Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
14. New Jersey or California city LODI
Lodi, New Jersey was named in honor of the city of Lodi in Italy. One of Lodi’s claims to fame is that it is home to the Satin Dolls go-go bar, which was used for location shoots for the fictional Bada Bing bar in “The Sopranos”.

Lodi, California may not be as well known a wine producer as Sonoma and Napa counties, but has been given the moniker “Zinfandel Capital of the World”.

15. French champagne maker founded in Germany MUMM
G. H. Mumm is one of the largest Champagne producers in the world. It is located in Reims in northern France and was actually founded by three brothers from Germany, all winemakers from the Rhine Valley.

19. Olympic racer since 2008 BMXER
BMX stands for Bicycle Motocross. It's the sport where folks on bicycles race around what is in effect a regular motocross track. Medals were awarded for BMX for the first time at the Beijing Olympics, with a Latvian winning for the men, and a Française winning for the women.

31. __ Wiedersehen AUF
“Auf Wiedersehen” is German for “goodbye”, literally translating as “till we see each other again”.

33. Lang. of Florence ITAL
Florence is the capital city of the Tuscany region in Italy. Something from or related to Florence is described as “Florentine”. The city is known as “Firenze” in Italian.

40. Slush __ FUND
A “slush fund” is a sum of money that is held in reserve, or in the case of illicit dealings, that is used for paying bribes. The term originated in at sea, with “slush” referring to the fat skimmed from the top of a pot of boiling salted meat. A cook might sell the fat to tallow makers and the money earned was his “slush fund”.

41. JFK overseer FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was set up in 1958 (as the Federal Aviation Agency). The agency was established at that particular time largely in response to an increasing number of midair collisions. The worst of these disasters had taken place two years earlier over the Grand Canyon, a crash between two commercial passenger airplanes that resulted in 128 fatalities.

The Idlewild Golf Course was taken over by the city of New York in 1943 and construction started on a new airport to serve the metropolis and relieve congestion at La Guardia. The Idlewild name still persists, even though the airport was named after Major General Alexander E. Anderson from the first days of the project. When the facility started operating in 1948 it was known as New York International Airport, Anderson Field. It was renamed to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in 1963, one month after the President was assassinated.

42. Food Network's "Beat Bobby __"FLAY
Bobby Flay is a celebrity chef who has hosted several shows on the Food Network. Flay is also an Iron Chef on the show “Iron Chef America”, which also airs on the Food Network.

47. IRS agent T-MAN
A T-man is a law-enforcement agent of the US Treasury (T is for Treasury).

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

48. Ukr. neighbor ROM
Romania sits just east of Hungary and north of Bulgaria in Europe. Romania was formed from the union of two principalities in 1859, Moldavia and Wallachia. The Kingdom of Romania grew larger in size after WWI with the addition of three new regions, including the "vampirish" Transylvania.

Ukraine is a large country in Eastern Europe, in fact the largest country located entirely within the continent. In English we often call the country “the" Ukraine, but I am told that we should just say "Ukraine".

51. Little newt EFT
Newts wouldn't be my favorite animals. They are found all over the world living on land or in water depending on the species, but always associated with water even if it is only for breeding. Newts metamorphose through three distinct developmental stages during their lives. They start off as larvae in water, fertilized eggs that often cling to aquatic plants. The eggs hatch into tadpoles, the first developmental form of the newt. After living some months as tadpoles swimming around in the water, they undergo another metamorphosis, sprouting legs and replacing their external gills with lungs. At this juvenile stage they are known as efts, and leave the water to live on land. A more gradual transition takes place then, as the eft takes on the lizard-like appearance of the adult newt.

66. Achilles' heel FATAL FLAW
Achilles is a Greek mythological figure, the main protagonist of Homer's "Iliad". Supposedly when Achilles was born his mother attempted to make him immortal by dipping him into the River Styx. As he was held by the heel as he was immersed, this became the only vulnerable point on his body, his “Achilles’ heel”. Years later he was killed when a poisoned arrow struck him in the heel. The arrow was shot by Paris.

69. Italian automaker since 1899 FIAT
Fiat is the largest car manufacturer in Italy, and is headquartered in Turin in the Piedmont region in the north of the country. Fiat was founded in 1899 by Giovanni Agnelli, when the company’s name was “Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino” (FIAT). A few years ago, Fiat became the majority shareholder in Chrysler.

73. Safecracker YEGG
“Yegg” is a slang word for a burglar and often for a safe-cracker. The origin of the term appears to be unknown.

Down
1. __ Romeo: sports car ALFA
The “Alfa” in Alfa Romeo is actually an acronym, standing for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili ("Lombard Automobile Factory, Public Company"). ALFA was an enterprise founded in 1909 and which was taken over by Nicola Romeo in 1915. In 1920 the company name was changed to Alfa Romeo.

5. Texter's "If you ask me"IMO
In my opinion (IMO)

7. Oscars host, e.g. EMCEE
The term "emcee" comes from "MC", an initialism standing for Master or Mistress of Ceremonies.

8. Mideast VIP EMEER
An “emir” is a head of state in some Islamic countries. In English, emir can also be written as emeer, amir and ameer (watch out for those spellings in crosswords!).

9. British Invasion nickname FAB FOUR
The Beatles were described on the sleeve notes of their 1963 album “With the Beatles” as the “fabulous foursome”. The press picked up on the phrase and morphed it into “the Fab Four”.

10. Humorist Bombeck ERMA
Erma Bombeck wrote for newspapers for about 35 years, producing more than 4,000 witty and humorous columns describing her home life in suburbia.

12. Correct, as text EMEND
The verb “to amend” means “to change for the better, put right, alter by adding”. The related verb “to emend” is used more rarely and mainly in reference to the editing of professional writing. Both terms are derived from the Latin “emendare” meaning “to remove fault”.

13. Game that drives home a point? DARTS
Darts is a wonderful game, often played in English and Irish pubs, even over here in America. The scoring in a traditional game of darts is difficult to describe in a sentence or two, but the game of darts called "Round the Clock" is simply hitting the numbers 1 through 20 in sequence.

22. Pumpernickel buy LOAF
The lovely bread known as pumpernickel is made with a recipe that originates in the Westphalia region of Germany. The version of the bread that we eat in North America has been adapted over the years from the original recipe, largely to produce a cheaper product. If you taste the European version beside the American version, it’s hard to believe they have the same origins. The etymology and literal translation of “pumpernickel” seems to be unclear, although there are some interesting suggestions given that I won’t repeat here, especially as they have to do with “the devil’s flatulence!”

24. U.K. fliers RAF
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the oldest independent air force in the world (i.e. the first air force to become independent of army or navy forces). The RAF was formed during WWI on 1 April 1918, a composite of two earlier forces, the Royal Flying Corps (part of the Army) and the Royal Naval Air Service. The RAF's "finest hour" has to be the Battle of Britain when the vastly outnumbered British fighters fought off the might of the Luftwaffe causing Hitler to delay his plan to cross the English Channel. This outcome prompted Winston Churchill to utter the memorable words:
Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.

27. Annoy MIFF
"To miff" is "to put out, to tee off", a word that has been around since the early 1600s. Interestingly, in 1824 Sir Walter Scott described the word "miffed" as "a women's phrase". That would get him a slap, I'd say ...

28. Storage case for tiny scissors ETUI
An etui is an ornamental case used to hold small items, in particular sewing needles. We imported both the case design and the word "etui" from France. The French also have a modern usage of "etui", using the term to depict a case for carrying CDs.

29. "Death in Venice" author Thomas MANN
Thomas Mann was a German novelist whose most famous work is probably his novella "Death in Venice", originally published in German in 1912 as "Der Tod in Venedig". The story was famously adapted for the big screen in 1971, in a movie starring Dirk Bogarde.

37. Giggly Muppet ELMO
The man behind/under the character Elmo on “Sesame Street” is Kevin Clash. If you want to learn more about Elmo and Clash, you can watch the 2011 documentary “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey”.

38. Tandoori bread NAAN
Naan (also “nan”) bread is very popular in Indian restaurants, as well as in other West, Central and South Asian cuisines. Indian Naan is traditionally baked in a clay oven known as a tandoor.

39. Physics unit DYNE
A dyne is a unit of force. The name "dyne" comes from the Greek "dynamis" meaning "power, force".

45. Disney's "__ and the Detectives"EMIL
“Emil and the Detectives” is a novel first published in 1929. It was originally written in German and was titled “Emil und die Detektive”. The Disney company released a screen adaptation in 1964.

52. Fauna's partner FLORA
The fauna is the animal life of a particular region, and the flora is that region's plant life. The term “fauna” comes from the Roman goddess of earth and fertility who was called Fauna. Flora was the Roman goddess of plants, flowers and fertility.

53. Records for later, in a way TIVOS
TiVo was introduced in 1999 and was the world's first commercially successful DVR (Digital Video Recorder).

55. Super, at the box office BOFFO
“Boffo” is show biz slang for “very successful”, a term that dates back to the early sixties.

56. Where rain falls mainly on the plain SPAIN
“The Rain in Spain” is a song from the 1956 Lerner & Loewe musical “My Fair Lady”. The famous lyric “The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain” appears in the 1938 film “Pygmalion”, but not in the original 1913 George Bernard Shaw play “Pygmalion”, on which all the derivative works are based.

60. Doc's "Now!"STAT!
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".

62. Santa's access FLUE
The flue in a chimney is a duct that conveys exhaust gases from a fire to the outdoors. An important feature of a flue is that it is adjustable. When starting a fire, the flue should be wide open, maximizing airflow to get help ignition. When the fire is burning, flow through the flue should be more restricted. The flue needs to be open sufficiently to allow smoke and exhaust gases exit, but not too wide so that too much hot air escapes, dragging cold air into the house from elsewhere.

64. Loot SWAG
“Swag” is “loot, stolen property”, a term that started out as criminal slang in England in the 1830s. Swag is also the name given to the promotional freebies available at some events.

67. Off-road transport, briefly ATV
All-terrain vehicle (ATV)

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. "Yeah, like that's gonna happen" AS IF
5. "That's clear now" I SEE
9. Honored with a big bash FETED
14. New Jersey or California city LODI
15. French champagne maker founded in Germany MUMM
16. Bakery lure AROMA
17. Maximum impact FULL FORCE
19. Olympic racer since 2008 BMXER
20. Staggering dizzily AREEL
21. Get dizzy FEEL FAINT
23. "__ out!" FAR
25. Suffix with switch -EROO
26. DJ's stack CDS
27. Accessory for note-taking MEMO PAD
31. __ Wiedersehen AUF
33. Lang. of Florence ITAL
34. Close pal FAST FRIEND
40. Slush __ FUND
41. JFK overseer FAA
42. Food Network's "Beat Bobby __" FLAY
43. Healthy, with "in" FINE FETTLE
47. IRS agent T-MAN
48. Ukr. neighbor ROM
49. Softball of a question EASY ONE
51. Little newt EFT
54. Pokes fun at RIBS
57. Baseball : ump :: football : __ REF
58. Beach footwear FLIP-FLOPS
61. British elevators LIFTS
65. What the suffix "phile" means LOVER
66. Achilles' heel FATAL FLAW
68. Stood AROSE
69. Italian automaker since 1899 FIAT
70. Melt fish TUNA
71. Tentative bite TASTE
72. Airing, as a sitcom ON TV
73. Safecracker YEGG

Down
1. __ Romeo: sports car ALFA
2. Like lemons SOUR
3. Doing nothing IDLE
4. Office cabinet document holder FILE FOLDER
5. Texter's "If you ask me" IMO
6. Browse websites SURF
7. Oscars host, e.g. EMCEE
8. Mideast VIP EMEER
9. British Invasion nickname FAB FOUR
10. Humorist Bombeck ERMA
11. Poisonous TOXIC
12. Correct, as text EMEND
13. Game that drives home a point? DARTS
18. Envelope part FLAP
22. Pumpernickel buy LOAF
24. U.K. fliers RAF
27. Annoy MIFF
28. Storage case for tiny scissors ETUI
29. "Death in Venice" author Thomas MANN
30. Senseless DAFT
32. Six for you, six for me, e.g. FIFTY-FIFTY
35. Posed SAT
36. Bit of folklore TALE
37. Giggly Muppet ELMO
38. Tandoori bread NAAN
39. Physics unit DYNE
44. On the house FOR FREE
45. Disney's "__ and the Detectives" EMIL
46. Place for a hoop EAR
50. Get bought up quickly SELL
51. Key above D E-FLAT
52. Fauna's partner FLORA
53. Records for later, in a way TIVOS
55. Super, at the box office BOFFO
56. Where rain falls mainly on the plain SPAIN
59. Bothersome insect PEST
60. Doc's "Now!" STAT!
62. Santa's access FLUE
63. Zesty flavor TANG
64. Loot SWAG
67. Off-road transport, briefly ATV


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Jellied garnish ASPIC
Aspic is a dish in which the main ingredients are served in a gelatin made from meat stock. "Aspic" is a French word for "jelly".

6. Northwestern pear BOSC
Bosc is a cultivar of the European Pear grown in the northwest of the United States. The Bosc is that pear with a skin the color of a potato, with a long neck. I always seem to use the potato as my point of reference. How Irish am I ...?

14. Good, in Granada BUENO
Granada is a city and province in Andalusia in the south of Spain. Granada should not to be confused with Grenada (note the different spelling), the island nation in the Caribbean that was invaded by the US in 1983.

17. Trader for whom a northwest Oregon city was named ASTOR
John Jacob Astor was the father of the famous American Astor dynasty. He was the country's first multi-millionaire, making his fortune in the trade of fur, real estate and opium. In today's terms, it has been calculated that by the time of his death he has accumulated a fortune big enough to make him the fourth wealthiest man in American history (in the company of the likes of Andrew Carnegie, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Bill Gates, Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller).

The city of Astoria, Oregon started out as Fort Astoria in 1810. Fort Astoria was a fur-trading post built by John Jacob Astor’s Pacific Fur Company, hence the “Astoria” name.

18. __ impasse AT AN
“Impasse” is a French word for a blind alley or an impassable road, and we use the term to mean “stalemate”.

19. Texas flag symbol STAR
The single star on the state flag of Texas is a reminder of the "lone star" on the 1836 National Standard of Texas. The single gold star on a blue background symbolized Texas as an independent republic and its struggle for independence from Mexico.

20. Part of the Three Little Pigs' chant … CHINNY CHIN CHIN

"Little pig, little Pig, let me come in."
"No, no, not by the hair on my chinny chin chin."
"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in.

The fairy tale of “The Three Little Pigs” has been around for centuries, although it first appeared in print in the 1840s. One little pig built a house using straw and another built one using wood. The cleverest little pig built its house using bricks.

23. Baby beaver KIT
Beavers are monogamous and mate for life. The offspring of a beaver couple are called kits.

30. Clean Air Act administrative gp. EPA
The Clean Air Act of 1963 is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

33. Heads, in slang NOBS
The slang term "nob" has been used for "head" for over 300 years, and is a variant of "knob".

36. Persian Gulf cargo CRUDE
The Persian Gulf is in effect an inland sea although it technically is an offshoot of the Indian Ocean. The outlet from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean is one of the most famous maritime “choke points” in the world, known as the Strait of Hormuz. About 20% of the world’s supply of petroleum passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

37. The "Original Formula," soda-wise COCA-COLA CLASSIC
When “new Coke” was introduced in 1985, the market reacted very, very badly. The public reaction was so negative that the Coca-Cola company quickly reintroduced its “Coca Cola Classic” line. Ironically, the whole debacle resulted in Coke actually gaining market share when the “old coke” returned to supermarket shelves.

42. French 101 verb ETRE
The French for “to be” is “être”.

44. Bakes, as 50-Acrosses SHIRRS
Shirred eggs are eggs that have been baked without their shells in a flat-bottomed dish. The term “shirred” comes from the name of the dish that was traditionally used for the baking.

46. "Star Wars" staples ETS
Extraterrestrial (ET)

54. Provincetown rental CAPE COD COTTAGE
Provincetown is located at the very tip of Cape Cod. As a major vacation destination, Provincetown has a summer population of up to 60,000 people, dropping to under 3,000 off season. The land now called Provincetown was the original “Cape Cod” back in the early 1600s. It wasn’t until much later that the Cape Cod name was applied to the entire region.

57. Roast, in Rouen ROTI
In French, a “rôti” (roast) is a joint of meat.

Rouen is the major city in Normandy in northern France. During the days of Norman Britain, Rouen was one of the capitals of the Anglo-Norman dynasties. Rouen was also where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431.

58. Antelope Island state UTAH
Antelope Island is the largest of ten islands located in the Great Salt Lake. However, the island regularly becomes a peninsula when the lake is at low water levels.

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

64. Mesozoic and Paleozoic ERAS
The Mesozoic Era is also known as the Age of the Dinosaurs, as most dinosaurs developed during that time and the era ended with the extinction of all dinosaurs (except the avian species, which developed into our modern birds). The Mesozoic Era started with another cataclysmic event, the so called "Great Dying", the largest mass extinction in the history of our planet. During the "Great Dying" over 90% of all marine species and 70% of all terrestrial vertebrate species died off.

The Paleozoic Era (with "Paleozoic" meaning "ancient life") was a geologic era from roughly 542 to 251 million years ago. Notably in the Paleozoic Era, fish populations thrived and vast forests of primitive plants covered the land. Those forests were the source material for the coal which we dig out of the ground now in Europe and the eastern parts of North America. At end of the Paleozoic Era was the largest mass extinction in the history of the Earth, killing off 96% of all marine species, and 70% of all terrestrial vertebrates. Causes of the extinction have been suggested, with one hypothesis being gradually accelerating climate change (scary!).

65. Slangy craving JONES
The slang term “Jones” is used to mean an intense addiction, a yen, and probably arose in the late sixties out of the prior use of "Jones" for the drug heroin.

Down
2. Japanese finger food SUSHI
Traditionally, sushi has been consumed as a finger food. However, chopsticks are commonly used these days in Japan, and almost always Japanese restaurants in the West.

3. __ four: teacake PETIT
A “petit four” is a small confection served at the end of a meal, either as a dessert or with coffee. The name “petit four” is French for “small oven”.

5. Eye part CORNEA
The cornea is the transparent part of the eye in the front, covering the iris and the pupil. Even though the cornea is not part of the lens it acts as a lens, and in fact does most of the work focusing light coming in through the eye. The cornea is in effect a fixed-focus lens passing on light to the variable-focus lens that is inside the eye.

6. Subject for Stephen Hawking BLACK HOLE
A black hole in space is a region that is extremely dense and one that has an enormous gravitational field. The force of gravity is so great that not even light can escape, so all that can be observed is “blackness”, which gives the phenomenon the name of "black hole". It is believed that black holes form when large stars reach the end of their lives and collapse in upon themselves.

Stephen Hawking is a theoretical physicist from Oxford, England. Hawking owes much of his fame in the world of popular science to his incredibly successful book called “A Brief History of Time”. “A Brief History of Time” has sold over 10 million copies and was on London’s “Sunday Times” bestseller list for over four years. Hawking does a wonderful job of explaining many aspects of cosmology without losing the average reader. There is only one equation in the whole book, and that equation is “E = mc2”. Hawking’s life story is recounted in the excellent 2014 film “The Theory of Everything”.

10. Supermarket employees CASHIERS
The verb “to cashier” and the noun “cashier” have two different roots. “To cashier” is to dismiss someone from the military in disgrace, coming from the French “casser” meaning “to discharge”. A “cashier” is someone who is in charge of money or cash. This term derives from the French “caisse” meaning “money box”.

11. Like the Sherman Act ANTITRUST
The Sherman Antitrust Act dates back to 1890. The act makes it illegal for companies to seek a monopoly or to form cartels. It is named for US Senator John Sherman , the principal author of the act.

13. New Deal pres. FDR
The New Deal was the series of economic programs championed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression. The New Deal was focused on three objectives, the “3 Rs”:

- Relief for the unemployed and poor
- Recovery of the economy to normal levels
- Reform of the financial system to prevent a repeat depression

22. Spanish girl CHICA
In Spanish, a “niña” is a young girl, a child. The term “chica” applies to an older girl or perhaps a young woman.. The term “muchacha” applies to girls in general, I think ...

28. Falco of "Oz"EDIE
The actress Edie Falco won three Emmy Awards for playing Carmela Soprano on HBO's outstanding drama series called "The Sopranos". Falco also won an Emmy in 2010 for playing the title role in another excellent TV series, “Nurse Jackie”.

29. Prefix with pod DECA-
Decapods are crustaceans, including crayfish, crabs, lobsters, prawns and shrimp. The name of the order Decapoda implies that the creatures have ten legs. The three front pairs of legs function as mouthparts, and often, one pair of legs include enlarged pincers.

30. They record beats per min. ECGS
An EKG measures electrical activity in the heart. Back in my homeland of Ireland, an EKG is known as an ECG (for electrocardiogram). We use the German name in the US, Elektrokardiogramm, giving us EKG. Apparently the abbreviation EKG is preferred as ECG might be confused (if poorly handwritten, I guess) with EEG, the abbreviation for an electroencephalogram.

31. Friend of Tigger POOH
Tigger is a character in the “Winnie-the-Pooh” stories by A. A. Milne. He is a tiger with a springy tail and just loves to bounce around. Tigger will tell you himself that “bouncing is what tiggers do best.”

34. Compete in a box BAT
That would be in baseball …

38. Medication used for dilating pupils ATROPINE
The medication atropine is usually synthesised although it is also found naturally in a number of plants in the nightshade family. One topical use of atropine is to dilate the pupils of the eye, as it temporarily paralyzes the ciliary muscles that control the size of the opening in the iris.

39. Bistro offering CARTE
“Carte” is a word sometimes used in French for a menu. Menu items that are "à la carte" are priced and ordered separately, as opposed to "table d'hôte" which is a fixed price menu with limited choice.

"Bistro" was originally a Parisian slang term for a "little wine shop or restaurant".

47. High-ranking NCO SGT MAJ
An NCO is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces. Usually such an officer is one who has earned his or her rank by promotion through the enlisted ranks. A good example would be a sergeant major (sgt. maj.).

49. Turbine blade ROTOR
A turbine is a machine uses the flow of a fluid (sometimes air) to create rotational work. Simple examples of turbines are windmills and waterwheels.

51. Industry honcho BARON
“Honcho” is a slang term for a leader or manager. The term comes to us from Japanese, in which language a "hancho" is a squad (han) leader (cho).

53. Runs down the mountain, maybe MELTS
Snowmelt runs down a mountain as the weather warms.

54. Musical finale CODA
In music, a coda is primarily a passage that brings a movement to a conclusion. “Coda” is Italian for “tail”.

55. Man Ray genre DADA
Dadaism thrived during and just after WWI, and was an anti-war, anti-bourgeois and anti-art culture. The movement began in Zurich, Switzerland started by a group of artists and writers who met to discuss art and put on performances in the Cabaret Voltaire, frequently expressing disgust at the war that was raging across Europe.

Man Ray was an American modernist artist who spent most of his working life in Paris. Man Ray was born in South Philadelphia in 1890, and his real name was Emmanuel Radnitzky. His family shortened “Radnitzky” to “Ray” in response to the anti-Semitic feeling that was prevalent at the time. Emmanuel was known as “Manny”, and he decided to assume the name Man Ray and use it for his work.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Jellied garnish ASPIC
6. Northwestern pear BOSC
10. Farm youngster CALF
14. Good, in Granada BUENO
15. Chorus syllables LA LA
16. Give __ to: approve A NOD
17. Trader for whom a northwest Oregon city was named ASTOR
18. __ impasse AT AN
19. Texas flag symbol STAR
20. Part of the Three Little Pigs' chant … CHINNY CHIN CHIN
23. Baby beaver KIT
24. Mouse-spotter's shriek EEK!
25. Extremely well-pitched NO-HIT
26. Gray shade ASH
27. Multilayered, as cakes TIERED
30. Clean Air Act administrative gp. EPA
33. Heads, in slang NOBS
36. Persian Gulf cargo CRUDE
37. The "Original Formula," soda-wise COCA-COLA CLASSIC
41. "__ go!" GOTTA
42. French 101 verb ETRE
43. Pot contents TEA
44. Bakes, as 50-Acrosses SHIRRS
46. "Star Wars" staples ETS
48. Exit poll target VOTER
50. Breakfast food EGG
51. "Pow!" BAM!
54. Provincetown rental CAPE COD COTTAGE
57. Roast, in Rouen ROTI
58. Antelope Island state UTAH
59. Lesson at the end MORAL
60. Arabian Peninsula port ADEN
61. Went by skateboard RODE
62. Take in ADOPT
63. Get one's feet wet WADE
64. Mesozoic and Paleozoic ERAS
65. Slangy craving JONES

Down
1. One way to be taken ABACK
2. Japanese finger food SUSHI
3. __ four: teacake PETIT
4. Privy to IN ON
5. Eye part CORNEA
6. Subject for Stephen Hawking BLACK HOLE
7. Promise OATH
8. Killed, as a dragon SLAIN
9. Is unable to CANNOT
10. Supermarket employees CASHIERS
11. Like the Sherman Act ANTITRUST
12. Deal with interest LOAN
13. New Deal pres. FDR
21. Basic question type YES/NO
22. Spanish girl CHICA
28. Falco of "Oz" EDIE
29. Prefix with pod DECA-
30. They record beats per min. ECGS
31. Friend of Tigger POOH
32. Switched on ACTIVATED
34. Compete in a box BAT
35. Braking sounds SCREECHES
38. Medication used for dilating pupils ATROPINE
39. Bistro offering CARTE
40. "Unhand me!" LET GO!
45. Tie tightly SECURE
47. High-ranking NCO SGT MAJ
49. Turbine blade ROTOR
51. Industry honcho BARON
52. Wide open AGAPE
53. Runs down the mountain, maybe MELTS
54. Musical finale CODA
55. Man Ray genre DADA
56. Commotion TO-DO
57. Wet behind the ears RAW


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. "Grey's Anatomy" airer ABC
"Gray's Anatomy" is a very successful human anatomy textbook that was first published back in 1858 and is still in print today. The original text was written by English anatomist Henry Gray, who gave his name to the work. The TV medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy” is centered on the character Dr. Meredith Grey, but the show’s title is a nod to the title of the famous textbook.

9. Non-shaving razor name? OCCAM
Ockham's Razor (also “Occam's Razor”) is a principle in philosophy and science that basically states that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. This explanation is a corollary to the more exact statement of the principle, that one shouldn't needlessly use assumptions in explaining something.

14. Scrooge word BAH!
The classic 1843 novella "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens has left us with a few famous phrases and words. Firstly, it led to popular use of the phrase "Merry Christmas", and secondly it gave us the word "scrooge" meaning a miserly person. And thirdly, everyone knows that Ebenezer Scrooge uttered the words "Bah! Humbug!".

15. Brilliance 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".

16. San Antonio landmark ALAMO
The famous Alamo in San Antonio, Texas was originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero. The mission was founded in 1718 and was the first mission established in the city. The Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836, a thirteen-day siege by the Mexican Army led by President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Only two people defending the Alamo Mission survived the onslaught. One month later, the Texian army got its revenge by attacking and defeating the Mexican Army in the Battle of San Jacinto. During the surprise attack on Santa Anna's camp, many of the Texian soldiers were heard to cry "Remember the Alamo!".

17. Roger Clemens, for one ACE
Roger Clemens is a retired baseball pitcher who racked up the third-highest number of career strikeouts (after Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson). Clemens earned the nickname “The Rocket” due to a hard-throwing, intimidating pitching style.

22. "Sorry, we're full" sign SRO
Standing room only (SRO)

23. Test release BETA
In the world of software development, the first tested issue of a new program is usually called the "alpha" version. Expected to have a lot of bugs that need to be fixed, the alpha release is usually distributed to a small number of testers. After reported bugs have been eliminated, the refined version is called a "beta" and is released to a wider audience, but with the program clearly labeled as "beta". The users generally check functionality and report further bugs that are encountered. The beta version feeds into a release candidate, the version that is tested just prior to the software being sold into the market, bug-free. Yeah, right ...

34. Tour de France, e.g. BIKE RACE
Back in the late 1800s, long-distance cycle races were used as promotional events, traditionally to help boost sales of newspapers. These races usually took place around tracks, but in 1902 the backers of the struggling sports publication "L'Auto" decided to stage a race that would take the competitors all around France. That first Tour de France took place in 1903, starting in Paris and passing through Lyon, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Nantes and then back to Paris.

37. Nikon competitor LEICA
Leica is a German optics company, famous for production of lenses and cameras. The 1913 Leica was the first practical camera that could use 35mm film, a size chosen because it was already the standard for film used in motion pictures.

Nikon was founded in 1917, a merger of three companies making various optical devices. After the merger, the company's main output was lenses (including the first lenses for Canon cameras, before Canon made its own). During the war, Nikon sales grew rapidly as the company focused on (pun unintended!) equipment for the military including periscopes and bomb sights.

38. LAX datum ETA
Estimated time of arrival (ETA)

Los Angeles International Airport is the sixth busiest airport in the world in terms of passenger traffic, and the busiest here on the West Coast of the US. The airport was opened in 1930 as Mines Field and was renamed to Los Angeles Airport in 1941. On the airport property is the iconic white structure that resembles a flying saucer. This is called the Theme Building and I believe it is mainly used as a restaurant and observation deck for the public. The airport used to be identified by the letters “LA”, but when the aviation industry went to a three-letter standard for airport identification, this was changed to “LAX”. Apparently the “X” has no significant meaning.

39. *Website for do-it-yourselfers WIKIHOW (“Wiki” is a mixed “kiwi”)
wikiHow is a website that has the stated mission of building the world’s largest how-to manual. The site was launched in 2005 by the owners of the website eHow.

What we call kiwifruit today used to be called a Chinese gooseberry. Marketing folks in the fifties decided to call it a "melonette", and then New Zealand producers adopted the name "kiwifruit".

42. Gen-__ XER
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 the latest accepted definition, Gen-Xers were born between 1961 and 1981.

50. Made the last move, in a way MATED
In the game of chess, when the king is under immediate threat of capture it is said to be "in check". If the king cannot escape from check, then the game ends in "checkmate" and the player in check loses. In the original Sanskrit game of chess, the king could actually be captured. Then a rule was introduced requiring that a warning be given if capture was imminent (today we announce "check!") so that an accidental and early ending to the game doesn't occur.

53. Degs. for writers MFAS
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

60. Sherlock Holmes enemy Colonel Sebastian __ MORAN
Colonel Sebastian Moran is an enemy of the great detective Sherlock Holmes. Holmes referred to him as the second most dangerous man in London, after Moran’s employer Professor Moriarty.

66. Tart ACERB
“Acerb” is a variant of “acerbic”, meaning sour or bitter-tasting, acidic.

67. David's role on "Frasier"NILES
In the sitcom called “Frasier”, Niles Crane is the brother of the title character Frasier Crane. Fraiser is played by Kelsey Grammer and Niles is played by David Hyde Pierce. Frasier was originally intended to be an only child in the show’s storyline, but the producers decided to add a brother when they noted the remarkable similarity in appearance between David Hyde Pierce and Kelsey Grammer.

68. Chemical ending -IDE
In chemistry, when a metal combines with a nonmetal, the nonmetal is often given the suffix -ide. One example would be iron sulfide, made from iron (a metal) and sulfur (a nonmetal).

69. Eponymous trailblazer Chisholm JESSE
The Chisholm Trail was used in the late 1800s by ranchers driving their cattle from Texas to the stockyards and railroad termini in Kansas. The trail was named for Jesse Chisholm who operated trading posts along much of the route.

70. Davis of "A League of Their Own"GEENA
As well as being a successful Hollywood actress, Geena Davis is an accomplished archer and came close to qualifying for the US archery team for the 2000 Summer Olympics. Davis is also a member of American Mensa. She is quite the lady ...

“A League of Their Own” is a comedy drama film released in 1992 that tells a tale about the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League active during WWII. The lead actors were Tom Hanks and Geena Davis. The film spawned one of the most famous quotes in movie history: “There’s no crying in baseball!”

71. Thrice, in Rx's TER
"Ter" is the Latin word for "three", commonly used in the medical world on prescriptions as part of the expression "ter in die". "Ter in die" is Latin for "three times a day", abbreviated to "TID". "Bis in die" (BID) would be twice a day, and "quater in die" (QID) would be four times a day.

There seems to some uncertainty about the origin of the symbol "Rx" that's used for a medical prescription. One explanation is that it comes from the astrological sign for Jupiter, a symbol put on prescriptions in days of old to invoke Jupiter's blessing to help a patient recover.

Down
2. Family with several notable composers BACHS
Johann Sebastian Bach raised a very large family. He had seven children with his first wife, who died suddenly. He had a further thirteen children with his second wife. Of his twenty youngsters, there were four sons who became famous musicians in their own right:

- Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (aka "the Halle Bach")
- Carl Philipp Bach (aka "the Hamburg Bach")
- Johann Christoph Bach (aka "the Buckeberg Bach")
- Johann Christian Bach (aka "the London Bach")

4. Athlete nicknamed "O Rei do Futebol"PELE
Pelé is the nickname of Edson de Nascimento, a soccer player who has used the name Pelé for most of his life. Pelé is now retired, and for my money was the world's greatest ever player of the game. He is the only person to have been part of three World Cup winning squads, and is a national treasure in his native Brazil. One of Pele’s nicknames is “O Rei do Futebol” (the King of Football).

5. Old French coin ECU
The ecu is an Old French coin. When introduced in 1640, the ecu was worth three livres (an older coin, called a "pound" in English). The word "ecu" comes from the Latin "scutum" meaning "shield". The original ecu had a coat of arms on it, a shield.

6. Name of more than 5,000 U.S. streets ELM
The most common street name in the US is “Second Street”. “First Street” comes in only at number three, and this is because many cities and towns forego the use of “First” and instead go with “Main” or something more historical in nature. “Elm Street” appears on the list at number fifteen.

9. Western defense gp. OAS
The Organization of American States (OAS) has its headquarters in Washington, D.C. All the independent states in the Americas are members of the group except Honduras, which had its membership suspended after the country's 2009 coup.

12. Latin 101 word AMAT
"Amo, amas, amat” ... "I love, you love, he/she/it loves", in Latin.

13. UCLA Bruins coach Jim MORA
Jim L. Mora was a head coach in the NFL from 2004 to 2009, and then head coach for the UCLA Bruins starting in 2012. His father, Jim E. Mora, was also an NFL head coach.

21. Singer Lovett LYLE
As well as being famous in his own right as a successful country singer, Lyle Lovett is known for his marriage to the actress Julia Roberts in 1993. The pair had a whirlwind romance lasting just three weeks before they eloped and were wed. The marriage was also relatively whirlwind, lasting less than two years.

28. "Big Brother" creator ORWELL
George Orwell was the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, the famous British author of the classics "Nineteen Eighty-Four" and "Animal Farm". Orwell had trouble getting his novel “Animal Farm” published in his homeland of the UK during WWII. The book was a satire of life in the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin, and anti-Soviet literature wasn't a good thing to publish while the UK and USSR were on the same side of a World War. In fact, one publisher who was willing to distribute the book changed his mind after being warned off by the British Ministry of Information. Given his experiences with “Animal Farm”, I find it interesting that Orwell should write "Nineteen Eighty-Four" a few years later, which introduced the world to the term “Big Brother”.

29. Le cinquième mois MAI
In French, “mai” (May) is “le cinquième mois” (the fifth month) of the year.

31. Tasty mélange ... and a literal hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues MIXED FRUIT
“Mélange” is the French word for “mixture”.

33. Sailors TARS
A Jack Tar, or just "tar", was a seaman in the days of the British Empire. The term probably arose due to a sailor's various uses of tar back then, including waterproofing his clothes and using tar in his hair to slick down his ponytail.

34. Corn __ BELT
Geographically, the Corn Belt covers Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and parts of Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota and Missouri. About 40% of the world's corn production comes from the region, and most of that production is used for the feeding of livestock.

35. Road to the Forum ITER
“Iter” is the Latin for “road”.

The Roman forum was the public space in the middle of a city, taking it's name from the Latin word "forum" meaning "marketplace, town square". “The Roman Forum” is most famous example of such a space. The Forum is at the heart of the city of Rome, is surrounded by the ruins of several ancient government buildings, and has been referred to as the most celebrated meeting play in the world.

36. Mixgetränk cube EIS
In German, cubes of “eis” (ice) might be found in “ein Mixgetränk” (mixed drink, cocktail).

40. Strikes may cross it HOME
That would be in baseball …

44. Fall noisemakers BLOWERS
Those would be leaf blowers …

46. Verne captain NEMO
In the 1954 movie version of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", Captain Nemo goes down with his ship. In the novel by Jules Verne the fate of Nemo and his crew isn't quite so cut and dry, although the inference is perhaps that they did indeed head for Davy Jones' Locker.

48. As above, in a footnote IDEM
Idem is usually abbreviated as "id." and is the Latin word for "the same". In research papers, idem is used in a list of references, in place of citations "already mentioned above".

49. Saw SAYING
A “saw” is an old adage, a saying.

52. Lamp output, if you're lucky GENIE
The "genie" in the bottle takes his or her name from "djinn". "Djinns" were various spirits considered lesser than angels, with people exhibiting unsavory characteristics said to be possessed by djinn. When the book "The Thousand and One Nights" was translated into French, the word "djinn" was transformed into the existing word "génie", because of the similarity in sound and the related spiritual meaning. This "génie" from the Arabian tale became confused with the Latin-derived "genius", a guardian spirit thought to be assigned to each person at birth. Purely as a result of that mistranslation the word genie has come to mean the "djinn" that pops out of the bottle. A little hard to follow, I know, but still quite interesting …

54. "Intervention" channel A AND E
The A&E television network used to be a favorite of mine, with the "A&E" standing for "arts and entertainment". A&E started out airing a lot of the old classic dramas, as well as biographies and arts programs. Now there seems to be more reality TV, with one of the flagship programs being "Dog the Bounty Hunter". A slight change of direction I'd say ...

“Intervention” is a reality show in which someone with an addiction is initially interviewed under the impression that he or she is a subject in a documentary. In fact, the person is facing an intervention by family and friends. All on TV …

55. Expression for Ozymandias SNEER
“Ozymandias” is a sonnet written by Percy Bysshe Shelley that was first published in 1818:

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

56. Key of the first two Brandenburg Concertos: Abbr. F MAJ
The six, beautiful Brandenburg Concertos were composed by Johann Sebastian Bach and presented to the Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt in 1721.

