounds. Over in the UK, a ton is 2,240 pounds. The UK unit is sometimes referred to as an Imperial ton or sometimes a “long ton”. Folks over there refer to the US ton then as a “short ton”. To further complicate matters, there is also a “metric ton” or “tonne”, which is equivalent to 2,204 pounds. Personally, I wish we’d just stick to kilograms …

101. Java creation : APPLET

“Applet” is the name given to a small application that runs within another larger computer program.

Java is a programming language that was developed by Sun Microsystems. Java was originally designed for interactive television, but it didn’t fit the needs at the time. Back then, the language was called Oak, named after an oak tree that stood outside the designer’s office. Later it was called Green, and finally named Java, which was simply picked out of a list of random words.

102. Workers’ org. formed in 1886 : AFL

The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was founded in 1886, making it one of the first federations of unions in the country. Over time the AFL became dominated by craft unions, unions representing skilled workers of particular disciplines. In the early thirties, John L. Lewis led a movement within the AFL to organize workers by industry, believing this would be more effective for the members. But the craft unions refused to budge, so Lewis set up a rival federation of unions in 1932, the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). The two federations became bitter rivals for over two decades until finally merging in 1955 to form the AFL-CIO.

104. Vasarely’s genre : OP ART

Victor Vasarely was a Hungarian-French artist who produced works in the op art genre. Vasarely’s painting from the 1930s titled “Zebras” is often cited as one of the first examples of op art.

105. Word for word?: Abbr. : SYN

Synonym (syn.)

107. Actor Davis : OSSIE

Ossie Davis was a very successful African-American actor, but also a director, poet, playwright and social activist. One of Davis’s better known performances was in the 1993 movie “Grumpy Old Men”, in which he played the owner of the bait shop by the lake.

109. Brilliant display : ECLAT

“Éclat” can mean a brilliant show of success, or the applause or accolade that one receives. The word derives from the French “éclater” meaning “to splinter, burst out”.

111. They’re chewed in pastures : CUDS

Ruminants are animals that “chew the cud”. Ruminants eat vegetable matter but cannot extract any nutritional value from cellulose without the help of microbes in the gut. Ruminants collect roughage in the first part of the alimentary canal, allowing microbes to work on it. The partially digested material (the cud) is regurgitated into the mouth so that the ruminant can chew the food more completely exposing more surface area for microbes to do their work. We also use the verb “to ruminate” in a figurative sense, to mean “to muse, ponder, chew over”.

112. Wrigley Field stats : RBIS

The famous ballpark that is home to the Chicago Cubs was built in 1914. Back then it was known as Weeghman Park, before becoming Cubs Park when the Cubs arrived in 1920. It was given the name Wrigley Field in 1926, after the owner William Wrigley, Jr. of chewing gum fame. Wrigley Field is noted as the only professional ballpark that has ivy covering the outfield walls. The ivy is a combination of Boston Ivy and Japanese Bittersweet, both of which can survive the harsh winters in Chicago.

113. Sunrise dirección : ESTE

“Este” (east) is a “dirección” (direction), in Spanish.

115. “Do the Right Thing” pizzeria : SAL’S

“Do the Right Thing” is a Spike Lee movie that was released in 1989. Much of the action in the film is centered on a local pizzeria called “Sal’s” owned by Italian-American Salvatore Frangione (played by Danny Aiello).

117. “Many fresh streams meet in one salt __”: Shakespeare : SEA

Here are some lines from William Shakespeare’s play “Henry V” that are spoken by the Archbishop of Canterbury:

As many arrows loosèd several ways
Come to one mark, as many ways meet in one town,
As many fresh streams meet in one salt sea,
As many lines close in the dial’s center,
So may a thousand actions, once afoot,
End in one purpose, and be all well borne
Without defeat.

Shakespeare’s play “Henry V” is more correctly called “The Life of Henry the Fifth”. The story mainly focuses on his life before and immediately after the king’s celebrated victory over the French at the Battle of Agincourt. “Henry V” includes one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated speeches, an address by the king to his troops at the siege of Harfleur, with the opening lines:

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead …

118. Little piggy : TOE

This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none,
And this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home.

119. Sol preceders : FAS

The solfa syllables are: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la & ti.

120. CXII halved : LVI

In Roman numerals, CXII (112) halved is LVI (56).