57. Bothersome bugs LICE
Lice (singular “louse”) are small wingless insects of which there are thousands of species, three of which are human disease agents. The three kinds of lice affecting humans are head lice, body lice and pubic lice. Most lice feed on dead skin found on the body of the host animal, although some feed on blood. Ick ...

58. Pub quaffs ALES
"Quaff" is both a verb and a noun. One quaffs (takes a hearty drink) of a quaff (a hearty drink).

60. Southwestern sight MESA
"What's the difference between a butte and a mesa?" Both are hills with flat tops, but a mesa has a top that is wider than it is tall. A butte is a much narrower formation, taller than it is wide.

62. Fiver ABE
The US five-dollar bill is sometimes called an “Abe”, as President Lincoln’s portrait is on the front. An Abe is also referred to as a “fin”, a term that has been used for a five-pound note in Britain since 1868.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. "Grey's Anatomy" airer ABC
4. Skins to remove PEELS
9. Non-shaving razor name? OCCAM
14. Scrooge word BAH!
15. Brilliance ECLAT
16. San Antonio landmark ALAMO
17. Roger Clemens, for one ACE
18. *Unit in a bowl LUMP OF SUGAR (“lump” is a mixed “plum”)
20. Layered rock SHALE
22. "Sorry, we're full" sign SRO
23. Test release BETA
24. Glimpse ESPY
25. Make fun of JEER AT
27. Sportscast staple SLO-MO
30. Set boundaries DELIMIT
34. Tour de France, e.g. BIKE RACE
37. Nikon competitor LEICA
38. LAX datum ETA
39. *Website for do-it-yourselfers WIKIHOW (“Wiki” is a mixed “kiwi”)
42. Gen-__ XER
43. Don't bother LET BE
45. Exercise result, all too often SORENESS
47. Rose support TRELLIS
50. Made the last move, in a way MATED
51. Later years OLD AGE
53. Degs. for writers MFAS
56. Weakness FLAW
59. Look over EYE
60. Sherlock Holmes enemy Colonel Sebastian __ MORAN
61. *Fast pace MILE A MINUTE (mile” is a mixed “lime”)
65. One in Paris UNE
66. Tart ACERB
67. David's role on "Frasier" NILES
68. Chemical ending -IDE
69. Eponymous trailblazer Chisholm JESSE
70. Davis of "A League of Their Own" GEENA
71. Thrice, in Rx's TER

Down
1. Belittle ABASE
2. Family with several notable composers BACHS
3. *Skinflint CHEAPSKATE (“cheap” is a mixed “peach”)
4. Athlete nicknamed "O Rei do Futebol" PELE
5. Old French coin ECU
6. Name of more than 5,000 U.S. streets ELM
7. Sign of forgetfulness LAPSE
8. Kept in reserve STORED
9. Western defense gp. OAS
10. Neckwear denoting affiliation CLUB TIE
11. Zoo sight CAGE
12. Latin 101 word AMAT
13. UCLA Bruins coach Jim MORA
19. A conspicuous position, with "the" FORE
21. Singer Lovett LYLE
25. College athlete JOCK
26. Completely incorrect ALL WET
28. "Big Brother" creator ORWELL
29. Le cinquième mois MAI
31. Tasty mélange ... and a literal hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues MIXED FRUIT
32. Secures, as a victory ICES
33. Sailors TARS
34. Corn __ BELT
35. Road to the Forum ITER
36. Mixgetränk cube EIS
40. Strikes may cross it HOME
41. Man-mouse connector OR A
44. Fall noisemakers BLOWERS
46. Verne captain NEMO
48. As above, in a footnote IDEM
49. Saw SAYING
52. Lamp output, if you're lucky GENIE
54. "Intervention" channel A AND E
55. Expression for Ozymandias SNEER
56. Key of the first two Brandenburg Concertos: Abbr. F MAJ
57. Bothersome bugs LICE
58. Pub quaffs ALES
60. Southwestern sight MESA
62. Fiver ABE
63. Suffix with glob -ULE
64. Half a score TEN


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. "For __ had eyes, and chose me": Othello SHE
In the line “For she had eyes, and chose me", Othello is referring to his wife Desdemona.

Shakespeare’s “Othello” was first performed in 1604. The main characters in the play are:

- Othello, a general in the army of Venice
- Desdemona, Othello’s wife
- Cassio, Othello’s trusted ensign
- Iago, the villain of the piece

14. Gobbler TOM
A male turkey is called a "tom", taking its name from a "tomcat". The inference is that like a tomcat, the male turkey is relatively wild and undomesticated, sexually promiscuous and frequently getting into fights.

15. Blue-skinned deity RAMA
In the Hindu tradition, the god known as Vishnu has seven different avatars i.e. incarnations or manifestations. Rama is the seventh of these avatars.

16. Ferrous sulfate target ANEMIA
The term “anemia” (or “anaemia” as we write it back in Ireland) comes from a Greek word meaning "lack of blood". Anemia is a lack of iron in the blood, or a low red blood cell count. Tiredness is a symptom of the condition.

17. Fed. financial agency OMB
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the successor to the Bureau of the Budget, formed in 1970 during the Nixon administration. The main task of the OMB is to prepare the budget for the federal government, and the Director of the OMB is a member of the Cabinet.

18. "Metamorphoses" poet OVID
The Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso is today known simply as Ovid. Ovid is usually listed alongside the two other great Roman poets: Horace and Virgil.

"The Metamorphoses" is a narrative poem by the Roman poet Ovid that deals with a lofty subject. It describes the history of the world from creation until the "present day", that is Ovid’s “present day”, the era of Julius Caesar. A lot of the storyline makes use of Greek mythology (rather than Roman).

20. Model T contemporary REO
The REO Motor Company was founded by Ransom Eli Olds (hence the name REO). The company made cars, trucks and buses, and was in business from 1905 to 1975 in Lansing, Michigan. Among the company's most famous models were the REO Royale and the REO Flying Cloud.

The Ford Model T was the first really affordable car that was offered for sale, and it was produced from 1908 to 1927. It was the Model T that ushered in the era of assembly line production, which greatly cut down the cost of manufacture. The Model T's engine was designed to run on petrol, kerosene or ethanol. Ford stated in 1909 that “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black”. In actual fact, from 1908 through 1913, the Model T wasn’t available in black, and only grey, green, blue and red. The “black only” strategy applied from 1914.

21. "The Iliad" subject WAR
“The Iliad” is an epic poem by the Greek poet Homer, which tells the story of the ten-year siege of Ilium (also known as Troy) during the Trojan war. “The Odyssey”, also attributed to Homer, is sometimes described as a sequel to “The Iliad”.

27. Bellicose deity ARES
The Greek god Ares is often referred to as the Olympian god of warfare, but originally he was regarded as the god of bloodlust and slaughter. Ares united with Aphrodite to create several gods, including Phobos, Deimos and Eros. The Roman equivalent to Ares was Mars. Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera.

28. Pitcher of milk? ELSIE
Borden used to be the country’s biggest producer of dairy and pasta products. The company ran up major losses in the nineties from which it really couldn't recover and so is no longer operating. Famously, Borden introduced Elsie the cow as a “spokes-animal” and mascot. Elsie is now used by companies other than the defunct Borden.

29. It may include a model, briefly APB
An All Points Bulletin (APB) is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.

34. French possessive pronoun SES
“Ses” is the French word for “his”, “her” or “its”, when referring to a group of items.

37. Priceline options INNS
Priceline.com is travel website providing discount prices for airline tickets and hotel stays. Priceline’s most famous spokespeople in advertisements are William Shatner and Kaley Cuoco.

39. __ work: menial labor SCUT
“Scutwork” is monotonous work, tasks that need to be done in order to complete a larger project. “Scut” is an informal term that describes a contemptible person.

40. Batt. terminal NEG
A battery is a device that converts chemical energy into electric energy. A simple battery is made up of three parts: a cathode, an anode and a liquid electrolyte. Ions from the electrolyte react chemically with the material in the anode producing a compound and releasing electrons. At the same time, the electrolyte reacts with the material in the cathode, absorbing electrons and producing a different chemical compound. In this way, there is a buildup of electrons at the anode and a deficit of electrons at the cathode. When a connection (wire, say) is made between the cathode and anode, electrons flow through the resulting circuit from the anode to cathode in an attempt to rectify the electron imbalance.

41. Plastered STINKO
“Plastered” and “stinko” are terms meaning “drunk”.

42. Amos with eight Grammy nominations TORI
Tori Amos is an American pianist and singer. Amos started playing the piano at two years old, and was composing piano pieces by age five. She was playing in piano bars (chaperoned by her father) when she was 14. I'm going to have to find some of her music (I lead such a sheltered life ...)!

43. "Castle" producer ABC
“Castle” is a crime-drama series starring Nathan Fillion as the title character, mystery novelist Richard Castle. Castle works alongside NYPD homicide detective Kate Beckett, played by Stana Katic. There’s romance in the air between those two lead characters.

45. Yuma : Yours :: Toulouse : à ___ TOI
The city and county of Yuma, Arizona take their name from the Quechan (aka “Yuma”) Native American tribe that inhabited the area.

Toulouse is the fourth largest city in France, and is located in the southwest of the country. These days, Toulouse is noted as home to the Airbus headquarters and is known as the center of the European aerospace industry.

46. Ruination 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 soldier instructing them to seize plunder.

47. __-dieu PRIE
Prie-dieu literally means "pray (to) God" in French. A prie-dieu is basically a padded kneeler, with an armrest in front and a shelf on which one placed books of prayer.

49. Hair care brand since 1930 BRECK
Breck shampoo is noted for its “Breck Girls” series of ads that ran from the mid-thirties right up to the mid-seventies.

52. Motor Trend's 1968 Car of the Year GTO
The Pontiac GTO was produced by GM from 1964 to 1974, and again by a GM subsidiary in Australia from 2004 to 2006. The original GTO’s design is credited to Pontiac chief engineer at the time John DeLorean, who later was found the DeLorean Motor Company.

“Motor Trend” is an auto magazine that has been published since 1949. The magazine has been giving its famous Car of the Year award since those early days, with the first award going to the 1949 Cadillac.

54. Eggs on toast, perhaps ROE
Fish eggs (roe) on toast. Ugh …

56. Dutch export EDAM
Edam cheese takes its name from the Dutch town of Edam in North Holland. The cheese is famous for its coating of red paraffin wax, a layer of protection that helps Edam travel well and prevents spoiling. You might occasionally come across an Edam cheese that is coated in black wax. The black color indicates that the underlying cheese has been aged for a minimum of 17 weeks.

58. Swiss city, to most locals GENEVE
Genève (Geneva in English) is the biggest city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. I’ve been to Geneva only once and sadly, what I remember most is how expensive it is. It is in fact the fourth or fifth most expensive city in the world.

59. The Taj Mahal, e.g. TOMB
The most famous mausoleum in the world has to be the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. The Taj Mahal was built after the death of the third wife of Shah Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal (hence the name of the mausoleum). The poor woman died in childbirth delivering the couple's 14th child.

60. African bovine GNU
A gnu is also known as a wildebeest, and is an antelope native to Africa. "Wildebeest" is actually the Dutch word for "wild beast".

Something “bovine” is related to a cow, ox or buffalo, any ruminant in the genus Bos. “Bos” is the Latin for “cow”, and “bovinus” a Late Latin derivative term.

63. Dubious communication method ESP
Extrasensory perception (ESP)

Down
2. Huge holiday film HOME ALONE
“Home Alone” is a 1990 film starring Macaulay Culkin that has become a Christmas classic. Culkin was nominated for a Best Actor Golden Globe for his performance, the youngest actor ever to be so honored.

5. Kilauea sight LAVA
Kilauea, the world's most active volcano, is on the Big Island of Hawai'i. The name Kilauea translates from Hawaiian into "spewing" or "much spreading", very apt considering that lava is usually pouring, non-explosively, out of the Pu'u 'O'o vent on the eastern side of the volcano.

6. Mideast leader's personal CPA? EMIR’S AUDITOR (EM + “IRS auditor”)
Certified public accountant (CPA)

8. June honorees DADS
Father’s Day was added as an official holiday in 1972, although bills to create the holiday had been with Congress since 1913. By rights, the holiday should be called “Fathers’ Day” (note the punctuation), but the Bill that was introduced in 1913 used the “Father’s Day” spelling, and that’s the one that has stuck.

9. Visiting the vet, maybe IN A CAGE
“Vet” is an abbreviation for “veterinarian”, a professional who treat animals for disease and injury. The word “veterinary” comes from the Latin “veterinae” meaning “working animals, beasts of burden”.

10. Suckerfish REMORA
Remoras are also called suckerfish, which name is descriptive of one of the fish’s basic behaviors. One of the remoras dorsal fins is in the shape of a “sucker”, allowing it to take a firm hold on a larger marine animal, hitching a ride.

22. Snoopy starting a trip? EMBARKING DOG (EM + “barking dog”)
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

33. Bygone small car GEO
Geos were small vehicles manufactured by General Motors mainly in the nineties. Geos were designed to compete head-to-head with the small imports that were gaining market share at the time in the US. Some Geo models that you might remember are the Metro, the Prizm and the Storm. The cars were actually built as joint-ventures with Japanese manufacturers. The Prizm was a GM/Toyota project, the Metro was GM/Suzuki, and the Storm was GM/Isuzu.

35. Change overseas, maybe EURO COINS
Euro coins are issued by all the participating European states. The reverse side is a common design used by all countries, whereas the obverse is a design specific to each nation. For example, the one euro coin issued by Malta features the Maltese Cross. That Maltese euro is legal tender right across the eurozone. Of course the Irish euro features a harp.

39. George Clooney, for one STAR
The actor George Clooney’s breakthrough role was playing Dr. Doug Ross on TV’s “ER”, although before that he had a fairly regular role on the sitcom “Roseanne”. George’s aunt was the singer and actress Rosemary Clooney.

41. When in Act I Duncan arrives at Macbeth's castle SCENE VI
In William Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth”, King Duncan is the good king of Scotland whom Macbeth murders in the pursuit of power.

46. Cold War threats H-BOMBS
The first successful detonation of a hydrogen bomb (H-bomb) was in a test codenamed Ivy Mike. The test was conducted by the US on an atoll in the Pacific Ocean named Enewetak.

The term "Cold War" was first used by the novelist George Orwell in a 1945 essay about the atomic bomb. Orwell described a world under threat of nuclear war as having a "peace that is no peace", in a permanent state of "cold war". The specific use of "cold war" to describe the tension between the Eastern bloc and the Western allies is attributed to a 1947 speech by Bernard Baruch.

47. Spin docs PR MEN
Public relations (PR)

50. "Eleni" author Nicholas GAGE
Nicholas Gage is a Greek-American author and investigative journalist. Gage wrote two memoirs, "Eleni" and "A Place for Us". "Eleni" tells of his life in Greece during WWII and the Greek Civil War. The title is a tribute to his mother Eleni who was executed by Communists who occupied her village, simply because she helped her children escape from the ravages of a war of occupation. "Eleni" was adapted into a movie in 1985, with John Malkovich playing Gage.

56. H-like letter ETA
Eta is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet, and is a forerunner of our Latin character "H". Originally denoting a consonant, eta was used as a long vowel in Ancient Greek.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. "For __ had eyes, and chose me": Othello SHE
4. Utterly failed at BLEW
8. With great urgency DIRELY
14. Gobbler TOM
15. Blue-skinned deity RAMA
16. Ferrous sulfate target ANEMIA
17. Fed. financial agency OMB
18. "Metamorphoses" poet OVID
19. How pooches' smooches are delivered DAMPLY
20. Model T contemporary REO
21. "The Iliad" subject WAR
22. Goes with ESCORTS
23. Ancient theater props MASKS
25. Added result SUM
27. Bellicose deity ARES
28. Pitcher of milk? ELSIE
29. It may include a model, briefly APB
30. Pumped item GAS
31. "Now!" DO IT!
32. Storm consequence OUTAGE
34. French possessive pronoun SES
37. Priceline options INNS
38. Have a special place for ADORE
39. __ work: menial labor SCUT
40. Batt. terminal NEG
41. Plastered STINKO
42. Amos with eight Grammy nominations TORI
43. "Castle" producer ABC
45. Yuma : Yours :: Toulouse : à ___ TOI
46. Ruination HAVOC
47. __-dieu PRIE
48. Take responsibility for OWN
49. Hair care brand since 1930 BRECK
50. Pun, sometimes GROANER
52. Motor Trend's 1968 Car of the Year GTO
54. Eggs on toast, perhaps ROE
55. Diverted AMUSED
56. Dutch export EDAM
57. Desired result AIM
58. Swiss city, to most locals GENEVE
59. The Taj Mahal, e.g. TOMB
60. African bovine GNU
61. Turns out to be ENDS IN
62. Elements in vital statistics AGES
63. Dubious communication method ESP

Down
1. Entered angrily STORMED IN
2. Huge holiday film HOME ALONE
3. Lining with raised decorations? EMBOSSING AROUND (EM + “bossing around”)
4. Window-shop BROWSE
5. Kilauea sight LAVA
6. Mideast leader's personal CPA? EMIR’S AUDITOR (EM + “IRS auditor”)
7. Singles group, e.g.? WAD
8. June honorees DADS
9. Visiting the vet, maybe IN A CAGE
10. Suckerfish REMORA
11. Insurance for royalty? EMPRESS COVERAGE (EM + “press coverage”)
12. Light melodies LILTS
13. Appreciative shouts YAYS
22. Snoopy starting a trip? EMBARKING DOG (EM + “barking dog”)
24. They encourage modeling KITS
26. As yet UP TO NOW
32. Word with meal or cake OAT
33. Bygone small car GEO
35. Change overseas, maybe EURO COINS
36. Robber's demand ... or what to do to solve four long puzzle answers? STICK ‘EM UP
39. George Clooney, for one STAR
41. When in Act I Duncan arrives at Macbeth's castle SCENE VI
44. Slants BIASES
46. Cold War threats H-BOMBS
47. Spin docs PR MEN
50. "Eleni" author Nicholas GAGE
51. Perfect place EDEN
53. Not that exciting TAME
56. H-like letter ETA


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Loves to solve, say? ANAGRAM
“Loves” is an anagram of “solve”.

8. Mavens SHARKS
I've always loved the word "maven", another word for an expert. Maven comes into English from the Yiddish "meyvn" meaning someone who appreciates and is a connoisseur.

16. Company that annually honors "Women of Worth"L’OREAL
L'Oréal is a French cosmetics company, the largest cosmetics and beauty company in the world. Here in the US, L'Oréal runs a “Women of Worth” program that honors women who volunteer in their communities.

17. Batter's dream MEATBALL
In baseball, a “meatball” is a pitch that’s easy to hit, one pitched right down the middle of the plate.

18. 2015 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee O’MEARA
Mark O'Meara is an American golfer from Goldsboro, North Carolina. He is known as one of the American players who competes in international tournaments more than most, and has a reputation as a real gentleman all around the world.

19. Action figures? ODDS
That would be betting “action” …

20. 1954 film based on the short story "It Had to Be Murder"REAR WINDOW
“Rear Window” is a fabulous 1954 Hitchcock movie that is based on a short story called “It Had to Be Murder” by Cornell Woolrich. Stars in the film are James Stewart, Grace Kelly, with Raymond Burr playing the “bad guy”. Great, great movie ...

22. Four-time Australian Open winner AGASSI
Renowned tennis professional Andre Agassi wrote an autobiography called "Open", published in 2009. An amazing revelation in the book is that Agassi's famous head of hair was actually a wig for much of his playing career. Can you imagine how hard it must have been to play tennis at his level with a rug stuck on?

24. LBJ theater NAM
Vietnam (“Nam”)

Here are a couple of quotes from President Lyndon B. Johnson, all related to the Vietnam War:

- We are not about to send American boys 9 or 10 thousand miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves.
- Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time.
- The last thing I wanted to do was to be a wartime President.

25. Key of Mozart's Symphony No. 39 E-FLAT
My reading tells me that Mozart wrote four symphonies in the key of E-flat:

- Symphony No. 1 (K. 16)
- Symphony No. 19 (K. 132)
- Symphony No. 26 (K. 184)
- Symphony No. 39 (K. 543)

What was once called Mozart’s "Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major (K. 18)" is now generally attributed to Carl Friedrich Abel, with Mozart getting credit as arranger. Mozart was a young boy when he made that arrangement.

27. Fix, as a toy SPAY
Our verb “to spay”, meaning “to surgically remove the ovaries of” (an animal) comes from an old Anglo-French word “espeier” meaning “to cut with a sword”.

29. Kisser YAP
“Kisser” and “yap” are slang terms for the mouth.

32. Weapon with a nock ARROW
The nock is the slot that is cut into the end of an arrow into which the string is placed as the bow is drawn.

33. Subatomic particle PION
“Pion” is short for “pi meson”, and “kaon” is short for “K meson”. A meson is an unstable subatomic particle, made up of one quark and one antiquark.

34. Former Italian statesman Moro ALDO
Aldo Moro was Prime Minister of Italy from 1963 to 1968 and again from 1974 to 1976. After leaving office, Moro was famously kidnapped in 1978 by militant communists known as the Red Brigades. The kidnappers were demanding the release of several prisoners in exchange for Noro’s safe return. The Italian government was resolved not to bend to blackmail by terrorists and after 55 days of captivity, Moro was shot ten times and killed in the trunk of a car.

38. Rapper Nate DOGG
Nate Dogg was the stage name of rapper Nathaniel Hale from Clarksdale, Mississippi. Nate Dogg is no longer with us as he died at the age of 41 after suffering multiple strokes.

41. Second-century date CLI
The year 151 CE is written as CLI in Roman numerals.

42. Sister of Dakota ELLE
The actress Elle Fanning’s most notable performance to date (probably) was playing Aurora in the 2014 movie “Maleficent”. Elle’s older sister is actress Dakota Fanning.

44. Dig for hard-to-get clams? DUN
"To dun" is to insist on payment of a debt. The etymology of the term is unclear, with one suggestion that it dates back to a famous debt collector in London named Joe Dun.

"Buck" and "clam" are both slang terms for "a dollar". The term "buck" has been around at least since 1856, and is thought to derive from the tradition of using buckskin as a unit of trade with Native Americans during the frontier days. It has been suggested that "clam" has a similar derivation, a throwback to the supposed use of clams as units of currency in ancient cultures.

48. "Ocean's 11" co-star DEAN MARTIN
Dean Martin was the stage name of singer and actor Dino Crocetti. Martin was famous for his numerous hit songs such as “That’s Amore”, “Volare” and Everybody Loves Somebody”, as well as his film career with Jerry Lewis. Off screen, Martin was a member of the famous “Rat Pack” as he was a great friend of Frank Sinatra. Martin was always associated with Las Vegas and when he passed away in 1995 the lights on the strip were dimmed in his honor.

“Ocean’s 11” is a great film from 1960, starring Frank Sinatra as Danny Ocean, supported by fellow Rat Packers Peter Lawford, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Joey Bishop. The original storyline is updated for the excellent 2001 remake, with George Clooney playing the lead, supported by Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Carl Reiner. In the 1960 movie, the love interest is a character called Beatrice Ocean, played by Angie Dickinson. In the 2001 version, the love interest gets a new name, Tess Ocean, and is played by Julia Roberts. The 2001 remake (Called “Ocean’s Eleven”, note the spelling) spawned two sequels: “Ocean’s Twelve” in 2004 and “Ocean’s Thirteen” in 2007.

51. Dog with a typically blue-black tongue CHOW
The Chow Chow (also just “Chow”) is a breed of dog that originated in China. The Chinese name for the breed is “Songshi Quan”, which translates as “puffy-lion dog”, a rather apt name given its appearance …

55. They often drive people home RBI MEN
In baseball, you have got to get those Runs Batted In (RBIs). Apparently, the first team to routinely track RBIs was the Buffalo Bisons.

60. Sturm und Drang novelist GOETHE
“Sturm und Drang” translates from the German into "Storm and Stress" or perhaps "Storm and Impulse". “Sturm und Drang” was the name given to a movement in German literature and music in the latter half of the 18th century. The writer Johann Goethe was a major proponent of the movement, which took its name from a play by Maximilian Klinger. The term “Sturm und Drang” has come to mean “turmoil, upheaval”.

61. Fusible alloys SOLDERS
Solder is a metal alloy that is used to join pieces of a work together using the principle that the melting point of the alloy is below the melting point of the workpieces.

Down
1. Shell collection AMMO
The word “munitions” describes materials and equipment used in war. The term derives from the Latin “munitionem” meaning “fortification, defensive wall”. Back in the 17th century, French soldiers referred to such materials as “la munition”, a Middle French term. This was misheard as “l’ammunition”, and as a result we ended up importing the word “ammunition” (often shortened to “ammo”), a term that we now use mainly to describe the material fired from a weapon.

6. Dormant Turkish volcano ARARAT
Mount Ararat is in Turkey. Ararat is a snow-capped, dormant volcano with two peaks. The higher of the two, Greater Ararat, is the tallest peak in the country. Ararat takes its name from a legendary Armenian hero called Ara the Beautiful (or Ara the Handsome). According to the Book of Genesis, Noah’s ark landed on Mount Ararat as the Great Flood subsided.

9. Corny stuff HOMINY
Hominy is a dish consisting of dried kernels of maize that have been treated with an alkali. The term “hominy” is derived from a Native American word for “maize”.

10. Staples Center, e.g. ARENA
The Staples Center is a sports arena in Los Angeles that opened in 1999. The Staples Center is home to several sporting franchises, including the LA Lakers and LA Clippers basketball teams and the LA Kings hockey team.

11. Statement before taxes are dealt with? READ MY LIPS
President George H. W. Bush used the famous phrase “Read my lips: no new taxes” in an address to the 1988 Republican National Convention. Many believe that the promise was a significant factor in Bush’s victory in the subsequent election. Many also believe that the fact that the president had to agree to an increase in some taxes in 1990 helped Bill Clinton to defeat President Bush in 1992.

12. Pecan pie syrup KARO
Karo is a brand of corn syrup, an industrially manufactured sweetener derived from corn.

13. Popular side SLAW
The term "coleslaw" is an Anglicized version of the Dutch name "koolsla", which in itself is a shortened form of "Koolsalade" meaning "cabbage salad".

15. Bug on the road CLASSIC BEETLE
VW stands for Volkswagen, which translates from German into "people's car". The original Volkswagen design was the Beetle and was built under a directive from Adolf Hitler, who wanted a cheap car built that ordinary people could afford to purchase. He awarded the contract to engineer Ferdinand Porsche, whose name (paradoxically) would forever be associated with high performance, expensive cars. The Beetle was the official name of the VW model released in North America, but it was usually referred to as a "Bug" here in the US, and a "Beetle" elsewhere in the world.

25. Tasmanian-born Flynn ERROL
Errol Flynn was born 1909 in Tasmania, Australia where he was raised. In his twenties, Flynn lived in the UK where he pursued his acting career. Around the same time he starred in an Australian film "In the Wake of the Bounty" and then appeared in a British film "Murder at Monte Carlo". It was in the latter film that he was noticed by Warner Brothers who brought him to America. Flynn's non-American heritage shone through even while he was living the American dream in California. He regularly played cricket, along with his friend David Niven, in the Hollywood Cricket Club.

26. Appliance brand owned by Electrolux FRIGIDAIRE
Frigidaire made the first self-contained refrigerator in 1916. Just three years later, the company was taken over by General Motors, who owned it right up to 1979. Frigidaire also made the first home freezer and room air conditioner.

Electrolux is a Swedish company, the second largest manufacturer of household appliances in the world (after Whirlpool). The company was founded in 1919 mainly to make vacuum cleaners. Electrolux owns dozens of brands including Frigidaire and Westinghouse.

28. Pangolin snack ANT
The pangolin is also known as the scaly anteater. It is the only mammal that has a layer of protective scales made from keratin that covers the skin. Pangolins are highly prized by hunters, for their meat and their armor. They are in danger of extinction, and yet there is no more highly-trafficked species on the planet.

30. Oscar winner for "Skyfall"ADELE
Adele is the stage name of English singer Adele Adkins. Adele’s debut album is “19”, named after the age she was during the album’s production. Her second album was even more successful than the first. Called “21”, the second album was released three years after the first, when Adele was three years older.

I have not been a fan of Daniel Craig as James Bond (preferring Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan in the role). However, I saw “Skyfall” when it first came out and have been won over. “Skyfall” is one of the best Bond films so far, in my humble opinion. Adele’s rendition of the Oscar-winning title song, which she also wrote, is an added plus …

32. "Rock or Bust" band AC/DC
The Heavy Metal band known as AC/DC was formed by two brothers in Australia. The group is usually called "Acca Dacca" down under.

34. Like jousters ARMOR-CLAD
Tilting is the most recognized form of jousting. Jousting can involve the use of a number of different weapons, but when lances are used the competition is called "tilting". Jousting took place in a roped-off enclosure that was called the lists, or list field. In later medieval times, some castles and palaces had purpose-built "tiltyards" that were used for jousting. Do you remember where the Beach Volleyball events were held in the 2012 London Olympics? Well that was Horse Guards Parade, the former tiltyard for the Palace of Whitehall that was used in the time of King Henry VIII.

36. Cholesterol letters LDL
LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is one of the compounds responsible for transporting fats around the body. When LDL is combined with cholesterol it can be referred to as “bad cholesterol”. This is because LDL actually transports cholesterol into the inner walls of blood vessels leading to atherosclerosis.

47. Legal claims LIENS
A lien is the right that one has to retain or secure someone's property until a debt is paid. When an individual takes out a car loan, for example, the lending bank is usually a lien holder. The bank releases the lien on the car when the loan is paid in full.

48. Main __ DRAG
The main street of a city or town is often referred to as the “main drag”. The main drag is where horses would “drag” along most of the wagons and buggies back in the day.

49. The Aragón feeds it EBRO
The Ebro is the longest river in Spain. The river was known by the Romans as the Iber, and it is the "Iber" river that gives the "Iberian" Peninsula its name.

The Aragón is a river in the north of Spain that rises in the central Pyrenees and empties into the Ebro.

53. River to the Baltic ODER
The Oder river rises in the Czech Republic, and forms just over a hundred miles of the border between Germany and Poland. Downstream, the Oder breaks into three branches that empty into the Gulf of Pomerania in the Baltic Sea.

The Baltic is a sea in northern Europe that is much less saline than the oceans. The lower amount of salt in the Baltic partially explains why almost half of the sea freezes over during the winter. In fact, the Baltic has been known to completely freeze over several times over the past few centuries.

57. Show with Kenan Thompson, briefly SNL
Kenan Thompson is an actor and comedian who is perhaps best known as a “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) cast member, joining the show in 2003. Thompson holds the record for the most celebrity impressions on SNL, at over one hundred.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Loves to solve, say? ANAGRAM
8. Mavens SHARKS
14. Sudden and swift METEORIC
16. Company that annually honors "Women of Worth" L’OREAL
17. Batter's dream MEATBALL
18. 2015 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee O’MEARA
19. Action figures? ODDS
20. 1954 film based on the short story "It Had to Be Murder" REAR WINDOW
22. Four-time Australian Open winner AGASSI
24. LBJ theater NAM
25. Key of five Mozart symphonies E-FLAT
27. Fix, as a toy SPAY
29. Kisser YAP
32. Weapon with a nock ARROW
33. Subatomic particle PION
34. Former Italian statesman Moro ALDO
35. Side with waves CRINKLE-CUT FRIES
38. Rapper Nate DOGG
39. Obligation DEBT
40. Copious AMPLE
41. Second-century date CLI
42. Sister of Dakota ELLE
43. Got up AROSE
44. Dig for hard-to-get clams? DUN
46. Harder to hold EELIER
48. "Ocean's 11" co-star DEAN MARTIN
51. Dog with a typically blue-black tongue CHOW
55. They often drive people home RBI MEN
56. Leave alone LET SLIDE
58. Check ARREST
59. Tangled up ENSNARED
60. Sturm und Drang novelist GOETHE
61. Fusible alloys SOLDERS

Down
1. Shell collection AMMO
2. Grant factor NEED
3. Ever so slightly A TAD
4. Plays nice GETS ALONG
5. Deprive ROB
6. Dormant Turkish volcano ARARAT
7. Quite a distance MILES
8. Yawn-inducing SLOW
9. Corny stuff HOMINY
10. Staples Center, e.g. ARENA
11. Statement before taxes are dealt with? READ MY LIPS
12. Pecan pie syrup KARO
13. Popular side SLAW
15. Bug on the road CLASSIC BEETLE
21. Remove roughly RIP OUT
23. Rubberneck GAWK
25. Tasmanian-born Flynn ERROL
26. Appliance brand owned by Electrolux FRIGIDAIRE
28. Pangolin snack ANT
30. Oscar winner for "Skyfall" ADELE
31. Ask POSE
32. "Rock or Bust" band AC/DC
33. Kitchen tool PEELER
34. Like jousters ARMOR-CLAD
36. Cholesterol letters LDL
37. What's on the menu FARE
42. Tangle up ENMESH
43. "You're lyin'!" AIN'T SO!
45. Yet to be fulfilled UNMET
47. Legal claims LIENS
48. Main __ DRAG
49. The Aragón feeds it EBRO
50. It may precede a deal ANTE
52. Bring on HIRE
53. River to the Baltic ODER
54. Forms a union WEDS
57. Show with Kenan Thompson, briefly SNL


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
6. Outlaw played by Tyrone in 1939 JESSE
Jesse James was an outlaw from Missouri who became a legendary figure of the Wild West. James somehow earned the reputation that he was a Robin Hood figure, robbing the rich and giving to the poor, but in fact this is far from the truth. After being chased persistently by law enforcement officers, he was eventually killed by one of his own gang members who hoped to collect a reward. As soon as newspaper reported his death in 1882, rumors started that Jesse James had in fact survived. Eventually, the body buried in the grave marked with Jesse James’ name was exhumed in 1995, and DNA testing showed that almost certainly it was the resting place of the infamous outlaw.

Tyrone Power was a Hollywood actor from Cincinnati, Ohio. Power tended to play the romantic lead, as well as the swashbuckler that was so popular in the thirties. His career was interrupted during WWII when he volunteered to serve with the Marine Corps as a pilot. Power served with distinction and resumed his career after the war. He died on set, suffering a massive heart attack while filming a sword duel with his friend George Sanders. Power was only 44 years of age.

“Jesse James” is a 1939 film starring Tyrone Power in the title role, alongside Henry Fonda and Randolph Scott. The movie is notorious for a scene in which a horse falls to his death after being driven off a cliff. As a result, “Jesse James” is one of the films that led to the American Humane Association monitoring the use of animals in filmmaking.

19. With 62-Across, many a sonata PIANO …
(62A. See 19-Across … PIECE)
The term "sonata" comes via Italian from the Latin word "sonare" meaning "to sound". A sonata is a piece of music that is played, as opposed to a cantata (from Latin and Italian "cantare" meaning "to sing"), a piece of music that is sung.

20. Skateboard maneuver OLLIE
An “ollie” is a skateboarding trick invented in 1976 by Alan “Ollie” Gelfand. Apparently it’s a way of lifting the board off the ground, while standing on it, without touching the board with one’s hands. Yeah, I could do that ...

26. Student's complete file, to a teacher CUME
“Cume” is an informal term used by a teacher when referring to a student’s grade point average, from the word “cumulative”.

29. Trees whose fruit yields a moisturizing butter SHEAS
“Shea butter” is a common moisturizer or lotion used as a cosmetic. It is a fat that is extracted from the nut of the African shea tree. There is evidence that shea butter was used back in Cleopatra's Egypt.

30. Author Rand AYN
Ayn Rand was the pen name of Russian-American novelist Alisa Rosenbaum. Rand's two best known works are her novels "The Fountainhead" published in 1943 and "Atlas Shrugged" in 1957. Back in 1951, Rand moved from Los Angeles to New York City. Soon after, she gathered a group of admirers around her with whom she discussed philosophy and shared drafts of her magnum opus, "Atlas Shrugged". This group called itself "The Collective", and one of the founding members was none other than future Federal Reserve chairman, Alan Greenspan.

36. Some U.S. Army transports UTES
A utility vehicle is often called a "ute" for short. Nowadays one mainly hears about sports utes and crossover utes.

39. Palmer with trophies ARNIE
Arnold Palmer is one of the greats of the world of golf. Palmer is very popular with many fans of the game, and his followers are usually referred to as “Arnie’s Army”. Off the course, Palmer was an avid pilot, but is now retired from flying. He resides in Latrobe, Pennsylvania for much of the year and the local airport is named in his honor: Arnold Palmer Regional Airport.

41. SHARP SHREWD GAMBLER
A “card sharp” is someone who is skilled and deceptive with playing cards, particularly when playing gambling games like poker. It seems that the term “card sharp” predates the related “card shark”, both of which have the same meaning.

46. Mole's activity SPYING
A mole is a spy who works from within the ranks of an enemy’s government of intelligence service.

50. Pilot maker HONDA
The Honda Pilot is mid-size crossover SUV that was introduced in 2002. The luxury version of the vehicle is sold as the Acura MDX.

54. Actress Vardalos NIA
Not only is the delightful Nia Vardalos the star of the 2002 hit movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", she also wrote the screenplay. The film never made it to number one at the box office, but it still pulled in more money than any other movie in history that didn't make it to number one. That record I think reflects the fact that the film wasn't a blockbuster but rather a so-called "sleeper hit", a movie that people went to see based on referrals from friends. The big fat mistake came when a spin-off TV show was launched, "My Big Fat Greek Life". It ran for only 7 episodes. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” will hit movie theaters in 2016.

55. Western, calendar-wise GREGORIAN
Our contemporary western calendar was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII, giving it the name “Gregorian” calendar. The Gregorian calendar superseded the Julian calendar, both of which were aligned with movement of the sun across the sky. At issue was that the Julian calendar was misaligned with the solar year by about 11 minutes, creating an error that accumulated over time. Pope Gregory corrected the length of the year by introducing a more accurate rule for calculating leap years. He also wiped out the cumulated “misalignment”, in order to bring together the Christian celebration of Easter and the spring equinox. That correction involved the “loss” of 11 days. The last day of the Julian calendar (Thursday, 4 October 1582) was immediately followed by the first day of the Gregorian calendar (Friday, 15 October 1582).

60. Tech sch. overlooking the Hudson RPI
The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is a private school in Troy, New York. The university is named after its founder Stephen Van Rensselaer who set up the school in 1824. The goal of RPI has always been the "application of science to the common purposes of life", an objective set by the founder. Given that, the name for the school's sports teams is quite apt: the Engineers.

63. Ruth around bases BABE
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.

66. NATURAL CRAPS WINNER
In the game of craps, a throw of 7 or 11 is known as a “natural”.

If one considers earlier versions of craps, then the game has been around for a very long time and probably dates back to the Crusades. It may have been derived from an old English game called "hazard" also played with two dice, which was mentioned in Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" from the 1300s. The American version of the game came here courtesy of the French and first set root in New Orleans where it was given the name "crapaud", a French word meaning "toad".

72. Tests for advanced-deg. seekers GRES
Passing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is usually a requirement for entry into graduate school here in the US.

75. Drawn: Abbr. ILLUS
Illustrated (illus.)

76. Sense of self EGO
Sigmund Freud created a structural model of the human psyche, breaking it into three parts: the id, the ego, and the super-ego. The id is that part of the psyche containing the basic instinctual drives. The ego seeks to please the id by causing realistic behavior that benefits the individual. The super-ego almost has a parental role, contradicting the id by introducing critical thinking and morals to behavioral choices.

80. Game show host for 50 years BOB BARKER
Bob Barker is a retired TV host of game shows, most famous for hosting “The Price Is Right” for 35 years from 1972 to 2007. He retired when he was 83½ years old, having secured the record as the oldest man ever to host a regularly scheduled TV game show. Barker is a celebrated animal rights activist, after becoming a vegetarian in 1979.

86. __ garden ZEN
Japanese Zen gardens are inspired by the meditation gardens of Zen Buddhist temples. Zen gardens have no water in them, but often there is gravel and sand that is raked in patterns designed to create the impression of water in waves and ripples.

87. Capital of Kazakhstan ASTANA
Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan, although only since 1997. Prior to 1997, the nation’s capital was Almaty. The decision to move the capital was made as Almaty is in a part of the country populated by ethnic Russians and the new government wanted to distance itself even further from its Soviet history.

89. Earthen building material ADOBE
The building material known as adobe has been around a long time, and has been used in dry climates all over the world. The original form of the word "adobe" dates back to Middle Egyptian times, about 2000 BC. The original spelling is "dj-b-t", and translates as mud (sun-dried) brick.

91. 1990s TV judge ED KOCH
Ed Koch was a Democratic Representative in the US Congress from 1969-73, and then Mayor of New York City from 1978-89. From 1997 to 1999 Koch was a “judge” on the TV show “The People’s Court”. And in 2004, he collaborated with his sister Pat Koch, and wrote a children's book called "Eddie, Harold's Little Brother", a tale about Ed's own childhood experiences.

93. FLAT BRIT’S DWELLING
"Flat" is a word more commonly used in the British Isles than here. A flat is basically an apartment or condominium. The word "flat" is Scottish in origin, in which language it meant a "floor in a house".

97. Ferris Bueller's girlfriend SLOANE
The character Sloane Peterson in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is played by the very beautiful actress Mia Sara. Sloane is the girlfriend of the title character.

“Ferris Bueller's Day Off” is one of my favorite movies of all time, and was written and directed by John Hughes and released in 1986. There are so many classic scenes in the film, including two wonderful musical interludes. The more sedate of these is vignette shot in the Art Institute of Chicago that is beautifully filmed. The more upbeat musical scene is a rendition of “Twist and Shout” during a Von Steuben Day parade.

106. Incidentally, in texts BTW
By the way (BTW)

108. Kindle reading, briefly EMAGS
Amazon chose the name “Kindle” for their e-reader as they wanted to convey the feeling of lighting a fire, creating intellectual excitement through reading.

109. Online search results URLS
Internet addresses (like NYTCrossword.com and LAXCrossword.com) are more correctly called Uniform Resource Locators (URLs).

110. Ill-fated 2006 Kentucky Derby champion BARBARO
The racehorse Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby in 2006, but shattered his leg a couple of weeks later while running in the Preakness Stakes. Barbaro underwent several complex surgeries over the next few months, but was eventually euthanized in early 2007.

115. FLAT TROUBLE ON THE ROAD
Here’s another example of terms that change as we cross the Atlantic Ocean. When talking about tires (“tyres” in Britain and Ireland), a defect can cause a “flat” (“puncture” in Britain and Ireland).

121. "Sweet is the breath of __": Milton MORN
Here are some lines from John Milton’s 1667 epic poem “Paradise Lost” …

Sweet is the breath of Morn, her rising sweet,
With charm of earliest birds: pleasant the sun,
When first on this delightful land he spreads
His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flower,
Glistering with dew;

“Paradise Lost” is an epic poem written by Englishman John Milton. It is indeed an epic work, published originally in ten volumes with over ten thousand lines of verse. The “paradise” that is “lost” is the Garden of Eden, from which Adam and Eve were expelled by God in the “Fall of Man”.

122. Bordeaux bye ADIEU
"Adieu" is the French for "goodbye" or "farewell", from "à Dieu" meaning "to God". The plural of “adieu” is “adieux”.

Bordeaux is perhaps the wine-production capital of the world. Wine has been produced in the area since the eighth century. Bordeaux has an administrative history too. During WWII, the French government relocated from Paris to the port city of Bordeaux when it became clear that Paris was soon to fall to the Germans. After the German's took France, the capital was famously moved to Vichy.

123. Time being NONCE
The quaint phrase "for the nonce" means "for the present", "for now".

127. Boss mocked by Nast TWEED
William Magear Tweed was known as "Boss" Tweed. He was a 19th-century, American politician who led the Democratic Party machine in New York, headquartered in Tammany Hall. He was one of the most successful of the corrupt politicians of the day, siphoning from taxpayers (in today's money) billions of dollars. In 1871 he was arrested, and served time in jail. He was then rearrested on civil charges and served time in debtor's prison. He managed to escape to Spain, but was arrested once more and extradited to the United States. He died in jail in 1878.

Thomas Nast was an American caricaturist and cartoonist. Nast was the creator of the Republican Party elephant, the Democratic Party's donkey, Uncle Sam and the image of the plump and jocular Santa Claus that we use today. Thomas Nast drew some famous cartoons in which he depicted the Tammany Society as a vicious tiger that was killing democracy. Nast’s use of the tiger symbology caught on and was used by other cartoonists to harp at the society.

Down
1. Church area APSE
The apse of a church or cathedral is a semicircular recess in an outer wall, usually with a half-dome as a roof and often where there resides an altar. Originally apses were used as burial places for the clergy and also for storage of important relics.

2. Naan relative PITA
Pita is a lovely bread in Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. Pita is usually round, and has a "pocket" in the center. The pocket is created by steam that puffs up the dough during cooking leaving a void when the bread cools.

Naan (also “nan”) bread is very popular in Indian restaurants, as well as in other West, Central and South Asian cuisines. Indian Naan is traditionally baked in a clay oven known as a tandoor.

3. One of eight teams that never won a World Series RAYS
The Tampa Bay Rays are a relatively "young" franchise, being formed in 1998. The initial name of the franchise was the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. While known as the Devil Rays, the team finished last in the league in almost every year. The name was changed to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, and I am told the Rays started into a streak of winning seasons soon after.

5. Cacophonous NOISY
“Cacophony” is such a lovely word, one used to describe a harsh or jarring sound. The term arises from the Greek “kakos” (bad) and “phone” (voice).

6. He frequently toured with Joel JOHN
Elton John and Billy Joel made several incredibly successful “Face to Face” tours together, starting in 1994. The concerts involved John and Joel performing their own songs individually, each other's songs as well as some duets.

9. Comical Caesar SID
Sid Caesar achieved fame in the fifties on TV's "Your Show of Shows". To be honest, I know Sid Caesar mainly from the very entertaining film version of the musical "Grease", in which he played Coach Calhoun.

14. Teacher's deg. EDD
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

15. President before Millard ZACHARY
Zachary Taylor won the 1848 election to become the 12th US president, and the first president to hold office without a political resume. Taylor was a career military man, known as "Old Rough and Ready" Taylor. He died only 16 months into his term, apparently of gastroenteritis. Given that rumors of poisoning persisted over the decades, his body was exhumed in 1991 and tissue samples were checked for signs of foul play. Nothing out of order was discovered, although rumours still persist.

Vice President Millard Fillmore took over the US Presidency when Zachary Taylor died after only 16 months in office. Fillmore was born in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, but grew up around Buffalo. He was one of the founders of the University of Buffalo and served as chancellor there after he left office in 1853.

16. Ma Rainey, notably BLUES SINGER
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.

18. Dodger teammate of Robinson REESE
Pee Wee Reese met Jackie Robinson after Robinson was signed to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. As Reese tells the story, when he greeted Robinson it was the first time he had shaken hands with a black man. In those early days life was difficult for Robinson, and Reese made himself very visible as a friend, supporting the breaking down of racial barriers despite very vocal opposition.

31. Devil's wear, in a 2006 film PRADA
“The Devil Wears Prada” is a 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger that is set in the fashion industry. One of the main characters in the story is Miranda Priestly, the tyrannical editor-in-chief of the the fictional fashion magazine “Runway”. It has been suggested that the Priestly character was inspired by Anna Wintour, the real life editor-in-chief of “Vogue”. The novel was adapted into a successful 2006 film, with Meryl Streep playing Priestly.

33. Bird's beak NIB
"Nib" is a Scottish variant of the Old English word "neb", with both meaning the beak of a bird. This usage of "nib" as a beak dates back to the 14th century, with "nib" meaning the tip of a pen or quill coming a little later, in the early 1600s.

34. Shampoo, e.g. GEL
Back in the 1760s, the verb “to shampoo” was an Anglo-Indian word meaning “to massage”. A century later we started to shampoo our hair.

36. Maritime safety gp. USCG
The US Coast Guard (USCG) has the distinction of being the country’s oldest continuous seagoing service. The USCG was founded as the Revenue Cutter Service by Alexander Hamilton in 1790. The USCG motto is "Semper Paratus", a Latin phrase meaning "Always Prepared".

37. Whaler's direction THAR
“Thar she blows!” is a phrase that originated on whaling ships. A lookout spotting a whale surfacing to breathe might see the spray from the blowhole caused by the expulsion of carbon dioxide. Thar (there) she blows!

38. Deco designer ERTE
Erté was the pseudonym of French artist (Russian born) Romain de Tirtoff. Erté is the French pronunciation of his initials "R.T."

39. Latin lambs AGNI
“Agnus” (plural “agni”) is Latin for “lamb”, as in “Agnus Dei”, which translates as “Lamb of God”.

43. Architectural order including circular column tops DORIC
The ancient Greeks fell into four ethnic groups: the Ionians, Aeolians, Achaeans and Dorians. The Dorians spoke their own Doric dialect of Greek, and had a distinctive, ornate Doric style of art and architecture.

44. Mushroom in Japanese cuisine ENOKI
Enokitake (also known as enoki) are long and thin white mushrooms often added to soups or salads.

45. Violinist's supply ROSIN
Rosin is a solid form of resin derived from plant sources. Rosin is formed into cakes that players of stringed instruments use to rub along the hairs of their bows to help improve sound quality. The rosin increases the degree of friction between the strings and the bow. That same friction-increasing property comes into play when baseball pitchers use rosin to get a better grip on the ball.

47. Bridget Fonda, to Jane NIECE
Jane Fonda is the daughter of Henry Fonda, sister of Peter Fonda, and aunt of Bridget Fonda, making the Fondas quite the acting family. Jane Fonda had many memorable screen performances, but is equally memorable for her anti-war activism. Most famously she was outspoken against the Vietnam War, going so far as to visit North Vietnam during the height of the conflict in 1972, posing for photographs and making radio broadcasts denouncing American leaders as "war criminals". For her stance, Fonda earned the nickname "Hanoi Jane".

48. Noble __ GASES
The rare gases are better known as the noble gases, but neither term is really very accurate. Noble gas might be a better choice though, as they are all relatively nonreactive. But rare they are not. Argon, for example, is a major constituent (1%) of the air that we breathe.

52. "Milk" Oscar recipient PENN
Actor Sean Penn is a two-time Oscar winner, for his roles in "Mystic River" released in 2003 and "Milk" released in 2008. Penn's celebrity on screen is only matched with his fame off the screen. Apart from his "big name" marriages to singer Madonna and actress Robin Wright, Penn is also well known for political and social activism. He perhaps inherited some of his political views from his father, actor and director Leo Penn. As an actor, Leo refused to "name names" in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee and so was blacklisted in Hollywood and had to move into directing to put bread on the table. In later years as a director he gave his son Sean his first acting role, in a 1974 episode of "Little House on the Prairie".

“Milk” is a 2008 biopic based on the life of activist and politician Harvey Milk, with Sean Penn playing the title role. In 1977, Milk became the first openly gay person to be elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Tragically, Milk was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone in 1978 by former city supervisor Dan White.

57. Look for water DOWSE
Dowsing is the practice of divining for not just water, but also buried metals and gemstones for example. Often a dowser will use a Y-shaped or L-shaped rod as a tool, which can also be called a dowser. Here in the US, the tool used might be referred to as a “witching rod”, as it is usually made from witch-hazel.

63. Faux felt BAIZE
Baize is a coarse woellen, or sometimes cotton, cloth. These days, baize is most often used to cover the playing surface on snooker and billiard tables, as well as on gaming tables in casinos.

65. Tabulae rasae BLANK SLATES
Tabula rasa (plural “tabulae rasae”) is the idea that people are born with a "blank slate", and that knowledge comes from experience and perception.

68. Radio code opener ALFA
The NATO phonetic alphabet is also called the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) phonetic alphabet. It goes Alfa, Bravo, Charlie … Zulu.

71. Jewish spiritual leader REBBE
“Rebbe” is the Yiddish word for “rabbi”.

77. Hebrides native GAEL
A Gael is anyone who 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 Hebrides is a group of islands just off the west coast of Scotland. The Hebrides are divided into two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides.

80. Herb in pesto BASIL
The term “pesto” applies to anything made by pounding. What we tend to know as “pesto” sauce is more properly called “pesto alla genovese”, pesto from Genoa in northern Italy. I love, love pesto sauce ...

83. Dullea of "2010: The Year We Make Contact"KEIR
Keir Dullea is an actor best known for portraying David Bowman, the astronaut who is the protagonist in the 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey”. Dullea also appears as astronaut Bowman in the 1984 sequel “2010: The Year We Make Contact".

85. Stds. of conduct REGS
Regulations (regs.)

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

92. Academic expert, facetiously OLOGIST
“Ologist” is an informal term describing an expert or student in an academic discipline.

94. Like Shostakovich's "Symphony No. 2"IN B
Dmitri Shostakovich's “Symphony No. 2” was written for the tenth anniversary of the October Revolution, and so is subtitled “To October”. Shostakovich also celebrated the October Revolution with his “Symphony No. 12”, subtitled “The Year 1917”.

Dmitri Shostakovich was Russian composer, producing works in the Soviet period. He had a difficult relationship with the Communist Party, twice being officially denounced.

98. Impulse-conducting cell NEURON
A nerve cell is more correctly called a neuron, and the long nerve fiber that is part of a neuron is called the axon. A neuron that has no definite axon is referred to as “apolar” or “nonpolar”. In apolar neurons the nerve impulses radiate in all directions.

103. __ vincit amor OMNIA
"Omnia vincit amor" is a line from Eclogue X, one of the major works of the Latin poet Virgil. We know the phrase in English as "love conquers all".

105. PC port USB
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard dealing with how computers and electronic devices connect and communicate, and deal with electrical power through those connections.

107. Nine Inch Nails founder Reznor TRENT
Nine Inch Nails is a rock band that was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988.

110. A/C units BTUS
In the world of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), the power of a heating or cooling unit can be measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs). This dated unit is the amount of energy required to heat a pound of water so that the water's temperature increases by one degree Fahrenheit.

115. "Enough details, please"TMI
Too much information! (TMI)

116. Chocolate pet LAB
The Labrador (Lab) breed of dog has been around at least since 1814, and the chocolate Labrador appeared over a century later in the 1930s.

118. Van Gogh work OIL
Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch post-impressionist painter who seems to have had a very tortured existence. Van Gogh only painted for the last ten years of his life, and enjoyed very little celebrity while alive. Today many of his works are easily recognized, and fetch staggering sums in auction houses. Van Gogh suffered from severe depression for many of his final years. When he was only 37, he walked into a field with a revolver and shot himself in the chest. He managed to drag himself back to the inn where he was staying but died there two days later.

119. First st. admitted to the Union after the Civil War NEB
Nebraska gets its name from the Platte River which flows through the state. “Nebraska” is an anglicized version of Otoe or Omaha words meaning “flat water”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Kitchen cover APRON
6. Outlaw played by Tyrone in 1939 JESSE
11. Speculate MUSE
15. Letter-shaped beam Z-BAR
19. With 62-Across, many a sonata PIANO ...
20. Skateboard maneuver OLLIE
21. Copied APED
22. Living __ A LIE
23. SHARP STYLISHLY DRESSED
26. Student's complete file, to a teacher CUME
27. Enters carefully EASES IN
28. Hardships WOES
29. Trees whose fruit yields a moisturizing butter SHEAS
30. Author Rand AYN
31. SHARP PUNGENT IN TASTE
36. Some U.S. Army transports UTES
39. Palmer with trophies ARNIE
40. Nasty smiles SNEERS
41. SHARP SHREWD GAMBLER
46. Mole's activity SPYING
49. Cause of an allergic response CAT
50. Pilot maker HONDA
51. Unwelcome sign for a 49-Across owner NO PETS
54. Actress Vardalos NIA
55. Western, calendar-wise GREGORIAN
57. Medicated DOSED
58. Cravings URGES
60. Tech sch. overlooking the Hudson RPI
61. Signing, perhaps OKING
62. See 19-Across … PIECE
63. Ruth around bases BABE
66. NATURAL CRAPS WINNER
72. Tests for advanced-deg. seekers GRES
73. Didn't feel well AILED
75. Drawn: Abbr. ILLUS
76. Sense of self EGO
78. Burning up IRATE
79. Old enough OF AGE
80. Game show host for 50 years BOB BARKER
86. __ garden ZEN
87. Capital of Kazakhstan ASTANA
89. Earthen building material ADOBE
90. Before, in verse ERE
91. 1990s TV judge ED KOCH
93. FLAT BRIT’S DWELLING
97. Ferris Bueller's girlfriend SLOANE
100. Tough as __ NAILS
101. Some deposits ORES
102. FLAT NO LONGER BUBBLY
106. Incidentally, in texts BTW
108. Kindle reading, briefly EMAGS
109. Online search results URLS
110. Ill-fated 2006 Kentucky Derby champion BARBARO
114. Fighting ANTI
115. FLAT TROUBLE ON THE ROAD
120. Connections TIES
121. "Sweet is the breath of __": Milton MORN
122. Bordeaux bye ADIEU
123. Time being NONCE
124. Dost possess HAST
125. 60-Across, e.g.: Abbr. INST
126. Fall plantings BULBS
127. Boss mocked by Nast TWEED

Down
1. Church area APSE
2. Naan relative PITA
3. One of eight teams that never won a World Series RAYS
4. Like many fleet autos ON LEASE
5. Cacophonous NOISY
6. He frequently toured with Joel JOHN
7. Architectural add-on ELL
8. Sneaky SLY
9. Comical Caesar SID
10. Slogan ending? -EER
11. Layer of bricks MASON
12. Political surprises UPSETS
13. Welcomes SEES IN
14. Teacher's deg. EDD
15. President before Millard ZACHARY
16. Ma Rainey, notably BLUES SINGER
17. Draw a bead on AIM AT
18. Dodger teammate of Robinson REESE
24. Preacher's subject SIN
25. Lady in a lea EWE
29. Increases STEPS UP
31. Devil's wear, in a 2006 film PRADA
32. Dispirit UNMAN
33. Bird's beak NIB
34. Shampoo, e.g. GEL
35. Cozy home NEST
36. Maritime safety gp. USCG
37. Whaler's direction THAR
38. Deco designer ERTE
39. Latin lambs AGNI
42. Smack WHOP
43. Architectural order including circular column tops DORIC
44. Mushroom in Japanese cuisine ENOKI
45. Violinist's supply ROSIN
47. Bridget Fonda, to Jane NIECE
48. Noble __ GASES
52. "Milk" Oscar recipient PENN
53. One of a cube's dozen EDGE
56. Receive GREET
57. Look for water DOWSE
59. Strictness RIGOR
63. Faux felt BAIZE
64. Put on AIRED
65. Tabulae rasae BLANK SLATES
67. Life of the party RIOT
68. Radio code opener ALFA
69. Backup option PLAN B
70. Sweets SUGAR
71. Jewish spiritual leader REBBE
74. Parish officials DEACONS
77. Hebrides native GAEL
80. Herb in pesto BASIL
81. "Strange as it may seem ... " ODDLY ...
82. Shows of respect BOWS
83. Dullea of "2010: The Year We Make Contact" KEIR
84. Fish-eating flier ERNE
85. Stds. of conduct REGS
88. Plush carpet SHAG
92. Academic expert, facetiously OLOGIST
94. Like Shostakovich's "Symphony No. 2" IN B
95. Folder aid TAB
96. Hardly intellectual LOWBROW
98. Impulse-conducting cell NEURON
99. Proofer's finds ERRORS
102. Not o'er ‘NEATH
103. __ vincit amor OMNIA
104. Direct BLUNT
105. PC port USB
106. "Phooey!" BAH!
107. Nine Inch Nails founder Reznor TRENT
110. A/C units BTUS
111. Tops A-ONE
112. Political contest RACE
113. Pigged out (on) ODED
115. "Enough details, please" TMI
116. Chocolate pet LAB
117. Student's email ending EDU
118. Van Gogh work OIL
119. First st. admitted to the Union after the Civil War NEB


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5. Metaphorical sticking points CRAWS
“Craw” is another name for the “crop”, a portion of the alimentary tract of some animals, including birds. The crop is used for the storage of food prior to digestion. The crop allows the animal to eat large amounts and then digest that food with efficiency over an extended period. The expression “to stick in one’s craw” is used one when one cannot accept something, cannot “swallow” it.

10. Jacob's twin ESAU
Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When their mother Rebekah gave birth to the twins "the first emerged red and hairy all over (Esau), with his heel grasped by the hand of the second to come out (Jacob)". As Esau was the first born, he was entitled to inherit his father's wealth (it was his "birthright"). Instead, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for the price of a "mess of pottage" (a meal of lentils).

14. App that connects riders with drivers UBER
Uber is a ridesharing service that was founded in 2009 and is based in San Francisco. The service is somewhat controversial and has been described as an illegal taxicab operation. Central to Uber’s service is the company’s mobile app, which can use the client’s GPS location to help find the nearest available ride. Personally, I love the service, and only have had good experiences ...

16. Prominent giraffe feature NECK
The giraffe is the tallest terrestrial animal on the planet. The giraffe’s main source of food is acacia leaves that they eat from high, high up in trees, where other herbivores cannot reach.

19. Skedaddle FLEE
"Skedaddle " is a slang term meaning "run away" that dates back to the Civil War.

20. "Please, I've heard enough," in texts TMI
Too much information! (TMI)

22. Cutlass automaker OLDS
Oldsmobile made the Cutlass Ciera from 1982 to 1996. The Ciera was the brand name's most successful model.

23. Jungle adventure SAFARI
"Safari" is a Swahili word, meaning "journey" or "expedition".

25. Store with Kenmore appliances SEARS
Sears has a few long-standing, in-house brands, including Craftsman tools, Kenmore appliances and DieHard car batteries.

30. Corsage flower ORCHID
“Corsage” is a word we imported from French in the late 15th century. Back then we used it to mean “the size of the body”. By the early 1800s a corsage was a bodice, or the body of a woman’s dress. At the beginning of the 20th century, the French term “bouquet de corsage” was being used for a “bouquet worn on the bodice”, and this has been shortened simply to “corsage”.

38. Crystal-bearing rock GEODE
A geode is a rock in which there is a cavity lined or filled with crystal formations.

42. Civil War soldier REB
During the Civil War, the personification of the Southern states was “Johnny Reb”. The northern equivalent was Billy Yank.

43. Desert building brick ADOBE
The building material known as adobe has been around a long time, and has been used in dry climates all over the world. The original form of the word "adobe" dates back to Middle Egyptian times, about 2000 BC. The original spelling is "dj-b-t", and translates as mud (sun-dried) brick.

45. Fashion magazine that's also a French pronoun ELLE
"Elle" magazine was founded in 1945 in France and today has the highest circulation of any fashion magazine in the world. "Elle" is the French word for "she". “Elle” is published monthly worldwide, although you can pick up a weekly edition if you live in France.

46. In-flight predictions: Abbr. ETAS
Estimated time of arrival (ETA)

51. 24-__ gold KARAT
A karat (also “carat”, the spelling outside of North America) is a measure of the purity of gold alloys, with 24-karat representing pure gold.

53. Draft choices LAGERS
Lager is so called because of the tradition of cold-storing the beer during fermentation. "Lager" is the German word for "storage".

59. One with a bleeping job CENSOR
The original “censor” was an officer in ancient Rome who had responsibility for taking the “census”, as well as supervising public morality.

68. Continent explored by Marco Polo ASIA
Marco Polo was a merchant from Venice and a famous traveler throughout Asia. Polo journeyed with his father and uncle on an epic tour of Central Asia and China that lasted 24 years. Marco tends to be the member of the party we remember today though, because it was he who documented their travels in a book called "Il Milione".

70. Lyric poem EPODE
An epode is a lyric poem made up of couplets in which the first line is long, and the second line much shorter. The form was invented by the Greek poet Archilochus, and was most famously used by the Roman poet Horace.

71. Neighbor of Kent. TENN
Tennessee borders eight other states, a record number that is shared with Missouri. The states bordering Tennessee are Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri.

Down
3. Sans __: type style SERIF
Serifs are details on the ends of characters in some typefaces. Typefaces without serifs are known as sans-serif, using the French word "sans" meaning "without" and “serif” from the Dutch “schreef” meaning “line”.

6. Pro __: in proportion RATA
"Pro rata" is a Latin phrase meaning "in proportion".

8. Lushes WINOS
"Lush" is a slang term for a heavy drinker. Back in the 1700s, “lush” was slang for “liquor”.

9. Hi-fi system STEREO
Monophonic sound ("mono") is sound reproduced using just one audio channel, which is usually played out of just one speaker. Stereophonic sound is reproduced using two audio channels, with the sound from each channel played out of two different speakers. The pair of stereo speakers are usually positioned apart from each other so that sound appears to come from between the two. Quadraphonic sound (4.0 surround sound) uses four audio channels with the sound played back through four speakers often positioned at the corners of the room in which one is listening.

Hi-fi systems were introduced in the late forties, and is audio equipment designed to give a much higher quality reproduction of sound than cheaper systems available up to that point. “Hi-fi” stands for “high fidelity”.

13. Luau instruments UKES
The ukulele (“uke”) originated in the 1800s and mimicked a small guitar brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants.

26. Constellation named for a mythological ship ARGO
In Greek mythology, Jason and the Argonauts sailed on the Argo in search of the Golden Fleece. The vessel was called the "Argo" in honor of the ship's builder, a man named Argus.

The constellation Argo Navis (“Argo the Ship” in Latin) is divided into three parts: Puppis (“The Poop Deck”), Vela (“The Sails”) and Carina (“The Keel”).

32. Belles at balls DEBS
Deb is short for "debutante", which translates from French as "female beginner".

46. Unit of work ERG
An erg is a unit of mechanical work or energy. It is a small unit, as there are 10 million ergs in one joule. it has been suggested that an erg is about the amount of energy required for a mosquito to take off.

56. Family auto SEDAN
The American "sedan" car is the equivalent of the British "saloon" car. By definition, a sedan car has two rows of seating and a separate trunk (boot in the UK), although in some models the engine can be at the rear of the car.

60. Fictional sleuth Wolfe NERO
Nero Wolfe is a fictional detective and the hero of many stories published by author Rex Stout. There are 33 Nero Wolfe novels for us to read, and 39 short stories. There are also movie adaptations of two of the novels: "Meet Nero Wolfe" (1936) which features a young Rita Hayworth, and "The League of Frightened Men" (1937). One of Wolfe's endearing traits is his love of good food and beer, so he is a pretty rotund character.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. One capsule, say DOSE
5. Metaphorical sticking points CRAWS
10. Jacob's twin ESAU
14. App that connects riders with drivers UBER
15. Hard pattern to break HABIT
16. Prominent giraffe feature NECK
17. *Sing on key CARRY A TUNE
19. Skedaddle FLEE
20. "Please, I've heard enough," in texts TMI
21. Speaker on a soapbox ORATOR
22. Cutlass automaker OLDS
23. Jungle adventure SAFARI
25. Store with Kenmore appliances SEARS
27. Sloppy MESSY
30. Corsage flower ORCHID
33. Players in a play CAST
36. Severely injure MAIM
38. Crystal-bearing rock GEODE
39. Illuminated LIT
40. *Try, with "at" HAVE A GO!
42. Civil War soldier REB
43. Desert building brick ADOBE
45. Fashion magazine that's also a French pronoun ELLE
46. In-flight predictions: Abbr. ETAS
47. Trickery DECEIT
49. Discourage DETER
51. 24-__ gold KARAT
53. Draft choices LAGERS
57. Whitewater ride RAFT
59. One with a bleeping job CENSOR
62. Feel sorry about RUE
63. Notable periods ERAS
64. Make available, as merchandise ... and a hint to the start of the answers to starred clues KEEP ON HAND
66. Law business FIRM
67. Entices LURES
68. Continent explored by Marco Polo ASIA
69. "__ old thing" SAME
70. Lyric poem EPODE
71. Neighbor of Kent. TENN

Down
1. Tear conduits DUCTS
2. Bush successor OBAMA
3. Sans __: type style SERIF
4. Make a mistake ERR
5. Compelling charm CHARISMA
6. Pro __: in proportion RATA
7. Share a border with ABUT
8. Lushes WINOS
9. Hi-fi system STEREO
10. Implement, as laws ENFORCE
11. *Underestimate SELL SHORT
12. Breezed through, as a test ACED
13. Luau instruments UKES
18. Days of old YORE
24. Tsp. or tbsp. AMT
26. Constellation named for a mythological ship ARGO
28. Rescue SAVE
29. On-ramp sign YIELD
31. Original thought IDEA
32. Belles at balls DEBS
33. Not naked CLAD
34. Teacher's helper AIDE
35. *Cattle enterprise STOCK FARM
37. Bachelor party attendee MALE
40. Estate beneficiary HEIR
41. Warm up for the game GET LOOSE
44. "I'm baffled" BEATS ME
46. Unit of work ERG
48. Bring down the running back TACKLE
50. Make, as a living EARN
52. Prepare to drive, as a golf ball TEE UP
54. Wipe clean ERASE
55. Altercation RUN-IN
56. Family auto SEDAN
57. Foul callers, at times REFS
58. Operatic song ARIA
60. Fictional sleuth Wolfe NERO
61. Went like the wind SPED
65. It may be tipped by a gentleman HAT


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5. Radio switch AM/FM
The radio spectrum is divided into bands based on frequency. "High band" is composed of relatively high frequency values, and "low band" is composed of frequencies that are relatively low. FM radio falls into the band called Very High Frequency, or VHF. Television signals use frequencies even higher than VHF, frequencies in the Ultra High Frequency band (UHF). AM radio uses lower frequencies that fall into the relatively low bands of Low, Medium and High Frequency (LF, MF, and HF).

14. "Young Frankenstein" helper 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.

I am not really a big fan of movies by Mel Brooks, but “Young Frankenstein” is the exception. I think the cast has a lot to do with me liking the film, as it includes Gene Wilder (Dr. Frankenstein), Teri Garr (Inga), Marty Feldman (Igor) and Gene Hackman (Harold, the blind man).

15. "Deck the Halls" syllables FA LA
The music for “Deck the Halls” is a traditional Welsh tune that dates back to the 16th century. The same tune was used by Mozart for a violin and piano duet. The lyrics with which we are familiar (other than the “tra-la-la”) are American in origin, and were recorded in 19th century.

17. "The West Wing" actor Alan ALDA
Alan Alda has had a great television career, especially of course on "M*A*S*H". Alda won his first Emmy in 1972, for playing Hawkeye Pierce on "M*A*S*H". He won his most recent Emmy in 2006 for his portrayal of Presidential candidate Arnold Vinick in “The West Wing”. When it comes to the big screen, my favorite of Alda’s movies is the 1978 romantic comedy "Same Time, Next Year" in which he starred opposite Ellen Burstyn.

18. Fed. agent G-MAN
The nickname “G-men” is short for "Government Men" and refers to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

23. Maker of Fiesta Flats taco shells ORTEGA
The Ortega food manufacturing company has been around for about 150 years. It was founded by Maria Concepcion Jacinta Dominguez Ortega, known affectionately as Mama Ortega within the company.

24. Gorilla who learned sign language KOKO
Koko is a female Lowland Gorilla that lives in Woodside, California. The researcher Penny Patterson taught Koko to speak a modified form of American Sign Language (ASL) that she called Gorilla Sign Language. Koko can apparently use over a thousand signs.

28. Half a Mork-to-Orson farewell NANU
“Mork & Mindy” is a sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982. The title characters were played by Robin Williams and Pam Dawber. Mork is an alien from the planet Ork who reports back to his superior called Orson. Orson is played by voice actor Ralph James. Ralph James was also known for providing the voice of Mr Turtle in famous Tootsie Pop commercials in the seventies. Nanu nanu!

47. Roulette bet ODD
The name "roulette" means "little wheel" in French, and the game as we know it today did in fact originate in Paris, in 1796. A roulette wheel bears the numbers 1-36. A French entrepreneur called François Blanc introduced the number “0” on the wheel, to give the house an extra advantage. Legend has it that Blanc made a deal with the devil in order to unearth the secrets of roulette. The legend is supported by the fact that the numbers 1 through 36 add up to a total of “666”, which is the “Number of the Beast”. Spooky ...

51. Weekly NBC offering since 1975, briefly SNL
NBC first aired a form of "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) in 1975 under the title "NBC's Saturday Night". The show was actually created to give Johnny Carson some time off from "The Tonight Show". Back then "The Tonight Show" had a weekend episode, and Carson convinced NBC to pull the Saturday or Sunday recordings off the air and hold them for subsequent weeknights in which Carson needed a break. NBC turned to Lorne Michaels and asked him to put together a variety show to fill the vacant slot, and he came up with what we now call "Saturday Night Live".

61. Drummer Ringo STARR
Ringo Starr's real name is Richard Starkey. Before he joined the Beatles (replacing drummer Pete Best), Starkey played with the Raving Texans. It was with the Raving Texans that he adopted the name "Ringo Starr", because he wore a lot of rings and he thought it sounded "cowboyish". Back then his drum solos were billed as "Starr Time".

65. First name in bike stunts EVEL
Daredevil Evel Knievel contracted hepatitis C from the many blood transfusions that he needed after injuries incurred during stunts. He had to have a liver transplant as a result, but his health declined after that. Knievel eventually passed away in 2007.

66. Japanese verse HAIKU
A haiku is a very elegant form of Japanese verse. When writing a haiku in English we tend to impose the rule that the verse must contain 17 syllables. This restriction comes from the rule in Japanese that the verse must contain 17 sound units called "moras", but moras and syllables aren't the same thing. What the difference is though, is not so clear to me. Here’s an example of a Haiku:

Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator

67. Tupperware tops LIDS
Back in the 1930s, Earl Tupper was working at the DuPont Chemical Company, and from DuPont obtained inflexible pieces of polyethylene slag. Tupper purified the slag and shaped it into unbreakable containers. He added airtight lids with a “burping seal”, which were provided tight seals similar to that provided by the lids on paint cans. He called his new product Tupperware.

69. Kentucky Derby racer HORSE
The first Kentucky Derby was run in 1875, and is a race modelled on the Epsom Derby in England and the Grand Prix de Paris (now called the “Prix de l‘Arc de Triomphe”). As such, The Kentucky Derby was run over 1½ miles, although in 1896 this was shortened to 1¼ miles. The winning horse is presented with a very elaborate blanket made of red roses.

71. Lacking, in Lorraine SANS
The historical region of Lorraine is in the northeast of France, where it borders Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. The largest city in Lorraine is Nancy, although the region’s capital is Metz.

Down
1. Old way to place a collect call DIAL 0
Dial 0 (zero) for operator, not “O”.

5. Kabul native AFGHANI
Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. The city has been the site of major conflict for much of the 3,500 years that it has been in existence. In the past, this conflict was mainly driven by the city’s strategic location on the major trade routes of south and central Asia.

10. "Fear of Flying" author Erica JONG
The author Erica Jong’s most famous work is her first: “Fear of Flying”, a novel published in 1973. Over twenty years later she wrote “Fear of Fifty: a midlife memoir”, published in 1994.

11. Antlered animal ELK
The elk (also known as the wapiti) is the one of the largest species of deer in the world, with only the moose being bigger. Early European settlers were familiar with the smaller red deer back in their homelands, so when they saw the "huge" wapiti they assumed it was a moose, and incorrectly gave it the European name for a moose, namely "elk". The more correct name for the beast is "wapiti", which means "white rump" in Shawnee. It's all very confusing ...

12. Two-time 1500-meter gold medalist Sebastian COE
Sebastian Coe is a retired middle distance runner from the UK who won four Olympic medals including golds in the 1500m in 1980 and 1984. After retiring from athletics, Coe went into politics and served as a Member of Parliament from 1992 to 1997. In the year 2000, he was made a Life Peer, and so Coe now sits in the House of Lords. Lord Coe headed up London's successful bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

22. Maker of NORDLI furniture IKEA
The furniture chain IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad in 1943, when he was just 17-years-old. IKEA is an acronym that stands for Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd (don't forget now!). Elmtaryd was the name of the farm where Ingvar Kamprad grew up, and Agunnaryd is his home parish in Sweden.

25. Texas tourist spot ALAMO
The famous Alamo in San Antonio, Texas was originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero. The mission was founded in 1718 and was the first mission established in the city. The Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836, a thirteen-day siege by the Mexican Army led by President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Only two people defending the Alamo Mission survived the onslaught. One month later, the Texian army got its revenge by attacking and defeating the Mexican Army in the Battle of San Jacinto. During the surprise attack on Santa Anna's camp, many of the Texian soldiers were heard to cry "Remember the Alamo!"

27. Revise EMEND
The verb “to amend” means “to change for the better, put right, alter by adding”. The related verb “to emend” is used more rarely and mainly in reference to the editing of professional writing. Both terms are derived from the Latin “emendare” meaning “to remove fault”.

29. Shoreline protection gp. USCG
The US Coast Guard (USCG) has the distinction of being the country’s oldest continuous seagoing service. The USCG was founded as the Revenue Cutter Service by Alexander Hamilton in 1790. The USCG motto is "Semper Paratus", a Latin phrase meaning "Always Prepared".