121. 20-volume ref. : OED

Work started on what was to become the first “Oxford English Dictionary” (OED) in 1857. Several interim versions of the dictionary were published in the coming years with the first full version appearing, in ten bound volumes, in 1928. The second edition of the OED appeared in 1989 and is made up of twenty volumes. The OED was first published in electronic form in 1988 and went online in 2000. Given the modern use of computers, the publishing house responsible feels that there will never be a third print version of the famous dictionary.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Humanities degs. : BAS
4. Dangerous thing to fall in with : BAD CROWD
12. Enhances : ADDS TO
18. Exiled, with “away” : SENT
19. Nonconforming : IRREGULAR
20. Kitchen gadget : PEELER
21. Eponymous reader : UTNE
22. Interfaith service attendees? : COMBINATION FLOCK (from “combination lock”)
24. Conquered after being lost, as territory : RETAKEN
26. Part of it is on L.I. : NYC
27. __ food : HEALTH
28. Arsonist’s alibi? : FLAME EXCUSE (from “lame excuse”)
32. __ resources : HUMAN
34. Ornamental shrub : YEW
35. Gurus’ retreats : ASHRAMS
37. Ill-gotten gains : GRIFT
42. Sheep group : FOLD
44. Pre-adulthood stages : PUPAE
46. Venerable retailer : SEARS
49. Even once : EVER
50. Reliable sort : TROUPER
52. Glitzy rock genre : GLAM
54. Goliath, to David : FOE
55. Levelheaded : SANE
56. Cause of business failure? : CORPORATE FLAW (from “corporate law”)
59. State requiring “Stat!” : URGENCY
61. Enterprise bridge figure : SULU
62. Distinguished screwballs? : GREAT FLAKES (from “Great Lakes”)
64. More than not : MOST
67. Unrefined : RAW
70. “The Goldbergs” airer : ABC
71. “House” actor Epps : OMAR
72. Uproar over a controversial win? : VICTORY FLAP (from “victory lap”)
76. Eponymous salad creator : COBB
79. “That is my intention” : I MEAN TO
80. Niche market for airport bookstores? : FLIGHT READING (from “light reading”)
87. Emulate a condor : SOAR
88. Spherical organ : EYE
90. “Star Wars” saga fixture : LEIA
91. Equanimity : BALANCE
92. First word of “Send in the Clowns” : ISN’T
93. WWI battle river : SOMME
95. Stop on the briny : AVAST
97. S.F. commuting system : BART
98. 16th-century Sorrento-born poet : TASSO
100. Cape user : MATADOR
102. SALT subject : ABM
103. Barely bested, with “out” : NOSED
106. Dumpster hoverers? : PACK OF FLIES (from “pack of lies”)
111. Like Stephen King’s Pennywise : CREEPY
114. Medium power? : ESP
116. Golden quality? : SILENCE
117. Hygiene product for very big teeth? : SUBSTANTIAL FLOSS (from “substantial loss”)
122. Yawn-inducing : DULL
123. One changing lines, perhaps : EDITOR
124. End of an ultimatum : … OR LEAVE IT
125. 98-Across’ lang. : ITAL
126. Yes : ASSENT
127. Manhattan region : EAST SIDE
128. Sardine catcher : NET

Down

1. Stimulating nut : BETEL
2. Women’s fashion chain : ANN TAYLOR
3. Really angry : STEAMED UP
4. Bombers’ home? : BRONX
5. Radius location : ARM
6. Young socialite : DEB
7. Pixar output, briefly : CGI
8. Track competitor : RUNNER
9. Brand including Regenerist products : OLAY
10. Defiant reply to a dare : WATCH ME
11. Soft & __: deodorant : DRI
12. Sleep disorder : APNEA
13. Make less dangerous, as a snake : DEFANG
14. Acer rival : DELL
15. Vending machine opening : SLOT
16. Acer employee : TECH
17. TV planet : ORK
18. Banzai Pipeline feature : SURF
19. Frozen drink brand : ICEE
23. Omega, to a physicist : OHM
25. London’s __ Gardens : KEW
29. Ruth wore one : CAP
30. What kilowatt hours measure : USAGE
31. Knickknack perch : SHELF
33. Its Space Command has HQ in Colorado : USAF
36. Capital of Eritrea : ASMARA
38. Alter, as a tailor might : RESEAM
39. First Family name : IVANKA
40. Dueling party : FENCER
41. Low cards : TREYS
42. Consumer protection org. : FTC
43. Conquistador’s treasure : ORO
44. Pacific Rim nation : PERU
45. Eurasian border river : URAL
47. Opposite of a squeaker : ROUT
48. Lowly worker : SERF
51. Tom of “Newhart” : POSTON
53. Math subj. : ALG
57. Grounds crew concern : TURF
58. Information source, with “the” : WEB
60. All over the world : GLOBAL
63. Bookkeeping no. : ACCT
64. Champagne cocktail : MIMOSA
65. Hurricanes form over them : OCEANS
66. Embarks : STARTS
68. Furry TV ET : ALF
69. License holder? : WALLET
72. Stop by : VISIT
73. GPS data : RTES
74. Foolish one : YO-YO
75. Food in a humility metaphor : PIE
77. Spheres : ORBS
78. Vanquish : BEAT
81. Hall of Fame chef De Laurentiis : GIADA
82. Wreaked state : HAVOC
83. Tinkered with : DABBLED IN
84. “Soon” : IN A MINUTE
85. ATM giant : NCR
86. Procure : GET
89. Full-figured model born Melissa Miller : EMME
94. Archipelago with an eponymous wine : MADEIRA
96. Storied vessel : ARK
99. Big weight : ONE TON
101. Java creation : APPLET
102. Workers’ org. formed in 1886 : AFL
104. Vasarely’s genre : OP ART
105. Word for word?: Abbr. : SYN
107. Actor Davis : OSSIE
108. Raised symbol of resistance : FIST
109. Brilliant display : ECLAT
110. Market : SELL
111. They’re chewed in pastures : CUDS
112. Wrigley Field stats : RBIS
113. Sunrise dirección : ESTE
115. “Do the Right Thing” pizzeria : SAL’S
117. “Many fresh streams meet in one salt __”: Shakespeare : SEA
118. Little piggy : TOE
119. Sol preceders : FAS
120. CXII halved : LVI
121. 20-volume ref. : OED

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