31. Discreetly send a dupe email to BCC
A blind carbon copy (bcc) is a copy of a document or message that is sent to someone without other recipients of the message knowing about that extra copy.

36. Lewis Carroll specialty PUN
Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. He was born in 1832 in the village of Daresbury near Warrington in the county of Cheshire, in the northwest of England. And, let’s not forget one of Carroll’s most beloved characters, the Cheshire Cat.

44. Kremlin rejection NYET
"Nyet" is Russian for "no", and “da” is Russian for “yes”.

I was lucky enough to visit the Moscow Kremlin as a tourist a few decades ago. The Kremlin sits right on Red Square, along with Saint Basil’s Cathedral and the famed GUM department store. “Kremlin” is a Russian word for “fortress”.

46. R-rated, perhaps LEWD
The Motion Picture Association of America's (MPAA) film-rating system (PG-13, R, etc.) is purely voluntary and is not backed by any law. Movie theaters agree to abide by the rules that come with the MPAA ratings in exchange for access to new movies.

54. Rx, for short SCRIP
“Scrip” is an informal term for a prescription.

There seems to some uncertainty about the origin of the symbol "Rx" that's used for a medical prescription. One explanation is that it comes from the astrological sign for Jupiter, a symbol put on prescriptions in days of old to invoke Jupiter's blessing to help a patient recover.

56. Skin lotion brand NIVEA
Nivea is a brand name of skin-care products from Germany. The Latin word “nivea” means “snow-white”.

59. Sacred chests ARKS
According to the Book of Exodus, the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments are inscribed were placed in a chest called the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was built according to instructions given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.

62. Confucian "path"TAO
The Chinese character "tao" translates as "path", but the concept of Tao signifies the true nature of the world.

The sayings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (anglicized from “K'ung Fu-Tse”) are collected in a work called “The Analects” or “Linyu”. It wasn’t Confucius who wrote down his thoughts though, but rather his pupils, some 40 or so years after his death in 479 BC.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Doorbell sound DONG
5. Radio switch AM/FM
9. Pop out of the CD player EJECT
14. "Young Frankenstein" helper IGOR
15. "Deck the Halls" syllables FA LA
16. Use crayons COLOR
17. "The West Wing" actor Alan ALDA
18. Fed. agent G-MAN
19. Best way to sing ON KEY
20. Keep in suspense LEAVE HANGING (giving “hanging file”)
23. Maker of Fiesta Flats taco shells ORTEGA
24. Gorilla who learned sign language KOKO
25. "__ you for real?" ARE
28. Half a Mork-to-Orson farewell NANU
30. Symbol EMBLEM
32. Suffers from HAS
35. Department store fixture DISPLAY CASE (giving “case file”)
38. Tunnel effect ECHO
40. Actor's prompt CUE
41. "We gotta move!" C’MON!
42. Shingle securer ROOFING NAIL (giving “nail file”)
47. Roulette bet ODD
48. Like a spoiled child BRATTY
49. Didn't need to guess KNEW
51. Weekly NBC offering since 1975, briefly SNL
52. Takes notice of SEES
55. Like some country songs TWANGY
59. It may be affixed to an email ... and, literally, what the last word of 20-, 35- and 42-Across can have ATTACHED FILE
61. Drummer Ringo STARR
64. Sheepish smile GRIN
65. First name in bike stunts EVEL
66. Japanese verse HAIKU
67. Tupperware tops LIDS
68. Harvest REAP
69. Kentucky Derby racer HORSE
70. Sporting weapon EPEE
71. Lacking, in Lorraine SANS

Down
1. Old way to place a collect call DIAL 0
2. Creepy admirer OGLER
3. Signal silently to NOD AT
4. Sculptured, as an image GRAVEN
5. Kabul native AFGHANI
6. Wee one's word MAMA
7. __ steak FLANK
8. Tropical fruit MANGO
9. Political debate topic ECONOMY
10. "Fear of Flying" author Erica JONG
11. Antlered animal ELK
12. Two-time 1500-meter gold medalist Sebastian COE
13. Give it a whirl TRY
21. "My stars!" EGAD!
22. Maker of NORDLI furniture IKEA
25. Texas tourist spot ALAMO
26. Fix a green RESOD
27. Revise EMEND
29. Shoreline protection gp. USCG
31. Discreetly send a dupe email to BCC
32. Chef's flavorings HERBS
33. Oak-to-be ACORN
34. Sandbar SHOAL
36. Lewis Carroll specialty PUN
37. Security issue LEAK
39. Time and again, to a bard OFT
43. "Honest!" IT'S TRUE!
44. Kremlin rejection NYET
45. Passionate INTENSE
46. R-rated, perhaps LEWD
50. Thin cookies WAFERS
53. Sharp-eyed flier EAGLE
54. Rx, for short SCRIP
56. Skin lotion brand NIVEA
57. Collect incrementally GLEAN
58. Sounds from a kennel YELPS
59. Sacred chests ARKS
60. Hole up HIDE
61. Librarian's warning SHH!
62. Confucian "path" TAO
63. Go public with AIR


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
7. Cookbook author Rombauer IRMA
Irma Rombauer was the author of the famous cookbook "The Joy Of Cooking". Rombauer self-published the book back in 1931 in St. Louis, Missouri. She and her family continued to publish privately as demand was high, and then a commercial printing house picked it up in 1936. "The Joy of Cooking" has been in print continuously ever since.

14. Lancelot's unrequited lover ELAINE
In Arthurian legend, Elaine of Astolat is a maiden who dies from unrequited love for Sir Lancelot, one of the Knights of the Round Table. In Alfred Lord Tennyson's famous poem "The Lady of Shalott", the "Lady" of the poem is based on Elaine of Astolat.

15. Assam products TEAS
Assam is a state in the very northeast of India, just south of the Himalayas. Assam is noted for its tea as well as its silk.

16. Barcelona bear OSO
In Spanish, "osa" is a female bear, and "oso" is a male. An “oso” might be found in “un zoológico” (a zoo).

Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain, after the capital Madrid. Barcelona is the largest European city that sits on the Mediterranean coast. It is also the capital city of the autonomous community of Catalonia.

20. Melee SET-TO
Our word “melee” comes from the French “mêlée”, and in both languages the word means "confused fight".

21. Ballet bend PLIE
The French word for "bent" is "plié". In the ballet move known as a plié, the knees are bent.

22. State with five national parks UTAH
The highest number of National Parks (NPs) in any one state is nine, in California. Alaska comes in second with eight, and Utah with five. The five NPs in Utah are:

- Arches NP
- Bryce Canyon NP
- Canyonlands NP
- Capitol Reef NP
- Zion NP

23. Embryo development sites AMNIOTIC SACS
The amniotic sac is the sac containing the amniotic fluid in which the fetus develops. The walls of the sac are made from two tough membranes.

26. Priestly vestment ALB
An alb is a white, neck-to-toe vestment worn by priests, usually with a rope cord around the waist. The term alb comes from "albus", the Latin word for "white".

29. Right Guard rival BAN
Ban was the first roll-on deodorant, introduced in 1952. The formulation for Ban is the same as the brand called Mum, the first commercial deodorant, which dates back to the late 1800s.

Right guard was the first aerosol antiperspirant, introduced in the early sixties.

30. Old anesthetic ETHER
Ethers are a whole class of organic compounds, but in the vernacular “ether” is specifically diethyl ether. Diethyl ether was once very popular as a general anesthetic.

31. Willy Loman, in a 1949 play SALESMAN
“Death of a Salesman” is a famous play by Arthur Miller, first produced in 1949. “Death of a Salesman” won a Pulitzer and several Tony Awards over the years. The “salesman” in the play is the famous character Willy Loman. The play originally opened up on Broadway and ran for 724 performances. The lead role was played by the veteran actor Lee J. Cobb.

34. Architect Jones INIGO
Inigo Jones was a British architect, a native of London. The most famous Jones’s design is probably London’s Covent Garden Square.

37. McDonald's founder KROC
The McDonald’s chain of restaurants was founded in 1940 by the McDonald brothers, Richard and Maurice. The brothers introduced the famous McDonald’s production line system for making their hamburgers in 1948. There were 8 McDonald’s restaurants by 1955, when Ray Kroc came on the scene by opening the ninth restaurant as a franchise. That first franchise led to the founding of the McDonald’s corporation (by the McDonald’s brothers) that we know today. Kroc worked as a franchise operator for a few years and then bought out the McDonald’s brothers in 1961 as they were not interested in further expansion. It was Kroc who led the company to its worldwide success.

41. 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.

42. "Cheers!"SKOAL!
Skoal is a Swedish toast, with roots in the old Norse word "skaal" meaning "cup".

44. Connections traced on ancestry.com HERITAGE
Ancestry.com is the largest commercial genealogy company in the world, operating out of Provo, Utah.

46. Tiny amounts DRAMS
The dram is a confusing unit of measurement, to me anyway. The dram has one value as an ancient unit of mass, and two different values as a modern unit of mass, another value as a unit of fluid volume, and yet another varying value as a measure of Scotch whisky!

51. Big name on Wall Street GOLDMAN SACHS
The investment banking firm of Goldman Sachs was founded in New York in 1869 by Marcus Goldman. Samuel Sachs joined the firm in 1882, the same year that he married Louisa Goldman, Marcus’s daughter. The name “Goldman Sachs” was adopted by the firm in 1885. Goldman Sachs made out like bandits during the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007-08 as the company actually short-sold subprime mortgage bonds. As the price of the bonds nose-dived, Goldman Sachs made huge profits.

57. Horseshoe-shaped letter OMEGA
Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet and is the one that looks like a horseshoe. The word "omega" literally means "great O" (O-mega). Compare this with the Greek letter Omicron meaning "little O" (O-micron).

61. Tried to get into an office RAN
That would running for political office …

62. Lisa Simpson's instrument BARITONE SAX
Lisa Simpson is Bart's brainy younger sister on TV's "The Simpsons". Lisa is voiced by actress Yeardley Smith.

64. With 43-Down, what a criminal might be on THE …
(43D. See 64-Across … LAM)
To be "on the lam" is to be in flight, to have escaped from prison. "On the lam" is American slang that originated at the end of the 19th century. The word "lam" also means to "beat" or "thrash", as in "lambaste". So "on the lam" might derive from the phrase "to beat it, to scram".

65. Augusta National's __ Corner AMEN
One section of the course at Augusta National has been nicknamed as Amen Corner since 1958. It comprises the second shot at the 11th hole, all of the 12th hole, and the fist couple of shots at the 13th.

The Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia was founded in 1933 by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts. Famously, Augusta hosts the Masters Tournament each year. Augusta is very much a private club, and some of its policies have drawn criticism over the years. Prior to 1959, the club had a bylaw requiring that all caddies be African American. There were no African-American club members admitted until 1990, and no women until 2012.

66. British Invasion star BEATLE
The Beatles arrived in the US for their first tour in February 1964, arriving at John F. Kennedy Airport to a very, very warm reception. The group's arrival was the first “action” in what came to be known as “the British Invasion”.

69. Its flag features a six-pointed star ISRAEL
Magen (also “Mogen”) David is Hebrew for “Shield of David”, and is another name for the Star of David. The use of the distinctive hexagram as a symbol for the Jewish community started in 17th-century Europe, and today the symbol is found at the center of the flag of Israel.

Down
3. Damon of "The Martian"MATT
“The Martian” is a very intriguing 2015 science fiction film starring Matt Damon as an astronaut who is accidentally stranded on Mars. The movie is based on a 2011 novel of the same name by Andrew Weir. One thing that I liked about the film is that the science cited is fairly realistic. In fact, NASA collaborated with the filmmakers extensively from script development to principal casting.

4. Mazda roadster MIATA
The Mazda MX-5 is sold as the Miata in North America, and as the Roadster in Japan. I've always liked the looks of the Mazda Miata, probably because it reminds me so much of old British sports cars. The Miata is built in Hiroshima, Japan.

6. Classic auto REO
The REO Motor Company was founded by Ransom Eli Olds (hence the name REO). The company made cars, trucks and buses, and was in business from 1905 to 1975 in Lansing, Michigan. Among the company’s most famous models were the REO Royale and the REO Flying Cloud.

7. Novelist Calvino ITALO
As well as being an author, Italo Calvino was a famous Italian journalist. He was a supporter of communism and so wasn't very popular in the US nor in Britain.

10. In the Gospels, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on one ASS
According to the four Gospels in the Bible, Jesus made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem after having raised Lazarus from the dead. He descended from the Mount of Olives and rode into the city on an ass or a donkey.

11. San José denizen COSTA RICAN
San José is a capital of Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua in the north, and Panama to the South. Costa Rica is remarkable in my opinion, a leader on the world stage in many areas. It has been referred to as the "greenest" country in the world, the "happiest" country in the world, and has a highly educated populace. In 1949, the country unilaterally abolished its own army … permanently!

12. First name in gravity ISAAC
Sir Isaac Newton was one of the most influential people in history, the man who laid the groundwork for all of classical mechanics. The story about an apple falling on his head, inspiring him to formulate his theories about gravity, well that's not quite true. Newton often told the story about observing an apple falling in his mother's garden and how this made him acutely aware of the Earth's gravitational pull. However, he made no mention of the apple hitting him on the head.

13. Some black-clad teens GOTHS
The goth subculture developed from the gothic rock scene in the early eighties, and is a derivative of the punk music movement. It started in England and spread to many countries around the globe. The term "goth" of course comes from the Eastern Germanic tribe called the Goths. Frankly, I don't understand the whole goth thing ...

18. "This Is __ Tap"SPINAL
“This Is Spın̈al Tap” is a rock musical mockumentary about the fictional band Spinal Tap, directed by the great Rob Reiner. I love Rob Reiner’s work, but this movie … not so much …

22. Early Web forum USENET
Remember the good old days, when you read messages online in "newsgroups"? Well, that system of aggregating public messages is known as Usenet, and it's still around today. Usenet started operating in 1980, some ten years before the World Wide Web was introduced (which system has displaced Usenet in terms of popularity). Usenet definitely played a significant part in the history of the Internet. For instance, the terms "FAQ" and "spam" were both born on Usenet.

25. City with two MLB teams CHI
The Chicago White Sox Major League Baseball team was established in Chicago in 1900 and originally was called the White Stockings. The name was changed because the abbreviation “Sox” for "Stockings" was regularly used in newspaper headlines.

The Chicago Cubs is one of only two charter members of the baseball’s National League who are still playing, the other being the Atlanta Braves. The Cubs last won the World Series in 1908, which is a long time ago. In fact, the Cubs have the longest championship drought of any professional sports team in North America.

35. Disco adjective GOGO
Discotheques first appeared during WWII in Occupied France. American-style music (like jazz and jitterbug dances) was banned by the Nazis, so French natives met in underground clubs that they called discotheques where records were often played on just a single turntable. After the war, these clubs came out into the open. One famous Paris discotheque was called "Whiskey a Gogo". In that Paris disco, non-stop music was played using two turntables next to a dance-floor, and this concept spread around the world.

40. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" writer Carle ERIC
Eric Carle is a very successful children’s author and book illustrator, with over 100 million of his books sold around the world. Carle’s most famous title is “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, and it alone has sold 30 million copies.

45. Galaxy alternatives IPHONES
Apple started development of the iPhone in 2004 in collaboration with Cingular Wireless (now AT&T Mobility). The confidential program was given the name “Project Purple”, and took thirty months to complete at a cost of about $150 million. The iPhone was introduced in 2007 at the Macworld convention in San Francisco.

The Galaxy is a series of mobile computing devices made by Samsung that was introduced in 2009. All of the Galaxy devices have used Google’s Android operating system, although a Windows 10 Galaxy device was introduced by Samsung in 2016.

47. Title for Bovary MADAME
"Madame Bovary" is the most famous novel written by Gustave Flaubert. The title character is a doctor's wife named Emma Bovary, who lives a luxurious life beyond her means and has many adulterous affairs. The novel had a rousing reception, first being attacked by public prosecutors as obscenity, which I am sure later helped it to become a bestseller.

51. "Party on, Wayne" speaker GARTH
"Wayne's World" was originally a Saturday Night Live sketch starring Mike Myers (as Wayne Campbell) and Dana Carvey as Garth Algar. The sketch was so successful that it was parlayed into two hit movies, released in 1992 and 1993. Not my cup of tea though ...

52. City on the Missouri OMAHA
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska. It is located on the Missouri River, about 10 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River When Nebraska was still a territory Omaha was its capital, but when Nebraska achieved statehood the capital was moved to the city of Lincoln.

58. "¿Cómo __?"ESTA
“Cómo está?” is Spanish for “how are you, how’s it going?”

59. "The Wizard of Oz" family name GALE
The protagonist in the movie “The Wizard of Oz” is Dorothy Gale, played by Judy Garland. Apparently the name "Gale" wasn't revealed in the book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". Baum first revealed Dorothy's full name in the script he wrote for the 1902 stage version of "The Wizard of Oz". Dorothy reveals that she is "one of the Kansas Gales", to which the Scarecrow replies "That accounts for your breezy manner." Hardy har ...

60. Skater's maneuver AXEL
An Axel is a forward take-off jump in figure skating. It was first performed by Norwegian Axel Paulsen at the 1882 World Figure Skating championships.

63. Geisha's sash OBI
The sash worn as part of traditional Japanese dress is known as an obi. The obi can be tied in what is called a butterfly knot.

The Japanese term “geisha” best translates as “artist” or “performing artist”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Bumper car, at times RAMMER
7. Cookbook author Rombauer IRMA
11. Smoke CIG
14. Lancelot's unrequited lover ELAINE
15. Assam products TEAS
16. Barcelona bear OSO
17. Equipment for picnic competitions POTATO SACKS
19. Grabbed a chair SAT
20. Melee SET-TO
21. Ballet bend PLIE
22. State with five national parks UTAH
23. Embryo development sites AMNIOTIC SACS
26. Priestly vestment ALB
29. Right Guard rival BAN
30. Old anesthetic ETHER
31. Willy Loman, in a 1949 play SALESMAN
34. Architect Jones INIGO
37. McDonald's founder KROC
38. Make really happy ELATE
41. Nobel Prize subj. ECON
42. "Cheers!" SKOAL!
44. Connections traced on ancestry.com HERITAGE
46. Tiny amounts DRAMS
49. Chill in the air NIP
50. Denials NOS
51. Big name on Wall Street GOLDMAN SACHS
55. French friends AMIS
56. Elevator option DOWN
57. Horseshoe-shaped letter OMEGA
61. Tried to get into an office RAN
62. Lisa Simpson's instrument BARITONE SAX
64. With 43-Down, what a criminal might be on THE ...
65. Augusta National's __ Corner AMEN
66. British Invasion star BEATLE
67. Doesn't lack HAS
68. Nothing more than MERE
69. Its flag features a six-pointed star ISRAEL

Down
1. Weight room count REPS
2. Burn soother ALOE
3. Damon of "The Martian" MATT
4. Mazda roadster MIATA
5. Inters ENTOMBS
6. Classic auto REO
7. Novelist Calvino ITALO
8. Deliver from memory RECITE
9. Succeed MAKE IT
10. In the Gospels, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on one ASS
11. San José denizen COSTA RICAN
12. First name in gravity ISAAC
13. Some black-clad teens GOTHS
18. "This Is __ Tap" SPINAL
22. Early Web forum USENET
24. Title NAME
25. City with two MLB teams CHI
26. More than wonders ASKS
27. Carefree adventure LARK
28. Connections traced on ancestry.com BLOODLINES
32. Modern birthday greetings E-CARDS
33. "Can't help ya" NAH
35. Disco adjective GOGO
36. Tip jar fillers ONES
39. Lease signer TENANT
40. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" writer Carle ERIC
43. See 64-Across … LAM
45. Galaxy alternatives IPHONES
47. Title for Bovary MADAME
48. Distracting bedmate SNORER
51. "Party on, Wayne" speaker GARTH
52. City on the Missouri OMAHA
53. Sty denizens SWINE
54. Ugly campaign tactic SMEAR
58. "¿Cómo __?" ESTA
59. "The Wizard of Oz" family name GALE
60. Skater's maneuver AXEL
62. Impact sound BAM!
63. Geisha's sash OBI


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Detergent with Oxi Booster ERA
Era was the first liquid laundry detergent produced by Procter & Gamble.

4. DVD precursor VHS
The video standard known as VHS is more fully referred to as the Video Home System. VHS was one of many standards touted by various manufacturers in the seventies. The biggest rival to VHS was Betamax, but we all knew which of the two standards won the final round in that fight.

7. Scout, to Tonto HORSE
On the television version of “The Lone Ranger”, Tonto was played by the actor Jay Silverheels. Famously, the Lone Ranger’s horse was called Silver and Tonto’s mount was named Scout. But in the early shows, Tonto rode a horse called White Feller.

12. "Face the Nation" group PANEL
The Sunday morning political interview show “Face the Nation” has been running an awfully long time. It first aired in 1954, over 60 years ago. The guest on that first show, hosted by Ted Koop, was Wisconsin senator Joseph McCarthy.

17. Uncle relative? I GIVE
To "say uncle" is an American expression meaning to submit or yield. Its usage dates back to the early 1900s, but nobody seems to know how "uncle!" came to mean "stop!"

18. Golden Globe, e.g. STATUETTE
The first Golden Globe Awards ceremony was held in 1944 to honor the best in filmmaking. The award was created by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which had been formed the year before by a group of writers in Los Angeles. One of the most famous of the Golden Globes is the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

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

23. Use WhatsApp, say CHAT
WhatsApp is a popular messaging service used on smartphones that sends messages and other files from one mobile phone number to another. Launched in 2011, WhatsApp is incredibly popular, and is the second-most popular messaging service after Facebook.

24. Junior nav. officer ENS
Ensign is (usually) the most junior rank of commissioned officer in the armed forces. The name comes from the tradition that the junior officer would be given the task of carrying the ensign flag.

32. Popular weekend destination for many Northern Californians RENO
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 whole world at the time.

41. Russian lettuce? RUBLE
The ruble (also “rouble”) is the unit of currency in Russia, as well as several other countries of the former Soviet Union. One ruble is divided into one hundred kopecks (also “kopeks”).

42. Fog machine substance DRY ICE
Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide. The material’s main use is to preserve food and for cooling in general. It is also used in fog machines in theaters and haunted houses.

47. Prohibit NIX
The use of "nix" as a verb, meaning "to shoot down", dates back to the early 1900s. Before that "nix" was just a noun meaning "nothing". "Nix" comes from the German "nichts", which also means "nothing".

48. Offensive to some, for short UN-PC
To be “un-PC” is to be politically incorrect, not be politically correct (PC).

49. Rescue squad initials EMS
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

50. ___ Fridays TGI
T.G.I. Fridays is an American restaurant chain, founded in 1965 in New York City. Today there are over a thousand T.G.I. Friday's restaurants in over 50 countries. I think that Fridays has always been particularly successful overseas. I hear that the most successful Fridays restaurant anywhere in the world is the one in Haymarket Leicester Square in London in the UK.

57. Salon piece ARTICLE
Salon.com is a popular online magazine, one of the first "ezines" ever published. "Salon" focuses on American politics and current affairs, but also has articles about books, music and films. The magazine was launched in 1995, and managed to survive many loss-making years. Most of "Salon's" content is free, but it does make money by offering a premium service with extra content, and by selling ad space.

59. Swallowed one's pride ATE CROW
The phrase "eat crow", an alternative to "eat humble pie", perhaps refers to the fact that cooked crow may be edible, but is not a great food choice.

66. "Lone Survivor" military group SEALS
SEAL is an acronym used by the US Navy's SEa, Air and Land teams. The SEALs were born out of the Navy's special warfare groups from WWII, like the Underwater Demolition Teams and the Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons. The Navy SEAL unit was established soon after President Kennedy's famous speech in which he announced the plan to put a man on the moon, as in the same speech the president allocated $100m of funding to strengthen special operations forces. The Navy used some of this money to set up guerrilla and counterguerrilla units, which soon became the SEALs.

“Lone Survivor” is a 2013 war film starring Mark Wahlberg as a US Navy SEAL who is the only survivor from a 4-man team in a mission in Afghanistan. The film is based on a 2007 book that recounts the real-life experience of Marcus Luttrell and the comrades that he lost on that mission. It’s a powerful movie …

69. One of two in Pompeii DOT
The are two dots in the word “Pompeii”, over the letters I.

The ancient city of Pompeii is situated close to Naples in Italy. Pompeii was destroyed in AD 79 by the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius. The city was completely lost from that time, and was only rediscovered in 1748. Excavations have uncovered the remarkably well-preserved buildings and roads, and Pompeii now attracts over 2 million visitors annually.

Down
1. "Paradise Lost," e.g. EPIC
“Paradise Lost” is an epic poem written by Englishman John Milton. It is indeed an epic work, published originally in ten volumes with over ten thousand lines of verse. The “paradise” that is “lost” is the Garden of Eden, from which Adam and Eve were expelled by God in the “Fall of Man”.

2. Marinara brand RAGU
The Ragú brand of pasta sauce is owned by Unilever. The name " Ragù" is the Italian word for a sauce used to dress pasta, however the spelling is off a little. In Italian the word is "Ragù" with a grave accent over the "u", but if you look at a jar of the sauce on the supermarket shelf it is spelled "Ragú" on the label, with an acute accent. Sometimes I think we just don't try ...

Italians use the term “marinara” not for a sauce, but in the name of a recipe that includes a tomato-based sauce. For example, “spaghetti alla marinara” would be a spaghetti dish, served “mariner's style”. The tomato sauce that we call “marinara” is called “salsa di pomodoro” in Italy.

3. Singer whose last name is Pig Latin for a slang word for "money"ANITA O'DAY
Anita O’Day was the stage name of the jazz singer Anita Colton. She chose the name as “O’Day” is Pig Latin for “dough”, a slang term for “money”. O’Day had problems with heroin and alcohol addiction leading to erratic behavior, and earning her the nickname “The Jezebel of Jazz”.

Pig Latin is in effect a game. One takes the first consonant or consonant cluster of an English word and moves it to the end of the word, and then adds the letters "ay". So the Pig Latin for the word "nix" is "ix-n-ay" ... ixnay, and for "scram" is "am-scr-ay".

5. Derby or boater HAT
I think a bowler hat is usually called a derby here in the US. The bowler was first produced in 1849 in London by hatmakers Thomas and William Bowler, hence the name. The alternative name of "derby" comes from the tradition of wearing bowler hats at the Derby horse race (a major race held annually in England).

A boater is a straw hat often associated with boating, hence the name.

7. Toyota Center team HOUSTON ROCKETS
The Toyota Center indoor arena in Houston, Texas opened for business in 2003. The facility’s main tenant is the Houston Rockets NBA team.

26. "Tootsie" actress GARR
The lovely Teri Garr had a whole host of minor roles in her youth, including appearances in nine Elvis movies. Garr's big break came with the role of Inga in "Young Frankenstein", and her supporting role in "Tootsie" earned Garr an Academy Award nomination. Sadly, Teri Garr suffers from multiple sclerosis. She is a National Ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“Tootsie” is a hilarious 1982 comedy starring Dustin Hoffman in the title role, a male actor who adopts a female identity in order to land an acting job. Jessica Lange won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in the film. “Tootsie” was also provided Geena Davis with her first movie role.

28. Co-producer of the art rock album "High Life"ENO
“High Life” is a 2014 art rock album by Brian Eno and Karl Hyde.

30. Little, in Marseille PEU
Marseille (often written “Marseilles” in English) is the second largest city in France, after Paris. Marseille is also the largest commercial port in the country. I used to live nearby, and it’s a lovely, lovely place.

34. London locale that's a music industry eponym ABBEY ROAD
The Abbey Road Studios in London was a large Georgian townhouse built in the 1830s. It became a recording studio in 1931, and you can even see some YouTube video showing Sir Edward Elgar back then making recordings with the London symphony Orchestra. The studios passed through various owners and by the time the Beatles started their famous recording it was known as EMI Studios. The Beatles recorded practically all of their albums there, between 1962 and 1970. Famously they named a 1969 album after the studio, "Abbey Road". That's the one with the cover showing the Fab Four crossing the "zebra crossing" outside the studio.

35. "America's Got Talent" judge Heidi KLUM
German-born Heidi Klum was married to the successful English singer, Seal. Klum is a talented lady and has built a multi-faceted career based on her early success as a model. She is the force behind the Bravo reality show called "Project Runway" that has been on the air since 2004. Klum has been nominated 4-5 times for an Emmy for her association with the show. Klum was also signed up as the official ambassador for Barbie in 2009, the 50th anniversary of the Barbie Doll, and for her service that year a Heidi Klum Barbie was produced. She has been adding a touch of class to the judging panel on the show “America’s Got Talent” since 2013.

NBC’s show “America’s Got Talent” is part of a global franchise based in the UK. The original show is called “Britain’s Got Talent”, and the whole franchise is owned by Simon Cowell. The first host of "America's Got Talent" was Regis Philbin (2006), followed by Jerry Springer (2007-2008). Nick Cannon has been the host since 2009.

36. Deep desires YENS
The word "yen", meaning "urge", has been around in English since the very early 1900s. It comes from the earlier word "yin" imported from Chinese, which was used in English to describe an intense craving for opium!

50. Spanish appetizers TAPAS
"Tapa" is the Spanish word for "lid", and there is no clear rationale for why this word came to be used for an appetizer. There are lots of explanations cited, all of which seem to involve the temporary covering of one's glass of wine with a plate or item of food to either preserve the wine or give one extra space at the table.

51. Actress Scacchi GRETA
Greta Scacchi is an actress from Italy who now lives in Australia. Scacchi is popular on the European movie circuit as she is fluent in English, German , French and Italian.

54. Peninsular capital SEOUL
Seoul is the capital city of South Korea. The Seoul National Capital Area is home to over 25 million people and is the second largest metropolitan area in the world, second only to Tokyo, Japan.

56. Icy Hot target ACHE
IcyHot is a topical heat rub that is used to relieve muscular discomfort and pain from arthritis and rheumatism. The active ingredient doesn’t provide any heat or cold, but it does stimulate nerve receptors in the skin causing the user to experience a cool sensation followed by warmth.

58. Supermodel Sastre INES
Inés Sastre is a supermodel and actress from Spain.

59. Longtime teammate of Derek ALEX
Professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez earned more nicknames than just A-Rod. He has been called "the Cooler" by some players as there is a perception that teams go cold when he joins them and hot when he leaves. He has also been called "A-Fraud" by teammates because of another perception, that he is over-demanding. Rodriguez now seems to be in a world of hurt for using illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

Derek Jeter played his entire professional baseball career with the New York Yankees, and was the team's captain. Jeter is the all-time career leader for the Yankees in hits, games played, stolen bases and at bats. He is also the all-time leader in hits by a shortstop in the whole of professional baseball. Jeter’s performances in the postseason earned him the nicknames “Captain Clutch” and “Mr. November”. Jeter retired from the game in 2014.

60. Nobel Peace Center locale OSLO
The Nobel Peace Center in Oslo opened in 2005 and is located in a former railroad station. The center is inspired by the Nobel Peace Prize and features exhibits that tell the story of Alfred Nobel, as well as the stories of many recipients of the prize.

61. From Green Bay to St. Paul WEST
The city of Green Bay is the third-largest in the state of Wisconsin, after Milwaukee and Madison. The city is located on an arm of Lake Michigan called Green Bay. People in the area refer to the city as “Green Bay” and the body of water as “the Bay of Green Bay” in order to avoid confusing one with the other.

Saint Paul that is the state capital of Minnesota, and is one half of the “Twin Cities” , also known as Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Saint Paul used to be called Pig’s Eye, named after a popular tavern in the original settlement in the area. In 1841, Father Lucien Galtier established a log chapel nearby that he dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle, giving the city it’s current name. The magnificent Cathedral of St. Paul now sits on the site where the log chapel was built.

63. Often rolled-over item IRA
A rollover IRA is a subtype of a traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA). The funds for a rollover IRA come from another qualified plan such as a 401(k) or a 403(b) account.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Detergent with Oxi Booster ERA
4. DVD precursor VHS
7. Scout, to Tonto HORSE
12. "Face the Nation" group PANEL
15. "My mom's gonna kill me!" I AM SO DEAD!
17. Uncle relative? I GIVE
18. Golden Globe, e.g. STATUETTE
19. Nail care target CUTICLE
21. Congressional period SESSION
22. Vocal quartet member ALTO
23. Use WhatsApp, say CHAT
24. Junior nav. officer ENS
25. Long time follower … AGO
27. Manipulator USER
29. Cut LOP
31. Roll of dough WAD
32. Popular weekend destination for many Northern Californians RENO
33. Deceitful SNEAKY
37. Remove ERASE
39. Drop (out) OPT
41. Russian lettuce? RUBLE
42. Fog machine substance DRY ICE
44. Average SO-SO
46. Ballerina's hairdo BUN
47. Prohibit NIX
48. Offensive to some, for short UN-PC
49. Rescue squad initials EMS
50. ___ Fridays TGI
53. Speak harshly RASP
55. ''Fine by me'' OKAY
57. Salon piece ARTICLE
59. Swallowed one's pride ATE CROW
62. Chinese cooking staple PEANUT OIL
64. "__ were the days" THOSE
65. Not working AT LEISURE
66. "Lone Survivor" military group SEALS
67. Speak, old-style SAYST
68. Not strict LAX
69. One of two in Pompeii DOT

Down
1. "Paradise Lost," e.g. EPIC
2. Marinara brand RAGU
3. Singer whose last name is Pig Latin for a slang word for "money" ANITA O'DAY
4. Workshop gadget VISE
5. Derby or boater HAT
6. Huge success SMASH
7. Toyota Center team HOUSTON ROCKETS
8. Laudatory verses ODES
9. Tighten, as laces RETIE
10. Kept quiet SAT ON
11. Paradises EDENS
13. Really bad EVIL
14. Activity for some ex-presidents LECTURE CIRCUIT
16. Good buys STEALS
20. Get rid of LOSE
23. Appears unexpectedly, and a hint to this puzzle's circles CROPS UP
25. Knocked out AWED
26. "Tootsie" actress GARR
28. Co-producer of the art rock album "High Life" ENO
30. Little, in Marseille PEU
34. London locale that's a music industry eponym ABBEY ROAD
35. "America's Got Talent" judge Heidi KLUM
36. Deep desires YENS
38. Lust, e.g. SIN
40. Weigh station unit TON
43. Praises EXALTS
45. Pick out of a crowd SPOT
50. Spanish appetizers TAPAS
51. Actress Scacchi GRETA
52. Birthplace of the violin ITALY
54. Peninsular capital SEOUL
56. Icy Hot target ACHE
58. Supermodel Sastre INES
59. Longtime teammate of Derek ALEX
60. Nobel Peace Center locale OSLO
61. From Green Bay to St. Paul WEST
63. Often rolled-over item IRA


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Did a gondolier's job POLED
The word "gondola" was originally limited to the famous boats that travel along the canals of Venice. When man started to fly through the air in hot air balloons, "gondola" was used for the basket in which the passenger(s) traveled. By extension, the structure carrying passengers and crew under an airship is also called a gondola, as are the cars suspended from a cable at a ski resort.

17. Caboose DERRIERE
“Derrière” is a French term meaning “back part, rear”.

The word "caboose" originally came from Middle Dutch and was the word for a ship's galley. When the last car in a train in North America was given a stove for the comfort of the crew, it took on the name "caboose". The term has also become slang for a person's backside.

18. Knockoff cereal? FROSTED FAKES (from “Frosted Flakes”)
Tony the Tiger has been the mascot of Frosted Flakes cereal since the product’s introduction in 1951. As Tony would say, “They’re Gr-r-reat!” Well, I thought they were when I was a lot younger ...

20. Swift's medium AIR
Swifts are birds that are related to hummingbirds. Swifts are aptly named, with larger swift species clocked at airspeeds of over 100 miles/hour.

26. "And if __, no soul shall pity me": King Richard III I DIE
“Richard III” is one of the more famous of William Shakespeare’s historical plays. A well-known 1955 version of the play was made for the big screen with Laurence Olivier playing the title role. The most oft-quoted words from “Richard III” are probably the opening lines “Now is the winter of our discontent/Made glorious summer by this sun of York”, and Richard’s plea at the climax of battle “A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!”

32. Charged wheels TESLAS
Tesla Motors is a manufacturer of electric vehicles based in Palo Alto, California. Tesla is noted for producing the first electric sports car, called the Tesla Roadster. The current base price of a roadster is about $100,000, should you be interested …

35. With 24-Down, course for future pundits POLI
(24D. See 35-Across SCI)
Political science (poli sci)

36. Hägar creator Browne DIK
"Hagar the Horrible" is a comic strip that was created by the late Dik Browne and is now drawn by his son, Chris Browne. "Hagar the Terrible" (not "Horrible") was the nickname given to Dik by his sons.

37. Recalled cereal? FROOT OOPS (from “Froot Loops”)
Froot Loops (ugh!) is a breakfast cereal from Kellogg's that has been around since 1963. The little loops come in different colors, originally red, orange and yellow, but now there are green, purple and blue loops as well. Notice I said "different colors" not "different flavors". Each loop tastes the same, so I wonder where the color comes from ...?

43. Corrida figure TORO
Spanish bullfighting is known locally as “corrida de toros”, literally "race of bulls".

51. "Ex's & Oh's" singer King ELLE
The singer Elle King has a showbiz father, the former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Rob Schneider.

52. MetLife competitor AFLAC
In 1999, Aflac was huge in the world of insurance but it wasn't a household name, so a New York advertising agency was given the task of making the Aflac brand more memorable. One of the agency's art directors, while walking around Central Park one lunchtime, heard a duck quacking and in his mind linked it with "Aflac", and that duck has been "Aflacking" ever since ...

MetLife is the familiar name for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. MetLife was founded way back in 1868, and is headquartered in New York City.

56. Court mulligan LET
There doesn't seem to be a definitive account for the origin of the term "Mulligan", most often used for a shot do-over in golf. There are lots of stories about golfers named Mulligan though, and I suspect one of them may be true.

62. Disorganized INCHOATE
Something described as “inchoate” is rudimentary, or lacking order.

65. Emmy-winning role for Julia ELAINE
The character called Elaine Benes, unlike the other lead characters (Jerry, Kramer and George), did not appear in the pilot episode of "Seinfeld". NBC executives specified the addition of a female lead when they picked up the show citing that the situation was too "male-centric".

Actress and comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus is an alum of the sketch show “Saturday Night Live”, in which she appeared from 1982 to 1985. Her really big break came when she was chosen to play Elaine Benes on “Seinfeld”. More recently, Louis-Dreyfus can be seen playing Vice President Selina Meyer on the HBO comedy show “Veep”.

Down
1. Baskin-Robbins offering PARFAIT
A parfait is a frozen dessert made from sugar, syrup, egg and cream. The American version of this popular French dessert is a layered creation, featuring parfait cream, ice cream and flavored gelatins topped with whipped cream and possibly a liqueur. The term “parfait” is French for “perfect”.

The Baskin-Robbins chain of ice cream parlors is the largest in the word. The chain was founded by Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins in Glendale, California in 1945. The company started using the slogan “31 flavors” in 1953, suggesting that a customer could order a different flavor of ice cream on every day of every month.

3. Brand that's swirled, not swallowed LAVORIS
Lavoris is a brand of mouthwash. Lavoris was introduced during the Civil War, when it was used as an antiseptic. It was repurposed as mouthwash in 1903.

4. Eero Saarinen and others ELIS
Eli is the nickname for a graduate of Yale University, a term used in honor of the Yale benefactor Elihu Yale.

Eero Saarinen was a Finnish American architect, renowned in this country for his unique designs for public buildings such as Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Dulles International Airport Terminal, and the TWA building at JFK. The list of his lesser-known, but still impressive, works includes several buildings erected on academic campuses. For example, the Chapel and Kresge Auditorium on the MIT campus, the Emma Hartman Noyes House at Vassar College, the Law School building at the University of Chicago, and Yale's David S. Ingalls Rink.

11. Mr. Bumble, to Oliver Twist SIR
“Please, sir. I want some more” are words spoken by the title character in the novel “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens. . Oliver is addressing Mr. Bumble, asking for an extra helping of gruel in the workhouse.

12. __ Bo TAE
Tae Bo isn't an ancient martial art, and rather was developed as a form of aerobic exercise in the 1990s. The discipline was introduced by taekwondo expert Billy Blanks who gave it the name Tae Bo, a melding of "taekwondo" and "boxing".

14. "The Big Bang Theory" figure GEEK
“The Big Bang Theory” is very clever sitcom aired by CBS since 2007. “The Big Bang Theory” theme song was specially commissioned for the show, and was composed and is sung by Canadian band Barenaked Ladies. The theme song was released in 2007 as a single and is featured on a Barenaked Ladies greatest hits album.

15. Freebie from Adobe PDF
Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format introduced by Adobe Systems in 1993. PDF documents can be shared between users and read using many different applications, making them more universally accessible than documents saved by one particular program.

27. Middle-earth figure ELF
Middle-earth is the setting for J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” series.

30. Rock's __ Fighters FOO
Foo Fighters are described as an alternative rock band, one formed in 1994 by the drummer from Nirvana, Dave Grohl. The term "Foo fighters" originally applied to unidentified flying objects reported by allied airmen during WWII. Spooky ...

31. Penguin's perch FLOE
Penguins are flightless aquatic birds found only in the Southern Hemisphere, mainly in Antarctica.

40. It may be wired BRA
The word "brassière" is French in origin, but it isn't the word the French use for a "bra". In France what we call a bra is known as a "soutien-gorge", translating to "held under the neck". The word "brassière" is indeed used in France but there it describes a baby's undershirt, a lifebelt or a harness. "Brassière" comes from the Old French word for an "arm protector" in a military uniform ("bras" is the French for "arm"). Later "brassière" came to mean "breastplate" and from there the word was used for a type of woman's corset. The word jumped into English around 1900.

47. English and Irish SETTERS
The breed of dog known as a Pointer is also known as the English Pointer. There are other pointing breeds though, dogs that instinctively “point” by stopping and aiming their muzzles at game when hunting. The list of other pointing breeds includes the English Setter and the Irish Setter.

50. Neighbor of Homer NED
Ned Flanders lives next door to Homer on TV's "The Simpsons". Ned is voiced by actor Harry Shearer and has been around since the very first episode aired in 1989.

55. Response to a heckler AD LIB
"Ad libitum" is a Latin phrase meaning "at one's pleasure". In common usage the phrase is usually shortened to "ad lib". On the stage the concept of an "ad lib" is very familiar.

The original use of the verb "to heckle" was to mean questioning severely, and for many years was associated with the public questioning of parliamentary candidates in Scotland. In more recent times, the meaning has evolved into questioning that is less polite and that is directed at standup comics.

58. Indian royal RANI
“Raja” (also “rajah”) is word derived from Sanskrit that is used particularly in India for a monarch or princely ruler. The female form is “rani” (also “ranee”) and is used for a raja’s wife.

59. "The most private of private schools," to Hugh Laurie ETON
The world-famous Eton College is just a brisk walk from Windsor Castle, which itself is just outside London. Eton is noted for producing many British leaders including David Cameron who took power in the last UK general election. The list of Old Etonians also includes Princes William and Harry, the Duke of Wellington, George Orwell, and the creator of James Bond, Ian Fleming (as well as 007 himself as described in the Fleming novels).

English actor and comedian Hugh Laurie used to be half of a comedy double act with Stephen Fry called simply “Fry and Laurie”. Fry and Laurie met in Cambridge University through their mutual friend, the actress Emma Thompson. Over in North America, Laurie is best known for playing the title role in the medical drama “House”.

60. Rizzoli of "Rizzoli & Isles": Abbr. DET
“Rizzoli & Isles” is a detective drama that is inspired by the series of Maura Isles/Jane Rizzoli series of novels by Tess Gerritsen. In the show, Angie Harmon plays detective Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander plays medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles.

62. NYC subway IRT
The Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) was the original private operator of the New York Subway when it opened in 1904. The city took over ownership of the system in 1940, but the lines originally operated by the IRT are still known by the IRT moniker.

64. IRS employee CPA
Certified public accountant (CPA)

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Did a gondolier's job POLED
6. Wedding planner's contact FLORIST
13. Like antique watches ANALOG
15. Freshwater flatworms PLANARIA
16. Hiker's challenge RAVINE
17. Caboose DERRIERE
18. Knockoff cereal? FROSTED FAKES (from “Frosted Flakes”)
20. Swift's medium AIR
21. Runner in the Alps SKI
22. Expire CEASE
26. "And if __, no soul shall pity me": King Richard III I DIE
28. Cold cereal? PUFFED ICE (from “Puffed Rice”)
32. Charged wheels TESLAS
35. With 24-Down, course for future pundits POLI
36. Hägar creator Browne DIK
37. Recalled cereal? FROOT OOPS (from “Froot Loops”)
40. "Get off the stage!" BOO!
43. Corrida figure TORO
44. Philosophers' subject ETHICS
48. Prohibited cereal? RAISIN BAN (from “Raisin Bran”)
51. "Ex's & Oh's" singer King ELLE
52. MetLife competitor AFLAC
53. Span of note ERA
56. Court mulligan LET
57. Mystery cereal? SHREDDED WHAT? (from “Shredded Wheat”)
62. Disorganized INCHOATE
65. Emmy-winning role for Julia ELAINE
66. Mooring hitch, for one ROPE KNOT
67. More thoughtful KINDER
68. Deal on a lot TRADE IN
69. Round components, maybe BEERS

Down
1. Baskin-Robbins offering PARFAIT
2. Enjoying the amusement park ON A RIDE
3. Brand that's swirled, not swallowed LAVORIS
4. Eero Saarinen and others ELIS
5. They're forbidden DON'TS
6. Little nipper FLEA
7. Frolic LARK
8. How some deliveries are paid ON RECEIPT
9. Brought up RAISED
10. Choler IRE
11. Mr. Bumble, to Oliver Twist SIR
12. __ Bo TAE
14. "The Big Bang Theory" figure GEEK
15. Freebie from Adobe PDF
19. Go down DIP
23. Prop up AID
24. See 35-Across SCI
25. "That's scary!" EEK!
27. Middle-earth figure ELF
29. __ point: with limitations UP TO A
30. Rock's __ Fighters FOO
31. Penguin's perch FLOE
33. Edible thistle ARTICHOKE
34. "Just another minute" SOON
38. Spheroid ORB
39. Ewe or sow SHE
40. It may be wired BRA
41. Boor OAF
42. Peanut product OIL
45. Offer to a potential seeker I'LL HIDE
46. Dry __ CLEANER
47. English and Irish SETTERS
49. Like some beauty contest winners SASHED
50. Neighbor of Homer NED
54. Be offensive, in a way REEK
55. Response to a heckler AD LIB
58. Indian royal RANI
59. "The most private of private schools," to Hugh Laurie ETON
60. Rizzoli of "Rizzoli & Isles": Abbr. DET
61. Decrease WANE
62. NYC subway IRT
63. "__ will I" NOR
64. IRS employee CPA


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
6. Floorboard hardware item BRAD
A "brad" is a lender wire nail with a relatively small head that is typically used to "tack" pieces of wood together, to fasten either temporarily or with minimal damage to the wood. Nowadays, brads are commonly applied using a nail gun.

16. Western city with an annual balloon race RENO
The Great Reno Balloon Race has been held annually in Reno, Nevada since 1982. The three-day event features several launches including the spectacular Dawn Patrol, in which the balloons appear even more colorful and vivid in the predawn darkness.

17. She slugged a sheriff in "Selma"OPRAH
Oprah Winfrey is one of the producers of the 2014 film “Selma”, and is also one of the cast. She plays Annie Lee Cooper, a woman who tried to register vote and was denied by Dallas County sheriff Jim Clark. Clark poked Cooper in the neck with a cattle prod of nightstick, and she turned and punched him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground.

20. With 13-Down, "Unfaithful" Oscar nominee DIANE
(13D. See 20-Across LANE)
Diane Lane is a beautiful American film actress, born and raised in New York City. Not so long ago I saw Lane with Richard Gere in “Nights in Rodanthe” (a movie that I recommend). But my absolute favorite movie of hers is “Under the Tuscan Sun” based on the memoir of the same name by Frances Mayes (a writer from San Francisco). It's a lovely romantic story, not without humor, set in the gorgeous Tuscan landscape.

“Unfaithful” is a 2002 drama film with leads played by Richard Gere and Diane Lane. The Hollywood movie is a remake of a French film called “La Femme infidèle” (The Unfaithful Wife).

25. Proof letters QED
QED is used at the end of a mathematical proof or a philosophical argument. The QED abbreviation stands for the Latin "quod erat demonstrandum" meaning "that which was to be demonstrated".

26. Not much power ONE WATT
James Watt was a Scottish inventor, a man who figured prominently in the Industrial Revolution in Britain largely due to the improvements he made to the fledgling steam engine. The SI unit of power is called the watt, named in his honor.

27. "Never Cry Wolf" author Farley __ MOWAT
Farley Mowat was an author and environmentalist from Ontario. One of Mowat’s best known works is 1963’s “Never Cry Wolf”, which was made into a film of the same name in 1983.

29. "__ tree falls ... "IF A
If a tree falls in a forest and nobody's around to hear it, does it make a sound? Answers on a postcard please ...

34. Capital near Las Vegas SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
Santa Fe is New Mexico’s capital, and the fourth most-populous city in the state (after Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho). Sitting at 7,199 feet above sea level, Santa Fe is the highest state capital in the US. The city’s name translates from Spanish as “Holy Faith”. The full name of the city when it was founded in 1607 was “La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís”, meaning “the Royal Town of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi”. It became the capital of the province Santa Fe de Nuevo México in 1610, making Santa Fe the oldest state capital in the US.

The New Mexico city of Las Vegas (as opposed to the Nevada metropolis) used to be a stop on the Santa Fe Trail. Las Vegas, New Mexico also became a railroad stop starting in 1879, a development that attracted many dubious characters along with the new resident and businesses. The list of Old West celebrities that lived for a while in Las Vegas included Doc Holliday, Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp and one Handsome Harry the Dancehall Rustler.

41. Popular software for gamers ADOBE FLASH PLAYER
Adobe Flash is a software platform for creating graphics and animation, as well as application and games. Formerly known as Macromedia Flash and Shockwave Flash, the use of the once ubiquitous “Flash” software has declined over the past decade or so. That said, the derivative product called Adobe AIR is very successful in mobile applications.

42. Variety show on which "The Honeymooners" began as a skit CAVALCADE OF STARS
Cavalcade of Stars was a variety show that first aired in 1949. The show really took off with the arrival of Jackie Gleason in 1950, resulting in the “Cavalcade” being renamed to “The Jackie Gleason Show” in 1952.

The classic sitcom called “The Honeymooners” only aired for 39 episodes, with the last being broadcast in September of 1956. The sitcom was based on a recurring sketch that appeared on “Cavalcade of Stars” and then “The Jackie Gleason Show” from 1951-1955.

44. Former court gp. ABA
The American Basketball Association (ABA) merged with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1976. The ABA used a ball with the colors red, white and blue. The NBA uses a more traditional orange ball.

45. Big name in outdoor gear REI
REI is a sporting goods store, the initialism standing for Recreational Equipment Inc. REI was founded in Seattle by Lloyd and Mary Anderson in 1938 as a cooperative that supplies quality climbing gear to outdoor enthusiasts. The first full-time employee hired by the Andersons was Jim Whittaker, who was the American to climb Mount Everest.

46. Pope John Paul II's given name KAROL
Pope John Paul II led the Catholic Church from 1978 until 2005, a period of over 26 years. That made him the second longest serving Pope in history, after Pius IX who reigned for over 31 years in the mid 1800s. Paradoxically, John Paul II’s predecessor was John Paul I who only ruled for 33 days. John Paul II was a native of Poland, and was the first non-Italian Pope to lead the church since 1523. His birth name was Karol Wojtyla.

52. Toon that debuted in the 1954 cartoon "Devil May Hare"TAZ
The “Looney Tunes” character known as the Tasmanian Devil, or “Taz”, first appeared in a cartoon short with Bugs Bunny called “Devil May Care” in 1954.

55. "Hyde Park on Hudson" subj. FDR
“Hyde Park on Hudson" is a marvelous 2012 comedy-drama film starring Bill Murray as President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It deals with the romantic relationship between the president and his cousin Daisy Suckley (played by Laura Linney). A second major element of the screenplay is the 1939 visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to FDR’s country estate in Hyde Park, New York. Highly recommended …

59. Comet competitor AJAX
Ajax cleanser has been around since 1947, and it's "stronger than dirt!" That was the most famous slogan over here in the US. On my side of the pond, the celebrated slogan was "it cleans like a white tornado". Bon Ami cleanser has been around much longer. The cleanser was introduced just a few years after Bon Ami soap went to market in 1886.

The Comet brand of household cleanser produced a famous series of ads in the sixties through the eighties that featured a character known as “Josephine the Plumber”. Played by actress Jane Withers, she was noted for uttering the line “Nothing can hold a can to Comet!”

61. Secretary of war under Teddy ELIHU
Elihu Root was an American statesman, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912 for his diplomatic work that brought "nations together through arbitration and cooperation". Root served as Secretary of State under President Theodore Roosevelt. Prior to serving as Secretary of State, Root was Secretary of War in both the McKinley and Roosevelt administrations.

62. Language that gives us "mako"MAORI
The shortfin mako shark can appear on restaurant menus, and as a result the species is dying out in some parts of the world. The mako gets its own back sometimes though, and attacks on humans are not unknown. And the shark in Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea", that's a mako. “Mako” is the Maori word for “shark” or “shark tooth”.

64. Tears down, in 65-Across RASES
To "raze" (“rase”, in UK English) is to level to the ground. How odd is it that "raise", a homophone of "raze", means to build up?

65. North Sea county ESSEX
Essex is a county in England, referred to as one of the “home counties”. The home counties are those that surround the city of London, outside of London itself. "Home county" is not an official designation but has been in popular use since the 1800s.

The North Sea is an offshoot of the Atlantic Ocean that is located between Britain and Scandinavia.

Down
1. Gandolfini's TV wife FALCO
The actress Edie Falco won three Emmy Awards for playing Carmela Soprano on HBO's outstanding drama series called "The Sopranos". Falco also won an Emmy in 2010 for playing the title role in “Nurse Jackie”, another worthy TV show.

The actor James Gandolfini is perhaps best known for playing Mafia boss Tony Soprano in the HBO show “The Sopranos”. For my money, one of Gandolfini’s best performances was in the 2013 romantic comedy “Enough Said”, opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Sadly, Gandolfini passed away before that film was released.

2. "Yond Cassius has __ and hungry look"A LEAN
Here are some lines spoken by the title character in the play “Julius Caesar” by William Shakespeare:

Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look.
He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous.

Caesar is referring to Cassius, one of the leading figures in the plot to assassinate him.

5. Marin County seat SAN RAFAEL
San Rafael isn't far from here, and is the county seat of Marin County in the North San Francisco Bay. Like many cities in California, San Rafael owes its name to a Spanish mission, Mission San Rafael Arcángel.

6. Football's Favre BRETT
Brett Favre is best known as the former starting-quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. Favre retired in 2010 after playing with the Minnesota Vikings for a short time. Among the many NFL records held by Favre, he has made the most consecutive starts.

8. Singer DiFranco ANI
Ani DiFranco is a folk-rock singer and songwriter. DiFranco has also been labeled a "feminist icon", and in 2006 won the "Woman of Courage Award" from National Organization of Women.

9. BBC hero since 1963 DOCTOR WHO
The iconic science-fiction television show “Doctor Who” was first aired in 1963, and relaunched in 2005 by the BBC. The relaunched series is produced in-house by the BBC in Cardiff in Wales, the location that is the setting of the successful "Doctor Who" spin-off called “Torchwood”. The new show is about the Cardiff branch of the Torchwood Institute which investigates incidents involving extraterrestrials.

10. Screwdriver part VODKA
The cocktail called a screwdriver is a mix of fresh orange juice with vodka. Apparently the drink originated with a group of engineers in the late forties who used to spike small cans of orange juice with vodka, and then stir it in with their screwdrivers.

11. Commercial prefix with Pen EPI-
EpiPen is a brand name of epinephrine auto-injector. An EpiPen delivers a measured dose of epinephrine, usually for the treatment of an allergic reaction.

12. Big oil exporter IRAQ
By some estimates, Iraq is the fifth largest oil exporter in the world. The top five exporters are:

- Saudi Arabia
- Russia
- Kuwait
- Iran
- Iraq

27. 1980s attorney general MEESE
Ed Meese was born in Oakland, California just down the road here and spent 24 years in the office of the Treasurer of Alameda County, the county in which I live. After military service, Meese earned himself a law degree at UC Berkeley. Later, as Chief of Staff for President Reagan, he was instrumental in a famous decision to crack down on student protesters at Berkeley which resulted in one protester dying and a two-week occupation of the city by the California National Guard.

33. Big name in PCs ACER
I owned several Acer laptops, which were for my money the most reliable machine at the best price. Acer is a Taiwanese company that I used to visit a lot when I was in the electronics business. I was very impressed back then with the company's dedication to quality, but have heard that things have gone so well in recent years ...

34. Ink __ SAC
Octopuses and squid have the ability to release a dark pigment into the water as a means of escape. The dark pigment is called cephalopod ink (the squid and octopus belong to the class cephalopod) and is stored in an ink sac. The dark color is created by melanin, the same substance that acts as a pigment in human skin.

35. Actor Driver of "Girls"ADAM
Adam Driver is an actor best known for playing Adam Sackler on the TV show “Girls” that airs on HBO. Driver’s career got a huge boost in 2015 when he played villain Kylo Ren in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”.

36. Salmon choice NOVA
Nova lox is salmon that has been cured with a mild brine and then cold-smoked. The term originally applied to salmon from Nova Scotia.

38. Athlete known as "The King of Clay"NADAL
Rafael “Rafa” Nadal is a Spanish tennis player who is noted for his expertise on clay courts, earning him the nickname "The King of Clay".

48. Rejected NIXED
The use of "nix" as a verb, meaning "to shoot down", dates back to the early 1900s. Before that "nix" was just a noun meaning "nothing". "Nix" comes from the German "nichts", which also means "nothing".

51. City across the Rhine from Düsseldorf NEUSS
Neuss is a German city located on the west bank of the Rhine, opposite Düsseldorf. Founded by the Romans in 16 BC, Neuss jointly holds the title of “Germany’s oldest city”, along with Trier.

56. Cod relative HAKE
Hake is a commonly eaten fish in Europe, with half of all the hake consumed in Spain.

58. Mt. Hood setting ORE
Mount Hood is a volcanic peak in northern Oregon. Mount Hood is the highest peak in the state, and is located about 50 miles southeast of Portland. There are six ski areas on the mountain, including a resort called Timberline that has North America’s only lift operating year-round for skiing.

60. Colorful flier JAY
The bird known as a “jay” is sometimes called a “magpie”, although the terms are not completely interchangeable.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Protests by not taking any courses? FASTS
6. Floorboard hardware item BRAD
10. Cloaks VEILS
15. Top dog ALPHA
16. Western city with an annual balloon race RENO
17. She slugged a sheriff in "Selma" OPRAH
18. Pick up LEARN
19. Big story EPIC
20. With 13-Down, "Unfaithful" Oscar nominee DIANE
21. Waits on hand and foot CATERS TO
23. "Pity" TSK
25. Proof letters QED
26. Not much power ONE WATT
27. "Never Cry Wolf" author Farley __ MOWAT
29. "__ tree falls ... " IF A
30. Significant period ERA
31. __ moment AHA
34. Capital near Las Vegas SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
41. Popular software for gamers ADOBE FLASH PLAYER
42. Variety show on which "The Honeymooners" began as a skit CAVALCADE OF STARS
43. Buddy MAC
44. Former court gp. ABA
45. Big name in outdoor gear REI
46. Pope John Paul II's given name KAROL
48. "Ready for business" sign NOW OPEN
52. Toon that debuted in the 1954 cartoon "Devil May Hare" TAZ
55. "Hyde Park on Hudson" subj. FDR
56. Peak HIGH NOTE
57. Hardly warm ALOOF
59. Comet competitor AJAX
61. Secretary of war under Teddy ELIHU
62. Language that gives us "mako" MAORI
63. Accept TAKE
64. Tears down, in 65-Across RASES
65. North Sea county ESSEX
66. Inspected EYED
67. Decorative pitchers EWERS

Down
1. Gandolfini's TV wife FALCO
2. "Yond Cassius has __ and hungry look" A LEAN
3. Sudden rush SPATE
4. Obeyed a fishing regulation THREW IT BACK
5. Marin County seat SAN RAFAEL
6. Football's Favre BRETT
7. Tow job, for short REPO
8. Singer DiFranco ANI
9. BBC hero since 1963 DOCTOR WHO
10. Screwdriver part VODKA
11. Commercial prefix with Pen EPI-
12. Big oil exporter IRAQ
13. See 20-Across LANE
14. Lose SHED
22. It may be swiped at work STAFF CARD
24. Lowland amphibian SWAMP FROG
27. 1980s attorney general MEESE
28. Attorney's specialty TAXATION LAW
32. Simple greeting HIYA
33. Big name in PCs ACER
34. Ink __ SAC
35. Actor Driver of "Girls" ADAM
36. Salmon choice NOVA
37. Involved ELABORATE
38. Athlete known as "The King of Clay" NADAL
39. Absent ELSEWHERE
40. Logical operators ORS
47. Pin, say AFFIX
48. Rejected NIXED
49. Self-confidence POISE
50. Wild blue yonder ETHER
51. City across the Rhine from Düsseldorf NEUSS
52. Hardly boundary-pushing TAME
53. "Poor me!" ALAS!
54. Places with exhibits ZOOS
56. Cod relative HAKE
58. Mt. Hood setting ORE
60. Colorful flier JAY


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
6. Journalist Roberts COKIE
Cokie Roberts is a great journalist and author, best known for her work with National Public Radio.

11. Tests with printed patterns, briefly ECGS
An EKG measures electrical activity in the heart. Back in my homeland of Ireland, an EKG is known as an ECG (for electrocardiogram). We use the German name in the US, Elektrokardiogramm, giving us EKG. Apparently the abbreviation EKG is preferred as ECG might be confused (if poorly handwritten, I guess) with EEG, the abbreviation for an electroencephalogram.

19. 1814 treaty site GHENT
Ghent is a city in the Flemish region of Belgium. The War of 1812 (between Britain and the US) was formally concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent IN 1814. The American negotiating team in Ghent included Henry Clay and John Quincy Adams.

20. Dadaism pioneer ERNST
Max Ernst was a painter and sculptor, a pioneer in the Dada movement and Surrealism. Ernst was born near Cologne in Germany in 1891 and he was called up to fight in WWI, as were most young German men at that time. In his autobiography he writes "Max Ernst died the 1st of August, 1914" a statement about his experiences in the war. In reality, Ernst died in 1976 having lived to the ripe old age of 85.

Dadaism thrived during and just after WWI, and was an anti-war, anti-bourgeois and anti-art culture. The movement began in Zurich, Switzerland started by a group of artists and writers who met to discuss art and put on performances in the Cabaret Voltaire, frequently expressing disgust at the war that was raging across Europe.

21. Worn item that actually originated in Ecuador PANAMA HAT
Panama hats are also known as Jipijapas, named for a town in Ecuador (and not Panama, surprisingly) that was a major player in the hat trade.

23. Perfect apartment deal? GOLDEN LEASE (from “Golden Fleece”)
The Golden Fleece was the fleece of a winged ram made from pure gold that was held by King Aeëtes in Colchis, a kingdom on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. The fleece is central to the tale of Jason and the Argonauts, who set out on a quest to steal the fleece by order of King Pelias.

25. Saying "Break a leg," say? STAGE RITE (from “stage fright”)
There are many, many colorful theories for the origins of the expression “break a leg”, used in the world of theater to mean “good luck”. Regardless of the origin, what is clear is that using the phrase “good luck” is considered to be very bad luck.

26. "TMI!"SPARE ME!
Too much information! (TMI)

30. Descendant of Sperry Rand UNISYS
Unisys is an IT services and consulting company that was founded in 1986 as the American Arithmometer Company.

45. Preview to a view, for short IMO
In my opinion (IMO)

49. Islands staple TARO
The corm of some taro plants is used to make poi, the traditional Hawaiian dish (that I think tastes horrible). When a taro plant is grown as an ornamental, it is often called Elephant Ears due to the shape of its large leaves.

55. N.L. lineup absentees DHS
Designated hitters (DHs)

58. The 114th began in 2015 CONGRESS
The 114th US Congress first met in January 2015. With a majority in both the House of Representatives and in the Senate, the 114th Congress began with the largest Republican majority since 1931.

62. "Roundabout" rockers YES
Yes are a rock band from England that formed in 1968 and were most successful in the 1980s. The band's biggest hit was “Owner of a Lonely Heart” from 1983.

67. Singer Mann AIMEE
Aimee Mann is a rock singer and guitarist from Virginia. Mann is married to Michael Penn, the brother of actor Sean Penn.

71. Traditional wisdom about hustlers? DANCE LORE (from “dance floor”)
The hustle is a disco dance.

74. Ernie Banks epithet MR CUB
First baseman Ernie Banks was known as “Mr. Cub”, and played his entire 19-year professional career with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs retired Banks’ uniform number 14 in 1982, making him the first Cubs player to be so honored.

76. Karnak's country EGYPT
The Karnak Temple Complex is located near Luxor on the banks of the River Nile in Egypt. The most famous structure at Karnak is the Great Temple of Amun.

89. Lager alternative ALE
Lager is so called because of the tradition of cold-storing the beer during fermentation. "Lager" is the German word for "storage".

95. Astronomers' monthly reading? “ORBS” MAGAZINE (from “‘Forbes’ magazine”)
“Forbes” is a business magazine that has been published since 1917, when it was founded by B. C. Forbes and Walter Drey. The full name of the original publication was “Forbes: Devoted to Doers and Doings”. “Forbes” is noted for publishing lists of the biggest and richest in the world of business. In 2014, “Forbes” listed the 2000 largest public companies in the world and showed for the first time that the three biggest companies are based in China.

101. Canton natives OHIOANS
The city of Canton, Ohio is located 60 miles south of Cleveland in the northeastern part of the state. It was founded in 1805 and was named for the Chinese city of Guangzhou (often “Canton” in English). Canton, Ohio is a home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and to the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum.

103. Key part of Bruce Wayne's wardrobe BATSUIT
Batman and Robin are unique among their superhero compatriots in that they have no special powers, just a whole load of cool gadgets. Batman is sometimes referred to as the Caped Crusader, Robin as the Boy Wonder, and the pair as the Dynamic Duo.

104. 10001 letters NY, NY
The ZIP code 10001 covers much of Midtown Manhattan.

105. "M.O." rapper NELLY
Nelly is the stage name of rap artist Cornell Haynes, Jr. from Austin, Texas.

107. Emulate Cher in the '70s GO SOLO
Cher's real name is Cherilyn Sarkisian, born in 1946. In her acting career, Cher was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar of 1984 for her performance in "Silkwood". She went further in 1988 and won the Best Actress Oscar for playing Loretta Castorini in "Moonstruck".

113. Valley where David fought Goliath ELAH
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. And of course David felled the giant soldier with a stone from his sling.

119. Song about a yellow ribbon? OAK BALLAD (from “folk ballad”)
A yellow ribbon is symbolically worn by people awaiting the return of a loved one, usually from military service overseas, but also from a penal institution. The song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" tells the tale of a convict returning home. His loyal loved one is waiting for him and she ties a whole boatload of yellow ribbons around the old oak tree to greet him.

127. Ottoman Empire founder OSMAN
Osman I was the man who established the Ottoman Dynasty, with “Ottoman” coming from the name “Osman”. This is despite the fact that the "Ottoman Empire" came about with the conquest of Constantinople, and that didn't happen until almost 130 years after Osman I died.

128. Banned apple spray ALAR
The chemical name for Alar, a plant growth regulator and color enhancer, is daminozide. Alar was primarily used on apples but was withdrawn from the market when it was linked to cancer.

129. Part of Q.E.D. ERAT
QED is used at the end of a mathematical proof or a philosophical argument. The QED abbreviation stands for the Latin "quod erat demonstrandum" meaning "that which was to be demonstrated".

130. Cher's former partner SONNY
Sonny Bono was a recording artist who later moved into the world of politics. As a musical entertainer, Bono was most famous for his recordings as a duo with Cher, who later became his second wife. The couple divorced, but continued to work together. Bono went into politics, first as the mayor of Palm Springs, California and later as a representative for a California district in the US House of Representatives. Sadly, Bono was killed in a skiing accident in 1998. Coincidently, Michael Kennedy (son of Robert F. Kennedy) had died in a similar skiing accident just one week earlier. The epitaph on Bono’s gravestone reads “And the Beat Goes On”, a reference to the 1967 Sonny & Cher hit “The Beat Goes On”, which was written by Sonny.

Down
3. Ward of Hollywood SELA
The actress Sela Ward turns up in crosswords a lot. Ward played Teddy Reed in the TV show "Sisters" in the nineties, and was in "Once and Again" from 1999-2002. I don't know either show, but I do know Ward from the medical drama "House" in which she played the hospital's lawyer and Greg House's ex-partner. That was a fun role, I thought. More recently Ward played a lead role on "CSI: NY" and was a very welcome and much-needed addition to the cast ...

5. Dutchman who painted "The Surprise"STEEN
Jan Steen was a Dutch painter active in the Dutch Golden Age, the 17th century. Steen's most famous work is probably “The Feast of Saint Nicholas”, which you can see at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

6. Frozen pizza brand CELESTE
Celeste frozen pizza was named after a real life Celeste, Celeste Lizio who came from Italy and who lived in Chicago starting in the 1930s. Celeste and her husband closed their restaurant in Chicago and turned to the sale of pizzas.

8. Hiker's burden KNAPSACK
"Knapsack" is a Low German word for a bag with straps designed to be carried on the back. The word "knapsack" probably comes from the German verb "knappen" meaning "to eat".

11. Some 45-rpm records EPS
An extended play record (EP) contains more music than a single, but less than an LP.

16. Sushi fish AHI
Yellowfin tuna is usually marketed as "ahi", its Hawaiian name. Yellowfin tuna is one big fish, often weighing over 300 pounds.

17. 2015 N.L. MVP Bryce Harper, e.g. NAT
Bryce Harper is an MLB right fielder. One of Harper’s claims to fame is that he was the youngest player ever to be selected for the All-Star Game. That was in 2012 when he was 19 years of age.

18. Old AT&T rival GTE
GTE (formerly “General Telephone & Electric”) was a rival to AT&T, the largest of the independent competitors to the Bell System. GTE merged with Bell Atlantic in 2000 to form the company that we know today as Verizon.

24. Abbr. for people with only two names NMI
No middle initial (NMI)

31. Desires YENS
The word "yen", meaning "urge", has been around in English since the very early 1900s. It comes from the earlier word "yin" imported from Chinese, which was used in English to describe an intense craving for opium!

35. Supply at the thermometer factory? READY MERCURY (from “Freddie Mercury”)
Freddie Mercury was a British singer-songwriter who was lead singer for the rock group Queen. Mercury wrote many of Queen’s hits, including “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Somebody to Love”, “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “We Are the Champions”. Mercury’s real name was Farrokh Bulsara, and he was born to Parsi parents in Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania) in East Africa. He grew up mainly in India, and arrived in England at the age of 17 when his family had flee from the Zanzibar Revolution.

36. Chapel Hill athlete TAR HEEL
The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill started enrolling students way back in 1795, making it the oldest public university in the country (the first to enrol students).

Tar Heel is a nickname for anyone living in, or from, the state of North Carolina. As such, it is the nickname also of the athletic teams of the University of North Carolina. No one seems to know for sure where the term "Tar Heel" originated, but it is thought to be related to the historical importance of the tar, pitch and turpentine industries that thrived in the state due to the presence of vast forests of pine trees.

37. Eponymous Fox weekly news show STOSSEL
John Stossel used to co-anchor the ABC news show "20/20". Now Stossel works for the Fox News Channel and hosts a weekly news show simply called “Stossel”.

39. Biblical prophet AMOS
Amos is one of the twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew Bible.

42. Stylish CHIC
"Chic" is a French word meaning "stylish".

47. Radiation units REMS
The contemporary standard radiation dosage unit is the “roentgen equivalent in man”, abbreviated to “rem”.

48. Like a June day, to Lowell SO RARE
James Russell Lowell was a Romantic poet from Massachusetts. Lowell was known as one of the Fireside Poets, a group of New England poets who used a simpler style to make their work accessible to the general populace. One his more famous works is the poem that starts, “What is so rare as a day in June?”

51. Reeves of "John Wick"KEANU
Keanu Reeves is a Canadian actor whose most celebrated roles were a metalhead in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" (1989), a cop in "Speed" (1994) and the main antagonist Neo in "The Matrix" series of films. Although Reeves is a Canadian national, he was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Reeves has some Hawaiian descent, and the name "Keanu" is Hawaiian for "the coldness".

“John Wick” is a 2014 action movie starring Keanu Reeves in the title role. Reeves plays a retired hitman who goes on a killing spree to avenge the murder of his dog.

54. Codebreaker's org. NSA
The National Security Agency (NSA) was set up in 1952 by President Truman, a replacement for the Armed Forces Security Agency that had existed in the Department of Defense since 1949. The NSA has always been clouded in secrecy and even the 1952 letter from President Truman that established the agency was kept under wraps from the public for over a generation. I really like the organization’s nickname ... "No Such Agency".

59. "Awake and Sing!" dramatist ODETS
The first play that American playwright Clifford Odets had produced was "Waiting for Lefty", in 1935. However, the first play he wrote was "Awake and Sing!", which was produced soon after "Waiting for Lefty", and is the play that many consider his masterpiece.

60. Patriots' org. NFL
The New England Patriots football team was founded in 1959 as the Boston Patriots. The “Patriots” name was selected from suggestions made by football fans in Boston. The team played at several different stadiums in the Boston area for just over ten years, before moving to their current home base in Foxborough, Massachusetts. At the time of the move, the “Boston” name was dropped and changed to “New England”.

64. Croatian capital ZAGREB
Zagreb is the capital city of the European Republic of Croatia. Zagreb has been around a long, long time, and dates back to the diocese of Zagreb that was founded at the end of 11th century.

65. Companion of Ares ENYO
Enyo was a Greek goddess of war, a companion to the war god Ares. Enyo was also the sister of Ares, and the daughter of Zeus and Hera.

69. "Nature" author EMERSON
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an essayist and poet who was active in the mid-1800s. Most of the essays that Emerson wrote were composed originally as lectures and then revised for print.

70. Live partner BREATHE
As I live and breathe …

72. Tax season VIP CPA
Certified public accountant (CPA)

75. "I need a short break"BRB
Be right back (brb)

78. Belmonts frontman DION
Dion and the Belmonts were a vocal group from the fifties who had success in the late fifties. The four singers were from the Bronx in New York, with two living on Belmont Avenue, hence the name that was chosen. Perhaps the biggest hits for Dion and the Belmonts were “A Teenager in Love” and "Where or When".

90. Texas Air Force base LAUGHLIN
Del Rio is a border city in Texas, sitting opposite the Ciudad Acuña in the Mexican state of Coahuila. Del Rio was chosen as the site for Laughlin Air Force Base back in the forties. It was closed after a few years, but reopened during the Cold War mainly for flight training. Laughlin is now the busiest flight training base in the US Air Force.

91. He played Emile in Broadway's "South Pacific"EZIO
Ezio Pinza was an opera singer from Italy. Pinza performed for many years with the Metropolitan Opera in New York before retiring from the Met in 1948. He then launched a career on Broadway and in Hollywood.

The 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “South Pacific” is based on stories from the 1947 book “Tales of the South Pacific” by James A. Michener. “South Pacific” really is a classic show, featuring some classic songs like “Bali Ha’i”, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair”, “Some Enchanted Evening” and “Happy Talk”.

96. Agcy. that aids start-ups SBA
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a government agency with the mission of assisting small businesses. The SBA doesn't give loans itself, but it does act as a guarantor under the right circumstances. The SBA was set up in 1953, and isn't a favorite with fiscal conservatives.

106. Togo neighbor GHANA
The name "Ghana" means "warrior king" in the local language. The British established a colony they called Gold Coast in 1874, later to become Ghana, as part of the scramble by Europeans to settle as much of Africa as they could. One of Ghana's most famous sons is Kofi Annan, the diplomat that served as General Secretary of the UN for ten years until the beginning of 2007.

Togo is a country on the West African coast, one of the smallest nations on the continent. It is located between Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north.

108. Every, in an Rx OMN
“Omni” is Latin for “all”, or “every” in the context of a medical prescription. On a prescription, “omni” is usually abbreviated to “omn”.

There seems to some uncertainty about the origin of the symbol "Rx" that's used for a medical prescription. One explanation is that it comes from the astrological sign for Jupiter, a symbol put on prescriptions in days of old to invoke Jupiter's blessing to help a patient recover.

109. The 5,922 of a Taj Mahal model LEGOS
Lego sells a kit for the erection of a model Taj Mahal. It apparently takes over 50 hours to assemble the 5,922 pieces.

112. Mark indicating a musical phrase SLUR
In the world of music, a “slur” is curved line that connects neighboring notes that are to be played smoothly, without separation.

114. Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hears __"A WHO
Horton the elephant turns up in two books by Dr. Seuss, "Horton Hatches the Egg" and "Horton Hears a Who!"

119. Ipanema greeting OLA
Ipanema is a beach community in the south of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The name Ipanema is a local word meaning "bad water", signifying that the shore is bad for fishing. The beach became famous on release of the song "The Girl from Ipanema" written in 1965.

121. Mauna __ KEA
Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, the peak of which is the highest point in the whole state. Mauna Kea is in effect the tip of a gigantic volcano rising up from the seabed.

122. Banned bug spray DDT
DDT is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (don't forget now!). DDT was used with great success to control disease-carrying insects during WWII, and when made available for use after the war it became by far the most popular pesticide. And then Rachel Carson published her famous book "Silent Spring", suggesting there was a link between DDT and diminishing populations of certain wildlife. It was the public outcry sparked by the book, and reports of links between DDT and cancer, that led to the ban on the use of the chemical in 1972. That ban is touted as the main reason that the bald eagle was rescued from near extinction.

124. Novelist Deighton LEN
I used to walk my dog right past author Len Deighton's house years ago, as we lived in the same village in Ireland (probably my only claim to fame!). Deighton wrote the excellent espionage thriller "The IPCRESS File", made into a 1965 movie starring Michael Caine.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Some "No Passing" road sections ESSES
6. Journalist Roberts COKIE
11. Tests with printed patterns, briefly ECGS
15. "Phooey!" DANG!
19. 1814 treaty site GHENT
20. Dadaism pioneer ERNST
21. Worn item that actually originated in Ecuador PANAMA HAT
23. Perfect apartment deal? GOLDEN LEASE (from “Golden Fleece”)
25. Saying "Break a leg," say? STAGE RITE (from “stage fright”)
26. "TMI!" SPARE ME!
27. __ Authority PORT
29. Minor adjustment TWEAK
30. Descendant of Sperry Rand UNISYS
32. Likely to pry NOSY
34. "Phooey!" NERTS!
38. Traditionally red structure BARN
41. Roller with leaves TEACART
43. Situation of intense scrutiny HOT SEAT
45. Preview to a view, for short IMO
46. Plumbing school basic? WRENCH LESSON (from “French lesson”)
49. Islands staple TARO
50. "__ here!" LOOKEE
52. Glide on powder SKI
53. Portent OMEN
55. N.L. lineup absentees DHS
56. Highly values ESTEEMS
58. The 114th began in 2015 CONGRESS
62. "Roundabout" rockers YES
63. Flip over CAPSIZE
66. It has all five black keys in its scale D-FLAT
67. Singer Mann AIMEE
69. Black, in verse EBON
71. Traditional wisdom about hustlers? DANCE LORE (from “dance floor”)
73. Go like hotcakes SELL
74. Ernie Banks epithet MR CUB
76. Karnak's country EGYPT
77. "Please help me out" BE A DEAR
80. Sound of fear EEK!
81. Sunday dinner entrée RIB ROAST
84. Little shooter MINICAM
87. Traitor RAT
88. Scottish hillside BRAE
89. Lager alternative ALE
92. Working ON DUTY
93. Top-billed STAR
95. Astronomers' monthly reading? “ORBS” MAGAZINE (from “‘Forbes’ magazine”)
100. CD-__ ROM
101. Canton natives OHIOANS
103. Key part of Bruce Wayne's wardrobe BATSUIT
104. 10001 letters NY, NY
105. "M.O." rapper NELLY
106. Many a reception GALA
107. Emulate Cher in the '70s GO SOLO
110. __ law LEASH
113. Valley where David fought Goliath ELAH
115. Came out EMERGED
119. Song about a yellow ribbon? OAK BALLAD (from “folk ballad”)
123. Hooting, mostly? OWL LANGUAGE (from “foul language”)
125. Relax LIE AROUND
126. Backs (away) SHIES
127. Ottoman Empire founder OSMAN
128. Banned apple spray ALAR
129. Part of Q.E.D. ERAT
130. Cher's former partner SONNY
131. Storage facilities SHEDS

Down
1. They're usually broken before use EGGS
2. Mom-and-pop enterprise SHOP
3. Ward of Hollywood SELA
4. Evasive strategy END RUN
5. Dutchman who painted "The Surprise" STEEN
6. Frozen pizza brand CELESTE
7. Rock to refine ORE
8. Hiker's burden KNAPSACK
9. Schoolyard retort IS SO!
10. Infinite ETERNAL
11. Some 45-rpm records EPS
12. Showing one's claws, so to speak CATTY
13. Nibble GNAW
14. Wise one SAGE
15. Most gloomy DARKEST
16. Sushi fish AHI
17. 2015 N.L. MVP Bryce Harper, e.g. NAT
18. Old AT&T rival GTE
22. Was serious about MEANT
24. Abbr. for people with only two names NMI
28. Raced TORE
31. Desires YENS
33. Rd. atlas listings STS
35. Supply at the thermometer factory? READY MERCURY (from “Freddie Mercury”)
36. Chapel Hill athlete TARHEEL
37. Eponymous Fox weekly news show STOSSEL
38. Anger BILE
39. Biblical prophet AMOS
40. Beet-flavored drink? ROOT COCKTAIL (from “fruit cocktail”)
42. Stylish CHIC
43. Betting favorite, often HOME TEAM
44. People ONES
46. Cry WEEP
47. Radiation units REMS
48. Like a June day, to Lowell SO RARE
51. Reeves of "John Wick" KEANU
54. Codebreaker's org. NSA
57. "May I approach" court conferences SIDEBARS
59. "Awake and Sing!" dramatist ODETS
60. Patriots' org. NFL
61. Goo amount GLOB
64. Croatian capital ZAGREB
65. Companion of Ares ENYO
68. "Again ... " I SAID ...
69. "Nature" author EMERSON
70. Live partner BREATHE
72. Tax season VIP CPA
75. "I need a short break" BRB
78. Belmonts frontman DION
79. Kin of -trix -ENNE
82. Golfer's choice IRON
83. Luggage danglers TAGS
85. Loads A TON
86. "Goodness!" MY MY!
90. Texas Air Force base LAUGHLIN
91. He played Emile in Broadway's "South Pacific" EZIO
94. Racecar safety feature ROLL BAR
96. Agcy. that aids start-ups SBA
97. Guy MALE
98. Stumped AT A LOSS
99. "Piece of cake" IT'S EASY
102. Annually A YEAR
104. "I have time" NO RUSH
106. Togo neighbor GHANA
108. Every, in an Rx OMN
109. The 5,922 of a Taj Mahal model LEGOS
111. Natural balm ALOE
112. Mark indicating a musical phrase SLUR
114. Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hears __" A WHO
116. Phone download GAME
117. "Goodness!" EGAD!
118. TV sites DENS
119. Ipanema greeting OLA
120. Confine to bed, maybe AIL
121. Mauna __ KEA
122. Banned bug spray DDT
124. Novelist Deighton LEN


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. "Dragnet" star Jack WEBB
Jack Webb played Sergeant Joe Friday on "Dragnet" on both TV and radio ... and what a voice he had! Off the screen Webb was a lover of jazz, and he played the cornet. It was within the world of jazz that he met and fell in love with Julie London, the famous singer with "the smoky voice". The couple married and had two kids together.

5. Campus military prog. ROTC
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) is a training program for officers based in colleges all around the US. The ROTC program was established in 1862 when as a condition of receiving a land-grant to create colleges, the federal government required that military tactics be part of a new school's curriculum.

13. Gillette razor ATRA
Fortunately for crossword constructors, the Atra razor was introduced by Gillette in 1977. The Atra was sold as the Contour in some markets and its derivative products are still around today.

15. Hindu princess RANI
A ranee (also spelled “rani”) is a queen or a princess, the female equivalent of a raja in India.

17. Samuel on the Supreme Court ALITO
Associate Justice Samuel Alito was nominated to the US Supreme Court by President George W. Bush. Alito is the second Italian-American to serve on the Supreme Court (Antonin Scalia was the first). Alito studied law at Yale and while in his final year he left the country for the first time in his life, heading to Italy to work on his thesis about the Italian legal system.

18. To be, to Tiberius ESSE
“Esse” is the Latin for “to be”. “Sum” means “I am” and “erat” means “he, she was”.

Tiberius was the second Emperor of Rome, succeeding Augustus. In his latter life Tiberius became very reclusive, not really wanting the responsibilities of Emperor but refusing to give up his power. Instead, he exiled himself from Rome leaving administrative control of the Empire to unscrupulous aides. Tiberius himself led a quiet life on the island of Capri. His death at the age of 77 was apparently hastened by a pillow placed over his face, an act ordered by his successor, Caligula.

19. "Fiddler on the Roof" song SUNRISE, SUNSET
“Sunrise, Sunset” is a lovely song from the stage musical “Fiddler on the Roof”. My mother loves Perry Como’s version of the song …

The enduring musical “Fiddler on the Roof” is based on a collection of stories by Sholem Aleichem about Tevye, a milkman living in Tsarist Russia. The musical version of the tales first opened on Broadway in 1964. "Fiddler on the Roof" had such a long run that it became the first musical to reach 3,000 performances.

24. Continental trade gp. EEC
The European Economic Community (EEC) was also known as "the Common Market". The EEC was a NAFTA-like structure that was eventually absorbed into today's European Union (EU).

26. Corned beef-and-Swiss sandwich REUBEN
There are conflicting stories about the origin of the Reuben sandwich. One is that it was invented around 1914 by Arnold Reuben, an immigrant from Germany who owned Reuben's Deli in New York.

30. '60s hallucinogen LSD
LSD (colloquially known as “acid”) is short for lysergic acid diethylamide. A Swiss chemist called Albert Hofmann first synthesized LSD in 1938 in a research project looking for medically efficacious ergot alkaloids. It wasn't until some five years later when Hofmann ingested some of the drug accidentally that its psychedelic properties were discovered. Trippy, man ...

35. Golfer's concern LIE

That putt’s a gimme.
No it’s not.
Yes it is.
You lie!

Just kidding …

40. Beatles hit that begins, "You say yes, I say no"HELLO, GOODBYE
The 1967 Beatles song “Hello, Goodbye” was written by Paul McCartney using duality as a theme. While composing, McCartney basically asked an aide to supply words that were opposites to what he sang while playing a harmonium:

You say yes, I say no
You say stop and I say go go go, oh no
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello

45. Sci-fi saucer UFO
Unidentified flying object (UFO)

48. Bears or Cubs TEAM
The Chicago Bears were founded in Decatur, Illinois in 1919 and moved to Chicago in 1921. The Bears are one of only two franchises in the NFL that were around at the time of the NFL’s founding (the other is the Arizona Cardinals, who were also based in Chicago in 1921).

The Chicago Cubs is one of only two charter members of the baseball’s National League who are still playing, the other being the Atlanta Braves. The Cubs last won the World Series in 1908, which is a long time ago. In fact, the Cubs have the longest championship drought of any professional sports team in North America.

50. Poe's "The Murders in the Rue __"MORGUE
"The Murders in the RueMorgue" is a short story by Edgar Allen Poe, and is recognized as the first "detective story" ever written. The murder is solved when it is determined that the murderer was actually an orangutan.

52. ATM access code PIN
One enters a Personal Identification Number (PIN) when using an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

53. __ Moines DES
The city of Des Moines is the capital of Iowa, and takes its name from the Des Moines River. The river in turn takes its name from the French "Riviere des Moines" meaning "River of the Monks". It looks like there isn't any "monkish" connection to the city's name per se. "Des Moines" was just the name given by French traders who corrupted "Moingona", the name of a group of Illinois Native Americans who lived by the river. However, others do contend that French Trappist monks, who lived a full 200 miles from the river, somehow influenced the name.

58. Hipbone parts ILIA
The sacrum and the two ilia are three bones in the human pelvis.

60. European capital west of Helsinki OSLO
Oslo is the capital of Norway. The city of Oslo burns trash to fuel half of its buildings, including all of its schools. The problem faced by the city is that it doesn’t generate enough trash. So, Oslo imports trash from Sweden, England and Ireland, and is now looking to import some American trash too.

Helsinki is the capital city of Finland, and is by far the country’s biggest urban area. In English we tend to stress the “-sink-” in “Helsinki”, whereas the Finns stress the “Hel-”.

63. No longer working: Abbr. RETD
Retired (retd.)

64. Forgetting to carry the one, say ERROR
That would be in adding a column of numbers ...

66. Scots Gaelic ERSE
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).

67. Sheep fat SUET
Fat, when extracted from the carcass of an animal, is called "suet". Untreated suet decomposes at room temperature quite easily so it has to be "rendered" or purified to make it stable. Rendered fat from pigs is what we call "lard". Rendered beef or mutton fat is known as "tallow".

68. Unit of force DYNE
A dyne is a unit of force. The name "dyne" comes from the Greek "dynamis" meaning "power, force". Ergs and dynes are related to each other in that one erg is the amount of energy needed to move a force of one dyne over a distance of one centimeter.

Down
2. Approx. landing hour ETA
Estimated time of arrival (ETA)

4. Hindu title of respect BABU
“Babu” is a Hindu word used in South Asia as a sign of respect to men. It can be used to mean “boss” or “father”.

6. Big name in elevators OTIS
Otis is a manufacturer of elevators, escalators and moving walkways. By some accounts, Otis is the world’s most popular transportation company, with the equivalent of the whole world’s population travelling on Otis devices every few days.

7. London gallery TATE
The museum known as "the Tate" is actually made up of four separate galleries in England. The original Tate gallery was founded by Sir Henry Tate as the National Gallery of British Art. It is located on Millbank in London, on the site of the old Millbank Prison, and is now called Tate Britain. There is also the Tate Liverpool in the north of England located in an old warehouse, and the Tate St. Ives in the west country located in an old gas works. My favorite of the Tate galleries is the Tate Modern which lies on the banks of the Thames in London. It's a beautiful building, a converted power station that you have to see to believe.

10. Feudal servant VASSAL
In the feudal system of medieval Europe, a vassal was someone who agreed to provide some sort of service to a lord. A typical example of such a service would be military support. In return, the vassal was usually granted a piece of land.

14. PepsiCo, to Quaker Oats, e.g. PARENT
The Quaker Oats Company was founded in 1901 when four oat mills merged, including the Quaker Mill Company of Ravenna, Ohio. Quaker Mill’s owner Henry Parsons Crowell played the key role in the new company and remained at the helm until 1943.

21. SALT I participant USSR
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.

29. Video file format MPEG
The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) was established in 1988 to set standards for audio and video compression. The standards they've come up with use the acronym MPEG.

32. Jazzy Fitzgerald ELLA
Ella Fitzgerald, the "First Lady of Song", had a hard and tough upbringing. She was raised by her mother alone in Yonkers, New York. Her mother died while Ella was still a schoolgirl, and around that time the young girl became less interested in her education. She fell in with a bad crowd, even working as a lookout for a bordello and as a Mafia numbers runner. She ended up in reform school, from which she escaped, and found herself homeless and living on the streets for a while. Somehow Fitzgerald managed to get herself a spot singing in the Apollo Theater in Harlem. From there her career took off and as they say, the rest is history.

33. Kennedy and Turner TEDS
Ted Kennedy was the youngest boy in the family that included his older brothers: Joseph Jr. (killed in action in WWII), John (assassinated) and Robert (assassinated). Ted went into the US Senate in 1962 in a special election held after his brother became US President. He remained in the Senate until he passed away in 2009, making Ted Kennedy the fourth-longest-serving Senator in history.

Ted Turner's big initiative in the world of business was the founding of CNN, the first 24-hour cable news channel. Turner never graduated from college as he was expelled from Brown University for having a female student in his dormitory room. Years later, in 1989, Brown awarded him an honorary B.A.

38. "Auld Lang __"SYNE
The song "Auld Lang Syne" is a staple at New Year's Eve, the words of which were written by Scottish poet Robbie Burns. The literal translation of “Auld Lang Syne” is “old long since”, but is better translated as “old times”. The sentiment of the song is “for old time’s sake”.

39. Brain scans, briefly EEGS
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a record of electrical activity caused by the firing of neurons within the brain. The EEG might be used to diagnose epilepsy, or perhaps to determine if a patient is "brain dead".

41. Small needle case ETUI
An etui is an ornamental case used to hold small items, in particular sewing needles. We imported both the case design and the word "etui" from France. The French also have a modern usage of "etui", using the term to depict a case for carrying CDs.

43. Twist who asked for some more OLIVER
"Oliver Twist" is a novel by Charles Dickens. It is a popular tale for adaptation to the big screen. There were two silent film versions, in 1909 and 1922, and the first talkie version was released in 1933, with many to follow. The latest "Oliver" for the big screen was a 2005 Roman Polanski production.

44. Chaplin of "Game of Thrones"OONA
Oona Chaplin is an actress from Madrid in Spain. Chaplin is getting a lot of airtime these days as she plays Talisa Maegyr on HBO’s hit fantasy series “Game of Thrones”. Oona is the granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin, and is named for her maternal grandmother Oona O’Neill. the daughter of playwright Eugene O’Neill.

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 made in and around Belfast, Northern Ireland.

51. Air freshener brand GLADE
Glade is a brand of air fresheners that was first introduced in 1956.

55. Ecuador neighbor PERU
Peru's name comes from the word "Biru". Back in the early 1500s, Biru was a ruler living near the Bay of San Miguel in Panama. The territory over which Biru ruled was the furthest land south in the Americas known to Europeans at that time. The Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro was the first European to move south of Biru's empire and the land that he found was designated "Peru", a derivative of "Biru".

"Ecuador" is the Spanish word for "equator", which gives the country its name.

61. "Dancing With the Stars" judge Goodman LEN
Len Goodman is a professional ballroom dancer. Goodman is the head judge on the US’s “Dancing with the Stars” as well as on the original UK version of the show called “Strictly Come Dancing”.

62. Keats'"To Autumn," e.g. ODE
Here’s the first verse from John Keats’ ode “To Autumn” …

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. "Dragnet" star Jack WEBB
5. Campus military prog. ROTC
9. Die-hard AVID
13. Gillette razor ATRA
14. Bridal path flower piece PETAL
15. Hindu princess RANI
16. Apply crudely, as paint DAUB
17. Samuel on the Supreme Court ALITO
18. To be, to Tiberius ESSE
19. "Fiddler on the Roof" song SUNRISE, SUNSET
22. "What a relief!" AHH!
24. Continental trade gp. EEC
25. Ritzy residence ESTATE
26. Corned beef-and-Swiss sandwich REUBEN
28. Quantities: Abbr. AMTS
30. '60s hallucinogen LSD
31. Like businesses specializing in international trade IMPORT/EXPORT
34. Second in command: Abbr. ASST
35. Golfer's concern LIE
36. Convenience EASE
40. Beatles hit that begins, "You say yes, I say no" HELLO, GOODBYE
45. Sci-fi saucer UFO
48. Bears or Cubs TEAM
49. At the back of the pack LOSING
50. Poe's "The Murders in the Rue __" MORGUE
52. ATM access code PIN
53. __ Moines DES
54. Like some government partnerships PUBLIC-PRIVATE
58. Hipbone parts ILIA
59. "__-ho!" HEAVE
60. European capital west of Helsinki OSLO
63. No longer working: Abbr. RETD
64. Forgetting to carry the one, say ERROR
65. In the sack ABED
66. Scots Gaelic ERSE
67. Sheep fat SUET
68. Unit of force DYNE

Down
1. Fistful of bills WAD
2. Approx. landing hour ETA
3. Quick reviews, as before a test BRUSHUPS
4. Hindu title of respect BABU
5. Archaeologist's find RELIC
6. Big name in elevators OTIS
7. London gallery TATE
8. In the vicinity of CLOSE TO
9. "__ you clever!" AREN’T
10. Feudal servant VASSAL
11. Enlarged map segments INSETS
12. Cut down on calories DIETED
14. PepsiCo, to Quaker Oats, e.g. PARENT
20. __-do-well NE’ER
21. SALT I participant USSR
22. Opera solo ARIA
23. Garment edges HEMS
27. This and that BOTH
28. Geometric given AXIOM
29. Video file format MPEG
32. Jazzy Fitzgerald ELLA
33. Kennedy and Turner TEDS
37. Obeys, as rules ABIDES BY
38. "Auld Lang __" SYNE
39. Brain scans, briefly EEGS
41. Small needle case ETUI
42. Freeloaders LEECHES
43. Twist who asked for some more OLIVER
44. Chaplin of "Game of Thrones" OONA
45. Judge at home UMPIRE
46. More unpleasant FOULER
47. Planetary paths ORBITS
51. Air freshener brand GLADE
52. Turn on one foot PIVOT
55. Ecuador neighbor PERU
56. In very short supply RARE
57. Creek croaker TOAD
61. "Dancing With the Stars" judge Goodman LEN
62. Keats'"To Autumn," e.g. ODE


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Old West chasers POSSE
Our word “posse” comes from an Anglo-Latin term from the early 15th century “posse comitatus” meaning “the force of the county”.

6. Child in the kitchen CHEF
Julia Child was an American chef who is recognized for bringing French cuisine to the American public. During WWII, Julia Child joined the OSS (Office of Strategic Services), the predecessor to the CIA. She worked for the OSS in Washington, Ceylon and China. While in the OSS, she met her husband Paul Child who was also an OSS employee. Paul joined the Foreign Service after the war, and it was his posting to France that created the opportunity for Julie to learn about French cuisine. If you haven't seen it, I highly, highly recommend the movie "Julie & Julia", one of the best films of 2009. Meryl Streep does a fabulous job playing the larger-than-life Julia Child.

15. Dance often accompanied by a ukulele HULA
Hula is the name of the Polynesian dance. The chant or song that the dance illustrates, that's known as the mele.

16. Heavenly bear URSA
The constellation called Ursa Major (Latin for "Larger Bear") is often just called the Big Dipper because of its resemblance to a ladle or dipper. Ursa Major also resembles a plow, and that's what we usually call the same constellation back in Ireland, the "plough".

Ursa Minor (Latin for “Smaller Bear”) sits right beside the constellation Draco (Latin for "dragon"). Ursa Minor used to be considered the wing of Draco, and so was once called "Dragon's Wing".

17. A Marx brother CHICO
The five Marx Brothers were born to "Minnie" and "Frenchy" Marx in New York City. The more famous older boys were Chico, Harpo and Groucho. Zeppo was the youngest brother, and he appeared in the early Marx Brothers movies. The fifth son was called Gummo, and he decided to pursue a different career off the stage.

18. Be the lookout for, say ABET
The word "abet" comes into English from the Old French "abeter" meaning "to bait" or "to harass with dogs" (it literally means "to make bite"). This sense of encouraging something bad to happen morphed into our modern usage of "abet" meaning to aid or encourage someone in a crime.

19. Angler's gear REEL
We use the verb “to angle” to mean “to fish” because “angel” was an Old English word for a hook.

25. 43-Down alum Cheri OTERI
Cheri Oteri was the SNL cast member who regularly appeared with Will Farrell in the skit featuring a pair of Spartan cheerleaders.

28. GM labor group UAW
The United Auto Workers (UAW) was founded to represent workers in auto plants in the Detroit area in 1935. Nowadays the UAW's membership extends into the aerospace, agriculture and other industries.

General Motors (GM) was the largest manufacturer of vehicles in the world for 77 straight years, at least in terms of numbers of cars sold, from 1931 until 2007. GM was established in 1908 in Flint, Michigan as a holding company for Buick, which in turn had been founded in 1899. GM’s Buick brand is the oldest, still-active automotive brand in the US. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2009, and emerged from that bankruptcy just one month later, with a lot of help from the US taxpayer. In order to do so, GM had to shut down its Hummer, Pontiac and Saturn operations. The revamped General Motors then had a huge Initial Public Offering in 2010 that raised $23 billion.

30. Seaman's double-breasted jacket REEFER
A reefer jacket is a nautical garment. It is a type of pea jacket that is worn only by officers and chief petty officers as it has gold buttons and sometimes epaulettes.

A pea coat (also “pea jacket”) is a heavy woolen outer jacket originally associated with sailors. Nowadays anyone wears them (they're very comfortable and warm). The female equivalent of a pea coat is often called a Jackie O Jacket, apparently, after Jackie Onassis.

36. Upscale chocolate brand GODIVA
Godiva is a brand of chocolates that was founded in Brussels, Belgium in 1926. The founder chose the brand name in honor of the legend of Lady Godiva.

In the legend of Lady Godiva, a noblewoman rode naked through the streets of Coventry in England, basically as a dare from her husband in return for relieving the taxes of his tenants. Lady Godiva issued instructions that all the town’s inhabitants should stay indoors while she made her journey. However, a tailor in the town named Tom disobeyed the instructions by boring holes in the shutters on his windows, and “peeped”. As a result, Peeping Tom was struck blind, and the term “peeping Tom” has been in our language ever since.

37. Bush spokesman Fleischer ARI
Ari Fleischer was the White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush. Fleischer now runs his own media consulting firm that specializes in representing sports players and organizations. Fleischer helped Mark McGwire handle the media when he had to admit to the use of steroids, and was briefly hired by Tiger Woods as he planned his return to the PGA after dropping out of the spotlight to handle the problems in his personal life.

39. Letters in some email addresses AOL
AOL was a leading Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the 1980s and 1990s. The company does still provide dial-up access to the Internet for some subscribers, but most users now access AOL using faster, non-AOL ISPs.

41. Spotted cats may be spotted on one SAFARI
"Safari" is a Swahili word, meaning "journey" or "expedition".

43. Column-lined walkway STOA
A stoa was a covered walkway in Ancient Greece. A stoa usually consisted of columns lining the side of a building or buildings, with another row of columns defining the other side of the walkway. The columns supported a roof. Often stoae would surround marketplaces in large cities.

44. Game name often shouted during play UNO
In my youth I remember being taught a great card game, by a German acquaintance of mine, called Mau Mau. Years later I discovered that Uno is basically the same game, but played with a purpose-printed deck instead of the regular deck of playing cards that's used for Mau Mau. I hear that Mau Mau is derived from the game called Crazy Eights.

45. Like grams and liters METRIC
The metric system is the familiar name for the SI System, the International System of Measurements (“Système international d'unités” in French, hence “SI”) . The metric system is used in practically every country in the world, the notable exceptions being Burma, Liberia and … the United States.

46. Wii forerunner NES
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was sold in North America from 1985 to to 1995. The NES was the biggest selling gaming console of the era. Nintendo replaced the NES with Wii, which is also the biggest-selling game console in the world.

48. Immune system component T CELL
T cells are a group of white blood cells that are essential components of the body's immune system. T cells are so called because they mature in the thymus, a specialized organ found in the chest.

52. Miss Teen USA contest, e.g. PAGEANT
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant for girls between the ages of 14 and 19. The competition was first held in 1983, and since 2008 has been held in a resort located in Nassau in the Bahamas.

58. Proctor's handout EXAM
A "proctor" is a supervisor, especially of an examination in a school, or perhaps of a dormitory. The word "proctor" originated in the late 1500s, a contraction of the word "procurator", the name given to an official agent of a church.

59. Like a frittata EGGY
A “frittata” is an omelet recipe from Italy. The word "frittata" is Italian, and comes from "fritto" meaning "fried".

64. Glutton's demand MORE
A “glutton” is a person who eats and drinks to excess, with the term deriving from the Latin “gluttire” meaning “to swallow”.

67. The "Y" in YSL YVES
Yves Saint-Laurent (YSL) was a French fashion designer, actually born in Algeria. Saint-Laurent started off working as an assistant to Christian Dior at the age of 17. Dior died just four years later, and as a very young man Saint-Laurent was named head of the House of Dior. However, in 1950 Saint-Laurent was conscripted into the French Army and ended up in a military hospital after suffering a mental breakdown from the hazing inflicted on him by his fellow soldiers. His treatment included electroshock therapy and administration of sedatives and psychoactive drugs. He was released from prison, managed to pull his life back together and started his own fashion house. A remarkable story ...

68. Honda Accord, e.g. SEDAN
The American "sedan" car is the equivalent of the British "saloon" car. By definition, a sedan car has two rows of seating and a separate trunk (boot in the UK), although in some models the engine can be at the rear of the car.

Honda started manufacturing its Accord model in Marysville, Ohio in 1982, making the Accord the first Japanese car to be produced in the US. The Accord was the best-selling Japanese car in America from 1982 to 1997, and 1989 was the first import to become the best-selling car in the US.

Down
2. Tres y cinco OCHO
In Spanish, “tres y cinco” (three and five) add up to “ocho” (eight).

9. Husband of a fabled storyteller, in an L. Frank Baum title FATHER GOOSE (giving “father figure”)
L. Frank Baum wrote a collection of nonsense poetry for children called “Father Goose: His Book”, which was first published in 1899. It soon became the best-selling children’s book in the US and was the author’s breakthrough work. Baum went on to write “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” series of books.

10. Like a spicy Indian chicken dish CURRIED
Curry powder is a mixture of spices used in South Asian cuisine. The actual composition of curry powder varies depending on the cuisine. The term “curry” is an anglicization of the Tamil word “kari” meaning “sauce”.

12. Teacher's graduate deg. MSED
Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.)

22. Colored part of the iris AREOLA
An areola (sometimes “areole”) in anatomy is a small ring of color, as in the areola surrounding the nipple, and the areola surrounding the pupil of the eye. “Areola” comes from Latin, meaning "small open space", and is a diminutive of the Latin word "area", meaning "open space".

29. Prince __ Khan ALY
Aly Khan was a familiar name used by the media when referring to Prince Ali Solomone Aga Khan, the Pakistani ambassador to the UN from 1958 to 1960. Khan made it into the papers a lot as he was the third husband of actress Rita Hayworth.

33. 1990s Philippine president RAMOS
Fidel Ramos was President of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. I used to live in Manila, and one of my claims to fame is that I once went SCUBA diving with President Ramos. Well, I was in the same diving party, and there were three very burly guys between me and him the whole time …

35. Kilimanjaro's locale AFRICA
Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in Tanzania, and is the highest mountain in the whole of Africa. I was having lunch recently with the parents of my son’s girlfriend. The young lady’s mother casually mentioned in the conversation that she summited Kilimanjaro not so long ago. I paid for lunch …

42. Greek goddess of the hunt ARTEMIS
Artemis was an ancient Greek goddess, the equivalent of the Roman Diana. Artemis was a daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo.

43. NBC sketch series, briefly SNL
“Saturday Night Live” (SNL)

49. Statehouse official: Abbr. LT GOV
Lieutenant Governor (Lt. Gov.)

51. Old Nigerian capital LAGOS
Lagos is a port and the biggest city in Nigeria. Lagos used to be the country’s capital, until it was replaced in that role in 1991 by Abuja, a city built for just for this purpose.

52. __ moss PEAT
Peat moss is actually Sphagnum moss that has partially decayed and dried. The term “peat moss” is used as Sphagnum moss is often found in peat bogs. Sphagnum moss has the ability to store large quantities of water, so the dried form is used by gardeners to condition soil, to increase the soil’s capacity to retain moisture.

54. Scandal suffix -GATE
The Watergate scandal is so named because it involved a break-in at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. The Watergate complex is made up of five units, three of which are apartment buildings, one an office building, and one a hotel-office building (which housed the DNC headquarters). Watergate led to the “-gate” suffix being used for many subsequent scandals, such as “Irangate”, “Bridgegate” and “Deflategate”.

57. WWII machine gun STEN
The STEN gun is an iconic armament that was used by the British military. The name STEN is an acronym. The S and the T comes from the name of the gun's designers, Shepherd and Turpin. The EN comes from the Enfield brand name, which in turn comes from the Enfield location where the guns were manufactured for the Royal Small Arms Factory, an enterprise owned by the British government.

60. LSAT cousin GRE
Passing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is usually a requirement for entry into graduate school here in the US.

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) has been around since 1948.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Old West chasers POSSE
6. Child in the kitchen CHEF
10. Sleep under the stars, with "out" CAMP
14. Stage performer ACTOR
15. Dance often accompanied by a ukulele HULA
16. Heavenly bear URSA
17. A Marx brother CHICO
18. Be the lookout for, say ABET
19. Angler's gear REEL
20. Sounds of time TOCKS
21. Pretense CHARADE
23. Hold on to KEEP
25. 43-Down alum Cheri OTERI
26. __ of thousands CAST
28. GM labor group UAW
30. Seaman's double-breasted jacket REEFER
34. "Excuse me?" HUH?
35. Fit for the task ABLE
36. Upscale chocolate brand GODIVA
37. Bush spokesman Fleischer ARI
38. Take to the skies FLY
39. Letters in some email addresses AOL
40. Ring insert GEM
41. Spotted cats may be spotted on one SAFARI
43. Column-lined walkway STOA
44. Game name often shouted during play UNO
45. Like grams and liters METRIC
46. Wii forerunner NES
47. __ and crafts ARTS
48. Immune system component T CELL
50. Otherwise ELSE
52. Miss Teen USA contest, e.g. PAGEANT
55. Cigar remains ASHES
58. Proctor's handout EXAM
59. Like a frittata EGGY
62. Talk show interviewee GUEST
63. Height: Pref. ALTI-
64. Glutton's demand MORE
65. Use a soapbox ORATE
66. Some undershirts TEES
67. The "Y" in YSL YVES
68. Honda Accord, e.g. SEDAN

Down
1. Treaty PACT
2. Tres y cinco OCHO
3. Manual transmission STICK SHIFT (giving “stick figure”)
4. Place for a plug SOCKET
5. Unevenly notched, as leaf edges EROSE
6. "__-ching!" CHA
7. Wheel center HUB
8. Vote into office ELECT
9. Husband of a fabled storyteller, in an L. Frank Baum title FATHER GOOSE (giving “father figure”)
10. Like a spicy Indian chicken dish CURRIED
11. Locale AREA
12. Teacher's graduate deg. MSED
13. Lacking color PALE
22. Colored part of the iris AREOLA
24. One on the FBI's "Most Wanted" list PUBLIC ENEMY (giving “public figure”)
25. What borrowers do OWE
26. Deep gap CHASM
27. Surrounding glows AURAE
29. Prince __ Khan ALY
31. Ship's bow decoration ... and, literally, the first word of 3-, 9- and 24-Down FIGUREHEAD
32. Blessed __ EVENT
33. 1990s Philippine president RAMOS
35. Kilimanjaro's locale AFRICA
39. Wolfed down ATE
42. Greek goddess of the hunt ARTEMIS
43. NBC sketch series, briefly SNL
47. Guarantee ASSURE
49. Statehouse official: Abbr. LT GOV
51. Old Nigerian capital LAGOS
52. __ moss PEAT
53. Wheelbarrow shaft AXLE
54. Scandal suffix -GATE
56. This, to a señora ESTA
57. WWII machine gun STEN
60. LSAT cousin GRE
61. Word of assent YES


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Sleep lab study APNEA
Sleep apnea (“apnoea” in British English) can be caused by an obstruction in the airways, possibly due to obesity or enlarged tonsils.

6. Dalí works, por ejemplo ARTE
In Spanish, a work of “arte” (art) might be by Dalí, “por ejemplo” (for example).

The famous surrealist painter Salvador Dalí was born in Figueres, Spain. I had the privilege of visiting the Dalí Museum in Figueres some years ago, just north of Barcelona. If you ever get the chance, it's a “must see” as it really is a quite magnificent building with a fascinating collection.

10. Drug cop NARC
“Narc” is a slang term for a law enforcement officer who tracks down criminals associated with illegal drugs. “Narc” is short for “narcotics officer”.

15. Midday NOON
Our word “noon”, meaning “midday”, comes from the Latin “nona hora” that translates as “ninth hour”. Back in Ancient Rome, the “ninth hour” was three in the afternoon. Over the centuries, traditions such as church prayers and “midday” meals shifted from 3 p.m. to 12 p.m., and so “noon” became understood as 12 noon.

16. Chevy hatchback AVEO
The Chevrolet Aveo is a subcompact automobile that has been around since 2002. The Aveo is manufactured by GM Daewoo, the GM subsidiary in South Korea. Although the Aveo name is still used in some markets, here in North America the Aveo has been sold as the Chevrolet Sonic since 2012. By the way, GM Daewoo is the third largest manufacturer of automobiles in South Korea, after Hyundai and Kia.

17. New York City park that hosted two world's fairs FLUSHING MEADOWS
Flushing Meadows is a park in Queens in New York City. It is home to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (home for the US Open), Citi Field (home for the New York Mets), the Queens Zoo and several other significant venues. The park was created in the late thirties as the site of the 1939/1940 New York World’s Fair.

23. Ordinal suffix -ETH
Ordinal numbers express a position in a series, i.e. first, second, third etc.

25. Albania's capital TIRANA
Tirana is the capital of Albania, and the nation’s largest city.

29. Periodontist's deg. DDS
Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)

“Periodontium” is the name given to the tissues that surround and support the teeth.

30. "How Deep Is Your Love" group BEE GEES
The Brothers Gibb (hence, the name "The Bee Gees") were born in England but grew up and started their musical careers in Australia. They moved back to Manchester in the north of England as youths, and there hit the big time.

35. Rice cultivation lands PADDY FIELDS
A paddy field is the flooded piece of land used to grow rice. The water reduces competition from weeds allowing the rice to thrive. The word "paddy" has nothing to do with us Irish folk, and is an anglicized version of the word "padi", the Malay name for the rice plant.

38. Star in Scorpius ANTARES
Antares is the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius. The name “Antares” comes from “anti-Ares” meaning “anti-Mars”. The star has a reddish hue that resembles the planet Mars.

39. Voice legend Blanc MEL
Mel Blanc was known as "The Man of a Thousand Voices". We've all heard Mel Blanc at one time or another, I am sure. His was the voice behind such cartoon characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Woody Woodpecker, Elmer Fudd and Barney Rubble. And the words on Blanc's tombstone are ... "That's All Folks".

40. U-verse provider ATT
“U-verse” is the brand name ATT give to their bundle of services that includes Internet, telephone and television.

41. "Not just a scooter, a way of life" brand VESPA
Vespa is a brand of motor scooter originally made in Italy (and now all over the world) by Piaggio. “Vespa” is Italian for “wasp”.

45. Kind of surprise kick ONSIDE
In American football, an onside kick is one in which the ball is kicked a short distance. The intention is for the kicking team to retain possession, although that is a relatively unlikely outcome.

47. Popular berry ACAI
Açaí is a palm tree native to Central and South America. The fruit has become very popular in recent years and its juice is a very fashionable addition to juice mixes and smoothies.

50. Trawler's catch COD
In the British Isles, the most common fish that is used in traditional “fish and chips” is Atlantic cod. Cod has been overfished all over the world, and is now considered to be an endangered species by many international bodies. Confrontations over fishing rights in the North Atlantic led to conflicts called “the Cod Wars” between Iceland and the UK in the 1950s and the 1970s, with fishing fleets being protected by naval vessels and even shots being fired.

51. Present moment NONCE
The quaint phrase "for the nonce" means "for the present", "for now".

57. Tan tone ECRU
The shade called ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word "ecru" comes from French and means "raw, unbleached". "Ecru" has the same roots as our word "crude".

58. Scale for rock hounds MOHS
The Mohs scale of mineral hardness was developed in 1812 by Friedrich Mohs. Basically Mohs took minerals and scratched them with other minerals. In this way he was able to determine which minerals were hardest (most scratch resistant) and which softest.

59. Alaskan native ALEUT
The Aleuts live on the Aleutian Islands of the North Pacific, and on the Commander Islands at the western end of the same island chain. The Aleutian Islands are part of the United States, and the Commander Islands are in Russia.

62. Señorita's parent MADRE
In Spanish, a “madre” (mother) is a member of “la familia” (the family).

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

Down
1. Valet at Wayne Manor ALFRED
Alfred J. Pennyworth is the loyal butler to Bruce Wayne, aka Batman. Alfred is sometimes referred to as “Batman’s batman”. Sir Michael Caine played Alfred in three movies: “Batman Begins”, “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises”.

Wayne Manor is where Bruce Wayne lives, the alter-ego of Batman. It is a huge manor that lies just outside Gotham City. Looking after the house is the Wayne family servant, Alfred. Beneath the grounds of the manor is an extensive cave system where Bruce Wayne put together his Batcave. Access is to the cave is via a staircase behind a hidden door. The door is opened by moving the hands of a non-functioning grandfather clock to 10:47, the time at which Wayne's parents were murdered. It is the murder of his parents that sets Bruce off on his journey of crime fighting.

2. Hand-washer of the Gospels PILATE
Pontius Pilate was the judge at the trial of Jesus Christ and the man who authorized his crucifixion. Over the years, many scholars have suggested that Pilate was a mythical character. However in 1961 a block of limestone was found in the modern-day city of Caesarea in Israel, and in the block was an inscription that included the name of Pontius Pilate, citing him as Prefect of Judea.

4. Celtic language ERSE
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).

6. 1997-2006 U.N. leader ANNAN
Kofi Annan is a diplomat from Ghana who served as General Secretary of the UN for ten years until the beginning of 2007. Annan was born into an aristocratic family, and had a twin sister named Efua Atta. Efua and Kofi shared the middle name “Atta”, which means “twin” in the Akan language of Ghana. Annan attended the MIT Sloan School of Management from 1971-72, and graduated with a Master of Science degree.

8. Mummy's resting place TOMB
We use the term “mummy” for a dead body that has been embalmed in preparation for burial, especially if done so by the ancient Egyptians. The term “mummy” comes from the Persian word “mumiyah” meaning “embalmed body”.

9. Yakima-to-Spokane dir. ENE
The city and county of Yakima lie southeast of Mount Rainier in the state of Washington. The Yakima Valley is recognized as one of the best apple-producing regions in the world, and it also produces three quarters of all the hops grown in the US.

Back in 1974, Spokane in Washington was the smallest city ever to host a World's Fair. The theme of the fare was "the environment", which I suppose was ahead of its time. Notably, Expo '74 was the first American-hosted World's Fair attended by the Soviet Union after WWII.

10. Low point NADIR
The nadir is the direction pointing immediately below a particular location (through to the other side of the Earth for example). The opposite direction, that pointing immediately above, is called the zenith.

11. Guacamole ingredients AVOCADOS
Guacamole is one of my favorite dishes, and is made by mashing avocados and perhaps adding the likes of tomato, onion and lime juice. The guacamole recipe dates back as early as the 16th century, to the time of the Aztecs. “Guacamole” translates as “avocado sauce”.

13. Bob of "Football Night in America"COSTAS
Bob Costas has been a sportscaster for NBC since the early eighties. Costas has a son called Keith. Just before his son was born, Costas made (as a joke) a bet with Minnesota Twins center fielder Kirby Puckett that if he was batting over .350 by the time the child was born, he would name the baby "Kirkby". Well, Puckett won the bet, but the actual name chosen was Keith Michael Costas. When Puckett reminded Costas of the agreement, the birth certificate was changed to Keith Michael Kirkby Costas. My wife would have killed me ...

19. Sacha Baron Cohen alter ego ALI G
Ali G is a fictional character created by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Baron Cohen achieved international fame playing another of his personae, Borat, the protagonist in the 2006 movie "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan".

25. Stun gun brand TASER
Victor Appleton wrote a novel for young adults called "Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle". The company that developed the TASER electroshock weapon named its product as a homage to the novel. The acronym TASER stands for "Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle".

27. Bk. after Amos OBAD
The Book of Obadiah is the shortest book in the Hebrew Bible, consisting of just one chapter, divided into 21 verses.

28. Daughter of Darth LEIA
Anakin “Ani” Skywalker is the principal character in all six of the "Star Wars" movies. His progress chronologically through the series of films is:

- Episode I: Anakin is a 9-year-old slave boy who earns the promise of Jedi training by young Obi-Wan Kenobi.
- Episode II: Anakin is 18-years-old and goes on a murdering rampage to avenge the killing of his mother.
- Episode III: Anakin is 21-years-old and a Jedi knight, but he turns to the Dark Side and becomes Darth Vader. His wife Padme gives birth to twins, Luke and Leia Skywalker.
- Episode IV: Darth Vader, comes into conflict with his children, Luke Skywalker and the Princess Leia.
- Episode V: Darth Vader attempts to coax his son Luke over to the dark side, and reveals to Luke that he is his father.
- Episode VI: Luke learns that Leia is his sister, and takes on the task of bringing Darth Vader back from the Dark Side in order to save the Galaxy. Vader saves his son from the Emperor's evil grip, dying in the process, but his spirit ends up alongside the spirits of Yoda and Obi-Wan. They all live happily ever after …

32. Ibsen's "Peer __"GYNT
Henrik Ibsen's play "Peer Gynt" is based on a Scandinavian fairy tale "Per Gynt". The incidental music to the play, written by Edvard Grieg, is some of the most approachable classical music ever written, at least in my humble opinion ...

33. Young newt EFT
Newts wouldn't be my favorite animals. They are found all over the world living on land or in water depending on the species, but always associated with water even if it is only for breeding. Newts metamorphose through three distinct developmental stages during their lives. They start off as larvae in water, fertilized eggs that often cling to aquatic plants. The eggs hatch into tadpoles, the first developmental form of the newt. After living some months as tadpoles swimming around in the water, they undergo another metamorphosis, sprouting legs and replacing their external gills with lungs. At this juvenile stage they are known as efts, and leave the water to live on land. A more gradual transition takes place then, as the eft takes on the lizard-like appearance of the adult newt.

34. Inventory: Abbr. MDSE
Merchandise (mdse.)

35. Tapered beer glasses PILSNERS
Pilsener (also pilsner or pils) is a pale lager. The name “pilsener” comes from the city of Pilsen, now in the Czech Republic. It was in Pilsen, in 1842, that the first bottom-fermented lager was produced. A bottom-fermented beer is much clearer that a top-fermented beer, and has a crisper taste. The “top” and “bottom” refers to where the yeast gathers during the brewing process.

36. Big name in jeans LEVI
Levi Strauss was the founder of the first company in the world to manufacture blue jeans. Levi Strauss & Co. opened in 1853 in San Francisco. Strauss and his business partner were awarded a patent in 1873 for the use of copper rivets to strengthen points of strain on working pants.

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

37. One of Las Islas Baleares MENORCA
The island of Minorca in the Mediterranean takes its name from the larger neighboring island of Majorca. The names come from the Latin “Insula Minor” meaning “Minor Island” and “Insula Major” meaning “Major Island”. The island is known as “Minorca” in English, and “Menorca” in Spanish and Catalan.

The Balearic Islands (“Las Islas Baleares” in Spanish) form an archipelago in the western Mediterranean of the east coast of Spain. The Balearics are made up up four main islands: Ibiza and Formentera (aka “the Pine Islands”), Majorca and Minorca.

39. Fish tail? -MONGER
The suffix “-monger” indicates a dealer or trader. For example. A fishmonger sells fish, and an ironmonger sells hardware.

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

44. Carol opener ADESTE
The lovely Christmas hymn "Adeste Fideles" (translated from Latin as "O Come, All Ye Faithful") was written by one John Francis Wade in the 13th century. Well, he wrote the original four verses, with four more verses being added over time.

47. Omega's opposite ALPHA
The greek alphabet starts with the letter alpha, and ends with the letter omega.

53. Luau dance HULA
Hula is the name of the Polynesian dance. The chant or song that the dance illustrates, that's known as the mele.

55. Ambulance letters EMS
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

56. Edinburgh bonnet TAM
A tam o'shanter is a man's cap traditionally worn by Scotsmen. "Tams" were originally all blue (and called "blue bonnets"), but as more dyes became readily available they became more colorful. The name of the cap comes from the title character of Robert Burns' poem "Tam O'Shanter".

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, and is a really beautiful city. In days gone by it might not have been quite so charming though. Like many cities, plumes of smoke hung over Edinburgh when coal and wood fires weren't regulated. To this day, the city has the nickname "Auld Reekie", Scots for "Old Smoky".

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Sleep lab study APNEA
6. Dalí works, por ejemplo ARTE
10. Drug cop NARC
14. Some storytellers LIARS
15. Midday NOON
16. Chevy hatchback AVEO
17. New York City park that hosted two world's fairs FLUSHING MEADOWS
20. Current fashion RAGE
21. Put on any old way DAUB
22. Permissible LICIT
23. Ordinal suffix -ETH
24. First-rate A-ONE
25. Albania's capital TIRANA
26. Dry out, so to speak DETOX
28. Fall behind LAG
29. Periodontist's deg. DDS
30. "How Deep Is Your Love" group BEE GEES
34. Wks. and wks. MOS
35. Rice cultivation lands PADDY FIELDS
37. Prefix with life or wife MID-
38. Star in Scorpius ANTARES
39. Voice legend Blanc MEL
40. U-verse provider ATT
41. "Not just a scooter, a way of life" brand VESPA
45. Kind of surprise kick ONSIDE
47. Popular berry ACAI
50. Trawler's catch COD
51. Present moment NONCE
52. Farm implement PLOW
53. Coil in a garden HOSE
54. More exciting circumstances GREENER PASTURES
57. Tan tone ECRU
58. Scale for rock hounds MOHS
59. Alaskan native ALEUT
60. Filing tool RASP
61. Petty fight SPAT
62. Señorita's parent MADRE

Down
1. Valet at Wayne Manor ALFRED
2. Hand-washer of the Gospels PILATE
3. All for __: in vain NAUGHT
4. Celtic language ERSE
5. Volcanic cloud that can disrupt flights ASH
6. 1997-2006 U.N. leader ANNAN
7. Disobedient way to go ROGUE
8. Mummy's resting place TOMB
9. Yakima-to-Spokane dir. ENE
10. Low point NADIR
11. Guacamole ingredients AVOCADOS
12. Goes back a scene or two REWINDS
13. Bob of "Football Night in America" COSTAS
18. Words before a kiss I DO
19. Sacha Baron Cohen alter ego ALI G
24. Shown the office door AXED
25. Stun gun brand TASER
27. Bk. after Amos OBAD
28. Daughter of Darth LEIA
31. Bit of online courtship E-DATE
32. Ibsen's "Peer __" GYNT
33. Young newt EFT
34. Inventory: Abbr. MDSE
35. Tapered beer glasses PILSNERS
36. Big name in jeans LEVI
37. One of Las Islas Baleares MENORCA
39. Fish tail? -MONGER
40. Yemen coastal city ADEN
42. Made a point SCORED
43. One with affectations POSEUR
44. Carol opener ADESTE
46. Acquire a winter coat? ICE UP
47. Omega's opposite ALPHA
48. Move effortlessly COAST
49. Cribside chorus AWS
52. Pocket watch, to a hypnotist PROP
53. Luau dance HULA
55. Ambulance letters EMS
56. Edinburgh bonnet TAM


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Fraternal order member ELK
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) was founded in 1868, and is a social club that has about a million members today. It started out as a group of men getting together in a "club" in order to get around the legal opening hours of taverns in New York City. The club took on a new role as it started to look out for poor families of members who passed away. The club now accepts African Americans as members (since the seventies) and women (since the nineties), but atheists still aren't welcome.

9. Candy shape CANE
Apparently candy canes were created at the behest of the choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral in Germany in 1672. The sweet sticks were basically used as bribes to keep children quiet during services. The choirmaster specified that the candy sticks should have a crook at the top so that they reminded the children of the three shepherds who visited the infant Jesus just after his birth.

13. Pressure for payment DUN
"To dun" is to insist on payment of a debt. The etymology of the term is unclear, with one suggestion that it dates back to a famous debt collector in London named Joe Dun.

14. He became New York Philharmonic music director 30 years before Leonard ARTURO
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor of classical music. Toscanini took up the baton for the first time under sensational circumstances in 1886. He was attending a performance of "Aida" in Rio de Janeiro in the role of assistant chorus master, on a night when a substitute conductor was leading the orchestra. The substitute was in charge because the lead conductor had been forced to step down by striking performers who would not work with him. The disgruntled lead conductor led the audience in booing the unfortunate substitute, forcing him off the stage. Yet another substitute attempted to lead the performance, but he could not overcome the hostility of the crowd. The musicians themselves begged Toscanini to take up the baton, for the first time in his life, and simply because he knew the score by heart. After over an hour of mayhem, Toscanini led the company in a remarkable performance to marvelous acclaim. He had just launched his conducting career.

The composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein was a man who made great strides in bringing classical music to the masses. He gave numerous lectures on the subject on television. Indeed, one of my favorite recordings of the instructive “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev, is conducted and narrated by Bernstein.

15. Part of ABC: Abbr. AMER
The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is the world’s largest broadcaster in terms of revenues. ABC was formed in 1943, created out of the former NBC Blue radio network.

16. Tension-easing activity ICEBREAKER (giving “ice cap”)
The polar ice cap at the north of our planet is floating pack ice in the Arctic Ocean. The southern polar ice cap is an ice sheet that covers the land mass known as Antarctica. About 70% of all the freshwater on Earth is held in the southern polar ice cap.

21. Durbeyfield daughter TESS
In Thomas Hardy’s novel, the heroine and title character is Tess Durbeyfield. Her father is an uneducated peasant and when he hears that his name is a corruption of the noble name of “D'Urberville”, the news goes to his head.

26. Tiebreakers, briefly OTS
Overtime (OT)

28. Turkish money LIRAS
The currency of Turkey is the Turkish lira, which is divided into 100 kuruş.

29. Host EMCEE
The term "emcee" comes from "MC", an initialism standing for Master or Mistress of Ceremonies.

31. Holistic healers' observations AURAS
A holistic approach to medicine emphasises not only physical symptoms but also social considerations and the environment.

35. Winery wood OAK
Wines that are aged in oak are said to exhibit the flavors of vanilla, butter, coconut and dill.

38. Colorful carp KOI
Koi are also called Japanese carp. Koi have been bred for decorative purposes and there are now some very brightly colored examples found in Japanese water gardens.

40. What Lot's wife looked back at SODOM
The two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, as well as Admah and Zeboim, were destroyed by God for the sins of their inhabitants, according to the Bible. The name Sodom has become a metaphor for vice and homosexuality, and gives us our word "sodomy".

Lot was a nephew of Abraham, with his story appearing in the Book of Genesis. At one point Lot had to flee the doomed city of Sodom with his wife. God gave instructions that the couple should not look back as they left the city, but Lot’s wife disobeyed and she was turned into a pillar of salt.

41. Pastoral poem IDYLL
An "idyll" (also "idyl") is a short poem with a pastoral theme, usually depicting the scene in romantic and idealized terms. The word comes from the Greek "eidyllion", which literally translates to "little picture" but was a word describing a short, poem with a rustic theme.

44. Nancy Drew's beau NED
I loved the Nancy Drew mysteries as a kid (I know, as a boy I "shouldn't" have been reading girls' books!). The Nancy Drew stories were written by a number of ghost writers, although the character was introduced by Edward Stratemeyer in 1930. Nancy Drew's boyfriend was Ned Nickerson, a college student from Emerson.

50. Everymutt FIDO
"Fido", the name for many a dog, is Latin for "I trust".

53. WWII attacker U-BOAT
“U-boat” stands for the German "Unterseeboot" (undersea boat). Notably, a U-boat sank the RMS Lusitania in 1915, an event that helped propel the US into WWI.

54. New Hampshire prep school town ANDOVER
Proctor Academy is a private boarding school located in Andover, New Hampshire. Proctor was founded back in 1848.

56. Fanny REAR
“Fanny” is a slang term for the buttocks, rump. One has to be careful using the slang term “fanny” if traveling in the British Isles, because over there it has a much ruder meaning …

61. Trojan hero AENEAS
In Roman and Greek mythology, Aeneas was a Trojan warrior. According to ancient Roman lore, Aeneas traveled to Italy and became the ancestor Romulus and Remus, and thus the ancestor of all Romans. Aeneas’s story is told in Virgil’s epic poem “The Aeneid”.

62. Japanese drama NOH
Noh is a form of musical drama in Japan that has been around since the 14th century. Many of the Noh performers are masked, allowing all the roles to be played by men, both male and female parts.

64. 2012 title judge played by Karl Urban DREDD
The 2012 action movie “Dredd” is based on the comic strip character Judge Dredd. New Zeland actor Karl Urban plays the title role.

65. Prefix with caching GEO-
Geocaching is a game rather like “hide and seek” that is played outdoors using hi-tech equipment. The idea is that someone places a waterproof container in a specific location with known GPS coordinates. The container has a logbook inside, so that players who find the “cache” can record their discovery along with any notes of interest. The location of the container is listed on special sites on the Internet for anyone to access. You can check out caches near you at www.geocaching.com. You will probably be surprised at how many there are! I know I was ...

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

5. Jaguar creator ATARI
The Atari Jaguar was a video game console introduced in 1993 and discontinued in 1996.

8. Postal motto word NOR
There is no official creed or motto for the US Postal Service. However, there is the oft-quoted inscription that is posted (pun!) over the entrance to the James Farley Post Office in New York City:
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

9. French town closest to England CALAIS
Calais is a major ferry port in northern France that overlooks the Strait of Dover, which is the narrowest point in the English Channel. The strait is just over 20 miles wide, making Calais the nearest French town to England.

12. Surrealist Max ERNST
Max Ernst was a painter and sculptor, a pioneer in the Dada movement and Surrealism. Ernst was born near Cologne in Germany in 1891 and he was called up to fight in WWI, as were most young German men at that time. In his autobiography he writes "Max Ernst died the 1st of August, 1914" a statement about his experiences in the war. In reality, Ernst died in 1976 having lived to the ripe old age of 85.

23. Sugary stuff GLUCOSE
Glucose is a simple sugar that is also known as dextrose or grape sugar. It is widely found in nature as glucose is made by plants from carbon dioxide and water during photosynthesis.

24. Distiller Walker HIRAM
Hiram Walker founded his distillery in Windsor, Ontario in 1858. Walker’s most successful brand was Canadian Club Whisky.

30. "Little Red Book" author MAO
During China’s Cultural Revolution, the Communist Party published a book of statements and writings from Chairman Mao Zedong. Here in the West the publication was usually referred to as “The Little Red Book”.

31. Mayflower Compact signer ALDEN
John Alden is said to have been the first person to disembark from the Mayflower and to have set foot on Plymouth Rock in 1620. Alden himself was not a Pilgrim as such, and was a carpenter working on the Mayflower before it sailed. He apparently decided to travel with the ship at the last minute, perhaps in pursuit of the passenger who would become his wife, Priscilla Mullens. Alden ended up in a love triangle with Priscilla and Captain Miles Standish, a relationship which is recounted in the Longfellow poem “The Courtship of Miles Standish”. John and Priscilla were the parents of a son, John Alden, who was later to be accused during the Salem witch trials.

The pilgrims aboard the Mayflower were bound for the Colony of Virginia, but famously landed at the hook of Cape Cod when bad weather forced the ship to the north. The passengers decided to make their new home in what is now Massachusetts. As the new colonists would not now fall under the laws of the Colony of Virginia, a majority of adult males formulated and signed an agreement that defined basic rules of governance that would used once the passengers disembarked the ship. The agreement came to be known as the Mayflower Compact.

33. Campaign pro POL
Politician (pol)

51. Crusoe creator DEFOE
Daniel Defoe is most famous today as an author, of the novel “Robinson Crusoe” in particular. Defoe was also a trader, and a spy for King William III.

52. Garden products brand ORTHO
Ortho is a brand of weed killer owned by Scotts Miracle-Gro.

55. OBs and ENTs DRS
Obstetrics specialist (Ob)

Ear, Nose and Throat specialist (ENT)

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Fraternal order member ELK
4. Deposit PAY IN
9. Candy shape CANE
13. Pressure for payment DUN
14. He became New York Philharmonic music director 30 years before Leonard ARTURO
15. Part of ABC: Abbr. AMER
16. Tension-easing activity ICEBREAKER (giving “ice cap”)
18. Butcher's cut LOIN
19. Coffee cart item CREAMER
20. Turf controllers GANGS
21. Durbeyfield daughter TESS
22. It supposedly keeps the monster inside the closet NIGHT-LIGHT (giving “nightcap”)
26. Tiebreakers, briefly OTS
28. Turkish money LIRAS
29. Host EMCEE
31. Holistic healers' observations AURAS
32. Day __ SPA
35. Winery wood OAK
36. Emphatic type ... or what the beginnings of the longest entries are? ALL CAPS
38. Colorful carp KOI
39. Turndowns NOS
40. What Lot's wife looked back at SODOM
41. Pastoral poem IDYLL
43. Stat for a reliever SAVES
44. Nancy Drew's beau NED
45. Jam site BOTTLENECK (giving “bottle cap”)
50. Everymutt FIDO
53. WWII attacker U-BOAT
54. New Hampshire prep school town ANDOVER
56. Fanny REAR
57. Baby blanket, perhaps SHOWER GIFT (giving “shower cap”)
60. Subtle "Over here!" PSST!
61. Trojan hero AENEAS
62. Japanese drama NOH
63. Hardens SETS
64. 2012 title judge played by Karl Urban DREDD
65. Prefix with caching GEO-

Down
1. Decree EDICT
2. Riches LUCRE
3. Kilt companions KNEE-SOCKS (giving "kneecap")
4. Groom with a bill PREEN
5. Jaguar creator ATARI
6. Big laugh YUK!
7. Wrath IRE
8. Postal motto word NOR
9. French town closest to England CALAIS
10. Honor __ thieves AMONG
11. Pastoral sound NEIGH
12. Surrealist Max ERNST
14. Branch ARM
17. Keep moist, in a way BASTE
20. Enclose, as a porch GLASS IN
23. Sugary stuff GLUCOSE
24. Distiller Walker HIRAM
25. Snare TRAP
27. Topping for fancy chocolate SEA SALT
29. Long stretch EON
30. "Little Red Book" author MAO
31. Mayflower Compact signer ALDEN
32. High jumps SKYDIVING (giving "skycap")
33. Campaign pro POL
34. Catch a bug AIL
37. Sweetheart LOVE
42. Clear, as a windshield DEFOG
43. They may be false STARTS
45. Pats on the back, maybe BURPS
46. Really big OBESE
47. Brown TOAST
48. Cried in the cornfield CAWED
49. Work on in a bakery KNEAD
51. Crusoe creator DEFOE
52. Garden products brand ORTHO
55. OBs and ENTs DRS
57. Down SAD
58. What's-__-name HER
59. United ONE


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Trellis pieces LATHS
The words "lath" and "lattice" have the same root in Old French. Laths are thin strips of wood that are nailed across a frame forming a backing to which plaster can be applied to finish a wall. The term is also used for the main elements in a trellis, or the lengths of wood in a roof to which shingles are nailed.

6. "Ideas worth spreading" acronym TED
The acronym TED stands for Technology Entertainment and Design. TED is a set of conferences held around the world by a non-profit group called the Sapling Foundation. The conference subjects are varied, and the meetings are often led by big names such as Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Bill Gates and Jane Goodall. The Sapling Foundation then makes recordings of the conferences available for free online with the intent of disseminating the ideas globally. These conferences are known as “TED Talks”.

14. Eponym of a United Kingdom poetry prize ELIOT
The TS Eliot Prize for Poetry has been awarded annually since 1993 by the UK’s Poetry Book Society. The recipient is deemed to have produced the best collection of new verse in English in the UK or Ireland that year. The prize money comes from an endowment provided by Valerie Eliot, wife of poet TS Eliot.

15. Schooner filler ALE
A schooner is a tall beer glass that holds 15 fl. Oz.

19. Storage place CD-ROM
CD-ROM stands for "compact disc read only memory". The name indicates that you can read information from the disc (like a standard music CD for example), but you cannot write to it. You can also buy a CD-RW, which stands for "compact disc - rewritable", with which you can read data and also write over it multiple times using a suitable CD drive.

23. Man's best friend, e.g. EPITHET
An “epithet” is a word or phrase, often used in a name, to describe a quality of the person or thing bearing that name. For example, King Richard I was also known by the epithet “Richard the Lionheart”.

26. Fiona, after Shrek's kiss OGRESS
Before "Shrek" was a successful movie franchise and Broadway musical, it was a children's picture book called "Shrek!" authored and illustrated by William Steig. The title "Shrek!" came from the German/Yiddish word Schreck, meaning "fear" or "terror".

29. "Blues on the Bayou" musician BB KING
B.B. King was the stage name of Riley B. King, the celebrated blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. Referred to as the King of the Blues, King truly was a dedicated performer. He was doing gigs for over 50 years, and made over 15,000 appearances on stage. King’s first hit was "3 O'Clock Blues", recorded in 1952. He passed away in May of 2015.

31. Spanish pronoun ELLA
“Ella” is the Spanish word for “she”.

34. Stranded messenger RNA
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is an essential catalyst in the manufacture of proteins in the body. The genetic code in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids that make up each protein. That sequence is read in DNA by messenger RNA, and amino acids are delivered for protein manufacture in the correct sequence by what is called transfer RNA. The amino acids are then formed into proteins by ribosomal RNA.

39. Mr. Potato Head piece EAR
Mr. Potato Head is an enduring popular toy that has been around since its invention by George Lerner in 1949. In its original form, the toy was a collection of eyes, ears, and other facial features, that were designed to be stuck into a real potato. Mr. Potato Head also has the distinction of being the first toy ever to be advertised on television.

40. Front-wheel alignment TOE-IN
The wheels at the front-end of a car, if excessively toed in or toed out, need to be realigned.

49. "The Girls Next Door" co-creator HEFNER
Hugh Hefner (often called “Hef”) is from Chicago. His first publishing job was in the military, where he worked as a writer for a US Army newspaper from 1944-46. He went to college after his military service and then worked as a copywriter for "Esquire" magazine. He left "Esquire" to found his own publication that he called "Playboy", which first hit the newsstands in 1953. "Playboy" has been around ever since.

“The Girls Next Door” is a reality TV show that aired from 2005 to 2010. It follows Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends who live with him at the Playboy Mansion.

51. Fictional Indiana town in "Parks and Recreation"PAWNEE
“Parks and Recreation” is a sitcom that started airing on NBC in 2009, and it is a show that has grown on me. It stars the "Saturday Night Live" alum Amy Poehler. The creators of "Parks and Recreation" are part of the team responsible for the American version of “The Office”, so you’ll notice some similarities in the style of the two shows, and some actors that have appeared in both.

54. Dust Bowl migrant OKIE
“Okies” was a derogatory term used during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s for farming families who migrated from Oklahoma (hence the name), Arkansas, Kansas and Texas in search of agricultural jobs in California. The road used by many of these migrant families was Route 66, which is also called “Mother Road”.

The Dust Bowl was the name given to a period in which severe dust storms ravaged the American and Canadian Prairies in the thirties. A major factor in the storms was the loss of the deep-rooted grasses native to the land that had been displaced by intensive farming. Without the grasses, the topsoil was blown away in a period of drought.

58. Summation symbol, in math SIGMA
Sigma is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, and is the one used for an “ess” sound, equivalent to our letter S. Sigma is used in mathematics to represent a summation, the adding together of a sequence of numbers.

66. Thorny evergreen GORSE
Gorse can be a lovely plant to view, largely because of its showy yellow flower. However, gorse took over my front yard so I was glad to see the back of it when I relandscaped recently, going instead with a drought-tolerant design.

Down
1. Its natl. emblem is the cedar tree LEB
The Lebanese flag has two red stripes, one at the top and one at the bottom, designed to symbolize the blood that was shed in the cause of the country's liberation. Between each red stripe is a white background that represents peace as well as the snow on the Lebanese mountains. In the center of the flag is a green cedar tree, a reference to the cedars of Lebanon that are mentioned several times in the Bible.

5. What one might have with milk, briefly? ‘STACHE
A milk mustache (‘stache) is a sure indicator that a person has drunk some milk.

9. Email option, for short BCC
A blind carbon copy (bcc) is a copy of a document or message that is sent to someone without other recipients of the message knowing about that extra copy.

11. *"Bonanza" star LORNE GREENE (“Greene” sounds like “green”)
Lorne Greene was a Canadian actor, best known for playing the patriarch Ben Cartwright on the TV show “Bonanza”. Greene also had a number-one hit with the spoken-word ballad “Ringo” released in 1964.

The western TV series “Bonanza” ran for 14 seasons, making it the second longest running western show on television (after “Gunsmoke”, which ran for 20 seasons). “Bonanza” is set in the area around Virginia City in Nevada, close to Lake Tahoe.

21. Team connection YOKE
A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen so that they are forced to work together.

24. Retro diet, to put it mildly PALEO
The paleolithic or caveman diet is a fad diet that became popular in the 2000s. The idea is to eat wild plants and animals that would have been available to humans during the Paleolithic era (roughly the Stone Age). This period precedes the introduction of agriculture and domestication of animals. As a result, someone on the diet avoids consuming grains, legumes, dairy and processed foods. The diet consists mainly of lean meat (about 45-65% of the total calorie intake), non-starchy vegetables, fruits, berries and nuts.

25. *Cottage site in the Beatles'"When I'm Sixty-Four"ISLE OF WIGHT (“Wight” sounds like “white”)
The Isle of Wight is the largest island in England, and lies about five miles off the south coast of the country.

"When I'm Sixty-Four" is a 1967 Beatles song composed by Paul McCartney. McCartney may have been looking forward to “when he’s sixty-four”, but he wrote the song when he was only 16 years old.

30. Hall of Fame pitcher Blyleven BERT
Bert Blyleven is a former baseball pitcher known for his curveball. Blyleven now works as the color commentator for the Minnesota Twins.

35. Bay Area pro NINER
The very successful National Football League team in San Francisco takes its name from the gold prospectors who flooded into Northern California around 1949 during the California Gold Rush, the "49ers".

The California gold rush actually started in 1848. The first to exploit the find were those people already in California. By 1849 the word had spread and gold-seekers started to arrive from all over the world. The “out-of-towners” who arrived in 1849 became known as forty-niners.

36. Court rival of Pete ANDRE
Renowned tennis professional Andre Agassi was nicknamed “the Punisher”, because of the efficiency with which he ran most of his opponents around the court. He wrote an autobiography called "Open", published in 2009. An amazing revelation in the book is that Agassi's famous head of hair was actually a wig for much of his playing career. Can you imagine how hard it must have been to play tennis at his level with a rug stuck on?

Pete Sampras is a retired Greek-American tennis professional. Sampras was rated number one in the world rankings for six years in a row in the nineties.

38. Village Voice award OBIE
The Obies are the "Off-Broadway Theater Awards". The Obies are presented annually and the recipients are chosen by "The Village Voice" newspaper.

"The Village Voice" is a free newspaper distributed in New York City. "The Village Voice" had a great advertising slogan in the eighties: "Some people swear by us ... other people swear AT us".

41. Risqué ... and what each answer to a starred clue contains? OFF-COLOR
“Risqué” is a French word, the past participle of the verb “to risk”. So in English we use “risqué” to mean “racy”, but in French it means “risky”.

44. Law school newbie ONE L
"One L" is a name used in general for first year law students.

48. Lack of get-up-and-go ANEMIA
The term “anemia” (or “anaemia” as we write it back in Ireland) comes from a Greek word meaning "lack of blood". Anemia is a lack of iron in the blood, or a low red blood cell count. Tiredness is a symptom of the condition, giving rise the figurative use of the term.

52. Animal that's been a Japanese Natural Monument since 1931 AKITA
The Akita breed of dog is named for its point of origin, the Akita Prefecture in Japan. When Helen Keller visited Japan in 1937, she asked for and was given an Akita breed of dog, with the name of Kamikaze-go. Sadly, the dog died within a year from distemper. The following year the Japanese government officially presented Keller with a replacement dog. Supposedly Keller's dogs were the first members of the breed to be introduced into the US. Also, the Akita is the national dog of Japan, and was declared a Japanese National Monument in 1931.

56. Humorous Bombeck ERMA
Erma Bombeck wrote for newspapers for about 35 years, producing more than 4,000 witty and humorous columns describing her home life in suburbia.

62. L.A. school USC
The University of Southern California (USC) is a private school in Los Angeles. Apart from its excellent academic record, USC is known the success of its athletic program. USC athletes have won more Olympic medals than the students of any other university in the world. The USC marching band is very famous as well, and is known as the “Spirit of Troy”. The band has performed with many celebrities, and is the only college band to have two platinum records.

63. LAPD rank DET
Detective (det.)

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Trellis pieces LATHS
6. "Ideas worth spreading" acronym TED
9. Runs out BOLTS
14. Eponym of a United Kingdom poetry prize ELIOT
15. Schooner filler ALE
16. Walking the dog, e.g. CHORE
17. *Lost it BLEW A FUSE (“blew” sounds like “blue”)
19. Storage place CD-ROM
20. Play set SCENERY
22. Nonpro? ANTI
23. Man's best friend, e.g. EPITHET
26. Fiona, after Shrek's kiss OGRESS
28. Cut deeply GASHED
29. "Blues on the Bayou" musician BB KING
31. Spanish pronoun ELLA
32. Overindulgent outings SPREES
34. Stranded messenger RNA
37. Handle SEE TO
39. Mr. Potato Head piece EAR
40. Front-wheel alignment TOE IN
42. Unduly TOO
43. Possesses with pride BOASTS
46. Deflect, with "off" FEND
47. Passes out FAINTS
49. "The Girls Next Door" co-creator HEFNER
51. Fictional Indiana town in "Parks and Recreation" PAWNEE
53. Genuine SINCERE
54. Dust Bowl migrant OKIE
55. Release request LET ME GO?
58. Summation symbol, in math SIGMA
60. *Entertained the kids, in a way READ ALOUD (“read” sounds like “red”)
64. Moral principle ETHIC
65. Scar, say MAR
66. Thorny evergreen GORSE
67. Occupied, as a desk SAT AT
68. Museum pieces ART
69. Vertical ERECT

Down
1. Its natl. emblem is the cedar tree LEB
2. Every drop ALL
3. 20-20, e.g. TIE
4. ''What do you think?'' HOW’S THAT?
5. What one might have with milk, briefly? ‘STACHE
6. Needle TAUNT
7. Different ELSE
8. Road sign image DEER
9. Email option, for short BCC
10. "Shoot!" OH DARN!
11. *"Bonanza" star LORNE GREENE (“Greene” sounds like “green”)
12. Brings (out) TROTS
13. Late round SEMIS
18. Satellite broadcasts FEEDS
21. Team connection YOKE
23. Get rid of EGEST
24. Retro diet, to put it mildly PALEO
25. *Cottage site in the Beatles'"When I'm Sixty-Four" ISLE OF WIGHT (“Wight” sounds like “white”)
27. Kernel GIST
29. Leadership BRASS
30. Hall of Fame pitcher Blyleven BERT
33. Organic fuel PEAT
35. Bay Area pro NINER
36. Court rival of Pete ANDRE
38. Village Voice award OBIE
41. Risqué ... and what each answer to a starred clue contains? OFF-COLOR
44. Law school newbie ONE L
45. Drew back SHIED
48. Lack of get-up-and-go ANEMIA
50. Hold rapt ENGAGE
51. Puts forward POSES
52. Animal that's been a Japanese Natural Monument since 1931 AKITA
53. Quick on the uptake SMART
56. Humorous Bombeck ERMA
57. Sewer's concern TEAR
59. Play ACT
61. Natural resource ORE
62. L.A. school USC
63. LAPD rank DET


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
16. Onomatopoeic dance CHA-CHA
The cha-cha-cha (often simplified to “cha-cha”) is a Latin dance with origins in Cuba, where it was introduced by composer Enrique Jorrin in 1953.

19. "Out of the Blue" band ELO
"Out of the Blue" is a double album released in 1977 by ELO. All the tracks were written by band leader Jeff Lynne in just three weeks in a rented chalet in the Swiss Alps. A creative environment I guess ...

22. Pabst brand originally brewed in Washington, familiarly OLY
The Olympia Brewing Company was founded in the town of Tumwater, Washington in 1896, by a German immigrant. Olympia (familiarly “Oly”) was acquired by Pabst in 1983.

28. Fall deliveries? LIBRAS
The constellation of Libra is named for the scales held by the goddess of justice. Libra is the only sign of the zodiac that isn't named for a living creature.

31. Alouette 1 satellite launcher CANADA
Alouette 1 was the first satellite launched by Canada, and as such the first satellite launched by a nation other than the US or USSR. Launched in 1962 and active until 1972, Alouette 1’s mission was to study the ionosphere.

37. Oakland's county ALAMEDA
The city of Oakland, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, was settled by the Spanish in 1772. The area now known as Oakland was called “encinal” by those early settlers, which translates as “oak grove”, giving the city its name.

41. Gimlet flavor LIME
A gimlet is a relatively simple cocktail, traditionally made with just gin and lime juice. The trend in more recent times is to replace the gin with vodka.

42. 2011 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee ELS
Ernie Els is a South African golfer. Els a big guy but he has an easy fluid golf swing that has earned him the nickname "The Big Easy". He is a former World No. 1 and has won four majors: the US Open (1994 & 1997) and the British Open (2002 & 2012).

45. Sediment LEES
The dregs in wine, the sediment that settles during fermentation (and sometimes in the bottle), is also called "lees".

46. Programming language named for a comedy group PYTHON
Python is a computer language, one that my computing son uses quite often apparently. The developers of the language tried hard to make it fun to use, and even chose its name from the comedy show “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”.

48. "The world's an __": Dryden INN
According to “Palamon and Arcite” by John Dryden:

Like pilgrims to the appointed place we tend;
The world's an inn, and death the journey's end.

John Dryden was a highly influential poet and playwright in the late 1600s. He came from good literary stock, and was a cousin once-removed of Jonathan Swift.

49. Mexican painter Frida KAHLO
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter, famous for her self-portraits. She was married to the equally famous artist Diego Rivera. Kahlo was portrayed by the actress Salma Hayek in a film about her colorful life called “Frida” released in 2002.

51. Teamsters president James HOFFA
Jimmy Hoffa headed off to meet with two Mafia leaders at a restaurant in a suburb of Detroit on July 30, 1975. The two men he was supposed to meet denied any appointment was made, and they were seen in public in other locations far from the restaurant. Hoffa was spotted by passers-by in the restaurant parking lot, the last time he was ever seen. His wife reported him missing later that night, and the resulting police investigation failed to find Hoffa or his body. Hoffa was declared legally dead in 1982, seven years after he disappeared.

55. Gp. with carriers NRA
National Rifle Association (NRA)

59. Egg, perhaps GAMETE
A gamete is a reproductive cell that has half the full complement of genes needed to make a normal cell. In sexual reproduction, it takes two gametes, one from each parent, to fuse into one cell which then develops into a new organism. The female gamete is the ovum, and the male the sperm.

65. French for "stick"BAGUETTE
“Baguette” is the French word for “wand, baton” as in “baguette magique” (magic wand). The term was first applied to the long stick of bread with a crisp crust in the 1920s.

Down
1. Babies"R"Us buys WIPES
Babies”R”Us is a chain of stores selling specialty baby products that is owned by Toys”R”Us.

3. Half a playground exchange IS TOO!
Is not!

4. Stuff that goes kablooey TNT
Something described as “kablooey” or “kablooie” has been destroyed, blown apart.

“TNT” is an abbreviation for trinitrotoluene. Trinitrotoluene was first produced in 1863 by the German chemist Joseph Wilbrand, who developed it for use as a yellow dye. TNT is relatively difficult to detonate so it was on the market as a dye for some years before its more explosive properties were discovered.

8. 1996 treaty subject TEST BAN
The US, UK and Soviet Union signed what is now called the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963. This partial ban was prompted due to concerns at the time about levels of radioactive elements in the atmosphere, particularly in the southern hemisphere, caused by an increasing number of test detonations. The partial test ban prohibited all detonations other than those performed underground. It took another 33 years before a Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty could be negotiated, one which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1996. Sadly, as we are all well aware, it has never been enforced. Enforcement is waiting on ratification by China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Israel and the United States, and waiting on signatures from India, North Korea and Pakistan.

9. Panache 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".

Someone exhibiting panache is showing dash and verve, and perhaps has a swagger. “Panache” is a French word used for a plume of feathers, especially in a hat.

30. Pepperidge Farm treat MILANO
Before the Milano, Pepperidge Farm produced what they called the Naples cookie, a vanilla wafer with chocolate on top. But, this lovely morsel had problems when stored or transported in a warm environment as the cookies stuck to each other, The solution was to put the filling between two wafers, and the Milano cookie was born.

32. The Na'vi in "Avatar," for one ALIEN RACE
In James Cameron's epic “Avatar”, the “blue people” are the Na’vi, the indigenous species that lives on the lush moon called Pandora. The main Na’vi character featuring in the film is the female Neytiri. According to Cameron, Neytiri was inspired by the Raquel Welch character in the movie “Fantastic Voyage” and the comic book character Vampirella.

40. Bear with a "thotful spot"POOH
Winnie the Pooh’s “Thotful Spot” is where Pooh likes to go to think things out. When in his Thotful Spot, Pooh tends to sit himself on the log, tap his head, close one eye, and utter the words “Think, think, think”.

43. Educational outlines SYLLABI
"Syllabus" (plural “syllabi”) is the Latin word for "list".

49. Holmes of "Touched With Fire"KATIE
Katie Holmes is an actress who first came to prominence in the television drama “Dawson’s Creek”. Off screen, Holmes is famous as the ex-wife of Tom Cruise.

“Touched With Fire" is a 2015 film starring Katie Holmes and Luke Kirby as two bipolar poets who meet and fall in love in a psychiatric hospital.

50. Words spoken after coming to? … AN END
Coming to an end.

52. High wind? FLUTE
A flute is a woodwind instrument that doesn’t have a reed. Instead, sound is produced by blowing air across an opening. A flute player is often referred to as a flautist. Flutes have been around a long, long time. The oldest flutes found date back to 43,000 or 35,000 years ago.

57. 1951 title role for Audrey GIGI
“Gigi” is a play by Anita Loos that is based on Colette’s 1945 novella of the same name. “Gigi” opened on Broadway in 1951 with a relatively unknown Audrey Hepburn in the title role, playing a Parisian girl being groomed as a courtesan. In the famous 1958 musical adaptation of the novella, the title role went to Leslie Caron.

60. Abbr. on a Miami itinerary EDT
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

63. Marseille sight MER
"La Mer" is French for "the Sea".

Marseille (often written “Marseilles” in English) is the second largest city in France, after Paris. Marseille is also the largest commercial port in the country. I used to live nearby, and it’s a lovely, lovely place.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. "You're kidding, right?" WAIT, WHAT?
9. Will matter ESTATE
15. "I give up" IT'S NO USE
16. Onomatopoeic dance CHA-CHA
17. Criminology concerns PATTERNS
18. Weapons used on mounts LANCES
19. "Out of the Blue" band ELO
20. Beyond harmful LETHAL
22. Pabst brand originally brewed in Washington, familiarly OLY
23. They're slow to pick things up SLOBS
26. Weaken ABATE
27. Runner's distance LAP
28. Fall deliveries? LIBRAS
30. Play or school follower -MATE
31. Alouette 1 satellite launcher CANADA
34. Catch NAB
36. "Good __!" IDEA
37. Oakland's county ALAMEDA
39. Like some beaches TOPLESS
41. Gimlet flavor LIME
42. 2011 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee ELS
44. By the fire, say TOASTY
45. Sediment LEES
46. Programming language named for a comedy group PYTHON
48. "The world's an __": Dryden INN
49. Mexican painter Frida KAHLO
51. Teamsters president James HOFFA
55. Gp. with carriers NRA
56. Like old timers? ANALOG
58. Word in many Mexican place names LAS
59. Egg, perhaps GAMETE
61. More than one can handle A BIT MUCH
64. Stuck at a chalet, maybe ICED IN
65. French for "stick" BAGUETTE
66. Fit one within another NESTED
67. "There was a point here somewhere" I DIGRESS

Down
1. Babies"R"Us buys WIPES
2. Even a little AT ALL
3. Half a playground exchange IS TOO!
4. Stuff that goes kablooey TNT
5. Trouble WOE
6. Give a good toss HURL
7. Equally close AS NEAR
8. 1996 treaty subject TEST BAN
9. Panache ECLAT
10. Fissile rock SHALE
11. Light shade ... or avoid the shade? TAN
12. Praise ACCOLADES
13. Gossip's stock-in-trade THE LATEST
14. "Piece of cake" EASY PEASY
21. Goes after HAS AT
24. Holds accountable BLAMES
25. Perspective SIDE
29. Ordered BADE
30. Pepperidge Farm treat MILANO
31. Joining the radio show CALLING IN
32. The Na'vi in "Avatar," for one ALIEN RACE
33. Rat NAME NAMES
35. "Ice cream or cake?" response, perhaps BOTH
38. Highest-ranking ALPHA
40. Bear with a "thotful spot" POOH
43. Educational outlines SYLLABI
47. "Poor baby!" TOO BAD!
49. Holmes of "Touched With Fire" KATIE
50. Words spoken after coming to? … AN END
52. High wind? FLUTE
53. They can be hard to face FACTS
54. Grill leftovers ASHES
57. 1951 title role for Audrey GIGI
60. Abbr. on a Miami itinerary EDT
62. Pull TUG
63. Marseille sight MER


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Kind of crazy? STIR-
The slang word "stir", meaning a prison, probably has its roots in Start Newgate prison in London, where it was a nickname for the establishment.

15. Yahoo! rival MSN
MSN was originally called The Microsoft Network, and was introduced in 1995 as an integral part of Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system. MSN is a whole bundle of services including email, instant messaging, and the MSN.com portal (which is the 9th most visited site on the Internet).

Jerry Yang and David Filo called their company "Yahoo!" for two reasons. Firstly, a Yahoo is a rude unsophisticated brute from Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels". Secondly, Yahoo stands for "Yet another Hierarchical Officious Oracle".

18. It divides banks in Bern AARE
The Aar (also called the "Aare" in German) is the longest river entirely in Switzerland.

Bern (or Berne) is the capital city of Switzerland. The official language of the city is German, but the language most spoken in Bern is a dialect known as Bernese German.

21. Bartlett cousin ANJOU
The Anjou pear is a cultivar of the European Pear. The Anjou pear is thought to have originated in Belgium or France (Anjou is a province in the Loire Valley of western France).

The Bartlett is the most commonly grown pear outside of Asia, a cultivar of the European pear. Back in the UK, where the Bartlett originated, it is called a Williams Pear, or more completely a Williams' Bon Chretien (Williams' good Christian). Several Williams trees were imported to the US in 1799 and planted in Massachusetts. The land on which the trees were planted was eventually bought by one Enoch Bartlett, and he started to distribute the pears and basically introduced the variety to the US. He didn't know that the pears were called Williams, so he named them after himself!

22. Big foot letters  EEE
EEE is a shoe size, a wide one.

23. Tiny pair of media hosts? TWO PEAS IN A POD(CAST)
A podcast is basically an audio or video media file that is made available for download. The name comes from the acronym "POD" meaning "playable on demand", and "cast" from "broadcasting". So, basically a podcast is a broadcast that one can play on demand, simply by downloading and opening the podcast file.

31. Security for sailors? SAINT ELMO’S FIRE(WALL)
St. Elmo is the patron saint of sailors. He lends his name to the electrostatic weather phenomenon (often seen at sea) known as St. Elmo's fire. The "fire" is actually a plasma discharge caused by air ionizing at the end of a pointed object (like the mast of a ship), something often observed during electrical storms.

39. Van Gogh inspiration ARLES
Quite a few years ago now, I had the privilege of living just a short car-ride from the beautiful city of Arles in the South of France. Although Arles has a long and colorful history, the Romans had a prevailing influence over the city's design. Arles has a spectacular Roman amphitheater, arch, circus as well as old walls that surround the center of the city. In more modern times, it was a place Vincent van Gogh often visited, and where he painted his famous "Cafe Terrace at Night", as well as "Bedroom in Arles".

41. Latin lover's word AMO
"Amo, amas, amat” ... "I love, you love, he/she/it loves", in Latin.

42. Naval NCO CPO
A Chief Petty Officer (CPO) is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the Navy (USN) and Coast Guard (USCG). The "Petty" is derived from the French word "petit" meaning "small".

43. Some NCOs CPLS
Corporal (cpl.)

45. Scale starters DO, RE
The solfa syllables are: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la & ti.

49. Online photo exchange for redheads? GINGER SNAP(CHAT)
Snapchat is a messaging system that allows users to send photos and video clips to a limited list of recipients. The photos and clips, called “snaps”, can be viewed for only a few seconds before they are deleted from the recipient’s device and from the Snapchat servers.

"Ginger snap cookies" are known as "ginger nut biscuits" back in Ireland where I come from ...

57. G.I. Joe's outfit US ARMY
“GI Joe” became a nickname for American soldiers during WWII.

58. Former fillies MARES
There are lots of terms to describe horses of different ages and sexes, it seems:

- Foal: horse of either sex that is less that one year old
- Yearling: horse of either sex that is one to two years old
- Filly: female horse under the age of four
- Colt: male horse under the age of four
- Gelding: castrated male horse of any age
- Stallion: non-castrated male horse four years or older
- Mare: female horse four years or older

59. Crêpe cousin BLINTZE
A blintz (also “blintze”, and “blin”, plural “blini”) is a thin pancake similar to a crêpe although unlike a crêpe, a blintz may contain yeast.

61. Old Testament's Queen of __ SHEBA
Sheba is referenced in the Bible several times. The "Queen of Sheba" is mentioned as someone who traveled to Jerusalem to behold the fame of King Solomon. No one knows for sure where the kingdom of Sheba was located, although there is evidence that it was actually the ancient Semitic civilization of Saba. The Sabeans lived in what today is Yemen, on the Arabian Peninsula.

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

Aristotle was actually a student of Plato in Ancient Greece (and in turn, Plato was a student of Socrates). Aristotle’s most famous student was Alexander the Great.

64. Pound parts: Abbr. OZS
The unit of mass that we know today as a “pound” is descended from the old Roman unit of weight known as a “libra”. That “libra” connection is why we abbreviate “pound” to “lb”. The name “pound” though comes from the Latin “pondo” meaning “weight”. Our term “ounce” comes from the Latin “uncia”, which was 1/12 of a Roman “libra”.

65. Having returned to the world of public performances? BACK IN A FLASH (MOB)
A flash mob is a group of people who gather to perform a sudden, brief act in a public location and then quickly disperse. Flash mobs originated in Manhattan in 2003, as a social experiment by an editor of “Harper’s Magazine” called Bill Wasik. Wasik’s first attempt to form a flash mob was unsuccessful, but the second attempt worked. The first successful flash mob was relatively tame by today’s elaborate standards, and consisted of about 130 people gathered on the 9th floor of Macy’s department store pretending to be shopping en masse for a “love rug”.

70. Newfoundland comment? ARF!
The Newfoundland is a breed that originated as a working dog for fisherman in what was then the Dominion of Newfoundland. They were mainly used to haul heavy fishing nets.

73. Often saved comics heroine LOIS
Lois Lane has been the love interest of Superman/Clark Kent since the comic series was first published in 1938. Lois and Clark both work for the big newspaper in the city of Metropolis called "The Daily Planet". The couple finally got hitched in the comics (and on television's "Lois and Clark") in 1996. But never mind all that - one has to wonder how good the crossword is in "The Daily Planet" ...

74. Voicemail cues TONES
Speak after the tone …

81. Ontario natives CREES
The Cree are one of the largest groups of Native Americans on the continent. In the US most of the Cree nation live in Montana on a reservation shared with the Ojibwe people. In Canada most of the Cree live in Manitoba.

The Canadian province of Ontario takes its name from the Great Lake. In turn, Lake Ontario's name is thought to be derived from "Ontari:io", a Huron word meaning "great lake". Ontario is home to the nation's capital of Ottawa as well as Toronto, Canada's most populous city (and the capital of the province).

85. Emeril's gateway? FOOD WEB (BROWSER)
A food chain is a series of organisms, the smallest of which gets eaten by a larger one, which in turn feeds a still larger one, etc. Food chains are collected into a food web.

Emeril Lagasse is an American chef, born in Massachusetts. Lagasse first achieved notoriety as executive chef in Commander's Palace in New Orleans. Now famous for his television shows, his cuisine still showcases New Orleans ingredients and influences. Lagasse started using his famous "Bam!" catchphrase in order to keep his crew awake during repeated tapings of his show.

90. Place to go in Gloucester LOO
When I was growing up in Ireland, a "bathroom" was a room that had a bath and no toilet. The separate room with the commode was called "the toilet" or sometimes the W.C. (the water closet). Apparently the term closet was used because in the 1800s when homeowners started installing toilets indoors they often displaced clothes and linens in a "closet", as a closet was the right size to take the commode. It has been suggested that the British term "loo" comes from Waterloo (water-closet ... water-loo), but no one seems to know for sure. Another suggestion is that the term comes from the card game of "lanterloo" in which the pot was called the loo!

Gloucester is a city in the southwest of England, close to the border with Wales.

91. "Xanadu" gp. ELO
The title song of the 1980 movie "Xanadu" was performed by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and Olivia Newton-John (who starred in the film). Despite the popularity of ELO around the world, the song "Xanadu" was the band's only number one hit back in their homeland of the UK.

92. Home of the John Denver Sanctuary ASPEN
Aspen, Colorado used to be known as Ute City, with the name change taking place in 1880. Like many communities in the area, Aspen was a mining town, and in 1891 and 1892 it was at the center of the highest production of silver in the US. Nowadays, it's all about skiing and movie stars.


95. Illusionist Criss __ ANGEL
Criss Angel is the stage name of Chris Sarantakos, an illusionist from New York who has a big show in Las Vegas and who gets a lot of airtime on TV.

98. "Cutthroat Kitchen" host Brown ALTON
Alton Brown is a celebrity chef who is behind the Food Network show “Good Eats”, and the host of “Iron Chef America”.

100. "Got a film to share?"? ANYTHING FOR YOU(TUBE)?
YouTube is a video-sharing website, launched in 2005 by three ex-PayPal employees. Google bought YouTube in 2006 for $1.65 billion. Yep, $1.65 billion, less than two years after it was founded ...

107. Dutch wheels EDAMS
Edam cheese takes its name from the Dutch town of Edam in North Holland. The cheese is famous for its coating of red paraffin wax, a layer of protection that helps Edam travel well and prevents spoiling. You might occasionally come across an Edam cheese that is coated in black wax. The black color indicates that the underlying cheese has been aged for a minimum of 17 weeks.

112. Sharp-toothed swimmer GAR
The fish known as a gar is very unusual in that it is often found in very brackish water. What is interesting about gar is that their swim bladders are vascularized so that they can actually function as lungs. Many species of gar can actually be seen coming to the surface and taking a gulp of air. This adaptation makes it possible for them to live in conditions highly unsuitable for other fish that rely on their gills to get oxygen out of the water. Indeed, quite interesting …

113. End of a "Great Reuben!" tweet? CORNED BEEF HASH(TAG)
A hashtag is word preceded by the symbol #. Hashtags are big these days because of Twitter, a microblogging service that I will never understand …

There are conflicting stories about the origin of the Reuben sandwich. One is that it was invented around 1914 by Arnold Reuben, an immigrant from Germany who owned Reuben's Deli in New York.

120. Waxy compound STEROL
Sterols occur in nature in both plants and animals. The most famous of the animal sterols is cholesterol, found in all animals as it is a vital component of cell walls. Cholesterol is made within the body, so it isn't a necessary part of the diet.

121. Writer Rice ANNE
Anne Rice is an American author of erotic and Gothic novels. Rice was born Howard Allen O'Brien (no wonder she changed her name!). Her famous series of novels "The Vampire Chronicles" centers on her character Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman who was turned into a vampire in the 18th century. One of the stories, "Interview with the Vampire", was adapted for the big screen in 1994 and features Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and others in a star-studded cast. Not my kind of movie though, as I don't do vampires …

123. Air Force E-5's SSGTS
Staff sergeant (SSgt)

124. Revue routines SKITS
“Revue” is the French word for “review”.

Down
1. Fill up SATE
"Sate" is a variant of the older word "satiate". Both terms can mean either to satisfy an appetite fully, or to eat to excess.

2. Shooting marbles TAWS
In the game of marbles, the "taw" is the shooting marble, and is shot at the "ducks".

3. __-Z: Camaro model IROC
The IROC-Z is a model of Camaro, introduced in 1978. The IROC-Z takes its name from a famous stock car race, the International Race of Champions.

5. Raccoon relative COATI
A coati is a member of the raccoon family and is also known as the Brazilian aardvark, or the snookum bear. The coati is native to Central and South America, but can also be found in the southwest of the United States.

6. Start of MGM's motto ARS
It seems that the phrase "art for art's sake" has its origins in France in the nineteenth century, where the slogan is expressed as "l'art pour l'art". The Latin version "Ars gratia artis" came much later, in 1924 when MGM's publicist chose it for the studio's logo, sitting under Leo the lion. Who'd a thunk it?

7. Bryce Harper stat RBI
Bryce Harper is a MLB right-fielder who was chosen by the Washington Nationals as the first overall pick in the 2010 Draft.

8. Holiday sparklers TINSEL
The custom of decorating trees at Christmas seems to have originated in Renaissance Germany. Those first trees were placed in guildhalls and were decorated with sweets and candy for the apprentices and children. After the Protestant Reformation, the Christmas tree became an alternative in Protestant homes for the Roman Catholic Christmas cribs. The Christmas tree tradition was imported into Britain by the royal family because of its German heritage. That tradition spread from Britain into North America.

10. Underworld HADES
Hades was the god of the underworld to the ancient Greeks. Over time, Hades gave his name to the underworld itself, the place where the dead reside. The term “Hades” was also adopted into the Christian tradition, as an alternative name for hell. But, the concept of hell in Christianity is more akin to the Greek “Tartarus”, which is a dark and gloomy dungeon located in Hades, a place of suffering and torment.

11. Multi-vol. reference ENC
An encyclopedia is a compendium reference work containing summary information about a branch of knowledge, or about all knowledge. The word “encyclopedia” comes from the Greek “enkyklios paideia” meaning “general education”, or literally “general rearing of a child”.

12. 1977 Steely Dan album AJA
Steely Dan's heyday was in the seventies when they toured for a couple of years, although the group mainly focused on studio work. The band was formed in 1972 and broke up in 1981. The core of the band reunited in 1993 and they are still going strong today. Steely Dan’s best-selling album is “Aja”, released in 1977.

13. Political platforms ROSTRA
A “rostrum” (plural “rostra”) is an elevated platform, particularly one for public speaking. The original rostrum was the platform used by public speakers in the Forum of ancient Rome.

15. Smart bunch MENSA
If you ever learned Latin, "mensa" was probably taught to you in lesson one as it's the word commonly used as an example of a first declension noun. Mensa means "table". The Mensa organization, for folks with high IQs, was set up in Oxford, England back in 1946. To become a member, you have to have an IQ that is in the top 2% of the population.

16. K-pop city SEOUL
K-pop (Korean pop) is a genre of music from South Korea that emerged in the early nineties. It’s a bit beyond me …

17. Staircase component NEWEL
A newel is a principal upright post that supports a handrail beside a staircase. Newels are found at the top and bottom of the banister, and sometimes in between. Newels are often adorned with decorative trim to set them apart from the other posts by the staircase.

20. Bombards with junk email SPAMS
Apparently the term "spam", used for unwanted email, is taken from a "Monty Python" sketch. In the sketch (which I've seen) the dialog is taken over by the word Spam, a play on the glut of canned meat in the markets of Britain after WWII. So "spam" is used for the glut of emails that takes over online communication. I can just imagine nerdy Internet types (like me) adopting something from a "Monty Python" sketch to describe an online phenomenon ...

25. Cortez's gold ORO
Hernán Cortés (also “Hernando Cortez”) led the expedition from Spain to Mexico that eventually led to the fall of the Aztec Empire.

30. Author Stieg Larsson's homeland SWEDEN
Stieg Larsson was a Swedish journalist and writer, and indeed one of his main characters in his Millennium series of novels is a journalist as well. The first two titles in the series are “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and “The Girl Who Played with Fire”. The last of the three titles in the Millennium series is “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest”, which was the most-sold book in the US in 2010. All of the books in the series were published after Larsson's death. He passed away from a heart attack while climbing several flights of stairs, when he was just 50 years old.

33. 1982 Disney sci-fi film TRON
Released in 1982, Disney’s "Tron" was one of the first mainstream films to make extensive use of computer graphics. The main role in the movie is played by Jeff Bridges. The original spawned a 2010 sequel called “Tron: Legacy”, as well as a 2012 TV show called “Tron: Uprising”.

35. Org. whose roots date to the Civil War IRS
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was set up during the Civil War to raise money to cover war expenses. Prior to the introduction of income tax in 1862, the government was funded by levies on trade and property.

36. Sorcerer MAGUS
"Magi" is the plural of the Latin word "magus", a term applied to someone who was able to read the stars. Hence, magi is commonly used with reference to the "wise men from the East" who followed the star and visited Jesus soon after he was born.

37. Simple-living sect AMISH
The Amish are a group of Christian churches, a subgroup of the Mennonite churches. The Amish church originated in Switzerland and Alsace in 1693 when it was founded by Jakob Ammann. It was Ammann who gave the name to the Amish people. Many Amish people came to Pennsylvania in the 18th century.

38. Whale tracker SONAR
The British developed the first underwater detection system that used sound waves. Research was driven by defence demands during WWI, leading to production of working units in 1922. This new sound detection system was described as using "supersonics", but for the purpose of secrecy the term was dropped in favor of an acronym. The work was done under the auspices of the Royal Navy's Anti-Submarine Division, so ASD was combined with the IC from "superson-ic-s" to create the name ASDIC. The navy even went as far as renaming the quartz material at the heart of the technology "ASDivite". By the time WWII came along, the Americans were producing their own systems and coined the term SONAR, playing off the related application, RADAR. And so the name ASDIC was deep-sixed ...

43. Revolutionary first name CHE
Ernesto "Che" Guevara was born in Argentina, and in 1948 he started to study medicine at the University of Buenos Aires. While at school he satisfied his need to "see the world" by taking two long journeys around South America, the story of which are told in Guevara's memoir later published as "The Motorcycle Diaries". While travelling, Guevara was moved by the plight of the people he saw and their working conditions and what he viewed as capitalistic exploitation. In Mexico City he met brothers Raul and Fidel Castro and was persuaded to join their cause, the overthrow of the US-backed government in Cuba. He rose to second-in-command among the Cuban insurgents, and when Castro came to power Guevara was influential in repelling the Bay of Pigs Invasion and bringing Soviet nuclear missiles to the island. Guevara left Cuba in 1965 to continue his work as a revolutionary. He was captured by Bolivian forces in 1967, and was executed. Fidel Castro led the public mourning of Guevara's death, and soon the revolutionary was an icon for many left-wing movements around the world.

44. Kettle et al. PAS
The author Betty MacDonald wrote a memoir called “The Egg and I” that was published in 1945, telling the story of her life as a young wife on a chicken farm in Washington state. The book was adapted into a film of the same name in 1947, with the lovely Claudette Colbert playing Betty McDonald, and the great Fred MacMurray as her husband. Two other characters feature in the storyline, namely Ma and Pa Kettle. The latter characters were so well received by theater audiences that a whole series of films about them and their fifteen children was made between the years 1949 and 1957.

46. "The Simpsons" bus driver OTTO
Otto Mann drives the school bus on the TV show "The Simpsons". Otto is a Germanic character voiced by Harry Shearer, and his name is a play on "Ottoman Empire". Whenever Bart sees him, he greets Otto with the words "Otto, man!"

50. Vittles GRUB
“Victuals” is a term for food that is fit for consumption. We tend to pronounce “victuals” as “vittles”, and we use the term “vittles” and “victuals” interchangeably.

53. Early sunscreen ingredient PABA
Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), or now its derivatives, is the "active" ingredient in sunscreens in that it absorbs UV radiation. PABA derivatives are used today as PABA itself fell out of favor due to its tendency to stain clothes and to cause an allergic reaction in some users.

55. Horner's surprise PLUM

Little Jack Horner
Sat in the corner,
Eating a Christmas pie;
He put in his thumb,
And pulled out a plum,
And said 'What a good boy am I!

56. Trattoria order RISOTTO
Risotto is an Italian rice dish that is usually served as a first course in Italy, but as a main course here in North America.

59. Scroogean cries BAHS
The classic 1843 novella "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens has left us with a few famous phrases and words. Firstly, it led to popular use of the phrase "Merry Christmas", and secondly it gave us the word "scrooge" meaning a miserly person. And thirdly, everyone knows that Ebenezer Scrooge uttered the words "Bah! Humbug!".

63. Half a fly TSE
Tsetse flies live on the blood of vertebrate mammals. The name "tsetse" comes from Tswana, a language of southern Africa, and translates simply as "fly". Tsetse flies are famous for being carriers of the disease known as "sleeping sickness". Sleeping sickness is caused by a parasite which is passed onto humans when the tsetse fly bites into human skin tissue. If one considers all the diseases transmitted by the insect, then the tsetse fly is responsible for a staggering quarter of a million deaths each year.

66. "Get Smart" security device CONE
The “Cone of Silence” was an ineffective security device that featured on the espionage sitcom “Get Smart” in the sixties.

The satirical comedy series called "Get Smart" was the creation of Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, and starred Don Adams as Agent 86, Maxwell Smart. Agent 86 worked for the spy agency CONTROL, alongside the lovely Agent 99. CONTROL’s sworn enemy was the criminal organization called KAOS. Smart's shoe phone was a hilarious prop used in almost every episode. When Smart dialed the number 117, the shoe converted into a gun. Cool stuff …

67. MGM co-founder LOEW
Marcus Loew was a New Yorker, born into a poor Jewish family. He started out in a penny arcade business and used its profits to buy into a nickelodeon. He built a whole chain of movie theaters, and then moved into the production of films so that he could guarantee supply of features that he could show in his theaters. Eventually he pulled together the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) film production company, and sadly passed away just three years after he inked the deal.

68. "As I Lay Dying" father ANSE
“As I Lay Dying” is a novel by William Faulkner first published in 1930. The book has an unusual structure, with stream of consciousness writing throughout. There is one whole chapter that I’d like to quote here:

My mother is a fish.
That’s a five-word chapter …

69. Coven concoction BREW
“Coven” is an old Scottish word meaning simply “gathering”. The first known application of the word to witchcraft came during the trial of a Scotswoman in 1662 accused of being a witch. At that time, “coven” came to mean a group of 13 witches.

77. Sky over Seville CIELO
The city of Seville is the capital of Andalusia in southern Spain. Seville is a favored setting for many operas including "The Barber of Seville" by Rossini, "Fidelio" by Beethoven and Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and "The Marriage of Figaro".

78. __ Field, a former name of Minute Maid Park ENRON
Enron Field, as it was known, is a retractable-roof ballpark that was built next to Houston's old Union Station. Enron paid $100 million to get its name on the field, and then when the world found out what a scam Enron actually was, the Astros bought back the contract for the name, for a mere $2.1 million. The stadium became Astros Field for a few months, until the Coke people paid $170 million for a 28-year contract to christen the stadium Minute Maid Park. A good deal for the Astros, I'd say.

83. Sign of success SRO
Standing room only (SRO)

86. Cheese couleur BLEU
In French, some cheese might be classified as “bleu” (blue) in “couleur” (color).

87. Aptly named track star BOLT
Usain Bolt is a Jamaican sprinter who won the 100m and 200m race gold medals in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Back in Jamaica, Bolt was really into cricket and probably would have been a very successful fast bowler had he not hit the track instead.

89. "Big" London attraction BEN
Big Ben is the name commonly used for the large bell in the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster (aka the Houses of Parliament). Big Ben's official name is the Great Bell, and there is some debate about the origins of the nickname. It may be named after Sir Benjamin Hall who oversaw the bell's installation, or perhaps the English heavyweight champion of the day Benjamin Caunt.

94. Mountaineering equipment PITONS
“Piton” is a French word for a “hook”.

95. Many Qatar natives ARABS
Qatar is a sovereign state in the Middle East occupying the Qatar Peninsula, itself located in the Arabian Peninsula. Qatar lies on the Persian Gulf and shares one land border, with Saudi Arabia to the south. Qatar has more oil and gas reserves per capita of population than any other country in the world. In 2010, Qatar had the fastest growing economy in the world, driven by the petrochemical industry. Qatar is scheduled to who the 2022 FIFA World Cup, although the nation’s eligibility to do so is under question after a far-reaching bribery scandal was uncovered at the sport’s governing body.

96. Queens team, briefly NY METS
The New York Mets baseball team was founded in 1962, a replacement for two teams that the city had lost, namely the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. For several years the Mets played very poorly, finishing no better than second-to-last in their division. Then of course along came the “Miracle Mets” who beat the Baltimore Orioles in 1969 to claim the World Series in a huge upset.

Queens is the largest borough in New York City. Queens is an amazingly diverse location in terms of ethnicity. There is a population of over 2 million people, with almost 50% of that population being foreign-born. Apparently there are over 130 native languages spoken in the area. Queens was named for Catherine of Braganza (from Portugal), the Queen consort of King Charles II of England.

97. Half a kids' game … GO SEEK
Hide and … go seek.

98. "Down with," in Paris A BAS
“À bas" is French for "down with", as in “À bas le roi!” meaning “Down with the king!”, and a phrase often heard during the French Revolution.

102. WWI battle site YPRES
Ypres is a Belgian city located close to the French border. In WWI, Ypres was the scene of three devastating battles that resulted in almost a million casualties, including many who suffered in gas attacks.

105. Border range URALS
The eastern side of the Ural Mountains in Russia is generally regarded as the natural divide between the continents of Europe and Asia.

109. Sicilian attraction ETNA
Mt. Etna is the largest of three active volcanoes in Italy. Mt Etna is about 2 1/2 times the height of its equally famous sister, Mt. Vesuvius. Etna is home to a 110-km long narrow-guage railway, and two ski resorts.

114. Short rule? REG
Regulation (reg.)

116. "Black" shopping time: Abbr. FRI
In the world of retail, “Black Friday” is the day after Thanksgiving in the US. Black Friday is when many stores start the holiday shopping season, and so offer deep discounts to get ahead of the competition.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Kind of crazy? STIR-
5. Supermarket lines CARTS
10. Gossiper's word HEARD
15. Yahoo! rival MSN
18. It divides banks in Bern AARE
19. Goes around ORBITS
21. Bartlett cousin ANJOU
22. Big foot letters EEE
23. Tiny pair of media hosts? TWO PEAS IN A POD(CAST)
26. Short order from mom NOW!
27. Go along with ESCORT
28. Extra SPARE
29. Sneezer's need TISSUE
31. Security for sailors? SAINT ELMO’S FIRE(WALL)
36. Yacht staffs MASTS
39. Van Gogh inspiration ARLES
40. Clean the slate ERASE
41. Latin lover's word AMO
42. Naval NCO CPO
43. Some NCOs CPLS
45. Scale starters DO, RE
49. Online photo exchange for redheads? GINGER SNAP(CHAT)
55. Like some income PRETAX
57. G.I. Joe's outfit US ARMY
58. Former fillies MARES
59. Crêpe cousin BLINTZE
60. Garden adornment SHRUB
61. Old Testament's Queen of __ SHEBA
63. Tees for Aristotle TAUS
64. Pound parts: Abbr. OZS
65. Having returned to the world of public performances? BACK IN A FLASH (MOB)
70. Newfoundland comment? ARF!
73. Often saved comics heroine LOIS
74. Voicemail cues TONES
75. Cessation of hostilities TRUCE
79. Opinion pieces COLUMNS
81. Ontario natives CREES
83. Intervene STEP IN
84. Go by ELAPSE
85. Emeril's gateway? FOOD WEB (BROWSER)
88. Dispatch SEND
89. Brass __ BAND
90. Place to go in Gloucester LOO
91. "Xanadu" gp. ELO
92. Home of the John Denver Sanctuary ASPEN
95. Illusionist Criss __ ANGEL
98. "Cutthroat Kitchen" host Brown ALTON
100. "Got a film to share?"? ANYTHING FOR YOU(TUBE)?
106. Nothing new REPEAT
107. Dutch wheels EDAMS
108. High-quality RATED-A
112. Sharp-toothed swimmer GAR
113. End of a "Great Reuben!" tweet? CORNED BEEF HASH(TAG)
118. Cult following -URE
119. Get ready for an engagement? KNEEL
120. Waxy compound STEROL
121. Writer Rice ANNE
122. Road curve ESS
123. Air Force E-5's SSGTS
124. Revue routines SKITS
125. Trails the pack LAGS

Down
1. Fill up SATE
2. Shooting marbles TAWS
3. __-Z: Camaro model IROC
4. Share on Facebook, e.g. REPOST
5. Raccoon relative COATI
6. Start of MGM's motto ARS
7. Bryce Harper stat RBI
8. Holiday sparklers TINSEL
9. Office binder STAPLE
10. Underworld HADES
11. Multi-vol. reference ENC
12. 1977 Steely Dan album AJA
13. Political platforms ROSTRA
14. To-do list items DUTIES
15. Smart bunch MENSA
16. K-pop city SEOUL
17. Staircase component NEWEL
20. Bombards with junk email SPAMS
24. Memorable times ERAS
25. Cortez's gold ORO
30. Author Stieg Larsson's homeland SWEDEN
32. Short rests NAPS
33. 1982 Disney sci-fi film TRON
34. Pool surface FELT
35. Org. whose roots date to the Civil War IRS
36. Sorcerer MAGUS
37. Simple-living sect AMISH
38. Whale tracker SONAR
42. Shout CRY
43. Revolutionary first name CHE
44. Kettle et al. PAS
46. "The Simpsons" bus driver OTTO
47. Jeer RAZZ
48. Divorce consequences EXES
50. Vittles GRUB
51. Preserves, in a way EMBALMS
52. "You said it!" AMEN!
53. Early sunscreen ingredient PABA
54. Made skillfully CRAFTED
55. Horner's surprise PLUM
56. Trattoria order RISOTTO
59. Scroogean cries BAHS
61. Enjoys a run, maybe SKIS
62. "To each __ own" HIS
63. Half a fly TSE
66. "Get Smart" security device CONE
67. MGM co-founder LOEW
68. "As I Lay Dying" father ANSE
69. Coven concoction BREW
70. Experts ACES
71. Part of a film ROLE
72. Custardlike dessert FLAN
76. Election surprise UPSET
77. Sky over Seville CIELO
78. __ Field, a former name of Minute Maid Park ENRON
80. Modernize UPDATE
81. One side of the fence CON
82. Casting aid ROD
83. Sign of success SRO
85. Venom dispenser FANG
86. Cheese couleur BLEU
87. Aptly named track star BOLT
89. "Big" London attraction BEN
93. Crude homes SHACKS
94. Mountaineering equipment PITONS
95. Many Qatar natives ARABS
96. Queens team, briefly NY METS
97. Half a kids' game … GO SEEK
98. "Down with," in Paris A BAS
99. Deadly LETHAL
100. Plead in court ARGUE
101. Reduces one's distance from NEARS
102. WWI battle site YPRES
103. Senses FEELS
104. Not even ODD
105. Border range URALS
109. Sicilian attraction ETNA
110. "Shucks!" DANG!
111. Sits in a cellar, say AGES
114. Short rule? REG
115. Tuna catcher NET
116. "Black" shopping time: Abbr. FRI
117. __ water HOT


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